Helping new drivers get a great start in the trucking industry is just another way of paying it forward for Freymiller driver and 2025 TCA Professional Driver of the Year Toby Wallis.
“I’ve been training ever since I started with Freymiller,” he told Truckload Authority. “I’m a mentor to probably about 10 different people that have moved from training into their own trucks.”
He can back up the talk behind the wheel, too. Winning the 2024 Oklahoma Truck Driving Championship in the Sleeper Berth division, Wallis earned a trip to the national competition.
Accolades, however, are not his motivation: His goal is to help others be their best.
Bill Woolsey, Freymiller’s director of safety, isn’t surprised to hear this.
“With over 15 years as a driver trainer, Toby has mentored countless trainees, guiding them to become successful, professional drivers,” Woolsey said. “His dedication to sharing his knowledge and fostering safe
driving habits has shaped the next generation of drivers, strengthening our fleet’s overall performance.”
Wallis was revealed as a TCA Professional Driver of the Year last March during the association’s annual convention in Phoenix. Since then, he has attended multiple TCA events including the association’s annual Call on Washington in September 2025. He says the experience of advocating for industry issues on Capitol Hill was very educational.
During last fall’s meetings with lawmakers and committee members, Wallis had an opportunity to share his unique perspective as a professional driver on issues such as parking, cargo theft and highway conditions.
“It’s interesting to see some of the behind-the-scenes activities, and something of the way laws are created,” he said. “I knew (TCA and the trucking industry) were lobbying for legislation, but to see how that process actually works and getting to talk to people — that’s always been interesting to me.”
Finding opportunities
Like many drivers, Wallis didn’t set out to have a career in trucking.
“I was working at a sheetrock company, and their driver was quitting” he said. “They told me that if I’d get my CDL, they’d pay me more.”
So, Wallis studied and earned the Class B CDL required for the job. Later, when the company moved, he attended classes at Schneider to earn his Class A CDL. He worked for several carriers — including one his father worked at — before landing at Freymiller in 2005. He says he plans to continue driving for as long as he can.
“My wife passed away about 12 years ago, so it’s pretty much just me, my mom and my grandmother,” he said. “As long as I can come in and check on them and talk to them on a regular basis, I don’t see any reason to come off the road.”
As we visited, in fact, Wallis was on his way to his grandmother’s house to repair her washing machine. Wallis also has three adult children. The youngest, he says proudly, has earned a master’s degree.
“No grandkids yet, but they’ve got to hurry up before I’m too old,” he said with a laugh.
Helping other veterans
Wallis has a college degree himself — in psychology. He says he went to school on the GI Bill after serving as a medivac crew chief in the U.S. Army.
“It helped me a lot with my PTSD, and I try to use my brain as much as possible,” he said.
Because of these personal experiences, Wallis says he’s able to relate to what other veterans might be going through.
“On Wednesdays and Sundays, and once in a while as a fill-in, I run a mental health hotline,” he said. “We lean more towards veterans, but we help everybody.”
Wallis’s group is part of the national 988 Suicide and Crisis hotline that offers 24/7 support for those suffering from depression, suicidal thoughts or other mental health issues.
Passion for helping others
Freymiller’s Woolsey, who has worked with Wallis for about seven years, is impressed with his character.
“Toby has a genuine passion for helping others,” he said. “He makes friends wherever he goes because his kindness and care are sincere. Helping people isn’t something he does for recognition — it’s simply who he is.”
In a Professional Driver of the Year video released by TCA, Wallis talked about his job.
“I enjoy getting out here and meeting new people, doing new things, going new places,” he said. “It’s always something different every day to me.
“What I really love about my job is being out on the open road — but also the fact that I get to be a trainer,” he continued. “I get to help bring up the new group of drivers out here and teach them some of the old ways of doing things, along with some of the new technology.”
Of course, Wallis has advice to share with anyone new to driving.
“Be a truck driver, not a steering wheel holder,” he quipped. “Stay aware of your surroundings. Keep a smile on your face, and never take anything personal.”
He has a positive outlook about his work, too.
“If you enjoy it, it’s a career,” he explained. “As soon as you start calling it a job, you’re going to start looking for something else.”
He obviously enjoys his career, and it shows in his work.
“Toby consistently sets a high standard, proudly representing our company on the road and with our customers,” Woolsey said. “His professionalism, safety record and positive attitude make him a role model for all our drivers, enhancing our company’s reputation in the industry.”
Wallis puts it a little more simply: “I’m a firm believer that every day is a new gift from God.”
Cliff Abbott is an experienced commercial vehicle driver and owner-operator who still holds a CDL in his home state of Alabama. In nearly 40 years in trucking, he’s been an instructor and trainer and has managed safety and recruiting operations for several carriers. Having never lost his love of the road, Cliff has written a book and hundreds of songs and has been writing for The Trucker for more than a decade.
