The trucking industry is a tight-knit community in and of itself but still embraces others. Read more about the communities trucking is supporting in this week’s Five Good Things.
Please pass along good news for our weekly Five Good Things blog by email or through our LinkedIn, Facebook, or Twitter accounts.
Truck driver named TCA Highway Angel for helping critically injured crash victims
The Truckload Carriers Association has named truck driver Jason Holmes from Phoenix, Arizona, a TCA Highway Angel for stopping to help during a deadly vehicle crash in Ohio. Holmes drives for Prime out of Springfield, Missouri.
On Sunday, January 12, 2025, in Delaware County, Ohio, Holmes was driving on Interstate 71 when he saw a crash.
State troopers say a black Hyundai Tucson was heading north on I-71. The driver lost control of the vehicle, veered across the median, overturned, struck the median cable barrier, and then hit a Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck.
Holmes was in the middle lane when he saw the Hyundai come to rest in the middle of the southbound lanes, while the Chevrolet slid off the left side of the highway after impact.
“It was horrible—extremely horrible,” Holmes said. “With the condition of the car that rolled, I knew it was gonna be bad.”
Holmes pulled over to the shoulder to assist. He ran to a 12-year-old girl, who had been ejected from the Hyundai.
“She was fine,” he said. “She just had scrapes and some bruising.”
He stayed with the girl until a nurse happened upon the scene. Holmes went to the first vehicle and saw that the driver was deceased. His fiance sustained extensive injuries.
Holmes and a few U.S. Army personnel who happened upon the accident started prying the driver’s side of the truck door open. The driver had suffered major injuries to his arm and leg.
“He had two bones sticking out of his right leg,” he said. “On his left arm, the wrist was just hanging.”
Holmes helped the soldiers get the driver out of the vehicle and lay him on the ground to await EMS. Holmes moved to the passenger side of the truck and pried that door open. Though the young man in the passenger seat did not sustain substantial injuries, his legs were trapped under the dashboard. He kept the young man calm and waited with him until EMS and fire and rescue arrived.
Preparation begins for The Wall That Heals’ 2025 season
Since 2015, TCA carrier members have transported The Wall That Heals, an exhibit that includes a three-quarter scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial along with a mobile Education Center, to communities nationwide. The traveling exhibit honors the more than three million Americans who served in the U.S. Armed Forces in the Vietnam War, and it bears the names of the 58,281 men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in Vietnam.
The trucking industry plays a vital role in delivering The Wall That Heals, a traveling replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, each year for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund.
If your fleet is interested in helping transport The Wall That Heals for the 2025 season, you’re invited to be part of this program that brings the memorial to local communities. Simply fill out this form to get involved.
Wreaths Across America honors 'Flying Tiger Line Flight 739' with remembrance ceremony
On March 16, Wreaths Across America will pay tribute to the American heroes who sacrificed their lives aboard Flying Tiger Line Flight 739. WAA will broadcast the ceremony live on its official Facebook page and over Wreaths Across America Radio.
Sixty-three years ago, on March 16, 1962, President Kennedy sanctioned FTLF 739 and its crew to complete a secret mission to survey Vietnam. This reconnaissance mission went missing, with no trace, the plane or its passengers never found. Onboard were 93 soldiers, 11 civilian crewmembers, and four Vietnamese citizens.
The U.S. government never added the names of those lost to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. In 2021, WAA and its founder Morrill Worcester erected the only monument bearing the names of these American heroes. The monument is located on Worcester tip land in Maine, where balsam is harvested to make veterans’ wreaths placed each December as part of National Wreaths Across America Day.
This ceremony will share messages and stories about FTLF 739 and pay homage to the crew’s memory.
TIA names Bill Tucker scholarship winner for Trimester 1
The Transportation Intermediaries Association is celebrating Jamie Pfannerer of RLS Logistics for earning the Trimester 1 Bill Tucker Memoriam Scholarship. Established in 2024, the Bill Tucker CTB Scholarship is awarded each trimester to the student with the highest pre-requisite exam score.
“Congratulations on receiving the Certified Transportation Broker scholarship!” Chris Burroughs, TIA president and CEO, said. “Earning this designation will further showcase your dedication to excellence and set a high standard in our industry. This certification not only deepens expertise but also highlights the critical role brokers play in keeping the supply chain moving. Wishing you the best of luck on this journey!”
Werner hosts Touch a Truck event
This past weekend, Werner Enterprises connected with the Valrico, Florida, community at the "Touch A Truck" event hosted by the River Hills Community.
Michael Z., a local Tampa associate, and Chevy, a Werner professional driver, road captain and million miler, represented Werner and shared their passion for trucking. Kids got to hop inside a Werner tractor, honk the horn, and take home a Werner coloring book filled with fun and educational content.
