Volvo Trucks North America (VTNA) and Mack Trucks announced they will continue to serve as exclusive sponsors of the American Trucking Associations’ (ATA) America’s Road Team and Share the Road programs, respectively, for 2021.
Peter Voorhoeve, president of VTNA, made the announcement on Oct. 26 at the ATA Management Conference & Exhibition (MCE) that Volvo will continue to serve as the exclusive sponsor of the America’s Road Team public outreach program in 2021.
“I am proud to honor the professional drivers who make up America’s Road Team,” said Voorhoeve. “As captains, these men and women are leaders who set the example for best-in-class driving, and their outstanding safety records complement the Volvo Trucks brand. We look forward to our 19th year as the exclusive sponsor, and we appreciate the dedication of these drivers and their tireless efforts.”
This group of professional truck drivers, recognized for their driving skills, millions of accident-free miles, and advocacy for safety, are nominated to serve two-year terms as captains of America’s Road Team. During this time, the captains travel around the country to educate students, community groups, lawmakers, and government officials on safety, in addition to the essentiality and sustainability of trucking.
The 2021 America’s Road Team will receive a new Volvo VNL 760 model, which hauls ATA’s Interstate One mobile classroom to deliver interactive trucking demonstrations. The new VNL will be equipped with the latest innovations such as the Volvo Active Driver Assist (VADA) safety system, which uses camera and radar sensors to detect motorized vehicles within the vehicle’s proximity. It will also feature Volvo Trucks’ next-generation D13 Turbo Compound engine with a 13-speed I-Shift automated manual transmission. The Volvo Dynamic Steering (VDS) system and Position Perfect steering configuration are also included. Additionally, Volvo Trucks Remote Diagnostics and Remote Programming connectivity services are included to ensure enhanced uptime.
The America’s Road Team captains are expected to visit Dublin, Va., next year for the official truck handover ceremony at the Volvo Trucks Customer Center. During this time, Volvo Trucks representatives plan to take the captains on a tour of the company’s world-class manufacturing plant to show them how their new Volvo VNL 760 truck was built.
“Professional truck drivers deserve great recognition and great respect, and this year the pandemic proved to everyone in North America just how valuable a role drivers play in almost every aspect of our day-to-day lives,” Voorhoeve said. “Volvo Trucks thanks all drivers and the captains for the incredible work they are doing to demonstrate the importance of safety and the essential service that trucking provides to our economy.”
America’s Road Team was founded in 1986 to publicly represent professional truck drivers and serve as a celebration of the dedication and teamwork required to deliver America’s freight safely, securely and on time. Volvo Trucks has served as the exclusive sponsor since 2002.
Mack sponsors Share the Road and Workforce Heroes
Mack Trucks also announced on Oct. 26 its continued sponsorship of ATA’s Share the Road and Workforce Heroes programs in 2021. This will be the 20th year that Mack has sponsored Share the Road.
Mack noted that it continued its sponsorship of both programs to help improve highway safety and to support military veterans by introducing and recruiting them to careers in the trucking industry.
“Educating motorists to operate alongside large trucks is critical to keeping our highways safe,” said Jonathan Randall, Mack Trucks senior vice president of North American sales and commercial operations. “We are pleased to sponsor the Share the Road program, as well as the professional drivers who tirelessly deliver that safety message to various stakeholders. We also are extremely proud to support veterans through the Workforce Heroes program. Their dedication to serving our country would well serve the trucking industry.”
Mack donated its Mack Anthem 70-inch Stand Up Sleeper models outfitted with the latest safety technologies to both programs.
The goal of the Share the Road program is to teach others how to safely drive with heavy-duty trucks on our nation’s roadways. Many professional drivers in the Share the Road program have one million or more accident-free miles. Drivers in the Share the Road program use the Mack Anthem to illustrate blind spots, stopping distances, and other safety issues while also demonstrating how the heavy-duty trucks are different than passenger vehicles.
“ATA is extremely grateful to Mack Trucks for the decades-long sponsorship of the Share the Road program, which saves lives by reducing vehicle accidents between truck drivers and the millions of motorists with whom they share the highway,” said Elisabeth Barn, ATA Executive Vice President of Industry Affairs. “Without the support of industry leaders like Mack, Share the Road would not be possible, and we are so appreciative of their continued sponsorship to help drive this impactful highway education program forward.”
The Share the Road Anthem model features a 13-liter Mack MP8 505C engine with 505 hp.and 1,860 lb.-ft. of torque and a 12-speed Mack mDRIVE automated manual transmission. It also features Mack Road Stability Advantage by Bendix, a fully electronic stability control system that helps mitigate the chances of a rollover or jackknife incident; and Bendix Wingman Fusion, a camera- and radar-based system that provides collision mitigation, adaptive cruise control, and lane departure warning capabilities. Both systems are standard on all Mack Anthem models.
The Mack Anthem utilized in the Workforce Heroes program features a camouflaged-style wrap. The Anthem model is driven across the country by professional truck drivers from the Share the Road program, visiting schools, career fairs, and military bases.
“The Workforce Heroes program is core to our mission and values at ATA,” said ATA President and CEO Chris Spear. “Attracting the best talent into trucking is an ongoing priority that we remain focused on every single day, and what better pool to draw from than those heroes looking to begin a new career after exiting military service. Thanks to the generosity of Mack and their commitment to our nation’s veterans, this camo Anthem has been an invaluable tool in support of a great cause as it travels across the country forging new paths of opportunity for those who’ve served and sacrificed on our behalf.”
The Mack Anthem model used in the Workforce Heroes program is equipped with a Mack MP8HE-415SE engine with 415 hp. and 1,660 lb.-ft. of torque and the Mack mDRIVE automated manual transmission.
