The Trucker Newspaper - September 15, 2018

4 • September 15-30, 2018 Nation
thetrucker.com
Trucking’s Top Rookie for 2018 certainly no rookie; he
found new career after 27 years in Navy, Marine Corps
Klint Lowry
klint.lowry@thetrucker.com
DALLAS — Which is better, youthful drive
or age and experience? Clearly, the best case
would be for someone to have both qualities
— someone who has left a trail of accomplishments
in his wake and still takes on new challenges
with persistent discipline, confidence
and a personal commitment to excellence.
Qualities like that would be appreciated
anywhere, but in an industry like trucking that
is facing an acute labor shortage, they need to
be celebrated when they come along.
That was the idea back in 2010 when Mike
O’Connell, the former executive director of
the Commercial Vehicle Training Association
(CVTA), came up with an idea for an event
that would recognize the industry’s top newcomers.
The result was the award that bears
his name, the Mike O’Connell Trucking’s Top
Rookie award.
The contest is open each year to any CDL
holder who has graduated from a Professional
Truck Driver Institute (PTDI)-certified training
school or a CVTA- or National Association of
Publicly Funded Truck Driving Schools-member
training school within the previous year
and has been employed by a trucking company
for less than one year.
Entrants are evaluated on criteria that include
availability for loads, on-time delivery, highway
safety performance, customer relations, work
record and nonjob-related activities.
The annual announcement of Trucking’s
Top Rookie has become one of the highlights
of the Great American Trucking Show
(GATS).
The word “rookie” conjures up images of
someone barely acquainted with adulthood,
someone fresh-faced and eager. But on August
24, the second day of the 2018 edition of
GATS, it didn’t look likely that these rookies
have had to flash an ID to prove they’re over
21 any time recently.
At 58, his closely cropped hair more salt
than pepper, Mourdant “Platt” Brabner looks
more like the wise old mentor who would
take the wide-eyed rookie under his wing.
Nonetheless, after Becker got a brief,
improvised drumroll from the large crowd
that had gathered around the GATS America
Strong Stage, it was Brabner’s name that was
called as this year’s top rookie.
According to the introduction given at the
award presentation, Brabner, a flatbed driver
for TMC Transportation, logged 120,000
miles in his rookie year. That pales in comparison
to the long road that brought him to
trucking.
Born and raised in Alabama, Brabner enlisted
in the Marine Corps in his 20s. He began
his military career as an advanced electronics
technician, and while serving earned
bachelor’s degrees in professional aeronautics
and electronic engineering.
He was determined to become a pilot,
and his commanding officer allowed him to
test for the Navy’s flight program, where he
excelled. During assignments in Southeast
The Trucker: KLINT LOWRY
After distinguishing himself in a 27-year career in both the Marines and Navy, then earning
a master’s degree in business, Mourdant “Platt“ Brabner is now making his mark in trucking,
as he accepts the Mike O’Connell Trucking’s Top Rookie award for 2018 at The Great American
Trucking Show.
Asia, he carried out aircraft carrier combat
operations, performing more than 650 carrier
landings.
During his military career, he also served
in the Middle East, Germany and Africa. In
2003, he was promoted to the rank of Navy
Commander.
Brabner’s wife, Vonda, was fully supportive
of his career. But he had been at it 27 years,
and he felt she needed the opportunity to fully
pursue her career as an embryologist. In 2006,
he retired from the military. The couple live in
Coupland, Texas, a rural community east of
Austin.
Brabner found trucking after earning a master’s
degree in business but then bumping into
age discrimination. He gave farming a brief try,
but decided that wasn’t for him, either.
He found his fit in trucking, where he applies
his business knowledge and military discipline
to the job. “My goal is to become an
owner-operator and to start my own business,”
he said.
His trip to GATS this year took him a lot
closer to that goal. Being named Trucking’s
Top Rookie comes with a $10,000 cash prize,
along with a slew of other gifts.
