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.

For the month of March, we have chosen Johnny Wainwright, who has been driving with us for the entirety of his 6-year career as a recovery driver. We spoke with Johnny to get some inside perspective on his unique duties, and his personal experiences as a professional driver for Pride Transport.

Johnny Wainwright, Driver of the Month

So, your duties are a little unconventional. Tell us more about what you do.

Well, I do recovery driving. If there’s an abandoned truck, a wreck, a breakdown, or someone who needs to be relieved of their duty, then I’m their go-to guy. I head out to wherever the truck is and I bring it back to the yard.

You’ve been doing this for quite some time. What’s your favorite thing about being a professional driver?

Well, this may come as a surprise, but driving. I love driving. I have freedom in my job and I enjoy being out on the road.

It sounds like you get to go all over the country, where’s your favorite place to drive?

You know, I love a lot of the places I pass through, but I’d have to say Utah and Texas. Two big and beautiful states with great scenery.

Professional driving isn’t for everyone, do you have any advice for people who want to get into it?

Yes. Do your homework when you’re deciding on what company to drive for and talk to their drivers. Are they getting the miles they want? Are they being treated fairly? Is this company stable? You want to be with a company that will still be around in 10-15 years when you want to retire.

We know being on the road can get tough, what’s your least favorite part of being a truck driver?

It can be yes. I think my least favorite thing is dealing with bad drivers and high traffic. We still have to drive in it to get our jobs done and it can be very frustrating to share the road with people who aren’t cautious when driving around semi-trucks.

Let’s talk about snacks. What do you always grab when you’re at a truck stop?

Oh man. My go to is always cheese crackers and a red bull. The original flavor.

Good jams are essential to every road trip, what do you listen to most often while driving?

I have Sirius XM so I get to listen to a lot of good music. I frequent the comedy channel, the 70’s 80’s and 90’s channel, Prime Country and of course Willie's Roadhouse.

You’ve had to encounter some questionable things in the past 6 years, what’s the weirdest thing you’ve seen while driving?

A herd of antelope. They were standing right in the little triangle separating the freeway and offramp on the 80 East in Wyoming. There had to be 10-12 of them, Just standing there like nothing was out of the ordinary.

You’ve stuck with Pride throughout your entire career, what do you love about driving for them?

Pride treats me well. To them I’m not just a number or a statistic – I’m family.

We’re sure you’ve learned a lot in 6 years,  what have you learned about being a driver that you’d never know unless you are a driver?

There’s such a wide variety of people out there in the world. You run into all kinds of characters while you drive around the country. Everyone has their own unique story.

What’s 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?

My Pride is in the work that I do. Getting my trucks driven back to the yard. Getting the job done well.

Thank you to Johnny 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.