Last year, Larry "Scott" Travis, a professional truck driver from Albuquerque NM, pulled an unconscious woman from a burning vehicle seconds before it exploded. For that act of bravery, Travis earned the title of Goodyear’s North America Highway Hero for 2001.
Who will be the Highway Hero for 2002? If you know someone who was heroic or risked life and limb to help others on the road this year, Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company would like to hear about them--but time is running out. Nominations for Goodyear’s 20th annual North America Highway Hero program will be accepted through December 31, 2002.
"We know there are many brave professional truck drivers out there who deserve to be recognized for their selfless and heroic deeds for coming to the aid of others," said Ted Fick, Goodyear’s vice-president, commercial systems. "However, they can’t be recognized if they’re not nominated. That’s why we need our industry’s help. If you know of someone deserving of the award, please take the time to make a nomination. The final deadline is fast approaching--we don’t want to leave any deserving driver out of consideration."
To be considered for this year’s award, the following criteria must be met:
•Nominee must be a full-time truck driver.
•Nominee must be a resident of the United States or Canada.
•Incident recognized must have occurred in the United States or Canada.
•Nominee must have been on the job, or on the way to or from work, and in his or her rig at the time of the incident.
•Nominee’s truck at the time of the incident must have 14 wheels or more.
•Incident must have taken place between October 1, 2001, and December 15, 2002, to qualify.
Nomination forms and program details may be obtained by calling the Goodyear Highway Hero Hotline at 330-796-8183. The nomination form also is available on the program’s web site at highwayhero.net.
After the nomination period is closed, winners will be selected from each state in the United States and each Canadian province. After that, the list will be pared down to four finalists. From that group, one individual will be selected to serve as the ambassador for the program next year.