Public voting for Transition Trucking: Driving for Excellence Award finalists is now open through through Veterans Day, Nov. 11.
The award , coordinated by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Hiring Our Heroes program, Kenworth Truck Company and Fastport, honors military veterans who have made an outstanding transition into the commercial trucking industry.
Transition Trucking: Driving for Excellence
Through a comprehensive nomination process, careful review by a selection committee, and a final public vote, the program will recognize and reward America’s top rookie military veteran drivers. The winner will be announced on December 12 during a special event at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Washington, D.C. This year’s top award winner will drive away in the state-of-the-art Kenworth T680, equipped with a 76-inch sleeper and the PACCAR Powertrain featuring the PACCAR MX-13 engine rated at 455 horsepower, PACCAR TX-12 automated transmission and PACCAR DX-40 tandem rear axles. The program will award a $10,000 prize for the runner-up and $5,000 for the second runner-up.
Public Voting
The general public is invited to cast their vote online on the Transition Trucking website.
To assist in that process, here’s the information as provided by the three finalists to Transition Trucking. A short video on each driver is also available on the Transition Trucking website’s voting page. The voting is an important determiner for the selection committee as they make their ultimate choice for the next Transition Trucking award winner.
2025 Finalists
Charles Jones Jr., U.S. Army (E-7), Roehl Transport
Sergeant First Class Charles C. Jones Jr. (Ret.) graduated from high school in Indian Trail, N.C., in 2004 and committed to the Army through the Delayed Entry Program. With over 20 years of service, he served as an unmanned aircraft systems operator, instructor operator, standards operator, and platoon sergeant, completing three combat deployments to Iraq and two rotations to South Korea. A devoted husband to Katrina and father to Alvin and Monica, Jones Jr. graduated from Georgia Driving Academy in December 2024 and began his professional driving career with Roehl Transport in early 2025.
Macy Mattice, U.S. Army (E-4), Melton Truck Lines
Macy Mattice is a proud U.S. Army veteran who served from 2010 to 2018 as an 88M motor transport operator, specializing in heavy equipment transportation. Today, she is a flatbed driver for Melton Truck Lines, where she applies the discipline and determination gained from military service. Originally from Winter Springs, Florida, Mattice lives near Jacksonville with her son, Rusty. She loves adventure, animals, and embracing new challenges—continuing to write her next chapter, one road at a time.
Mark Scriven, U.S. Army (E-6), Stevens Transport
Mark Scriven, a U.S. Army veteran and former staff sergeant, served nine years as a patriot missile operator/maintainer, earning multiple Army achievement medals and recognition as a combat lifesaver. Today, he brings the same dedication, discipline, and leadership he obtained in the military to his career as a professional truck driver and trainer with Stevens Transport. Scriven, a father of three, recently welcomed a daughter in August.
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.
