Public voting continues through Veterans Day as five military veterans compete for a new Kenworth T680 — and celebrate the friendships they’ve formed along the way.
Five military veterans who have successfully transitioned into careers as professional truck drivers are competing for a grand prize — a brand-new Kenworth T680 — and the public has a chance to help choose the winner.
Voting for the 2026 Transition Trucking’s Driving For Excellence Award program opened Nov. 1 and continues through Veterans Day, Nov. 11. The award recognizes America’s top rookie military veteran driver.
Five finalists, one common bond
Each of the finalists — Mo Arzola, Monica Brooks-Buck, Daniel Doss, Brandon Ward and Gary Williams — have successfully made their transition into trucking by calling upon the same kind of dedication to service, purpose and humility that they each carried with them during their respective military careers.
However, one of the most remarkable aspects of this year’s award program is the way the finalists have built a true community of admiration and support, even while competing to win the grand prize. (That grand prize, by the way, is none other than a new Kenworth T680 truck.)
That camaraderie was on full display in September when the program’s 11 semifinalists, known as the Elite 11, gathered for two days of special events in Ohio. The finalists were announced following a tour of the Kenworth manufacturing plant in Chillicothe.
As the names were called, the finalists humbly accepted congratulations from others gathered for the announcement. Meanwhile, rather than leaving the room in disappointment, the semifinalists who did not advance took time to celebrate those who had.
Gratitude and humility became the overriding emotions among the finalists.
“Any of the five of us would be well deserving (of the award), and I honestly think any of us would be successful,” observed Ward, who drives for Werner Enterprises. “This is a fantastic opportunity, and my hat’s off to (program sponsors) Kenworth, Fastport, Hiring Our Heroes and everybody involved in this process to even think about rewarding service members. God bless whoever gets the truck.”
The mutual respect and friendship among the finalists has continued to grow in the weeks since the announcement.
“Who wouldn’t want that truck? It’s very beautiful,” said Arzola, a driver with Patriot Group International. “I wish all five of us could get one because I think every one of us is deserving. Would I like to win the truck? Absolutely — any of the five of us wants to win it. But most importantly, this is a true blessing, and I’ll be happy for the person who gets the keys.”
Public voting continues through Nov. 11
The public can cast a vote for a favorite finalist once per day through Veterans Day, November 11.
To learn more about the finalists, watch their interviews and vote, visit TransitionTrucking.org/vote. The public vote is one component of the selection process, which also includes a committee review of each candidate’s submission.
For a deeper look at the Final Five, PodWheels has created individual pages featuring extended video interviews and stories written for The Trucker about each driver before the finalists were announced September 23.
Instant respect and lasting friendships
The 2026 Driving For Excellence Award program stands as proof positive that friendships can be established in minutes, especially when a group of accomplished veterans gather together.
In September, the Elite 11 semifinalist group was invited to the National Veterans Memorial and Museum in Columbus. After touring the museum that included countless pieces of fascinating history dating back to the Revolutionary War, the honorees were treated to dinner and a program that featured guest speakers.
Part of the shared experience among the Elite 11 was the opportunity to hear Fastport President Brad Bentley highlight the accomplishments of each semifinalist.
“It was a great experience, and I really felt like I was among a family,” Arzola said of the dinner program. “With all of us being in the military, we share that same commonality and a common bond in the trucking industry.
“But I have to say that I was in shock when you heard the stories,” added Arzola on his reaction to Bentley sharing the accomplishments of the Elite 11 honorees. “I really felt like I was among giants.”
Making history and celebrating success
Typically, the Driving for Excellence Award program advances three semifinalists to the final round. Although ties in previous years have resulted in four finalists, the program had never advanced five — until this year: A three-way tie in the selection committee’s scores expanded the field to a record five finalists.
Point totals were not announced during the ceremony. Instead, the finalists’ names were called in alphabetical order.
Arzola was first, followed by Brooks-Buck and then Doss.
“When I heard those bios at the dinner, I didn’t think that I would get picked,” Arzola said. “It was very surreal to be around these kinds of professionals and get selected.”
Doss, who drives for Melton Truck Lines, expressed similar feelings about the caliber of the competition.
