Transition Trucking Named 2026 Award Finalists
Five military veteran drivers were selected to compete for a new Kenworth T680 truck.
Updated on Sept. 24, 2026 in Military Jobs
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Five finalists have been named for the 2026 Driving For Excellence Award, a program that honors the top rookie military veteran driver in the United States. A three-way tie among semifinalists led organizers to select five finalists instead of the traditional three.
Why it matters
The program aims to recognize the professional transition of service members into the trucking industry. The winner will receive a new Kenworth T680 truck as part of an initiative launched in 2015 to support veteran employment.
The 2026 program features five finalists, exceeding the standard three-person threshold due to a scoring tie among the initial group of 11 semifinalists. The award program was established in 2015 to incentivize military service members to pursue careers in trucking.
The players
Mo Arzola
Mo Arzola is a rookie military veteran truck driver selected as one of the five finalists for the 2026 Driving For Excellence Award.
Monica Brooks-Buck
Monica Brooks-Buck is a professional driver recognized as a finalist for her excellence in the industry following her military service.
Daniel Doss
Daniel Doss is a veteran and finalist for the national driver award who was selected from the original group of eleven semifinalists.
Brandon Ward
Brandon Ward is a military veteran driver and finalist competing for the grand prize Kenworth T680 truck.
Gary Williams
Gary Williams is a veteran driver who advanced to the final round of the 2026 national competition.
The details
The finalists include Mo Arzola, Monica Brooks-Buck, Daniel Doss, Brandon Ward, and Gary Williams, who were revealed at the Kenworth manufacturing plant. This facility maintains a production capacity of under 200 trucks per day.
Timeline
Nominations for the award opened in March 2026.
The Elite 11 semifinalists were announced in August 2026.
The semifinalists visited the National Veterans Memorial and Museum on Sept. 22, 2026.
Finalists were announced at the Kenworth plant on Sept. 23, 2026.
The official award winner will be announced on Dec. 14, 2026.
Market Landscape
This selection process follows the established industry pattern set by the 2015 launch of the Transition Trucking program. The competition highlights how major commercial vehicle manufacturers partner with veteran initiatives to address long-term labor needs within the trucking sector.
Consumers and industry participants can directly influence the competition by casting votes for their preferred finalists in October. These results determine which veteran receives a new Kenworth T680, which serves as a major career milestone for the selected driver.
The takeaway
This annual award remains a primary benchmark for veteran success in commercial driving. Prospective drivers should monitor the public voting phase to support nominees who represent the broader community of veterans entering the civilian workforce.
What happens next
Public voting for the finalists will occur in October 2026, followed by the announcement of the award winner on Dec. 14, 2026.
Further reading
For more on industry hiring, visit our Military Jobs section.
More information
To participate in the upcoming process, visit the Transition Trucking page for public voting details.
Source note: This article includes information reported by TheTrucker.
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