The Truck Writers of North America (TWNA), a professional organization dedicated to producing trucking industry information, has donated most of its remaining funds to truckersfinalmile, a charitable organization that offers assistance to North American truck drivers.

TWNA leaders made the decision after the organization disbanded, where its Technical Achievement Award committee has not.

“We chose truckersfinalmile to receive the funds because it is a group that supports truck drivers, the very people who keep the industry we all serve moving,” said TWNA Treasurer Lyndon Finney, editor at The Trucker News Organization. “This group provides support for the families of drivers when they need it most, so we felt that they could use the remaining resources of TWNA to continue to fulfill their mission.”

truckersfinalmile,an IRS 501(c)(3) recognized charity, reunites truck drivers and their families in the event of death, debilitating injury, or serious illness. The organization assists with travel, lodging, and ground transportation for truck drivers and their immediate families, whether to the driver’s location or for the driver to travel home.

Additionally, in the event of the loss of a driver’s life on the road, the group will pay for the transportation of his/her remains.

Robert Palm, an independent contractor leased to Roadrunner Transportation, founded truckersfinalmile. “Every day, as many as three million commercial truck drivers are on the roads of North America, and inevitably health related issues and accidents occur,” he said. “Most of us do not have a plan for these events and a great deal of trucker families live paycheck to paycheck.

“The generous donation by the Truck Writers of North America is enough to bring one deceased driver home to their family, something we do about 60 times each year,” Palm continued. “With those funds and the continuing support of our donors, we will have the resources to provide drivers with the help they need, should any crisis befall them or a loved one while they are performing their daily duty of keeping the North American economy moving.”

Founded in 1988, TWNA is a professional organization of writers, editors, public relations specialists, marketing personnel, and others involved in the business of creating or producing information related to the world of trucking. 

Each year since 1991, the group has presented its Technical Achievement Award to a product or service that exhibits a high level of technical innovation, has wide applicability and availability in trucking, and offers significant operating benefits. Renamed the Jim Winsor Memorial Technical Achievement Award in honor of the highly respected, 50-year truck journalist who passed away in 2015, the award will continue to be presented with industry support.