Trucking news and briefs for Monday, July 20, 2020:
Edwina WebbReal Women in Trucking announces Queen of the Road winners
Three women have been named Queens of the Road by the Real Women in Trucking. RWIT will host its fourth annual Queen of the Road Awards on Aug. 29 at 6:30 p.m. Pacific at the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas.
The 2020 Queen of the Road award recipients are Kristy Mathews, Edwina Webb and Vonnie Whitemagie. The President’s Choice Trucking Industry Trailblazer award winners are Deb Desiderato and Tamara Brock. Three honorable mentions will be awarded to Shundora Bell, Jacinda Duran and Cheryl Pollard.
Kristy MathewsOther award nominees include Brittany Richardson, Kandy Qualls, Donna Sleasman, Rebekah Meadows, Michelle Braithwood, Dale Estwick, Nickie Pointer, Shelly Burton, Margaret Heath, and Ellie O’Daire.
“I am so grateful and humbled by this support,” said Edwina Webb, employed by J.B. Hunt Transport. “At its core, what sets this award apart from the others is the appreciation of women, for women, by women — which has not always been. As a woman of color, I’ve persevered through trials though I had intentions of quitting. With all the adversity I have faced throughout my 30-year career, I can confidently say I’ve witnessed a lot of change.”
Vonnie WhitemagieEmmy Award-winning actor Max Gail will serve as a presenter, as well as past Queen of the Road and Trucking Industry Trailblazer award recipients.
The Queen of the Road Awards is sponsored by RoadPro Family of Brands. All interested drivers, professionals within the truck driving industry and others who encourage and support women truck drivers are invited to attend the awards ceremony. Registration is available here.
Driver named Highway Angel after helping motorcyclist who hit deer
Jason Quinlin, of Salem, Indiana, has been named a Highway Angel by the Truckload Carriers Association after stopping to help a seriously injured man who hit a deer on a dark road.
Quinlin was traveling north on I-55 near Livingston, Illinois, on June 3 in a remote area with little traffic in the middle of the night. He saw a light low to the ground in the lane ahead that he thought looked like a headlight. He tapped the brakes to warn any drivers behind him to slow down.
As he got closer, he could see it was a motorcycle in the left lane, and a young man was lying behind the bike.
“He must have hit a deer,” Quinlin said. “I shut the truck down, locked up the brakes and hit the four-ways.”
A UPS driver also stopped and called 911. Quinlin noticed the handlebars were broken off the bike.
“I don’t know how long he was there, but there was a puddle of blood,” he said. He wasn’t wearing a helmet. His left side had a lot of damage, road rash.”
Jason QuinlinQuinlin ran back to his truck for rubber gloves, gauze and bandages. He put the gauze under the man’s head to stop some of the bleeding and worked to keep him alert.
It wasn’t long before a life-flight helicopter arrived. An officer on the scene thanked Quinlin for being attentive and preventing further tragedy. They found the motorcyclist’s helmet in one of the saddlebags.
Quinlin continued into Wisconsin that night and parked. The next morning, he found a message on his phone from the motorcyclist. He called him back and found out the man received 12 stitches in the back of his head and had a broken elbow.
“He told me he’s a driver for United Van Lines and had been heading home from work that night,” Quinlin said. “He has a routine route up to Chicago so he can be home with his kids. He said he’s definitely giving up motorcycles. He asked if it’d be alright to call me brother. When I get to Springfield, Illinois, we’ll get together. He’s like a brother—he’s a friend.”
For his willingness to help, TCA presented Quinlin with a certificate, patch, lapel pin and truck decals. His carrier, Riverside Transport, also received a certificate acknowledging their driver as a Highway Angel. EpicVue sponsors the Highway Angel program.
New diesel option for Mercedes Sprinter cargo van | Mercedes-Benz Vans has announced the introduction of a new 2.0-liter 4-cylinder diesel engine for the Sprinter Cargo Van, a popular power unit among cargo van expediting owner-operators. The powertrain produces 161 hp and 266 lb.-ft. of torque and is paired with a 7-speed automatic transmission. The 2.0-liter 4-cylinder diesel Cargo variant will join the Sprinter lineup in the U.S., which includes the 3.0-liter 6-cylinder turbo diesel cargo, crew, passenger and cab & chassis, and the 2.0-liter 4-cylinder gasoline passenger, crew and cargo variants. The new 2.0-liter 4-cylinder diesel cargo van will be arriving in dealerships late 2020. Read more via Overdrive sister site HardWorkingTrucks.com. Pictured: Darren & Trish Ayres and their rare sleeper-outfitted Mercedes Sprinter cargo van. Read more about the custom comfort addition via this link to our 2019 coverage of the cargo van niche. 
