Brandon Meredith, a driver for Slay Transportation, has won this year’s “Transition Trucking: Driving for Excellence” award. The award ceremony was held at the American Trucking Associations’ headquarters in Washington, D.C. Brandon is a distinguished veteran with 20 years of experience in the U.S. Army, having retired as a Sergeant First Class (SFC). He could have pursued any career path after leaving the army, but he followed his dream of being a tractor-trailer driver. During his emotional acceptance speech, with his wife and daughters by his side, Brandon shared that his father lost his life while operating a commercial vehicle. Becoming a professional driver is a tribute to his father’s memory. Brandon trained at Fayetteville Technical Community College and is currently a tanker driver and delivery professional with Slay Transportation Co.
To celebrate Kenworth’s 100th anniversary, Brandon was awarded a Kenworth T680 Signature Edition truck with a 76-inch high-roof sleeper. The truck is equipped with the PACCAR MX-13 engine and was the first Signature Edition produced at Kenworth’s Chillicothe, Ohio plant in honor of the company’s 100th anniversary. With this truck, Brandon is well on his way to accomplishing his goal of becoming a successful owner-operator.
“Veterans are a special breed of human beings. I’ve made some lifelong friends throughout this award. I’m a third-generation truck driver now. My father lost his life driving a truck, and while that was a hard time in my life, this profession is something I’ve always wanted to pursue. I couldn’t have asked for a better year,” said Meredith.
“It was an honor to present Brandon Meredith with the keys to the 100th Anniversary T680 Signature Edition on behalf of Kenworth and our employees. We thank him for his distinguished military service, and wish all the best in his trucking career,” said Kyle Kimball, Kenworth director of marketing.
“I’m inspired by the stories of our veterans, like our finalists who represent the very best of our country. America is still leading the way. We are still the beacon on the hill, the shining light that is creating hope and opportunity for so many people across the world, and the Kenworth T680 Brandon is driving away in today is simply one example of how we are leading the way,” said Eric Eversole, president of Hiring Our Heroes.
“Brandon has an impressive military record and his dedication to excellence has continued into his chosen civilian career as a professional truck driver. He is an undeniable ambassador for the program and will be an excellent representative for his fellow veterans in the industry,” said Brad Bentley, president of Fastport.
As part of the Transition Trucking: Driving for Excellence program, all five finalists were invited to attend an awards ceremony in Washington, D.C. to honor their military service. The runner-up, Ondrae Meyers, who served in the U.S. Marine Corps and works for CRST, was awarded a $10,000 prize. The other four finalists, Jessica White (U.S. Army) of Stevens Transport, LaTravis Wilcox (U.S. Marine Corps) of Prime, Inc., and Todd Kraus (U.S. Army) of Werner Enterprises, each received $5,000.
