Five Good Things: Fleet heroes, donations, and industry milestones brighten 2026 start
As the new year gets underway, one standout story of service, skill, and opportunity comes from Washington, D.C., where U.S. Army veteran Charles Jones Jr. of Roehl Transport was named the 2025 Transition Trucking: Driving for Excellence award winner. Now in its 10th consecutive year, the program brings together Kenworth, Fastport, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Hiring Our Heroes initiative to recognize the nation’s top rookie military veteran driver. The milestone anniversary and Jones’s win offer a powerful start to 2026 for an industry committed to supporting veterans’ careers.
From combat zones to the open road
Jones served more than two decades in the U.S. Army, completing three combat deployments to Iraq and two rotations to South Korea. One year ago this month, he graduated from Georgia Driving Academy and began his professional career with Roehl Transport. Colleagues quickly came to know him for reliability, humor, dedication, and steady leadership—qualities that translate seamlessly from military service to professional trucking.
A life-changing prize
The 2025 award comes with a Kenworth T680, spec’d for performance, comfort, and safety on long-haul routes. Jones’s truck features a 76-inch sleeper and an integrated Paccar Powertrain that includes the Paccar MX-13 engine rated at 455 horsepower, the Paccar TX-12 automated transmission, and Paccar DX-40 tandem rear axles. The T680 also arrives equipped with the latest driver-assistance technologies and interior amenities, supporting both efficiency and driver well-being.
Recognition that builds bridges for veterans
Transition Trucking: Driving for Excellence was created to spotlight veterans who bring mission focus, resilience, and teamwork to trucking. By partnering with Fastport and Hiring Our Heroes for a tenth straight year, Kenworth and its collaborators underscore a long-term commitment to opening pathways for service members entering civilian careers—and to helping fleets recruit and retain exceptional talent.
“Receiving this Kenworth truck is truly life-changing,” said Jones. “The military taught me discipline, resilience, and pride in every mission — and those same values have carried me into my career. This award allows me to build a future I once only hoped was possible. I am deeply grateful to Roehl, to my instructors, and to every veteran who has supported me along the way.”
Why it matters now
As 2026 begins, Jones’s story is a reminder that industry progress isn’t just about equipment and efficiency—it’s about people. Programs that champion veterans strengthen fleets, elevate safety and professionalism on the road, and create lasting opportunities for those who have served. With Jones behind the wheel of his new Kenworth T680, the year ahead already looks brighter for the communities and companies he represents.
