Tennessee Trucking Association

Meet Jon Coulson, a professional truck driver with 24 years of experience and a proud member of TCW, Inc. since 2020. Over his career Jon has achieved over 1 million safe driving miles and earned multiple safety awards. At TCW, he serves as a Master Coach, Student Mentor, and Trainer, sharing his expertise to help develop the next generation of drivers. Jon is also a two-time competitor at the Tennessee Truck Driving Championships, showcasing his skills and dedication to excellence in the industry. This year, he proudly served as a first-year Road Team Captain for the Tennessee Trucking Foundation, representing the industry with professionalism and passion. Outside of trucking, Jon enjoys showing his fully restored 1997 Volkswagen Jetta. He’s also an avid Memphis Grizzlies fan and enjoys spending time with his family and their fur-baby, Coco. Know a driver who shares Jon’s commitment to safety, mentorship, and professionalism? They might be a great fit for next year's road team. To nominate them visit tntrucking.org/nominate.

This Christmas, we are filled with gratitude for our incredible members who dedicate themselves to keeping Tennessee’s roads safe throughout the year. Merry Christmas, and thank you for giving the gift of safety this holiday season.

We're excited to highlight another incredible 2024 Road Team Captain! Meet Steve Coleman, a seasoned driver with Red Classic. With 30 years in the trucking industry, over 2 million safe driving miles, and multiple safety awards—including Driver of the Year at Red Classic—Steve exemplifies professionalism. As a Certified Driver Trainer, Steve has dedicated 8 years to mentoring new drivers and even helped launch RED CREW RADIO, the company’s podcast that keeps drivers informed and connected. This year, he serves as a 2024 Tennessee Trucking Foundation Road Team Captain, and his leadership and dedication have been invaluable. We’re grateful for his hard work and proud to celebrate his outstanding contributions!

For the past few weeks, the Young Professionals Council (YPC) has been spreading holiday cheer with its annual Haulin’ for the Holidays initiative. Last month, they kicked off the giving portion with a donation to FEDEXFAMILYHOUSE, a sanctuary for families receiving care at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital. Patrick Mendenhall, shared: "It’s an honor to support FedExFamilyHouse and bless these families with small Christmas miracles. I would like to specifically thank Jason Higginbotham of Ozark Motor Lines, Inc. and Kelly Lomax of Dunavant Global Logistics for their support and leadership." This was only the beginning of weeks filled with giving back across Tennessee. As the YPC wraps up its activities in East Tennessee and Chattanooga this week, we want to thank this year's sponsors and those involved for making this season brighter for others. Pictured (L-R): Ben Kizer (Rush Enterprises), Romanda (FedExFamilyHouse), Ross Hoover (Rush Enterprises), Norcandrian, Donovan, Annette, Chelsey (FedExFamilyHouse), and @Patrick Mendenhall (Rush Enterprises).

Does your phone jingle all the way? Share the holiday cheer by turning on “Do Not Disturb” mode while driving. Let sleigh bells guide your way and make it home safely this holiday season.  Learn more: https://lnkd.in/eWDgSMaS

Delivery day in Chattanooga! This is so much more than a toy drive. The camaraderie and trust we build in our industry and our community grows every year. Companies showing up with their hard won dollars in a down freight market, team members showing up in their trucks to load and unload tons of boxes, teachers painstakingly crafting wish lists for every child in their class. THANK YOU to our corporate angel sponsors, all of you who bought a toy off the wish list I posted, and everyone who showed up to work. There will be more photos and thank yous from other events soon too!

Congratulations to Shaun Griffin, one of the Billy White Technician Scholarship recipients! With a background as a truck driver and experience working with military diesel equipment, Shaun is now pursuing diesel technology studies at Lincoln Tech. We’re proud to support his education and wish him luck as he takes this exciting next step in his career. Scholarship applications are still open! If you or someone you know would like to apply, visit tntrucking.org/technician.

A big thank you to ROANE TRANSPORTATION SERVICES, LLC for welcoming the Tennesse Trucking Association to your office last week! Since 1996, Roane has been leading the way with top-notch long-haul and short-haul transportation services, all backed by a strong commitment to integrity and excellence. It was great to tour their new warehouse and see the ways they are focused on "Safely Keep Tennessee on the Move." Pictured here are Steve Kennedy (Managing Partner) and Aubrey Jones (Operations Manager), with Donna England (TTA President/CEO) in the middle looking a bit smaller than usual next to these giants in our industry!

As we get closer towards the new year, we remind ourselves of our goal of ZERO traffic fatalities.   tntrafficsafety.org

Whenever parents hit the road, they should have the peace of mind that their most precious cargo—their child—is properly buckled in. For the second year in a row, this donation from TCF and the Tennessee Trucking Association Foundation will help provide up to 200 car seats or booster seats to make children safer and promote highway safety.