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24 • AUGUST 1-14, 2021 FEATURES Queen of the Road awards REAL WOMEN IN TRUCKING TO HOST 5TH ANNUAL EVENT THETRUCKER.COM THE TRUCKER NEWS STAFF LAS VEGAS — REAL Women in Trucking Inc. (RWIT) will host the fifth annual Queen of the Road awards amidst the glitz and glamor of Las Vegas on Aug. 14. The presentation will be held at 6:30 p.m. at the Brio Italian Grille, 6653 Las Vegas Blvd. South. Five women will be honored during this year’s ceremony. Angela Baum, Darnise Harris and Mary Gomez are the 2021 Queen of the Road award recipients, and Brita Nowak and Jess Graham will be honored with the President’s Choice Trucking Industry Trailblazer award. Each award recipient will receive a Visa gift card, a Queen of the Road commemorative plaque, free RWIT membership and a Queen of the Road event T-shirt, as well as a prize pack from event sponsors. Other award nominees include Kenyette Godhigh-Bell, Cathy Vanerveer, Rebecka Courtesy: REAL Women in Trucking Recipients of REAL Women in Trucking’s 2021 Queen of the Road awards are, from left, Angela Baum, Mary Gomez and Darnise Harris. Also, Brita Nowak and Jess Graham will be honored with the President’s Choice Trucking Industry Trailblazer award. Tosh, Chelsey Warren, Robin Mills, Siobhan Clark, Nancy Brown, Tamie Cole, Christal Ruth, Linda Provence, Linda Arnone, Lesa Yo-yo Worley, Veronica Twyman, Kearsey Rothlander, Amie Cochran and Constance Moseley. “Long before ‘diversity’ and ‘inclusion’ were trending, REAL Women in Trucking was recognizing and supporting remarkable matriarchs of the trucking industry — women of color, lesbians, transgender individuals or those of different religions, abilities, backgrounds and identities — who were often invisible,” said Desiree Wood, president, REAL Women in Trucking. The Queen of the Road awards were inspired by these women truck drivers, who have overcome obstacles and supported others in the industry. The Queen of the Road Awards is sponsored by RoadPro Family of Brands. Those interested in attending this year’s awards ceremony can RSVP by emailing admin@realwomenintrucking.org. 8 SURPRISE cont. from Page 23 Scan here to subscribe. During his 40-year career, Daniel Abshire has: • Driven 2.5 million miles, which is the equivalent of five trips to the moon and back, or 1,650 trips Knoxville-to-New York and back. • Amassed 9,800 safety days in the cab of his truck, the equivalent of more than 26 years of safe driving. • Delivered more than 200 million gallons of fuel, which is the equivalent of 300 Olympic-size swimming pools. “I’m still in shock,” he said. “I wasn’t expecting to be recognized, let alone get a new truck to drive that also celebrates my dad’s time with Pilot. I remember him driving a Peterbilt like this one, and this is my dream truck. We’ve always been part of the Pilot family, and the team here, especially the other drivers, always have been part of the Abshire family. That’s not lip service; it’s how we operate. This just illustrates how true it is. We are family.” Both Jim Abshire and Daniel Abshire are fans of Peterbilt trucks. Inspired by a photo of Jim from the 1970s with his Pilot truck, Peterbilt designed the truck that was presented to Daniel as a throwback to the 389 model, with updated red and yellow Pilot Flying J graphics. “Everyone at Peterbilt would like to congratulate Daniel Abshire and the whole Abshire family for the millions of miles they have spent on the road delivering fuel for the Pilot Co.,” said Jason Skoog, Peterbilt general manager and PACCAR vice president. “To be a part of this celebration is a privilege, and we look forward to seeing Daniel on the road behind the wheel of his Peterbilt Model 389 outfitted with a throwback design honoring the legacy of his father.” 8
THETRUCKER.COM FEATURES AUGUST 1-14, 2021 • 25 Round up for a good cause TRAVELCENTERS OF AMERICA ASKS CUSTOMERS TO ROUNDS UP FOR ST. CHRISTOPHER TRUCKERS RELIEF THE TRUCKER NEWS STAFF WESTLAKE, Ohio — From now until Labor Day, TravelCenters of America Inc. is asking customers to help raise funds for truckers in need by rounding up their purchase to the next dollar. All proceeds will go to St. Christopher Truckers Relief Fund (SCF), an organization that helps professional drivers who are out of work due to an illness or injury. Customers will have the option to round up their purchase to the nearest dollar at any TA, Petro Stopping Centers or TA Express; the option is also available for purchases made at the fuel islands. “We’re big supporters of St. Christopher Truckers Relief Fund,” said Jon Pertchik, CEO NURSING cont. from Page 23 used to be a nurse, and she did the same thing. And she’s had a very successful trucking business career,” Steward explained. “I had a lot of time to think during that assignment. I began to wonder, what all goes into it?” Stewart floated the idea to her husband, who’d driven with local trucking companies for some time. With him on board, she began