I’m so excited to share that we’ve launched our very first Career Catalyst Awards — and this year, we’re celebrating 16 incredible fleets that are helping build the future of the trucking industry.
These companies are doing more than just hiring — they’re creating real pathways for young people to enter and grow within trucking careers. As the only nonprofit dedicated to promoting trucking to high school and community college students, we at Next Gen know how important it is to reach young people early and show them that this industry has a place for them.
Our 2025 Career Catalyst Award recipients are leading the way. They’re hiring high school and college grads in entry-level roles, providing CDL and diesel tech training, creating apprenticeship opportunities, partnering with schools to launch programs, and inviting students in for enrichment experiences. Many are also leveraging technology to make trucking jobs safer, more efficient, and more appealing to Gen Z.
These fleets are proving that if we meet young people where they are, we can create company cultures where they want to stay and succeed.
Here are the 2025 Career Catalyst Award recipients:
For-Hire Carriers:
Ryder System, Kenan Advantage Group, Averitt, Old Dominion Freight Line, Christenson Transportation, Keller Trucking, Upper Lake Foods, Alaska West Express, and Garner Trucking
Private Fleets:
Key Oil, Ben E. Keith Foods, Republic Services, Boyd CAT, Cal Valley Trucking, Ginsberg’s Foods, and Performance Food Service
As someone who has spent years helping schools start CDL programs, I’ve seen firsthand how hungry students are for meaningful, hands-on career opportunities. Gen Z is entrepreneurial, values technology, and wants to make a difference. Trucking offers all of that — and more.
These 16 fleets are doing exactly what our industry needs to attract and retain younger generations. They’re setting the example and proving that we can change the narrative around trucking careers.
Congratulations to each of our winners. Thank you for investing in young people and helping build a better future for our industry.
If you’d like to learn more about the Career Catalyst Award or find out how your company can get involved, I’d love to connect. Visit nextgentrucking.org or reach out to me directly at [email protected].
Let’s keep moving the industry forward — together.