“Hearing their stories and why they were selected, I feel like I just barely made the cut,” explained Doss. “When you look at everyone there, all of them had amazing careers and stories, especially with all the things that they’re doing outside of trucking with their communities.”
For a few seconds following Doss’s announcement, Ward believed the three finalists had been chosen. He was already celebrating the selection of Brooks-Buck, a fellow Werner Enterprises rookie driver.
“Look, I was super excited when Monica got picked,” Ward said. “After they got to three, and I wasn’t the third, I reached over to her husband, Johnny. I congratulated him because they’re team drivers. Honestly, I was just thankful that I got to have that experience with the Elite 11 and that I saw one of my Werner teammates go up there.”
For Brooks-Buck, having her husband by her side made the recognition even more meaningful.
“Looking back on that day, I loved the camaraderie, the encouragement and the genuine support from the Elite 11 and all the people who were there,” she said. “Of course, having my husband, my No. 1 supporter, there was amazing.
“The whole experience reminded me that military service prepares us for opportunities that we may never anticipate,” she added. “This was one of those moments and like I said before, I’m truly humbled and I’m excited about this entire experience.”
Becoming the ‘Final Five’
One of the driving factors behind the mutual respect and admiration the Elite 11 established for each other is the group’s respective lists of accomplishments. Those accomplishments made the task faced by the Driving For Excellence Awards Selection Committee particularly difficult, as reflected by extremely tight scoring margins. Ultimately, the close scores resulted in an unprecedented expansion of the finalist field.
As Ward celebrated seeing his Werner teammate stand with Arzola and Doss as finalists, he didn’t have to wait long to hear his own name called as the fourth to join the group.
“It was an incredible moment, and I’m very grateful,” expressed Ward. “My hat is off to the selection committee. When you look at the Elite 11 as a group, (the committee) had a very difficult job. My heart goes out to the people who weren’t selected, and I went around the room to talk to them. Honestly, everybody was deserving.”
Moments after Ward’s announcement as a finalist, Bentley told everyone that the 2026 Driving For Excellence Award would make history by naming a fifth finalist.
Despite hearing there was one more spot, Williams did not believe his name would be called.
“Well, when they said there was going to be a fifth, my thought was there’s so many good candidates left still that number five’s not going to be me,” said Williams, who drives for Stevens Transport. “Then, when I heard my name, it was overwhelming, knowing that I will have the opportunity to possibly win a truck down the line. Of course, there’s four other great candidates.
“This whole experience has been amazing,” he added. “I am so thankful to Transition Trucking and for all the support I have received from Stevens Transport — just to be nominated for this award by my company means a lot to me.”
Countdown to announcement day
Once public voting ends Nov. 11, attention will turn to Dec. 15, when the Driving for Excellence Award finalists are scheduled to gather at the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, New York.
The Kenworth T680 will be on-site, and the winner will receive the keys to the new truck.
While all five finalists have understandably spent time thinking about what it would mean to drive away from West Point in the T680, each has taken a humble approach toward announcement day — an occasion that also promises to be a reunion among friends.
“I served in the Army for 31 years and I never made it to West Point,” Williams said. “I’m looking forward to touring the post and seeing everything that I can. One of the things that I’m most looking forward to is seeing the people (in the program) again. It will be good to get together with them.”
That friendship has even inspired some good-natured plans for the trip home.
“When I met Gary, I found out that we were both from Texas. I joked with him in Ohio that, if either one of us wins the truck, we could team drive it back to Texas,” Arzola said. “As I said earlier, being a finalist in this group means that I am among giants.”
For Arzola, the experience has reinforced his admiration for the other finalists and the skills they have brought from military service into trucking.
“Just looking at what they have done in the military and now in trucking,” he added. “They brought everything that they did in the military — the ethos, the discipline and the poise — and those apply to do better every day in trucking. Whoever wins this award and gets the truck will be deserving and they will be blessed.”
Related Links:
- Mo Arzola finds new purpose behind the wheel
- Monica Brooks-Buck pulls from past to open new doors
- Air Force veteran Daniel Doss rises to the challenge of the road
- Brandon Ward uses military leadership experience to chart new career course
- Gary Williams finds new field command behind the wheel
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.
