Five Good Things: Trucking spreads love

Auction of Kenworth T880S mixer raises $260,000 for leading charities

Kenworth, Con-Tech Manufacturing, and Rihm Kenworth recently partnered to donate a special Kenworth T880S 11-yard Con-Tech BridgeKing Mixer to raise money for charity. The mixer truck was recently shown at World of Concrete in Las Vegas.

During a live auction, the T880S mixer was sold to New London, Minnesota-based Crow River Construction for $260,000. All proceeds of the sale were given to Con-Tech-designated charities, including Ronald McDonald House of Rochester, Minnesota; Make-A-Wish Foundation of Minnesota; St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital; and Child Liberation Foundation, among others.

For Crow River Construction, the Kenworth T880S mixer made available during the auction presented an excellent opportunity for the company to add a new truck to its growing fleet. The T880S, with a set-forward front axle, helps mixer customers comply with federal bridge formulas. The truck is powered by a Paccar MX-11 engine. Crow River Construction launched its ready-mix division in 2021 and has built an all-Kenworth ready-mix fleet comprised of 14 Kenworth T880 and W900 trucks.

“The timing was perfect. We were looking to add another T880 mixer to our fleet when our contacts at Rihm Kenworth and Con-Tech reached out about the auction,” Kraig Hanson, Crow River Construction owner, said. “It was awesome to purchase a new truck that’s a good fit for our operation while seeing that money donated to some incredible charity organizations that are making a difference in our local communities in Minnesota and beyond.”

Truck driver named TCA Highway Angel for helping stranded motorist in snowstorm

The Truckload Carriers Association has named truck driver Mohsen Baniyaghoub from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, a TCA Highway Angel for stopping to help a woman when her battery was dead in the middle of a massive snowstorm in Pennsylvania. Baniyaghoub drives for Kriska Holdings out of Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.

On January 19, 2025, during a blinding snowstorm, Baniyaghoub was driving north of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, on Interstate 81 in bumper-to-bumper traffic. He saw a woman stuck on the side of the road and stopped on the shoulder. At the time, another truck driver was on the scene trying to help.

“It was crazy snowing,” he said. “There was another truck driver there who said he couldn’t open the hood,” referring to the hood of the woman’s car.

Baniyaghoub was able to open the vehicle’s hood and discovered her battery was dead and had a buildup of battery corrosion on the terminals. He went back to his truck and fired up his kettle to bring water to a boil, then went back to the car—kettle in hand— and cleaned the battery terminals of the corrosion buildup. Another car provided the jump for her battery, and Baniyaghoub instructed the driver how to save her battery power until it started to charge up.

“I can’t forget the woman’s phrase after we started her car,” Baniyaghoub said. “She was crying and told me, ‘Bless you, bless you.’”

CPC Logistics driver honored for helping motorists

Gabriel Calderon Matus, a CPC Logistics truck driver assigned to drive for Walgreens in Moreno Valley, California, recently earned CPC’s President’s Award for assisting motorists involved in a serious accident.

After working a full shift, Matus was driving back to Moreno Valley from Downey, California, when he witnessed an accident between another vehicle and a motorcyclist. Matus positioned his truck to safeguard the injured parties and communicated the dangers to other motorists by using hand signals, bringing all traffic to a stop. Then Matus got out of the cab to provide aid. He first went to the car involved in the accident to assist a woman trapped inside. He was able to force the door open, get her out, and sit her on the curb. From there, he helped get first responders to the site and waved them down as they approached.

To recognize his heroic actions, CPC Logistics presented Matus with the President’s Award—given to CPC employees who do something outstanding outside their normal job duties.

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Online applications now open for the 2025-2026 TCA Scholarship Fund  

The Truckload Carriers Association recently announced its TCA Scholarship fund application period is officially open and will run through March 21. The program will again accept applicants from full-time students attending accredited two-year programs at junior colleges as well as four-year accredited colleges. Scholarship monies will be awarded for 2025-2026 academic year.

For nearly 50 years, the Truckload Carriers Association Scholarship Fund has been helping students with connections to the truckload industry. The fund awards up to $6,250 per year, per full-time four-year college student and then up to $2,000 per full-time two-year college student. In the current 2024-2025 academic year, the TCA Scholarship Fund’s Board of Trustees awarded 60 students scholarships totaling over $168,000.

Much of the program’s support comes from within the truckload TCA family—companies and individuals who are committed to the truckload community’s future. Any student in good standing (minimum grade point average of 3.0) who will be attending an accredited, four-year or two-year college or university as a freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior, and who is either the child, grandchild, or spouse of an employee or is an employee of a TCA member company or is the child, grandchild, or spouse of an independent contractor or an independent contractor affiliated with a TCA member company is encouraged to apply.

“The lasting success of TCA’s scholarship program, coupled with the generous support from donors and their dedication to giving back, highlights an additional benefit of TCA membership,” said Joey Hogan, board member at Covenant Logistics and chairman of the TCA Scholarship Committee. “We are truly grateful to the donors, and the inclusion of junior colleges in the program emphasizes the vital role trades play in our industry. I encourage all TCA members to share this scholarship opportunity with their employees as we look forward to another successful year.”

Toyota drives community impact in San Antonio with up to $6.5M in grants

Building on a legacy of more than 20 years of truck and SUV assembly in San Antonio, Toyota is further expanding its impact in the community with a new major investment in the city's educational readiness.

As part of the Driving Possibilities initiative, Toyota USA Foundation is providing grants of up to $6.5 million over five years in East Central Independent School District. The program will give students and teachers access to tools and programs designed to provide foundational skills, build confidence, and forge an individualized path to success. Additional wraparound services will support basic needs that prepare students for learning. San Antonio is the ninth location to launch within this national program to promote workforce development, education, and community engagement.

"For more than 20 years, Toyota has played a critical role in the booming Texas economy," Governor Greg Abbott said. "Part of what made Texas the eighth-largest economy in the world is our growing and skilled workforce. This $6.5 million in grants to East Central ISD will help equip students in San Antonio with the skills they need to get good-paying jobs in high-demand industries like auto manufacturing. I thank Toyota for their ongoing partnership and investment in the better job and bigger paycheck opportunities that we provide in Texas. Working together, we will build a stronger and more prosperous Texas that will endure for generations."