My First 18 Months Solo Has Been Rewarding.

For those who have followed some of my journey, you know I came to trucking with a little bit of background in trucking. Although it was over 35 years ago, I still had some skills and knowledge that I'm positive helped me excel in this industry.

You may recall a while back when I confessed I almost quit three times in the first six months. Most of that had to do with some things going on at home with family, and the fact that I hate sitting around doing nothing at shippers and receivers. But I persevered through it because I honor my commitments, and I committed to driving for Veriha for at least one year before I decided on whether trucking was the career for me. I'm still here.

I remain at the top of the fleet in safety and fuel economy. Mileage is up and down, as is the freight. But, I train new drivers now so that takes a few miles away from me 4 weeks at a time. But, I'm compensated for training, so it makes up for the difference.

About two months ago I received a call from my new fleet leader. She told me Veriha was nominating me for a National award. The award is called Transition to Trucking: Driving for Excellence. I'd heard of it because in 2022 another of Veriha's drivers was nominated and made the semi-finals.

The prize, is a brand new Kenworth T680. There is a lot that goes into this award. But the short is you have to be a military veteran. A few of the criteria they take into consideration are military service, on-time delivery rate, safety performance and clean MVR , customer service, and community/trucking volunteerism.

I'm grateful for the opportunities I have, and I never feel I'm deserving of anything but a paycheck for my time and maybe an 'at-a-boy' once in a while. Last Thursday and Friday, I traveled to Columbus, Ohio, for the recognition and semifinal award ceremony, and to learn who the eventual finalists would be. I didn't make the list but I did predict all but one of the finalists after meeting them and hearing of their Bios during the ceremony. What an honor to be considered for this award and be in the same room with those awesome veterans and drivers. I didn't make the finals but I met some new people and made some new friends.

I should mention, the owner/president of Veriha traveled to the event. How awesome that someone from leadership would take time out of their week to support me during this journey. I've said it before and I'll say it again, I made the right choice for me when I chose to apply at Veriha and how lucky I was they took a chance on me. I would not have found Veriha if not for Trucking Truth. Thank you, Brett, Trucking Truth for everything you do for drivers, especially new ones!

So, if you've never heard of the following organizations, check them out. They are big supporters of veterans and their actions show it!

Transition TruckingTransition Trucking Hiring Our Heroes US Chamber of Commerce

The inscription reads "for outstanding performance as a professional driver reflecting at all times the foundation of military experience and service."

Congratulations Bill!

Congratulations Bill - we salute you!

Thanks for sharing this information with us. It's always gratifying to see the kinds of drivers that are associated with this website. We produce, and attract, the best of the best out here. It's something I know Brett is very proud of. And something he has aimed for from the beginning.

We are proud of you!

That's awesome, Bill! It's quite an honor to be nominated for such an award. It's also great to see your perseverance paid off even after a rocky start. You are a great example for new drivers going through some growing pains early in their careers.

Bill remembers:

You may recall a while back when I confessed I almost quit three times in the first six months. Most of that had to do with some things going on at home with family, and the fact that I hate sitting around doing nothing at shippers and receivers. But I persevered through it because I honor my commitments, ...

I don't know how long you have been driving trucks this time, but whatever, this is the most important thing for newbies to understand. I teach CDL trucking these days, and I point out that even before they get their CDL, there may be a great temptation to quit the whole thing.

Congratulations on sticking to your commitments and earning a national honor for Veriha.

Thanks, Old School, ReilDiehl, Harvey, and Errol. This was a huge honor for me. At first, I almost turned down the opportunity. Then, we almost missed the deadline for the packet submission. I don't always chime in on threads, but I have read countless posts from each of you, and others, and have learned a lot in here.

I've always been eager to learn and a wanting contributor. I emulate the best in any craft as closely as possible and look for excellent leadership in a company. Iron sharpens Iron. 50%/50% is a myth. In a relationship, it's 100%/100%. My wife is 100% supportive of my new career since starting in February 2022. Couple that with Veriha's 100% support; all that's left is for me to do my part 100%. Everything has been a natural fit since the start.

My early stint in trucking was maintaining and pulling nuclear missiles in the Air Force, in the mid-late 1980s, which differed significantly from everything I'm doing now. I never saw highway speeds, and there was never traffic around me as I always had an escort when driving, mainly on base. As one might imagine, this is where my safety mindset comes from.

Congratulations Bill!

CONGRATULATIONS Bill!

Having the company Prez there IS a big deal. You're in his memory bank now and that's a good thing.

Again, CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Congrats Bill. Thank you for your service and it reaffirms perseverance pays off.

Bill, that is a great piece of recognition. I’m glad you can add that to your resume. Congrats!