Military veterans from the Cullman Police Department get their picture taken with the truck and Garrison executives. (W.C. Mann for The Tribune)
CULLMAN – On Monday afternoon, R.E. Garrison Trucking introduced a new truck dedicated to military veterans. The 2019 Freightliner Cascadia, which will feature all the current generation bells and whistles including two bunks and a television in the sleeper cab, received a patriotic and military themed wrap from Lonestar Truck Group. Garrison trucker Mike May, who has worked for the company for 20 years and is also an Army veteran, will receive the keys when the truck is ready to hit the road.
Attendees at the event included Cullman Mayor Woody Jacobs, Councilman/Senator-Elect Garlan Gudger, the entire Cullman County Commission, Sheriff Matt Gentry and Police Chief Kenny Culpepper, military veterans of the sheriff’s office and police department and members of VFW Post 2214 and American Legion Post 4. Representatives of the Cullman Area Chamber of Commerce, Cullman Economic Development Agency, Alabama State Troopers, and Cullman County Veterans’ Affairs also came. Two special guests were prominent area businessmen who are also World War II veterans: Cullman developer Roy Drinkard, the oldest living U.S. Marine and Bert McGriff, head of McGriff Industries.
Shawn Nelson, Garrison’s vice president of driver relations, told The Tribune, “We’re going to dedicate this truck today to our veterans. It’s going to all the veterans of all of the foreign wars. The ownership group here at R.E. Garrison wanted to do something for our veterans: wrapped this truck. We’ve got several more coming. Stay tuned, as they say in the business! We’ve got several more wrapped trucks coming; each one will have a significant meaning to the people here at R.E. Garrison. All of our associates are proud to dedicate this today to the veterans.”
Adam Arrington, executive vice president of sales and marketing for the Lonestar TAG Truck Group, shared, “Our involvement came really came about 18 months ago when we really got to know the Garrisons better, and just the involvement they have with the community in Cullman and keeping it local. And they had an idea to really celebrate and recognize the veterans, not only within their own organization, but the driver community as a whole, because the average truck driver, they spend a lot of time away from home. They like to be involved and be recognized as sacrificing their lives and their time for our country.
“And so Shawn Nelson, their VP of operations, along with (co-owners) Wyles Griffith and Donovan (Lovell), got together and said, ‘We’d like to do a special truck in recognition of the veterans.’ And so our graphics department designed and installed the wrap that’s on the truck today, and I think it turned out really well.
“I want to recognize R.E. Garrison Trucking, as they really believe in local community and keeping Cullman–most of their employees are based out of here . . . although they are one of the largest controlled temp carriers in the U.S., they’re very proud of their roots with Cullman, and keeping it basic. So, I’m just very proud of the truck, and proud to be associated with them.”
Army and Garrison veteran Mike May gets the keys
Nelson said of his driver, “Mike May has driven for R.E. Garrison for the last 20 years, which in this industry is a lifetime. The average driver stays with an organization for two years, and Mike has been with R.E. Garrison now for 20 years.
“He’s a veteran of the U.S. Army: he was an MP in the Army from 1973 to 1976. And he’s been driving at R.E. Garrison for the last 20 years. And he’s interested in driving this, and we’re proud to have him in it; (he is) a good representative for the company.”
Cullman-based R.E. Garrison Trucking has approximately 150 associates and 700 drivers. Nelson said that among the other new trucks will be more vehicles with military themes, but there will also be some surprises that he is confident will be pleasing to the people of the Cullman community.
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