TravelCenters of America LLC (TravelCenters), operator of the TA® and Petro Stopping Centers® travel center brands, is now accepting nominations for the 2015 Citizen Driver Awards. The program, launched last year, is designed to recognize 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 award. Nomination forms, rules and other information can be found at www.ta-petro.com/citizendriveraward. Nominations will be accepted through September 30, 2014. The 2015 Citizen Driver Award recipients will be recognized at the Mid-America Trucking Show in March 2015, in Louisville, Kentucky.

“We saw many outstanding drivers among the 2014 nominees,” said Tom O’Brien, President and CEO of TravelCenters. “I encourage everyone who knows and works with truckers to think about and nominate a worthy driver. And, 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 2014 nominees to a group of finalists, and finally winners. Seven nominees, including a team, were named 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 7, 1 p.m. – Linda and Bob Caffee — Petro N. Las Vegas, NV — “Linda and Bob Caffee North Las Vegas Stopping Center”
  • May 10, 1 p.m. – Jimmy Ardis — TA Manning, SC — “Jimmy Ardis Manning Travel Center”
  • May 15, 1 p.m. – Shawn Hubbard — Petro Ontario, CA — “Shawn Hubbard Ontario Stopping Center”
  • May 16, 2 p.m. – Jerry Fritts — Petro West Memphis, AR — “Jerry Fritts West Memphis Stopping Center”
  • May 17, 1 p.m. – Charley Endorf — Petro York, NE — “Charley Endorf York Stopping Center”
  • May 24, 11:30 a.m. – Norman Knight — TA Columbia, NJ — “Norman Knight Columbia Travel Center”
  • May 28, 11 a.m. – Henry Albert — TA Laredo, TX — “Henry Albert Laredo Travel Center”

TravelCenters congratulates all of the 2014 Citizen Driver Award recipients once again. Articles on each of the winners can be found in the May/June issue of RoadKing magazine, available at all TA and Petro locations.