Ride of Pride Tractor

It's amazing what you see in Maine! Last night when the MDI Basketball Team dropped me off at the Irving - Circle K in Holden, we saw this amazing tractor trailer. The driver, Derek Whittle Sr.,  got out and handed us information on the 2012 Ride of Pride Tractor.

This tractor, along with the 2010 Ride of Pride Tractor was presented to Cargo Transporters Inc. by Freightliner Trucks of Cleveland, North Carolina. Both tractors their fleet of over 475 vehicles based out of Claremont, North Carolina.

Ed Keeter, a Vietnam War veteran and former shift manager at Freightliner Trucks first initiated the "Ride of Pride" program as a way to recognize military veterans.

The Detroit DD-15 equipped tractors feature custom graphics that show support for active duty personnel, veterans, POWs, MIAs, the American Legion Honor Guard, and their families. The design creation was led by Keefer and features eye-catching images and logos developed by HPG Hyperperformance Graphics in Hickory, North Carolina.

"Ride of Pride" symbolizes respect for and great pride in our servicemen and women, and our employees take a great amount of pride in building these trucks", says Michael McCurry, Cleveland plant manager for Freightliner Trucks.

The tractor was presented during a special ceremony at Freightliner's manufacturing facility in Cleveland, North Carolina, where the trucks are built.

To further the impact of the "Ride of Pride" tractor, Cargo Transporters decaled a 53 foot trailer to coordinate with the 2012 tractor to honor our military personnel and veterans.

These tractors have participated in the wreath laying ceremony at Arlington Cemetary, countless parades, and many funtions honoring and supporting our veterans for their service and sacrifice.