FARMINGTON, NEW YORK, MAY 17, 2022 – Leonard’s Express – a leading transportation services provider offering refrigerated trucking, dry van, warehousing and freight brokerage services – is showing support for veterans by giving several of its long-haul trucks a military makeover. As part of its patriotic “wrapped truck” program, the company is vinyl wrapping a new truck with a military-themed design for each of its five terminals: Farmington, New York; New Castle, Delaware; Eau Claire, Wisconsin; Taylorsville, North Carolina; and Caldwell, Idaho. The trucks are in the process of being assigned to drivers who have served in the United States Military.
Leonard’s Express will unveil its first patriotic wrapped truck at noon on Wednesday, May 18 at its corporate headquarters in Farmington, New York. Veteran Keith Buchanan will drive the Air Force wrapped truck for the next four-to-five years. Buchanan hauls freight out of the North Carolina terminal but is traveling to Farmington for a special ceremony to celebrate his selection for this prestigious assignment. Leonard’s Express Chief Operating Officer Kevin Johnson will commemorate the official launch of the program by presenting the keys to Buchanan, followed by remarks from Director of Maintenance, Kevin Adriaansen, and Buchanan himself.
“We admire the nearly 100 veteran drivers who work for Leonard’s Express,” said Tim Owens, Director of Organization Development at Leonard’s Express. “They are our ‘boots on the ground.’ Their skill, maturity and character are truly remarkable. This program is one of the many ways we honor our veteran employees.”
To be selected, drivers provided information to an internal review committee including what branch of the military they served in, how long they served, and a brief statement about why they wanted to participate in the program. To be considered for the assignment, drivers needed to have a clean driving record (i.e., no accidents or tickets). Once all applicants were vetted and approved, finalists were sorted by terminal location and randomly selected. Winners get the privilege of driving a fully vinyl-wrapped truck designed with branding from the branch of the military in which they served. “I’m so impressed with the quality of character of all who submitted applications, both those selected and those not selected. We have a tremendous workforce,” explained Owens.
“Being selected to drive this truck honoring my branch of service and driving for Leonard’s Express – which I’m super- proud of – is the most incredible honor,” said Buchanan, who has been a professional driver for 26 years. “Anyone who knows me will tell you that I ride for the brand, and I love my country. I still display my Air Force pride and combining this with my passion for driving is a dream come true.” When Buchanan returns to North Carolina, he plans to showcase the truck for Memorial Day and other events around the Fourth of July and Veterans Day.
Contributing to a Good Cause
In addition to the sense of pride inspired by the military-branded trucks, Leonard’s Express has pledged to donate one cent for every mile each truck travels over the next four-to-five years. The proceeds will go to a charity that supports veterans. The drivers get to select the charity.
With trucks running approximately 500,000 miles over the four-to-five-year life of ownership, Leonard’s expects the donation to be approximately $25,000. In addition, Leonard’s Express has a dedicated donation portal for each of the charities so employees can contribute too.
“At Leonard’s Express, our support of community, employees, and customers are central to our culture,” said Leonard’s Express CEO Ken Johnson. “It defines us as a company and as a great place to work. We support our veteran employees wherever possible and recognize their sacrifices in service to our country.”
The design phase is underway for the remaining four trucks, which will be making appearances at patriotic events across the country this summer and fall.
“I can’t express just how excited I am and how emotional it is for me to have earned this privilege,” added Buchanan. “It’s not just for me – it’s for my father too, who was in the Air Force for 20 years. He’s here in spirit and I know he would be so proud.”
About Leonard’s Express
Leonard’s Express is a family-owned asset-based transportation provider in Farmington, New York with offices located throughout the United States. We provide transportation solutions for a wide range of customers that encompass many industries. With our nationwide footprint, we are prepared to tailor a solution to fit your specific supply chain needs.
With its state-of-the-art technology and dedicated staff, Leonard’s Express is willing and able to provide dependable, diversified, and creative solutions that are responsive and cost-effective.
For more information, please visit www.leonardsexpress.com.
Media Contact
Shannon Struzik
VP of Marketing, People & Development
Leonard’s Express
shannon.struzik@leonardsexpress.com