The other Trucking’s Top Rookie finalists,
along with their home towns and companies,
were:
James Bell: Stevensville, Montana; Jim
Palmer Trucking
Adam Cobb: Deltona, Florida; Celadon
Trucking
Matthew Donahue: Weedsport, New
York; H.O. Wolding
David Drummond: Philadelphia; Melton
Truck Lines
Terrence Goodau: Springfield, Missouri;
Tri-State Motor Transit
Larry Maser: McKinney, Texas; Stevens
Transport
Darrell Philpott: Martinsville, Virginia;
Epes Transportation Systems, and
Quinton Ward: Westville, Florida; Werner
Enterprises.
Earlier that same day, Brabner also found
out he is a finalist in the annual Transition
in Trucking: Driving for Excellence Award,
presented by the Fastport Trucking Track
Mentoring Program, the U.S. Chamber of
Commerce Foundation’s Hiring Our Heroes
Program, and Kenworth. The award honors
the top rookie military veteran who has made
a successful transition from active duty to a
commercial fleet.
As one of the four finalists, Brabner is
guaranteed to be taking home at least another
$5,000. The winner, who will be announced at
a ceremony December 14 at the U.S. Chamber
of Commerce Hall of Flags in Washington,
D.C., will win a fully-loaded Kenworth T680
with a 76-inch sleeper and Paccar MX-13 engine,
valued at $155,000. 8
USPS 972
Volume 31, Number 18
September 15-30, 2018
The Trucker is a semi-monthly, national newspaper for the
trucking industry, published by Trucker Publications Inc. at
1123 S. University, Suite 320
Little Rock, AR 72204-1610
Trucking Division Senior Vice President
David Compton
davidc@targetmediapartners.com
Vice President / Publisher
Ed Leader
edl@thetrucker.com
Trucking Division General Manager
Megan Cullingford-Hicks
meganh@targetmediapartners.com
Editor
Lyndon Finney
editor@thetrucker.com
Assistant Editor
Dorothy Cox
dlcox@thetrucker.com
Associate Editor
Klint Lowry
klint.lowry@thetrucker.com
Production Manager
Rob Nelson
robn@thetrucker.com
Graphic Artist
Christie McCluer
christie.mccluer@thetrucker.com
Special Correspondent
Cliff Abbott
cliffa@thetrucker.com
National Marketing Consultants
Jerry Critser
jerryc@targetmediapartners.com
Dennis Ball
dennisb@targetmediapartners.com
Erin Garrett
erin.garrett@targetmediapartners.com
John Hicks
johnh@targetmediapartners.com
Meg Larcinese
megl@targetmediapartners.com
Greg McClendon
gregmc@targetmediapartners.com
Telephone: (501) 666-0500
Fax: (501) 666-0700
E-mail: news@thetrucker.com
Web: www.thetrucker.com
Single-copy mail subscription available at $59.95
per year. Periodicals Postage Paid at Little Rock,
AR 72202-9651 and additional entry offices.
Publishers Rights: All advertising, including artwork and
photographs, becomes the property of the publisher
once published and may be reproduced in any media
only by publisher. Publisher reserves the right to refuse
or edit any ad without notice and does not screen or endorse
advertisers. Publisher is not liable for any damages
resulting from publication or failure to publish all or any
part of any ad or any errors in ads. Adjustments are limited
to the cost of space for the ad, or at Publisher’s option,
republication for one insertion with notice received
within three days of first publication. All items subject to
prior sale and expire on or before last date of issue. No
refunds after photo submitted or taken. Sales prices plus
sales tax, license fees, document fees, smog fees, and finance
charges if applicable. Copyright 2018 of Wilshire
Classifieds, LLC. Subject also to Ad and Privacy Policy at
www.recycler.com.
POSTMASTER:
Send address changes to:
The Trucker
1123 S. University, Suite 320
Little Rock, AR 72204