Military veteran-turned-truck driver David Price is going to helm the 11th “Ride of Pride” highway tractor for TL carrier Schneider; a unique truck built by Freightliner Trucks every year as a “rolling tribute” to U.S. military servicemen and women, past and present.
“My past has been the fire and the inspiration that has prepared me for this honor,” noted Price, a veteran of the U.S. Navy Reserves, in a statement.
He’ll spend the next 12 months taking the truck to various military-themed events across the U.S. as well as hauling freight.
“I feel so honored to drive this impressive truck, which is detailed with memorials such as the Vietnam Memorial, World War II Memorial, Arlington Cemetery and 13 other monuments,” Price added. “I look forward to meeting all my other brothers and sisters from the military and their families throughout the year and sharing this special truck with them.”
A Fort Worth, Texas, resident, Price entered the military in 2003 in part due to the 9/11 attacks. During his 14 years in the Navy Reserves, he deployed to Kuwait for one year and Afghanistan for 15 months as a member of the Seabees, a construction battalion of the Navy that goes out in advance of other operations to build sites.
Freightliner’s Ride of Pride tradition began more than 15 years ago when Ed Keeter, an assembly plat shift manager for Freightliner and Vietnam War veteran, proposed the project as a way to honor current and prior members of the U.S. military.
Schneider has been presented with U.S. Ride of Pride trucks in 2007, 2008, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and now 2017, as well as two Canadian Ride of Pride trucks in 2011 and 2015.
“Schneider is grateful Freightliner has selected us to receive the Ride of Pride for the 11th time,” noted Rob Reich, senior vice president of equipment, maintenance and driver recruiting at Schneider – and a U.S. Army veteran as well.
“We couldn’t be more proud to have David Price and this year’s beautifully decorated Ride of Pride to showcase Schneider’s military support and our commitment to hiring those with military experience,” he said in a statement.
