The trucking industry is all about recognizing individuals within it with awards, scholarships, and more. Read more about how trucking is recognizing individuals in this week’s Five Good Things.
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Heavy-duty scholarships to be awarded
The University of the Aftermarket Foundation reminds students that applications must be submitted by March 31 at its Aftermarket Scholarship Central websites, AutomotiveScholarships.com and HeavyDutyScholarships.com.
Over $800,000 of scholarships will be awarded for the 2025-26 academic year to students enrolled in four-year and two-year colleges and ASE/NATEF certified automotive, collision, and heavy-duty/diesel post-secondary programs. This amount surpasses the 327 scholarships totaling $721,000 awarded in 2024, including scholarships for service and repair, engineering, supply chain, finance, and IT/cybersecurity fields of study.
By completing a single application online, students will be considered for multiple scholarships for which they are eligible. The websites allow applicants to view the details of all scholarships available and continue to update their application until the March 31 deadline.
“The UAF scholarship program will have a record year in 2025, awarding more scholarship funds than ever so the recipients can get the education and training they need to begin a successful automotive or heavy-duty career,” Roger McCollum, chairman of the University of the Aftermarket Foundation, said. “We encourage all those who are interested in applying to visit the UAF scholarship websites soon to complete and submit their applications in advance of the March 31 deadline.”
Truck driver named TCA Highway Angel for helping injured driver
The Truckload Carriers Association has named truck driver Donovan Collins, from Deport, Texas, a TCA Highway Angel for stopping to help during a crash. Collins drives for Dedicated Transportation Solutions out of Greenville, South Carolina.
On February 11, around 4:30 a.m., Collins was driving on Interstate 30 in the rain. He encountered an overturned vehicle in the middle of the lane—completely dark, with no lights on.
“I saw him about 30 yards out,” Collins said. “I barely scraped past him.”
Without hesitation, he activated his hazards, safely parked his vehicle, and called 911. Collins ran to the wrecked car.
“I ran over with a flashlight to see who was in the car,” he said. “A guy was just lying there, not moving.”
A Navy veteran, Collins pulled the driver to safety, removing him from harm’s way as he spoke to the 911 operator. He then performed CPR on the crash victim until emergency responders arrived.
“I stopped because I know what it’s like to be in an accident and have no one stop to help,” Collins said. “Everyone else was driving by like they didn’t have a care in the world.”
FleetPride celebrates 2025 supplier award winners
FleetPride, an independent distributor of aftermarket heavy duty parts and service, announced its annual supplier awards during its recent Supplier Summit at the Gaylord Texan Hotel and Resort in Grapevine, Texas. These companies were selected for their outstanding support and partnership with FleetPride over the last year.
“FleetPride values our strategic supplier partnerships. Our annual supplier awards are an opportunity to recognize those who consistently provide exceptional support to us through field work, supply chain, digital, or strategic initiatives," Michael Keller, FleetPride VP of category management and strategic sourcing, said. "Congratulations to all of our award winners. We greatly appreciate your partnership.”
Several suppliers received awards for consistently driving communication, partnership, innovation, training, and growth throughout the year.
- Atmus Filtration
- Baldwin
- Continental Battery
- DA Lubricants
- Dayton
- Grote
- MAT
- Muncie
- Odyssey
- Ranger Brake
- Stoughton Parts
In addition, FleetPride named Dana Spicer as its Supplier of the Year.
"Dana Spicer excelled in all areas of partnership," Keller said. "Their efforts were consistent through their support of our programs, marketing opportunities, field work, and other initiatives such as data management, and they committed to building strong working relationships. FleetPride values their partnership, and we are pleased to name them as our supplier of the year."
See also: Giving drivers a reason to stay
Women In Trucking Association announces its March 2025 Member of the Month
The Women In Trucking Association has named Christine Iva Britton as its March 2025 Member of the Month. Britton is a professional driver for Premier Truck Group.
Britton was naturally drawn to anything with a motor and wheels as far back as she can remember. Her father ran a Husqvarna saw shop behind Jubitz Truck Stop, which is merely a stone’s throw away from the Freightliner dealership where she has been employed for the past 10 years.
“The trucking industry was always coming and going in the backyard of my pre-CDL life,” said Britton. “I had stars in my eyes pretty early on and eventually went to IITR Trucking Driving School to make it official.”
Starting her career at Premier Truck Group in October of 2014, Britton is dispatched by the entire dealership, which includes new and used sales, collision, and service departments. She assists management, service technicians, service writers, and foremen with diagnostic feedback, providing customer service excellence.
Her recognitions include being named one of Premier Truck Group’s 2024 Winning Women, winning the Premier Truck Group’s Safety Excellence Coin #056, and a Jubitz Truck Light Parade honorable mention.
For fellow women within the industry or those looking to enter it, Britton has some enthusiastic advice: “Do it! Always trust your intuition, be patient with yourself, believe in your greatness, be bold, and communicate with confidence. Support, don’t compete, and make a great playlist to get through it and get over it!”
CVSA opens nominations for 2025 International Driver Excellence Award
The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance is now accepting nominations for its International Driver Excellence Award, an annual award that recognizes a professional commercial motor vehicle driver and their commitment to public safety.
Nominees for this award will be individuals who have gone above and beyond the performance of their duties as a commercial motor vehicle driver, distinguishing themselves through the achievement of safe operation and compliance carried out for an extended period of time. The nominated individual must be of personal character beyond reproach with no disqualifying past behavior as indicated in the award criteria.
Nominees must have:
- At least 25 cumulative years of crash-free driving in a commercial motor vehicle with a clean driving record for the past three years
- No felony convictions
- No safety-related driving suspensions in the past three years
- No driver violations in the past three years, excluding form and manner violations
IDEA is open to the entire commercial motor vehicle industry. Nominees do not need to be a member of CVSA to apply.
The 2025 IDEA recipient and a guest will receive a complimentary economy flight to Denver International Airport and a one-room, two-night stay at Sheraton Denver Downtown to attend the CVSA Annual Conference and Exhibition in Denver, Colorado. The IDEA winner will be recognized at the annual conference awards ceremony on September 24, where they will receive $5,000 and a crystal trophy.
The deadline for nominations is Friday, May 9.
