ATA announces new America’s Road Team captains

At a banquet at Capitol Hill this week, the American Trucking Associations announced the new group of 2013-2014 America’s Road Team captains, comprised of 19 professional truck drivers from all sectors of the industry. As part of the America’s Road Team program, the drivers will spend the next two years representing the trucking industry and delivering its highway safety message to the motoring public. 

The new America’s Road Team captains were chosen from a group of 32 finalists after two days with a panel of judges, who selected the captains based on a review of trucking industry expertise and a demonstration of communication skills, combined with their community service and lifetime safety records. The new group of captains has 453 years of experience and more than 30 million accident-free miles (see list of 2013-2014 America’s Road Team captains at end of this story).

Finalists were selected from more than 2,000 driver applications and invited to Washington, D.C., to participate in the selection process. Collectively, the 32 finalists have more than 780 years of driving experience and 65.7 million accident-free miles.

“America’s Road Team represents the best our industry has to offer: pride, professionalism and dedication to making our highways safer for all who travel them,” ATA President and CEO Bill Graves said. “As we honor our newest Captains, I want to congratulate not just these fine individuals, but all those hardworking drivers who strive every day to deliver America’s most essential goods safely and efficiently.” 

Created in 1986, ATA’s America’s Road Team continues today with the support of Volvo Trucks North America, which provides new power units with multiple safety features for the captains to use while representing the industry.

“It’s an honor to welcome and congratulate the professional drivers who will be serving as Captains of the 2013-2014 America’s Road Team,” said Göran Nyberg, Volvo Trucks president, North American Sales & Marketing. “They are outstanding representatives for the trucking industry. Volvo Trucks also thanks the companies who support these drivers and the America’s Road Team program.” 

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While maintaining their jobs as full-time professional drivers, the new America’s Road Team Captains will now travel the country speaking on behalf of the trucking industry to the community, news media and public officials. The Captains will address transportation and safety issues, speaking at community events and anywhere they can reach the motoring public to share safe driving tips and offer advice on how to safely share the road with tractor-trailers. 

The Road Team Captains also advocate safety to those within the industry at terminals and truck stops. They speak with fellow drivers, driver training students and corporate safety officers. They also have the opportunity to present trucking and safety issues before our public officials, at the national, state and local levels. 

The 2013-2014 America’s Road Team captains are: