FASTPORT

08/31/2026

Meet Monica Brooks-Buck, one of our Elite 11 Transition Trucking semi-finalists!

Monica Brooks-Buck is a retired U.S. Army veteran with nearly 25 years of service and more than two decades of logistics experience as a Supply Specialist and former Army Master Driver. She trained at the Truck Driver Institute, Inc. in Saucier, MS and now drives as a professional team with her husband, Johnny, for Werner Enterprises, where she is currently enrolled in the Werner Enterprises Truck Driver Apprenticeship. A member of Women In Trucking Association, Monica is pursuing a degree in Information Technology while encouraging other veterans, and women, to pursue new beginnings after military service.

Get to know the rest of this year's semi-finalists in the race for the keys to a brand new Kenworth T680: https://transitiontrucking.org/elite-11/.

08/26/2026

Did you know? Veterans hired through a Registered Apprenticeship can collect GI Bill housing benefits ON TOP of their paycheck.

More money for the driver. Zero added cost for the employer. Stronger offers, better retention.

As the DOL's Industry Intermediary for Transportation, you get a registration-ready apprenticeship program, administrative support, and we walk you through the entire GI Bill process.

Curious what this looks like for your company? Schedule a discovery meeting at https://scheduler.zoom.us/fastport/discovery-meeting.

08/24/2026

Meet Michael R. Bivens, one of our Elite 11 Transition Trucking semi-finalists!

Michael R. Bivens is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and former Electronic Maintenance Technician who followed his father's path into trucking. He trained at Tennessee Truck Driving School and now drives for Stevens Transport, where he is currently an apprentice in the company's Registered Apprenticeship Program. Based in Lewisburg, Tennessee, Michael is working toward a goal of one million accident-free miles and eventual fleet ownership, while staying closely connected to his children and grandchildren between hauls.

Get to know the rest of this year's semi-finalists in the race for the keys to a brand new Kenworth T680: https://transitiontrucking.org/elite-11/.

08/19/2026

Meet Jeffrey Barber, one of our Elite 11 Transition Trucking semi-finalists!

Jeffrey Barber is a U.S. Army veteran who served 19 years, including as a Tank Commander. He trained through Prime Inc.'s CDL program and now drives professionally for the company. Based in Hillsboro, Kentucky, Jeffrey is using his trucking career to help fund his grandchildren's college educations, and his youngest son is completing Army basic training this summer, continuing a family legacy of service. He brings discipline and a lifelong commitment to serving others to every mile he drives.

Get to know the rest of this year's semi-finalists in the race for the keys to a brand new Kenworth T680: https://transitiontrucking.org/elite-11/.

08/19/2026

Ever wonder what actually makes a Registered Apprenticeship work? This new video from the U.S. Department of Labor breaks it down into five key elements. 🎥

Thinking about building a program for your team? Let's talk!

Schedule a discovery meeting with Fastport: scheduler.zoom.us/fastport/discovery-meeting

Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBvwXhRDAIM

This video highlights the five key elements of Registered Apprentic...

08/14/2026

Meet Mohammad Arzola, one of our Elite 11 Transition Trucking finalists!

Sergeant Major Mohammad Arzola served 27 years in the U.S. Marine Corps, deploying to Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait, Djibouti, and Somalia, and is a recipient of the Purple Heart. He trained at California Career Schools and now drives for HEB, where he has logged more than 100,000 safety miles and earned the company's “Spirit of HEB” award. Based in San Antonio, Texas, Mohammad mentors newer drivers and volunteers with VFW Post 76, and is working toward becoming an owner-operator with HEB's sister company, Parkway.

Get to know the rest of this year's finalists in the race for the keys to a brand new Kenworth T680: https://transitiontrucking.org/elite-11/

08/13/2026

Congratulations to our partners J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc., Werner Enterprises, Drive4Covenant, and Troops Into Transportation on being named by Freedom Haulers!

Recognition like this doesn't happen by accident. It happens when employers commit to building real pathways for military talent, and we're proud to have supported employers in creating pathways into transportation for freedom haulers through Registered Apprenticeship training programs for over a decade.

As the U.S. Department of Labor's Industry Intermediary for Transportation, Fastport has accounted for more than 29,000 apprentices in this industry since 2017. And through our Veteran Ready Summit, we bring employers together to become truly veteran-ready from recruiting to retention.

Here's what every transportation employer should know: we are a FREE resource for companies looking to establish programs like these. Our team reduces your administrative burden by 90%, and we'll walk you through pairing Registered Apprenticeship with a VA-approved monthly housing allowance program, so your freedom haulers can access the GI educational benefits they earned as a monthly housing allowance, on top of their paycheck.

To our partners: congratulations. To every employer wondering how they did it: let's talk. https://scheduler.zoom.us/fastport/discovery-meeting

08/06/2026

For the 11th year, Transition Trucking: Driving for Excellence, alongside Kenworth Truck Co. and Hiring Our Heroes, is proud to announce our 2026 semi-finalists: 11 outstanding veterans who've turned military service into thriving careers behind the wheel.

This December, one of these deserving drivers will receive the keys to a brand-new Kenworth T680. Stay tuned in the coming weeks as we share each driver's story on the road to our 2026 finalists!

Meet the Elite 11: https://www.kenworth.com/about-us/news/elite-11-semi-finalists-announced-for-the-2026-transition-trucking-driving-for-excellence-award/

Kenworth Trucks

07/27/2026

In less than two weeks, we'll introduce the 2026 Transition Trucking: Driving for Excellence Award Semi-Finalists.

These outstanding military veteran drivers have already proven themselves behind the wheel. On August 5, you'll meet the individuals taking the next step in the competition for the keys to a brand-new Kenworth T680 and the opportunity to launch the next chapter of their careers.

This is just the beginning of the journey. Follow the competition as we recognize our semi-finalists, announce the finalists, open public voting, and ultimately hand the keys to this year's winner.

Learn more about the award timeline: https://transitiontrucking.org/timeline/

07/25/2026

Being a veteran-ready employer isn't about the one or two veterans your company hired. It's about the culture you build in your workplace.

Thank you to our registered apprenticeship partners USA Truck, Inc., Melton Truck Lines, Inc, and NFI Industries for creating accessible career pathways and cultures that allow military-connected candidates to thrive.

Want to build that culture at your company? Visit nationalapprenticeship.org to learn more, or join us at the Veteran Ready Summit, where employers come together around one mission: raising the standard for veteran hiring, retention, and advancement. Need help attracting military-connected talent? Our Semper Forward division is ready to connect.

Happy National Hire a Veteran Day from our team to yours!