researching the ins and outs of starting up the business. “I mentioned the idea around February, and I just kinda kept working toward it,” she said. “I watched YouTube video after YouTube video all about successful trucking companies. I watched The Highway Diva; she’s a truck owner and she makes multiple YouTube videos. She’s extremely helpful. She drives with her daughter sometimes. I commented on it, and she commented back to me. She’s just great. She’s very friendly. “I made a big ol’ check list, and I would take notepads and I would just literally make lists and I’d write notes. And as I went, I would just scratch it off. I did the LLC and applied for our own vehicle authority. I just did it step by step,” she continued. “That’s what I’d tell anyone who wants to do this. I would say, ‘Take baby steps and research and make lists. Just take your time.’” Stewart is quick to point out that while she was spearheading the effort, the entire family had input at some level, from her husband’s experience behind the wheel to settling on the name of the venture. “At first someone said, ‘Stewart Trucking’ and I thought, ‘No, I want it to be cute. Stand out,’” she said. “One of my daughters actually came up with the name, ‘Keeping Up with the Stewart’s’ which is like ‘Keeping Up with the Kardashians,’ you know. She always says she wants a TV show,” Stewart said. “So, I was sitting there one day at work, and I was like ‘You know what? That could work. ’Cause it’s a trucking company and it’s always moving.’” In May, the family found the perfect rig — a 2017 Kenworth T680 — in Texas and drove of TA. “We have an opportunity for everybody to contribute out there for the benefit of truckers in need.” The campaign started July 1 and will continue through Monday, Sept. 6. “TA began its support of SCF in 2010 and has since raised nearly $3 million for the organization. We are honored and humbled by the support we receive from TravelCenters of America and its generous customers,” said Donna Kennedy, director of SCF. “Professional drivers always support each other, and we are confident when they see the point-of-sale fundraiser at TA registers across the country, they will be proud to help. This campaign will have an immense impact for those in need.” 8 it home to Louisiana after Ashley’s stint in Dallas wrapped up. Once settled into the new routine, the challenging realities of making a go in the trucking business sank in. “At first, we were very defeated because nobody would work with us because we were so new,” Stewart said. “I had been working on it since March but because it just went active, it finally cleared May 28, that’s what they were going by. The first week, we’d make a call they would say ‘Nope. Nope. Nope.’” Their break finally came, however, and Keeping Up with the Stewart’s was on the road. “We did one load, like a trailer drop — that was our first move — and ever since that, we’ve been successful,” she said. While DeAntonio hauls the dry vans to various destinations out of state, Ashley serves as dispatcher and is taking a broker course, in addition to continuing her nursing career. She said her experience as a nurse actually plays a role in her life as an owner-operator. “It’s funny,” she said. “When you’re looking at the loads and trying to piece and part them together and map load after load, you have to see the bigger picture. As a charge nurse and a house supervisor, you have always look at the bigger picture too, like the flow and the management of things. Learning the trucking business, I can really rely on how I manage others as a nurse, seeing a bigger picture.” Still, she admits balancing two careers and a family of four daughters, ranging in age from 7 to 14, is not without its daily challenges. “It’s hard some days, but I think being a nurse through COVID, you learn how to prioritize a lot of things — what is a priority in life and what isn’t, you know?” she said. “I sleep when I can and research some stuff when I have a little free time here and there and just keep working hard.” One of the most important things is to not go it alone, she said. “My husband and I work on this together,” she explained. “I just wanted to have something we could call our own. I would want my daughters to see that and know that whatever you put your mind to, the sky’s the limit.” 8 TICKETS TICKETS Courtesy: TravelCenters of America A register round-up campaign benefitting St. Christopher Truckers Relief Fund is going on now at all TravelCenters of America locations, including TA, TA Express and Petro. NO MEMBERSHIP FEES NO MEMBERSHIP FEES NO MEMBERSHIP FEES MOVING & NON-MOVING MOVING & NON-MOVING MOVING & NON-MOVING NO MONTHLY DUES NO MONTHLY DUES NO MONTHLY DUES 1-800-333-DRIVE 1-800-333-DRIVE 1-800-333-DRIVE www.interstatetrucker.com INTERSTATE TRUCKER, LTD. INTERSTATE TRUCKER, LTD. www.interstatetrucker.com INTERSTATE www.interstatetrucker.com TRUCKER, LTD. www.interstatetrucker.com
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