Kishawn Forbes can easily trace his selection as a semifinalist for the 2026 Transition Trucking: Driving For Excellence Awards to the subtle calls he heard while growing up in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
In addition to the sounds and sights of waves hitting the shores in a region nestled between the waters of the Atlantic and Caribbean, a young Forbes observed the reverence that members of his family held for service — through the military, with law enforcement and in the classroom as teachers.
Following high school, Forbes’ enlisted in the U.S. Navy. For him, it was a chance to pursue the invitation to service and adventure. It was a step that brought him even closer to the high seas from his childhood — and a step that honored family traditions.
Choosing the Navy would also assist Forbes in shaping his young life.
The route Forbes followed get behind the wheel of a big rig after retiring from 26 years of Navy service as a Senior Chief Petty Officer also draws from the sights and sounds he experienced in his youth.
“Trucking itself was always near and dear to my heart as a little boy,” recalled Forbes. “I would be walking somewhere when I was a kid, see a big truck and get them to honk the horn. I was always fascinated by how big they are, how large the tires are and how you have one human being actually driving that thing.
“It was always mind-blowing to me that a person is controlling this huge truck. I saw it as this monumental thing,” he continued before sharing a note of inspiration for his future. “I would see a big truck and tell myself, ‘You know what? I want to be able to control something big like that someday.’”
Earning a CDL while in the Navy
While his service in the Navy provided him with one-of-a-kind opportunities and offered access to mentors who helped him mature as a young adult taking on new responsibilities, young Forbes made sure trucking could remain within easy reach when he heeded the call to change the course of future.
“With the Navy, I was definitely fortunate to come across great leadership, a great command,” explained Forbes. “I also had to prepare myself, because I’m very redundant. I had to have a contingency plan just in case those four years didn’t go as planned and I needed a shift course.
“That’s when I decided I was going to actually sign up for CDL school back in 2005,” he continued. “Leadership approved my request, and I went to CDL school on Saturdays and Sundays.”
During those weekends at driving school, Forbes was particularly impressed with the way Navy command worked with him to accommodate his training schedule while pursuing his CDL.
Ironically, while he was securing a contingency option, Forbes discovered the kind of support that allowed him to feel truly at home with the Navy, seeing a future that went far beyond his initial tour of duty.
“With the leadership I had in the Navy, I could see great things coming out of my service,” Forbes said. “The Navy holds a special place in my heart. Going into the Navy out of high school, I like to say that I grew up in the Navy.
“In that stage of our lives, we are trying to figure it out, and I was fortunate enough to have great mentors — leadership that kind of pulled me under their wing and guided me,” he added. “I saw people who were living what I was living, juggling military service with their life at home. Seeing that work-life balance was huge.”
Forbes earned his coveted CDL in 2005 — and then stuck it in his pocket for a later day.
Kishawn Forbes’ Podwheels interview video appears below. Readers may also click here to view the video on YouTube or click here to hear an audio-only version.
Support at home for the transition into trucking
During his time in the Navy, Forbes met the woman who would become his wife — and eventually the “CEO” of their household. Aja Forbes’ ability to keep the couple’s three kids on schedule with school and youth sports — especially while navigating some of life’s curveballs, never ceased to amaze the Navy veteran — particularly when he was on a deployment.
“Military spouses just don’t get enough credit,” observed Forbes. “I call my wife Superwoman because when we were deployed and focused on the mission, that’s who was making all the magic happen.
“I can recall one time when I was deployed, my wife’s car broke down. She started driving my vehicle … and it broke down,” he continued. “At the same time that was happening, the upstairs bathroom flooded. It was Murphy’s Law. She didn’t tell me until after the deployment was over. I can’t imagine what she was going through at that time, but Aja handled all of it.”
Long before he began to think about winding down his long run in the Navy and putting his CDL to use, Forbes shared his post-military plans with Aja. From their conversations and her experience as a military spouse, Forbes knew he’d have strong support at home once he hit the road as a professional driver.
“I would always keep tabs on the industry and what was going on, mostly through emails and watching YouTube videos. My friends, family and my co-workers all knew where I was channeling my energy when I retired from the Navy,” explained Forbes. “My wife already knew how I felt about a career in trucking, and she was extremely supportive.”
Choosing Melton and joining the Elite 11
A meticulous planner, Forbes actually created a spreadsheet with companies and the industry verticals that they serve before putting in his first application. He was looking for a trucking sector with loads that would be a challenge. This ultimately allowed him to narrow the field down to flatbed carriers.
“I like the idea of being engaged with the load and knowing that no two loads are alike,” said Forbes of flatbed freight. “It gives me something I need to conquer, like being in the military. We’re going to figure out how to conquer this mission. I need to get it secured safely and get the load to its destination legally.”
After a good deal of research — which included talking with drivers in the fleet — Forbes pinpointed Melton Truck Lines as his trucking home.
To say that Forbes’ first year on the road has more than exceeded his expectations is an obvious understatement, especially considering that his rookie run with Melton now includes a Driving For Excellence Award nomination and becoming an Elite 11 honoree.
“The company has been phenomenal,” said Forbes. “The training is awesome, and the interaction with the staff is awesome. Just to think that the president of your company was a driver — so when you think about the principles the company was built on and how it’s being run today, all those things are coming from the mindset of a driver.”
Forbes says he’s extremely grateful Melton looked at his transition into trucking during his first year in the industry and made the effort to submit his nomination to be considered for the Driving For Excellence Award. Being a part of the Elite 11 group that will be making the trip to Columbus, Ohio, on September 22 has Forbes walking on air even weeks after the announcement.
“Just to make it to the Elite 11 … I’m still pinching myself over that, because I don’t feel I was doing anything to be recognized on this level,” shared Forbes. “But it’s something special when you are being viewed in high regard and become a chosen figure for such an occasion. It’s very humbling, and I appreciate the blessing to even be considered among the nominees.”
Greg Thompson is an award-winning writer and producer who has worked in the trucking industry in a variety of roles since 1998. With more than a decade’s worth of experience as a journalist prior entering trucking, Greg is the founder and executive producer of PodWheels.com, a podcast network dedicated to spotlighting the trucking industry.
Since 2019, PodWheels has provided specialized coverage of the National Truck Driving and National Step Van Driving Championships. Over its history, the NTDC Podcast Series has provided more than 150 hours of podcast content highlighting the competitors, organizers and volunteers involved with the Truck Driving Championships at both the state and national levels. The NTDC program, which is hosted annually by the American Trucking Associations, has a history that dates back to 1937.
Beginning in 2025, PodWheels was chosen by the ATA to serve as the Official Podcaster for the NTDC. PodWheels’ coverage of the NTDC, including state competitions and other features, is available through RoadToNTDC.com.
