The truck drivers responsible for hauling this year’s U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree to Washington, D.C. may be the most experienced drivers in the 54-year history of the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree program. With more than 10 million safe driving miles and nearly 100 years of driving experience combined, Lynden drivers John Schank and Fred Austin are as qualified as they come to make the more than 4,000-mile cross-country trip from the tree harvest site in Alaska’s Tongass National Forest to the nation’s capital.
For the past 11 years, Kenworth has been a major sponsor of the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree program, supplying trucks to transport the iconic tree each holiday season. As an industry leader and long-time Kenworth customer, Kenworth was proud to work with Lynden to safely transport the 80-foot Sitka Spruce in a Kenworth T680 from Alaska to the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. The truck is equipped with a 76-inch sleeper and the PACCAR Powertrain featuring the PACCAR MX-13 engine rated at 455 horsepower, PACCAR TX-12 automated transmission and PACCAR DX-40 tandem rear axles.
For Schank, this year’s U.S Capitol Christmas Tree tour marks the second time he’s represented Lynden as a driver for this special holiday tour. Schank, who has twice been named Driver of the Year by the Alaska Trucking Association in 2014 and 2017, was the sole driver for the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree Tour when the tree was last harvested in Alaska in 2015. Schank, who began working with Lynden in 1975, has nearly 50 years of experience driving for Lynden on one of North America’s most rugged and remote highways – Dalton Highway – hauling freight to and from Prudhoe Bay and Fairbanks, Alaska, deep in the Arctic Circle.
“It was pretty cool to once again transport the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree. Like they say, the Capitol Christmas Tree is the People’s Tree, and we’ve enjoyed spreading holiday cheer as we made our way across the country to D.C.,” said Schank, who, with his long white beard and white hair, looks the part of old Saint Nick. “I bet if I had dressed up in the bright red suit during the tour, I would’ve had kids tell me what they’d like for Christmas.”
Splitting the driving duties with Schank is Austin, who began his career driving with Lynden in 1975 when construction had just started on the Alaska oil pipeline in Fairbanks. Austin is currently a driver trainer for the company and has roughly 4 million miles of driving experience on Alaska’s harshest roads. When he became a driver trainer in 2015 at the age of 79, he was the oldest to ever take the instructor training test in Alaska. Austin, who is now almost 90 years old, began his career driving a 1944 Kenworth and is still going strong, passing along his knowledge to the next generation of drivers on how to operate in The Last Frontier.
“The top priority for us is safety, and we’re proud we made this trip safely and on schedule. Its hard work being a truck driver, especially in Alaska where weather conditions can be extreme and change quickly,” said Austin. “But it’s a highly rewarding career. Virtually everything we use was moved on a truck at some point, even Christmas trees, and it feels good knowing you’ve made a difference.”
The U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree, which was harvested on Oct. 26 near Wrangell, Alaska, was barged by Alaska Marine Lines to Seattle following community events in Wrangell and Ketchikan. From Seattle, Schank and Austin made several stops for community events to celebrate the tree on their way to Washington, D.C., including stops in Renton, Wash., near Kenworth’s Renton manufacturing plant and at Kenworth’s Chillicothe, Ohio plant.
“It’s special being able to travel the country and celebrate the holiday season with so many people. Everywhere we went, there was a great turnout for those wanting to see the tree and learn about where it came from in Alaska,” said Austin. “I have absolutely enjoyed hauling the tree. It’s not just common, ordinary freight, it is special freight for the whole country!”
According to Schank, since both he and Austin have experience hauling heavy equipment for the oil and gas industries, transporting the oversized Hale Trailer used to deliver the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree was something they were comfortable doing. Austin, who has seen the evolution of Kenworth trucks throughout his career, said advancements in the safety technologies used in trucks are most prominent. The Kenworth T680 they used to deliver the tree was equipped with the latest in driver assistance systems, including Kenworth’s Digital Mirrors, Bendix Fusion Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) Stop and Auto Go, and Lane Keeping Assist with Torque Assisted Steering.
Schank, who drives a Kenworth W900 with Lynden and used a T680 to haul the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree in 2015, said Kenworths are among the best trucks the industry has to offer. “I don’t think you can beat a Kenworth truck, they handle the tough conditions we see in Alaska,” said Schank. “I love my W900 and think it’s the best truck out there. To take this T680 with Fred all the way to D.C. was a lot of fun, and it was an honor to be a part of this tour again to spread the holiday spirit. I can’t wait to see this tree all lit up at our nation’s capital.”
