KIRKLAND, Wash. — For Knight-Swift Transportation professional driver Michael Porter, transporting the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree from the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest in Nevada to the nation’s capital in Washington, D.C., is a career highlight he’ll never forget.
“It was an absolute honor to represent Knight-Swift and the trucking community for this year’s U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree tour,” Porter said. “The holiday season is a special time of the year, so to have the opportunity to spread holiday cheer to communities all across our great country as we made our way to D.C. was truly an unforgettable experience.”
Moving the “Silver Belle”
According to a Kenworth press release, for the past 12 years, Kenworth has been a major sponsor of the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree program, supplying trucks to transport the iconic tree each holiday season. Kenworth was pleased to work with Knight-Swift to safely transport the 53-foot Red Fir, nicknamed “Silver Belle,” from Nevada to Washington. The truck was a specially wrapped Kenworth T680. This year, the truck’s design celebrated the “Spirit of the Silver State” with a background of a sunset overlooking Nevada’s national forest.
Michael Porter
Since earning his CDL after a career as a mechanic, Porter has driven in Knight-Swift’s flatbed division for the past seven years, often hauling oversized loads for the company.
“I started my career in transportation as a mechanic, servicing cars and later heavy trucks, and realized I enjoyed driving big rigs more than I liked working in the shop,” Porter said. “I love being on the road, traveling the country, and the flexibility I have in my schedule working with Knight-Swift. Truck drivers serve a pivotal role in our nation’s economy, and this tour is an excellent opportunity to highlight an important industry in trucking while kicking off the holiday season. I’m proud to be a part of it.”
In the flatbed division for Knight-Swift Transportation, Porter is accustomed to hauling extended trailers, giving him the experience necessary to transport the 53-foot U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree on the 80-foot-long Hale Trailer. That said, the logistical planning involved for the tour, which included 15 community event stops across nine states, is unlike anything Porter has experienced.
Precious Cargo
“From law enforcement leading the convoy to the logistical planners and all the sponsors involved, it was truly a team effort to safely make this 3,700-mile journey across the country possible,” Porter said. “I’ve never been involved in a transport with so much attention, which added a bit of pressure, but it also made the experience that much more rewarding. Everywhere we went, people were excited, waving, taking photos – you could really feel the pride and joy this tree brought to communities along the way.”
The Kenworth T680 he drove had Kenworth’s DigitalVision Mirror system, which helped eliminate blind spots and provided different viewpoints to support backing the trailer around corners.
“The most challenging part of the tour was navigating some of the tight city roads during the tour stops, but the truck’s DigitalVision Mirrors were really helpful in giving me a full view of my surroundings,” said Porter. It’s impressive how far truck technology has come. I drive a T680 for Knight-Swift, and it’s a very driver-friendly truck that provides a comfortable ride, performs well, and looks great.”
A Christmas Legacy
For Porter, participating in community events and spreading the holiday spirit is what he’ll remember most from the nearly month-long tour. Now that the Red Fir Christmas Tree stands tall at the nation’s capital, Porter plans to travel back to Washington with his family to watch the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree lighting ceremony in December.
“To cap off this tour in D.C. with my family, who have been so supportive and thrilled for me to have this opportunity, is so surreal,” Porter said. “This holiday season is truly one for the books, and I’ll never forget the people we met and the pride everyone showed for this tradition.”
Dana Guthrie is an award-winning journalist who has been featured in multiple newspapers, books and magazines across the globe. She is currently based in the Atlanta, Georgia, area.
