Hail the Heroes!

Last year, Charles Ingram, a professional truck driver from Jackson, Ga., risked his life to break out the windows of a burning car and pull two passengers to safety. For that act of bravery, Ingram, a FedEx Ground driver, earned the title of Goodyear’s 2002 North America Highway Hero.

Now the search is on for this year’s Highway Hero. If you know of a professional truck driver who was heroic or risked life and limb to help others on the road in 2003, the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company would like to hear about them – but time is running out. Nominations for Goodyear’s 21st annual North America Highway Hero program will be accepted through Nov. 30, 2003.

“We know there are many brave professional truck drivers out there who deserve to be recognized for their selfless and heroic deeds for coming to the aid of others,” said Steve McClellan, Goodyear’s vice president, commercial systems. “However, they can’t be recognized if they’re not nominated. That’s why we need our industry’s help – if you know of someone deserving of the award, please take the time to make a nomination. The final deadline is fast approaching – we don’t want to leave any deserving driver out of consideration.”

Criteria for award:

  • Nominee must be a full-time truck driver.
  • Nominee must be a resident of the United States or Canada.
  • Incident recognized must have occurred in the U.S. or Canada.
  • Nominee must have been on the job or on the way to or from work, and in his or her rig at the time of the incident.
  • Nominee’s truck at the time of the incident must have 14 wheels or more.
  • Incident must have taken place between Dec. 1, 2002, and Nov. 15, 2003, to qualify.

    Nomination forms and program details may be obtained by calling the Goodyear Highway Hero Hotline at 330-796-8183. The nomination form also is available on the program’s web site at www.highwayhero.net.

    After the nomination period is closed, the list will be pared down to four finalists. From that group, one individual will be selected to serve as the ambassador for the program as the Goodyear North American Highway Hero.