Volvo Trucks celebrated the American Trucking Associations’ (ATA) new trucking ambassadors at the association’s headquarters in Arlington, Va., last week including delivery of a VNL 760 long-haul tractor. The newly appointed America’s Road Team Captains will use the VNL 760 to haul the ATA Interstate One mobile classroom for their nationwide education program.
president of Volvo Trucks North America, Peter Voorhoeve, said:
“Volvo Trucks proudly donates the Volvo VNL 760 as part of our continued commitment to the ATA’s premier safety outreach program to promote the trucking industry’s progress in safety and the essentialness of truck drivers in modern society. As the exclusive sponsor of the America’s Road Team Captain selection for 20 consecutive years, we congratulate the 2022-2023 Captains as true movers of our economy and look forward to helping them elevate the public’s perception of both the profession and the trucking industry as innovative and safe.”
The VNL 760 tractor features Volvo’s latest active safety technologies including Volvo Dynamic Steering, Volvo Active Driver Assist, Volvo Enhanced Stability Technology (VEST), Lane Departure Warning, blind spot detection and occupant protection systems (i.e., a high-strength steel cap and driver’s side airbags). Powered by the next generation Volvo D13 Turbo Compound engine, the truck is equipped with Volvo’s automated manual transmission, Volvo I-Shift. Several Volvo connected services that improve overall uptime such as Remote Diagnostics and Remote Programming are also integrated in the tractor.
The donated VNL 760 tractor will haul ATA’s Interstate One mobile classroom, a unique show trailer featuring a truck driving simulator, seven presentation screens, educational displays and a conference room. As the trucking ambassadors meet with a variety of stakeholders – from students, lawmakers, community groups and government officials across the country – they will leverage the high-tech 53-foot trailer to showcase presentations, exhibitions and displays demonstrating enhanced safety and the vital role the trucking industry plays in the U.S. economy.
Peter Voorhoeve said:
“With the rapid growth of e-commerce and the pandemic-induced global supply chain challenges, society at large understands now more than ever how critical this effort is in the advancement of moving essential goods and services. While the industry juggles driver shortage and the world’s increasing demands on freight, these ambassadors with exemplary driving records are key to communicating our progress in driver safety and well-being. America’s Road Team Captains set the course for best-in-class truck driving, and training them on the VNL 760 model, among other tools helps complete the journey comfortably and safely.”
The America’s Road Team program is a national public outreach effort led by expert professional truck drivers who have logged millions of accident-free miles. According to the ATA, the 22 new Captains include drivers from 13 companies, 17 states and drivers with more than 564 years of experience and 45,774,455 miles of accident-free driving. The drivers were judged on their ability to express their knowledge of the industry, their skills in effective communication about safety and transportation and their overall safe-driving record.