Here at Pride Transport we have the finest drivers on the road today. Our drivers are the heart of our operation and we know that we’d be nothing without them. Each one is unique and important to us but, now and then, we like to acknowledge a driver that stands out, goes the extra distance and is worthy of special recognition by his fellow drivers. That’s why we created the Driver of the Month Program.

We have a certain culture, a core set of values and a history of excellence at Pride that has kept us on top for almost 40 years. When one of our drivers truly embodies all the aspects of our mission, we like to show them off a bit. We like the world to see what makes a driver a Pride driver. We do this by naming him or her the Driver of the Month.

For the month of January we have chosen Therald Wells, who has been driving with us for 9 of his 10 year driving career. We spoke with Therald to get his inside perspective on what it’s like to drive with Pride and living life on the open road.

Therald Wells, Driver of the Month

We’re sure there’s a lot that you love about being on the road, but what’s your favorite thing about being a truck driver?

“The open road. I love the freedom, the fact that no one’s looking over my shoulder all day. It’s not like I don’t have a boss, I just have the freedom to be in charge in my own cab. Also, I really love the fact that I’m providing a service for people.”

Being a first time driver can be tough, do you have any advice for people who are thinking about getting into truck driving?

“Simple, enjoy it. It’s a hard job, a challenging job. There’s stress and headaches but, that’s the same in any job. You have to enjoy it, because it’s also a great job. Look, if you’re not enjoying it, you gotta go do something else.”

What’s your least favorite part of driving a truck? It’s probably hard to think of something, but if you had to choose one thing.

“Being away from home and my family. I’ve been married for more than 30 years and I have a wonderful wife. I also have two boys. One is grown, married and has a kid of his own, the other is still at home. I miss them. Now, I’m lucky, I drive a dedicated route so I get home every other night but still, it’s late in the evening and I’m up and out early. I really miss time at home, time with my family.”

What’s your favorite thing to snack on when you’re on the road? After all, snacks are a staple for any road trip.

“Sunflower seeds. Dill pickle. Love ‘em.”

What’s the weirdest thing you’ve seen while driving? When being out on the road is your job, you’re bound to see some questionable things.

“Honestly, I can’t think of anything weird. People are amazing, all kinds and every kind. People do what they can to live life, be happy and get through the day so, to me, if you’re being human, I can’t imagine anything you’d do is something I’d call weird.”

You’ve been with us for nine of your ten year driving career, what do you love about driving for Pride?

“The professionalism about the place. They are on top of their game, they take problems out of the way and let you do your job. It’s not like that at other places, believe me, it makes a huge difference.”

What have you learned about being a driver that you never would have known unless you were a truck driver?

“Respect for the men and women who are driving the big rigs. Before I drove, I admit, I used to cut trucks off and be in their blind spots, I didn’t think about what it takes to drive one of these. A truck can be up to 80,000 pounds and when you’re going down the highway, say 65 MPH, it takes the length of a football field to stop. People don’t know that … I didn’t know that. Now I do.”

What is your Pride? This is a question we’ve been asking ourselves and each other lately. What is your Pride, is it your truck, your skill at maintenance, your exceptional driver support skills? What makes you proud to be a part of the Pride family?

“I’m proud that I’m working in the service of others. Not many people realize how much this country depends on truck drivers. If you think about it, there are about 49 million tons of goods moving through the country every day at a value of about $53 billion. Well, trucks carry 63% of the tonnage and 68% of the value. Trucks are the backbone of this country. I’m proud to be a meaningful part of that.”

Thank you to Therald for taking the time to chat with us! Check back each month and meet the next drive of the month, learn something about what it’s like driving a truck and maybe, you’ll discover what your Pride is.