Five Good Things: Trucking's 2022 holiday season of giving

It's that time of year where people pause and reflect on the past 12 months, as well as looking forward to what 2023 might bring us. Like every year, trucking delivered more than goods, but cheer and goodwill to those in need. We look at what trucking companies are doing to help others this holiday season, and we round up examples of the industry's charity throughout all of 2022.

Trucking gives the gift of bikes

XPO Logistics has joined Elves & More in surprising 1,400 children with the gift of a new bicycle. The holiday event in Akron marks Elves & More’s final year of operation in Northeast Ohio, the organization said.

Josephine Berisha, XPO’s chief human resources officer, commented, “While it’s bittersweet to see this annual tradition come to a close, we feel privileged to have helped Elves & More bring joy to over 20,000 children throughout our 16-year partnership. This grassroots volunteer effort has given our employees the opportunity to change lives in their communities.”

Tim House, co-founder of Elves & More of Northeast Ohio, said, “XPO is a large part of our organization. Without their volunteer services, we couldn’t have purchased as many bikes this year, or managed to truck them to our selected neighborhoods. XPO’s drivers have shown up year after year to help us pull off this monumental surprise and deliver happiness, one bike at a time.”

House also thanked XPO driver Joe Caliri for introducing the company to Elves & More soon after the nonprofit was founded. Caliri, who was nationally recognized by XPO in 2020 for driving three million accident-free miles, noted, “I presented the idea of a partnership and the stars aligned. We’ve taken care of the shipping all these years and our employees pitch in to help assemble the bikes. The children see that they are not forgotten.”

Haulin' 4 Hunger during the holidays

On Dec. 15, Advantage Truck Group (ATG) celebrated 10 years of giving back to its communities by delivering more than 4,000 holiday meals to food pantries in Massachusetts via its Haulin’ 4 Hunger program. ATG also distributes thousands of nonperishable meals throughout December to six hunger-relief organizations near ATG locations in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont.

Over the past decade, Haulin’ 4 Hunger has donated more than 30,000 meals across New England.

ATG employees and their Haulin' 4 Hunger team, pictured above, hand-deliver over 4,000 fresh holiday meals of turkey to eight food pantry organizations in Central Massachusetts

“We are grateful for the continued support that our employees, customers and business partners have for this program,” said Kevin G. Holmes, president and CEO of ATG. “While serving our customers is our most important mission, serving our communities truly defines who we are. As we mark 10 years of Haulin’ 4 Hunger, ATG’s commitment to fighting hunger and reducing food insecurity in our communities remains more important than ever.”

“It has been so impactful to witness ATG’s growing number of employees who embrace this commitment to giving back,” said ATG integrated marketing manager Sarah Harrington, who leads the Haulin’ 4 Hunger program. “From every quarterly nonperishable donation and fresh meal delivery they make, to the personal initiatives they take to help support the program, their efforts showcase the power of coming together to do good in our communities.”

Since founding Haulin’ 4 Hunger 10 years ago, ATG has grown to a network of dealers with eight locations across New England. As ATG continues to expand, the company stated that it remains committed to fighting food insecurity in the communities it serves.

Military veteran trucker wins Kenworth T680 Next Gen

Truck driver Ashley Leiva received the keys to a Kenworth T680 Next Generation as a prize for being selected as America’s top military veteran rookie driver under the “Transition Trucking: Driving for Excellence” campaign. For the seventh consecutive year, Kenworth, employment software developer Fastport, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Hiring our Heroes program teamed up to reward the top candidate who transitioned from active military duty to driving for a commercial fleet. The awards ceremony was held in Washington D.C.

From left to right: Transition Trucking Winner Ashley Leiva and runners-up Sean Adams and David Marihugh

In 2021, Leiva retired from the U.S. Army and returned to her hometown in Corpus Christi, Texas. After graduating from the transportation training program at Del Mar College, she and brother Johnny Leiva began running the trucking business of their late mother Noemi—and renamed it Noemi Trucking in her honor. Their company hauls crude oil for Draco Energy in South Texas. Leiva is the first winner to be nominated by a National Association of Publicly Funded Truck Driving Schools.

“This is certainly a very special moment for me. My mother inspired me to go into truck driving. She said driving a truck made her feel like she was on top of the world,” Leiva said. “It is an honor to receive the Transition Trucking award of the T680 Next Generation from among all the outstanding nominated veterans and fellow truck drivers.”

“It was an honor to present the Kenworth T680 Next Generation keys to Ashley Leiva,” said Genevieve Bekkerus, Kenworth director of marketing.” On behalf of Kenworth and all our employees, thank you for your long military service to our country, and we wish you a successful and long trucking career,”

Under the Transition Trucking: Driving for Excellence program, two runners-up, Sean Adams/U.S. Navy/McElroy Truck Lines and Dave Marihugh/U.S. Navy/Roehl Transport, were each awarded with a check for $10,000.

The general public participated by casting their online vote on the Transition Trucking website. That vote was an important deciding factor for the Selection Committee members as they made the ultimate choice for this year’s Transition Trucking award winner. Candidates must have been active military or a member of the National Guard or Reserve first hired in a trucking position between Jan. 1, 2021, and July 31, 2022.

Transervice aids the Salvation Army

Helping to load the holiday gifts donated to The Salvation Army by Transervice are (left to right): Regina Snyder, claims and risk management administrator; Eric Zacharias, accounts receivable; a Salvation Army representative; and Sean Schnipper, director of marketing.

For more than 50 years Transervice Logistics has delivered early holiday presents to their employees’ children and grandchildren, aged newborn to 13, at their facilities across North America. The company then doubles that amount of presents to donate to The Salvation Army in the metro New York area.

