Driver of the Year contest finalists announced; winners get $25,000

The Truckload Carriers Association and CCJ sister brands Overdrive and Truckers News have announced the finalists for the 2018 Driver of the Year contests.

The winner of each contest will receive $25,000 and will be announced at TCA’s 81^st Annual Convention at the Wynn Las Vegas Resort on March 11. The two runners-up in each contest will receive $2,500 each.

The sponsors of the Driver of the Year Contests are Love’s Travel Stops and Cummins Inc.

The contests recognize the truckers’ safety, their efforts to improve trucking’s image and their community contributions. The owner-operator award also recognizes business acumen.

Don Lewis

Dave McGowan

Ester Nemeth

The Company Driver of the Year finalists are:

• Don Lewis of Republic, Missouri, who drives for Wilson Logistics of Springfield, Missouri;
• David McGowan of Marinette, Wisconsin, who drives for WEL Companies, Inc., of De Pere, Wisconsin; and
• Ester Nemeth of Winnipeg, Manitoba, who drives for Bison Transport also of Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Danny Jewell

Kevin Kocmich

Robert Roth

The Owner-Operator of the Year finalists are:

• Danny Jewell of Nebraska City, Nebraska, who is leased to Warren Transport, Inc. of Waterloo, Iowa;
• Kevin Kocmich of Litchfield, Minnesota, who is leased to Diamond Transportation System, Inc. of Racine, Wisconsin; and
• Robert Roth of Coldwater, Ontario, who is leased to Erb International of New Hamburg, Ontario.