Kenworth, in partnership with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Hiring Our Heroes program and Fastport, awarded distinguished Army veteran Brandon Meredith a Kenworth truck to help kickstart his owner-operator career. 

The award is part of the “Transition Trucking: Driving for Excellence” program, recognizing America’s top rookie military veteran who has successfully transitioned into a civilian truck driving career.

Meredith, who retired as a Sergeant First Class (SFC) after serving in the U.S. Army for 20 years, trained at Fayetteville Technical Community College to fulfill his dream of driving a tractor-trailer. He works as a tanker driver and delivery professional with Slay Transportation Co.

In recognition of Kenworth’s 100th anniversary, Meredith was awarded a T680 Signature Edition truck equipped with a 76-inch high-roof sleeper and the PACCAR Powertrain featuring the PACCAR MX-13 engine. The truck was the first Signature Edition produced at Kenworth’s Chillicothe, Ohio, plant in honor of the company’s 100th anniversary.

“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,” Meredith said.

The first runner-up, Ondrae Meyers/U.S. Marine Corps/CRST, was awarded a $10,000 prize, and finalists Jessica White/U.S. Army/Stevens Transport; LaTravis Wilcox/U.S. Marine Corps/Prime, Inc.; Todd Kraus/U.S. Army/Werner Enterprises received $5,000 each.

“It was an honor to present Brandon Meredith with the keys to the 100th Anniversary Signature Edition on behalf of Kenworth and our employees. We thank him for his distinguished military service and wish him all the best in his trucking career,” said Kenworth’s Director of Marketing, Kyle Kimball.

Meredith’s dedication to excellence has continued into his chosen civilian career as a professional truck driver, making him an excellent ambassador for the program and a representative for his fellow veterans in the industry.

Want even more updates delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for Work Truck's eNewsletters today!