In our first episode following the announcement of the finalists for the 2026 Transition Trucking Driving For Excellence Award, our special series brings you the immediate thoughts of the five professionals behind the wheel who advanced in the search for America’s top rookie military veteran driver.

Recorded within the first 30 minutes following the announcement that, for the first time in the program’s history, five of the semifinalists would be moving forward (due to ties in the scoring), Destinations talks with Monica Brooks Buck and Brandon Ward from Werner Enterprises. We’ll also be joined by Daniel Doss of Melton Truck Lines and Gary Williams of Stevens Transport. Mo Arzola with Patriot Group International caps off our conversations that capture each of the finalists’ immediate reaction that they are moving forward in this year’s edition of the program. The winner of the Driving For Excellence Award will receive a new Kenworth T680 truck.

As you’ll hear, a great sense of humility is the theme running throughout this series of brief interviews. Each of the finalists noted that they were surprised to hear their names called, especially after having the opportunity to meet and spend time with the fellow members of the Elite 11. This year’s semifinalists had the opportunity to spend parts of two days together during their time onsite at the National Veterans Memorial and Museum in Columbus, Ohio, and during the tour of the Kenworth plant in Chillicothe. To read more about the events in Columbus and Chillicothe as well as the view from the ground during the finalists’ announcement, we invite you to read the story by PodWheels Executive Producer Greg Thompson in TheTrucker.com by clicking here.

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