Military veteran hiring has grown into one of the trucking industry's most reliable talent pipelines, and each year a national award program puts that concept on display — backing it with 11 names and a new truck. The concept carries particular weight as the industry continues to grapple with a persistent driver shortage that the American Trucking Associations has estimated at tens of thousands of unfilled positions, making structured veteran recruitment less a goodwill gesture than a workforce necessity.

On Wednesday, Kenworth, Fastport and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation's Hiring Our Heroes initiative announced the semifinalists — the "Elite 11" — for the 2026 Transition Trucking: Driving for Excellence award. Now in its 11th year, the program again features an unchanged grand prize: a new Kenworth T680.

For motor carriers, the award also serves as a recruiting showcase. Nominations this year came from carriers, driver training schools, a private fleet and individual submissions from across the country. The 2026 class represents four branches of the U.S. Armed Forces, underscoring how transitioning service members from diverse military occupational backgrounds are converging on a common civilian career path.

"This year's 'Transition Trucking: Driving for Excellence' Elite 11 semifinalists exemplify the dedication, leadership, and commitment to service that military veterans bring to the trucking industry," said Kyle Kimball, Kenworth director of marketing. "Kenworth is honored to celebrate 11 years of partnership with Fastport and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation's Hiring Our Heroes initiative, and we look forward to recognizing this exceptional class of semifinalists."

Registered Apprenticeship Becomes the Dominant Pathway

Registered apprenticeship programs fueled the majority of this year's semifinalist field. Six in ten nominations involved drivers who were either completing or had already finished a U.S. Department of Labor Registered Apprenticeship program. Five of the Elite 11 are currently active apprentices.

For carriers still developing driver-training programs from the ground up, that trend is significant. The apprenticeship route is no longer an experiment; it has become the primary on-ramp into trucking for this cohort of transitioning veterans. The model — pairing structured on-the-job training with classroom instruction and progressive wage increases — aligns with the Labor Department's broader push to expand earn-while-you-learn frameworks across skilled trades, and its traction in trucking reflects an industrywide effort to standardize training and improve early-tenure retention.

The 2026 Elite 11

The semifinalists, listed with their military rank, employer and training provider:

• Jeffrey Barber — U.S. Army Sergeant First Class (E-7), Prime Inc., trained by Prime Inc.
• Brandon Ward — U.S. Navy Senior Chief Petty Officer (E-8), Werner Enterprises, trained by Roadmaster Drivers School, Orlando, Fla. (Registered Apprenticeship)
• Mohammad Arzola — U.S. Marine Corps Sergeant Major (E-9), HEB, trained by California Career Schools
• Juan Rosado Lozada — U.S. Marine Corps Lance Corporal (E-3), Roehl Transport, trained by Troops Into Transportation, Fort Benning
• Kishawn Forbes — U.S. Navy Senior Chief Petty Officer (E-8), Melton Truck Lines, trained by Florida State College at Jacksonville
• Gary W. Williams — U.S. Army Command Sergeant Major (E-9), Stevens Transport, trained by Southern Careers Institute
• Monica Brooks-Buck — U.S. Army Sergeant First Class (E-7), Werner Enterprises, trained by Truck Driver Institute, Saucier, Miss. (Registered Apprenticeship)
• Jenn Wilken — U.S. Army Staff Sergeant (E-6), Prime Inc., trained by Prime Inc.
• Daryus Jones — U.S. Army Private First Class (E-3), Anheuser-Busch, trained by Tulsa Technology (Registered Apprenticeship)
• Daniel Doss — U.S. Air Force Staff Sergeant (E-5), Melton Truck Lines, trained by Troops Into Transportation, Fort Benning (Registered Apprenticeship)
• Michael R. Bivens — U.S. Marine Corps Staff Sergeant (E-6), Stevens Transport, trained by Tennessee Truck Driving School (Registered Apprenticeship)

The range of employers — from large for-hire carriers like Werner Enterprises and Prime Inc. to private fleets such as HEB and Anheuser-Busch — illustrates how veteran talent is being absorbed across distinct segments of the freight economy, not just within truckload carriers.

Grand Prize: Kenworth T680

Kenworth is supplying the grand prize for the 11th consecutive year. The T680 is equipped with a 76-inch sleeper and the full PACCAR Powertrain, comprising the MX-13 engine, TX-12 automated transmission and DX-40 tandem rear axles.

The specification emphasizes safety and driver-retention features. It includes Kenworth's DigitalVision Mirrors, Bendix Fusion Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop and Auto Go, and Lane Keeping Assist with Torque Assisted Steering.

The sleeper interior features a Diamond VIT finish in charcoal, heated and cooled leather seats with titanium accents, a factory-installed refrigerator and a rotating work table.

Road to West Point

Semifinalists will be honored Sept. 22–23 at a recognition dinner at the National Veterans Memorial and Museum in Columbus, Ohio. The event will be followed by a tour of Kenworth's assembly plant in Chillicothe, where the finalists will be announced.

Public voting opens Nov. 1 and runs through Veterans Day, Nov. 11. The public vote feeds directly into the selection committee's final deliberations, which determine both the finalists and the overall winner.

The 2026 winner will be announced Dec. 14 at the Veteran Ready Summit, held at the United States Military Academy at West Point.

"The Transition Trucking award campaign continues to spotlight the extraordinary contributions veterans are making in the transportation industry while introducing a new generation of service members to the real economic opportunities a trucking career can offer," said Eric Eversole, president of Hiring Our Heroes and a vice president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. "As we celebrate the program's 11th year, we're proud to honor this remarkable Elite 11 and the decade of veteran success they represent."