Transition Trucking Award names 2026 Elite 11 semifinalists

Apprenticeship Is Now the On-Ramp

Registered apprenticeship supplied most of this year’s field. Six in 10 nominations came from drivers completing or already finished with a U.S. Department of Labor Registered Apprenticeship program. Five of the Elite 11 are apprentices today.

That matters for carriers still building driver-development programs from scratch. The apprenticeship route is no longer experimental.  It has become the dominant path into the cab for this cohort of veterans.

Who Made the Transition Trucking Award Roster

The 2026 Elite 11, with 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)

What the Winner Drives Home

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

The spec sheet leans on safety and driver retention features rather than raw hardware. It includes Kenworth’s DigitalVision Mirrors, Bendix Fusion Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop and Auto Go, and Lane Keeping Assist with Torque Assisted Steering.

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

The Road to West Point

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

Public voting opens Nov. 1 and runs through Veterans Day on Nov. 11. Voting feeds directly into the selection committee’s final deliberations, which determine both the finalists and the winner.

The 2026 winner will be named Dec. 14 at the Veteran Ready Summit 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.”