During National Truck Driver Appreciation Week, the industry focused not just on appreciating the nation’s drivers but also on donating time and money to other worthy causes. Learn more in this week’s Five Good Things.
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Truck driver named TCA Highway Angel for helping couple with SUV on fire
The Truckload Carriers Association named truck driver Lisa Haner from Ludington, Michigan, a TCA Highway Angel for helping a couple whose SUV was on fire while attached to an RV. Haner drives for Quick-Way, Inc. out of Ludington, Michigan.
On August 27, 2024, around 10:20 a.m. in Summit Township, Michigan, tanker driver Haner came upon a vehicle fire on the side of Highway 31. She saw a couple standing outside of their motorhome that was towing an SUV. The SUV was fully engulfed in flames, so she pulled over in front of the couple’s motorhome to see if she could help.
“I saw the woman out with her little fire extinguisher trying to blow it,” Haner said. “I got out my fire extinguisher, and a man stopped in an SUV, and we went over there.”
The owner of the burning vehicle told her to not put herself in harm’s way to save items from the SUV, so Haner stayed with the owners until the fire department arrived. An Army veteran with medical training, she tried to assess injuries.
“They were pretty shaken up,” she said. “The man got burned on his arm.”
Though the SUV seemed to be totaled, the motorhome was not damaged. Haner said she doesn’t know much about fires but wanted to see if she could help with injuries.
The Giving Pump returns to ~7,500 Shell stations nationwide
Celebrating its fourth year, Shell recently announced the return of The Giving Pump, benefiting nonprofits across the nation. Running through October 31, a portion of purchases made by consumers who use the designated purple pump at select Shell stations will support local children's and family-focused charities. The Giving Pump can be found across 47 states as part of Shell's Force For Good initiative to give back and drive positive change in local communities.
The Giving Pumps are specially marked with colorful signage at participating stations to inspire consumers to fuel up and support a range of nonprofits, including children's hospitals, schools and after-school programs, food pantries, youth leadership programs, and more. Starting at 2,900 locations in 2021, the number of Shell stations participating in this two-month initiative has grown to more than 7,500 across the U.S.
"The Giving Pump is an easy and impactful way for customers to give back through the simple act of filling up their vehicles, and we look forward to highlighting the many organizations whose mission is to aid children and families in their communities," said Barbara Stoyko, SVP of Mobility Americas at Shell. "Each year, it has been uplifting to see the commitment from customers and stations to support nonprofits that have a positive effect on the lives they serve. Please consider choosing the 'purple pump' to pay it forward during your next fuel stop."
This year, The Giving Pump is supporting 552 local and national charities across the U.S., including St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Boys & Girls Clubs, Prader-Willi Syndrome Association USA, The Brooke Healey Foundation, and more. The Giving Pumps were used 7.3 million times during the two-month campaign last August and September.
DTNA supports local kids’ sports
Daimler Truck North America recently partnered with Charlotte FC and the Alexander Youth Network to unveil a new mini pitch in Charlotte, North Carolina, providing local youth with a dedicated space for sports and teamwork.
This marks the second mini pitch DTNA has supported, following last year’s project with the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Gastonia.
The Driver Resource Center awards its first scholarship
The Driver Resource Center celebrates Jason Little, the first recipient of its Future of Trucking Scholarship. Little will receive a $1,000 scholarship toward his CDL training at MTC Truck Driver Training in St. Ann, Missouri.
The Driver Resource Center Future of Trucking Scholarship will provide financial assistance to one person each quarter to pursue a career as a commercial driver. The truck driving scholarship will be for $1,000 toward tuition at MTC Truck Driver Training in St. Louis, Missouri.
TMC grants scholarships to help students train for technician, engineering careers
The American Trucking Associations’ Technology & Maintenance Council awarded 17 students from across the country scholarships to pursue careers as commercial vehicle technicians or engineers.
“Finding innovative solutions to our industry’s ongoing technician shortage is a priority for TMC, and the Council is pleased to be able to partner with WyoTech, Western Technical College, Lincoln Tech, University of Northwest Ohio, Universal Technical Institute, and SAE to bring these scholarship opportunities to fruition,” said TMC Executive Director Robert Braswell. “These initiatives provide greater choice for deserving scholarship-seeking students looking to prepare for a career as a commercial vehicle technician.”
Aaron Lanter of Richmond, Kentucky; Thomas McNamara of West Springfield, Massachusetts; Asher Dunn of Lancaster, Kentucky; and Tucker Brown of Barbourville, Kentucky, all received the TMC/Lincoln Tech/NADC Diesel Truck Technician Scholarship. The scholarship covers half the tuition for a 1,200- to 1,560-hour training program at one of six Lincoln Technical Institute/Lincoln College of Technology schools across the country.
Shaliah Mae Kohlenberg of DuBois, Pennsylvania, was named the 2024 TMC/University of Northwest Ohio Scholar, which consists of an award for tuition in the amount of up to $20,000.
The TMC/WyoTech Diesel Truck Technician Scholarship, which consists of a partial scholarship of up to $5,000 each, was awarded to Wesley Bihn of Portland, Indiana; Eric Culley of John Day, Oregon; William Gallacher of Carrizozo, New Mexico; and Jayden Walker of Milton-Freewater, Oregon.
Maggie Bockenstedt of Farley, Iowa; Cooper Hambright of New Cumberland, Pennsylvania; Juan Carlos Palacios of The Bronx, New York; and Bryan Perpuli-Ochoa of Las Cruces, New Mexico, all received a half-scholarship for UTI’s diesel technology program or the combined automotive/diesel technology program.
Raul Vega Jr. of Tornillo, Texas, was awarded the 2024 TEC/Western Tech Scholarship, covering 50% of the tuition to pursue a degree in diesel mechanics and diesel technology at Western Tech.
Finally, TMC announced that Zachary Been of Bakersfield, California, Bryan Edgar of Huntsville, Alabama; and Josh Cassell of Worcester, Massachusetts, were all awarded the TMC/SAE Donald D. Dawson Technical Scholarship, consisting of three $1,500 scholarships, which can be renewed for three years and used for tuition or any other incidental school expenses while pursuing an undergraduate degree in automotive engineering.