“Our corporate office team feels the true holiday spirit when they pitch in to wrap the hundreds of presents we donate each year to our local New York Salvation Army,” said Sean Schnipper, director of marketing for Transervice. “This is a beloved tradition that caps off a year of giving to worthy causes in our community.”

Trucking celebrates a year of charitable giving

Trucking Moves America Forward (TMAF) has shared the many ways that the trucking industry gave back to its communities and charities this holiday season. Trucking companies and organizations nationwide shared their stories of charitable works and giving with TMAF after the industry movement issued their annual call for submissions through email and social media.

“The trucking industry is one of service—from delivering the essential goods that keep communities well stocked and supplied throughout the year, to finding ways to give back to their communities during the holiday season,” said Kevin Burch, co-chairman of TMAF and VP of government affairs and sales at Martin Transportation Systems. “TMAF is proud to help tell the story of how the trucking companies and organizations in states across the country give back to the communities they serve.”

Below is a list of how trucking companies and organizations gave back to their communities during the 2022 holiday season this year.

Averitt associate Pete Upton during an annual visit at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

Averitt Express, based in Cookeville, Tennessee, annually hosts a yearlong employee-giving program, Averitt Cares for Kids, in which more than 94% of associates donate $1 per week. This year, associates made their largest contribution in the program’s history: $1,050,001 to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Big M Transportation, based in Blue Mountain, Mississippi, had employees, family, and partners donate over $30,000 to St. Jude. Employees also participated in the Tippah Toys for Tots, which takes place at the company’s annual Christmas party. Big M also participated in Wreaths Across America again this year.

The charitable haul of their town’s tree by Brenny Transportation is pictured above

Brenny Transportation, based in St. Joseph, Minnesota, hosted their annual Driven to Serve campaign. With the $7,000 they raised, Brenny purchased gift cards to provide to those in need through a local school’s fundraiser, the school matching their donation. Brenny also donated to a local food shelter and provided a charitable haul by transporting the Christmas tree for their town’s WinterWalk festival. CFI, based in Joplin, Missouri, gave back to their community through several charitable initiatives, including support for local charities and Wreaths Across America. CFI also hosted its 29th annual Truckloads of Treasures fundraiser, which raised $41,000 this year. In total, the fundraiser has raised a total of $1,001,000 to date to support communities around CFI in the U.S., Mexico, and Canada during the holidays.

CFI volunteers and family members dressed in their 70-year anniversary shirts

Conversion Interactive Agency, based in Brentwood, Tennessee, held its annual food drive to benefit the Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee. Conversion employees donated and transported 1,505 items to a partner collection site to be distributed to people in need across Middle Tennessee.

DriverFacts owner Dave Widly pictured on the right with one of the wheelchair ramps he built

DriverFacts owners David and Lori Widly, based in Anaheim, California, assisted flood victims in Eastern Kentucky. They built wheelchair ramps, and replaced sub-floors and roofs with a team of parents and students from Orange Lutheran High School.

Northfield Trucking Co., based in Romulus, Mississippi, organized trunk or treat Halloween event, which was widely attended by the community and drew over 300 children from neighboring cities. Northfield Trucking & Associates donated toothbrushes, water, chips, candy, snow cones, and chocolates to celebrate Halloween and help those families in need.

Knoxville, Tennessee-based Pilot Company, a veteran-founded company, extended its long tradition of supporting Wreaths Across America’s Escort to Arlington and partnering with the Truckload Carriers Association to celebrate and honor veterans in the trucking industry by sponsoring the appreciation dinner held in Arlington, Virginia ahead of the laying of the wreaths ceremony.

SH 130 Concession Company, based in Central Texas, partnered with the Caldwell County Sheriff Department’s Brown Santa program and collected over 150 toys, games and books for area families that need a little extra help this holiday season.

Rhode Island Trucking Association members turned out to support the Torch Run Truck Convoy for Special Olympics

The Rhode Island Trucking Association co-hosted Rhode Island's first Torch Run Truck Convoy for Special Olympics along with the Special Olympics Rhode Island and various municipal and state enforcement agencies. Nearly 50 trucks from over 30 trucking companies took part; the event raised more than $13,000 for Rhode Island Special Olympics athletes to enable them to train and compete free of charge.

The Texas Trucking Association's Emerging Leaders Council (ELC) hosted their annual toy drive for Toys for Tots. The kickoff of the toy drive takes place at their fall meeting each year where the membership is encouraged to host toy drives across the state. A marine also addresses the ELC to share about ways to get involved.

Trailiner, based in Springfield, Missouri, participated in the Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Ozarks Bowl for Kids’ Sake Truckers Challenge and raised the largest sum of money—$4,000—for the second year in a row. Trailiner also participated in several other charitable acts, including a partnership with Ozarks Food Harvest, and sponsorships for the Ronald McDonald House of the Ozarks and the Jeepin for a Cure event to benefit the Breast Cancer Foundation of the Ozarks. Employees also worked with the Department of Social Services to support children in the foster system and donated items.
Trucking Angels for Christ, a nonprofit whose mission is to minister to women and provides free bibles and services, partnered with Teddy’s Angels to help children that have terminal illnesses for Christmas.
Wabash, based in Lafayette, Indiana, partnered with agencies across the country to give back to its communities. Wabash donated more than $500,000 in charitable giving and thousands of volunteer hours from employees with a focus on fighting hunger and supporting children and veterans. In addition to local initiatives, Wabash established a new partnership with Feeding America in 2022 as an ongoing commitment to help end hunger on a national scale. To celebrate this partnership, Wabash hosted employee volunteer events at local food pantries monthly and organized a company-wide Drive Away Hunger food drive. With their business partners support, Wabash filled 1,000 backpacks with food for children in need during their Ignite conference in Charlotte, North Carolina.