Truck driver named TCA Highway Angel for helping stranded driver
The Truckload Carriers Association has named truck driver Rick Thomas from Akron, Ohio, a TCA Highway Angel for stopping to help a stranded female driver when her tire blew. Thomas works for ABF Freight out of Ft. Smith, Arizona.
Thomas pulled over to assist a female driver stranded on the side of the road around 3 p.m. on Oct. 4 in Peninsula, Ohio. Her SUV had a flat tire.
“She was kind of almost halfway in the intersection,” Thomas said. “I hopped out and asked her if she had a spare tire, and she said 'yes.' That’s what I did—I changed her tire.”
Thomas said the entire event took about 20 minutes. He made sure she was safely out of the road and took care of her blown tire while assuring her that everything would be okay.
“It’s just kindness; it’s just my nature,” Thomas said. “I try to be a gentleman. I’m a truck driver, and that’s what we do.”
Trucking Cares Foundation donates $10,000 to help truck drivers in need
The Trucking Cares Foundation recently donated $10,000 to the St. Christopher Truckers Relief Fund, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting the families of truck drivers who have been sidelined due to injuries or illnesses.
“Trucking is a close-knit family, and whenever one of our brothers or sisters falls on difficult times, we band together to help them get back on their feet,” Phil Byrd, chairman of the Trucking Cares Foundation, said. “Whether it’s delivering the products that Americans depend on each day or transporting humanitarian relief when disasters strike, truck drivers are always there to serve our communities. The St. Christopher Fund honors the sacrifices truck drivers make by having their backs when their families need it most.”
“We are deeply grateful for the Trucking Cares Foundation’s continued support and generosity,” Shannon Currier, director of philanthropy for the St. Christopher Fund, said. “This donation provides essential support for drivers and their families by providing financial relief and free health and wellness programs that impact driver health and retention.”
Chevron commits an additional $250,000 to hurricane relief efforts
Chevron recently donated $250,000 to support relief and recovery efforts after Hurricane Milton devastated parts of Florida. The funds will provide support for emergency teams and volunteer efforts.
"Our thoughts are with the Florida residents as they recover from Hurricane Milton,” Mike Vomund, VP of fuel sales at Chevron, said. “We understand that reliable energy is essential to the recovery process, and we are working to help restore fuel supplies to the impacted area as quickly and safely as possible. We are proud to support organizations like Fuel Relief Fund, Team Rubicon, and Volunteer Florida as they assist Florida communities through the recovery process.”
- Fuel Relief Fund will receive $100,000 to support relief efforts throughout the impacted region
- Team Rubicon will receive $100,000 to aid emergency response teams
- Volunteer Florida will receive $50,000 to support volunteer mobilization and recovery efforts
In addition, Chevron has donated 8,500 gallons of fuel in-kind direct from its Panama City Terminal. This fuel will be distributed to first responders in the impacted areas.
Earlier this month, Chevron announced a $250,000 donation to the same organizations to support Hurricane Helene recovery efforts in the Southeast.
Chevron will match qualifying donations employees and retirees make to hurricane relief efforts and provide financial contributions to organizations where its employees volunteer.
See also: Fleets Explained: DEF and NOx
Ryder announces winners of its Carrier Quality Award
Ryder System has announced its top carrier selections for the 27th Annual Ryder Carrier Quality Awards. The award program recognizes U.S. and Canadian carriers for service quality and operational excellence based on various metrics, including on-time performance, customer service, economic value, claims handling, and commitment to innovation.
“We manage a network of 87,500 qualified carriers under contract to move more than $11 billion in freight on behalf of our customers annually,” Kendra Phillips, VP of transportation management and brokerage for Ryder, said. “One thing that sets this year’s honorees apart is their commitment to technology and innovation to find efficiencies, drive productivity, and ultimately improve resiliency in an often unpredictable market. And, to support our carriers’ commitment to innovation, we continue to invest in real-time visibility, collaboration, and exception management with our RyderShare technology.”
The recipients of this year’s Ryder Carrier Quality Awards are:
- National Dry Van Carrier of the Year: Mesilla Valley Transportation
- Regional Dry Van Carrier of the Year: GP Transportation
- Intermodal Carrier of the Year: Alliance Shippers
- Refrigerated Carrier of the Year: Prime Inc.
- Flatbed Carrier of the Year: Melton Truck Lines Inc.
- National LTL Carrier of the Year: Estes Express Lines
- Regional LTL Carrier of the Year: Dayton Freight Lines Inc.
- Oil & Gas Carrier of the Year: Press Energy Services LLC
- Canadian Truckload Carrier of the Year: Charger Logistics Inc.
- Canadian LTL Carrier of the Year: Midland Transport Ltd.
- Freight Forwarder of the Year: Imperative Logistics
- Maritime Carrier of the Year: VinLog USA
- Drayage Carrier of the Year: Romar Transportation
Rush Truck Centers announces winner of last Peterbilt Model 389 ever produced, $500,000 contribution to Wounded Warrior Project
Rush Enterprises recently announced the winner of its sweepstakes to give away the last and only 2025 Peterbilt Model 389X ever produced, with proceeds benefiting the Wounded Warrior Project.
Sponsored by Rush Truck Centers, in conjunction with the Rush Enterprises Foundation, the sweepstakes launched in March at the Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville, Kentucky. To enter, individuals were encouraged to make a $50 donation that was given to WWP at the end of the sweepstakes. The sweepstakes ended September 15, and the winner was announced during American Trucking Associations’ Management Conference & Exhibition in Nashville, Tennessee.
Jennifer Best of Pryor, Oklahoma, was the lucky winner. Best and her husband, Shane Best, operate Shane Best Trucking, a small fleet specializing in hauling rock, soil, and aggregate materials in and around the Tulsa area.
“Trucking runs in our family. We took over the business from Shane’s mother, my dad was a truck driver, and both of our boys are in the business,” Best said. “When I got the call that we’d won, I was in shock. We were happy to support Wounded Warrior Project, but to win this incredible truck is unbelievable.”
Best was presented with the keys to the last Peterbilt Model 389X at the ATA MCE event. The truck will be delivered to Rush Truck Centers in Tulsa where the Bests will take possession later this month.
