ASSOCIATION INSIGHTS: ATA
The Newest Captains of America’s Road Team Take the Wheel
F
or nearly four decades, an elite group of truckers has crisscrossed the country, spreading the timeless message of safety and heightening public
awareness of the skill and commitment that it takes to be a professional driver.
Hundreds of truck drivers have earned the title of America’s Road Team Captain since the first class was inaugurated by the American Trucking Associations in 1986. It’s not just Captains’ iconic navy-blue blazers that set them apart. Captains have outstanding driving records, have a passion for the trucking industry, and are role models among their peers. They are our most effective ambassadors, sharing the industry’s message with the motoring public, media, businesses, community groups, and public officials.
At the beginning of this year, ATA selected 24 elite truckers as Captains for the 2024-2025 America’s Road Team. This year’s team hails from 14 different states and represents 14 different motor carriers. Combined, the drivers have racked up an astounding 61.6 million accident-free driving miles. That number means far more than just the reading of an odometer. It is a testament to their extraordinary dedication and the countless sacrifices they have made along the way.
It’s the opportunity of a lifetime, and fittingly it is a lifelong role. Truck drivers often spend years of preparation to attain this pinnacle in their careers. Following a highly competitive nominating process, ATA held its final round of selections from January 14-16 at its headquarters in Washington, D.C. The drivers were judged on their ability to express their knowledge of the industry, their skills in effective communication about safety and transportation, and their overall safe-driving record. The panel of judges included trucking executives and trade press.
This year’s class will build on the impressive accomplishments of the 2022-2023 America’s Road Team, which participated in or led nearly 80 events focusing on advocacy with local, state, and federal governments.
Over the past two years, Captains drove Interstate One from coast to coast, stopping by various truck driving championships, trade shows, colleges, state capitals, and Congress. They educated students and government officials on the driver’s perspective, putting everyone from high schoolers to U.S. Senators in the cab.
Additionally, through the Share the Road program, Captains from the previous class visited 28 schools. They sought to make people of all ages feel comfortable around large trucks, from the three-year-old girl in a stroller who excitedly yelled “truck” as she rolled by, to the 16-year-old girl who exited the cab saying “Wow, I cut off trucks way too close; I will be more conscious of that.” The more that Captains educate the public, the more they will drive safely alongside large trucks.
To help veterans and other Americans consider careers in trucking, the 2022- 2023 team attended 27 events as part of the Workforce Heroes program. They discussed the diverse, good- paying employment opportunities in trucking, from drivers and dispatchers to technicians, safety directors, and numerous other roles. Many of the Captains who are veterans described their own military-to-trucking stories and encouraged companies to follow best practices to recruit veterans.
America’s Road Team also continued advocating with Truckers Against Trafficking to combat human trafficking through media, virtual, and in-person presentations. It takes each one of us to stop this horrific crime.
The 24 drivers of the 2024-2025 America’s Road Team represent the very best of our industry, and they will do us proud as they carry the torch forward for this exceptional program. The work that they will do for the next two years and beyond will make a lasting difference by changing - and saving - lives.
The trucking industry is the lifeblood of our economy, and our professional drivers are the industry’s heartbeat. Their dependability and commitment to safety ensure that the quality of life we enjoy remains high. There is nothing without trucking. And trucking is nothing without the incredible professionals like America’s Road Team Captains who are behind the wheel.
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