Excitement filled our corporate building this past week as we celebrated numerous J.B. Hunt intermodal, dedicated and over the road truck drivers for reaching millions of safe miles! The two-day Million Mile Celebration included dinner on Monday evening, a heart-felt walk of fame through corporate, an unforgettable award ceremony, and a special visit from SiriusXM radio on Tuesday.
The event kicked off with a delicious barbeque dinner Monday night where drivers and their families enjoyed a meal and great music. Drivers also honored our Veterans by filling out post cards for military members overseas.
Two million-mile intermodal drivers Terry and Chris were excited to attend their first Million Mile Celebration in Lowell. The drivers worked together for 25 years until Chris transferred to another ramp and more recently, moved into an operations safety supervisor position. The two bonded over personal struggles throughout their truck driving careers and became close friends. They were happy to be reunited.
“I had no expectations about the Million Mile event, I’m just rolling with the punches. I’m surprised to see people that I haven’t seen in years. It’s a reunion,” said Chris.
“I didn’t know what to expect. I have a loss of words. Tomorrow is gonna be horrible for me. I’m an emotional person,” Terry added. “Does any other company do this? I don’t think so…. Knowing where I came from, it’s amazing. It’s been 26 years. I want another 26 years!”
On Tuesday morning, drivers participated in breakout sessions with upper management and then headed to J.B. Hunt’s corporate location to participate in the Walk of Fame and attend the Million Mile Banquet.
As drivers made their way up to the top level of corporate, they could feel the vibration of cheers and non-stop applause coming from the floors below. Corporate employees lined four flights of stairs to clap, high five, shake hands and most importantly, thank the drivers as they descended the stairs.
“The first step was okay, and you see people, but when you see the line of people that we had to go through, and all of them were thanking me? I was like no, I want to thank you guys. I was trying to shake everyone’s hand. I wish I could have hugged everyone…It was one of the best moments in my life,” Terry said.
At the Million Mile Banquet that followed, founder Mrs. Hunt joined the celebration as the guest speaker. She shared the origins of her and Mr. Hunt’s love story and how the two were determined to keep J.B. Hunt Transport moving and growing. She further explained how she understood the challenges of being the wife of a truck driver, and thanked the drivers for their hard work and the sacrifices they make to succeed at their trucking jobs.
Every driver was recognized and given his or her safety award as families, friends, fellow drivers, managers and staff applauded their impressive achievements.
“To see the people in the auditorium, and you walk up on stage in front of people, they are clapping and in front of Mrs. Hunt and everything, I will never forget this week ever,” Terry said.
Terry had the opportunity to meet Mrs. Hunt after the banquet, what he describes as the highlight of his visit to corporate. “She was telling me how great of a job I was doing and what I’ve done for the company, and I told her, 26 years ago from today, I was shaking your husband’s hand and today, I’m shaking yours, and I’m probably going to cry. And she goes, you go ahead and cry. I’ll cry right along with you,” Terry said. “I’m so glad I got to meet that lady. My life is complete.”
Terry and Chris finished their visit to corporate as featured guests on SiriusXM’s Road Dog News with host Mark Willis. The two shared their experience as drivers with J.B. Hunt and attending the Million Mile Celebration.
“We are now at the end of the Million Mile ceremony, which is sad because you almost want it to go on forever. I got to do a radio show today on Road Dog for a final step and I feel like I’m on top of the world. I feel like J.B. Hunt has gone way out of the way to make me, an already happy driver, even happier,” Terry said.
“I think the Million Mile event is perfect. It’s a great incentive to drive safely. It shows that you are respected,” said Chris. “It’s like J.B. Hunt saying that we are glad you’re part of the family.”
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