WESTLAKE, Ohio, June 1, 2017 – TravelCenters of America LLC (TravelCenters), operator of the TA® and Petro Stopping Centers® travel center brands, is now accepting nominations for 2018 Citizen Driver. Citizen Driver, launched in 2013, recognizes professional drivers who evoke public respect for the truck driving profession through good citizenship, safety, community involvement, health and wellness, and leadership.
Anyone — fleet owners and executives, co-workers, friends, husbands, wives, sons, daughters, mothers, fathers, trucking organization members, trucking industry suppliers, trucking industry customers — may nominate a professional driver for the honor. Nomination forms, rules and other information can be found at www.ta-petro.com/citizendriver. Nominations will be accepted until September 30, 2017. The 2018 Citizen Drivers will be recognized at the 2018 Citizen Drivers Ceremony at the TA-branded Iowa 80 location in Walcott, IA on May 8, 2018. Over the course of four years, there have been 26 Citizen Drivers and each of their names has been emblazoned on TA-Petro locations of their choice.
“Bringing industry and national recognition to one of the best parts about trucking – its professional drivers – is the simple goal of Citizen Driver,” said Tom O’Brien, President and CEO of TravelCenters. “If you know and work with truckers, think about who stands out and nominate them. The more we know about them — the more you can share on the nomination form — the better. Don’t hold back, tell us how much of an impact you feel the nominee has made on those around them,” he continued.
It was difficult for the industry-expert judging team to narrow down the 2017 nominees to a group of finalists, and finally honorees. Five nominees became Citizen Drivers and had a TA or Petro location of their choice named for them. The signs have all been changed at these locations, and dedication ceremonies will take place over the coming weeks. The ceremony dates and times are:
- May 13, 2 p.m., Petro Amarillo, TX — “Evan “Buddy” Haston Amarillo Stopping Center”
- May 20, 12 p.m., Petro North Little Rock, AR — “Idella M. Hansen North Little Rock Stopping Center”
- May 21, 12:45 p.m., TA Rogers, MN – “Marty Ellis Rogers Travel Center”
- May 27, 1 p.m., TA Albuquerque, NM — “Jim Wilcox Albuquerque Travel Center”
- June 3, 4 p.m., TA Madison, WI — “Dick Pingel Madison Travel Center”
TravelCenters congratulates all of the 2017 Citizen Driver once again. Articles on each Citizen Driver can be found in the May/June issue of RoadKing magazine, available at all TA and Petro locations.
