In November and December, one of the busiest periods of the year for the transportation sector, the Wreaths Across America mission brings drivers together in an effort of unparalleled unity. With a positive, “can-do” work ethic, these professionals make it possible for Americans to honor millions of veterans laid to rest at home and overseas. In 2024, with over 4,909 participating locations, in addition to Arlington National Cemetery, transportation logistics were immense.

Many of these drivers are military veterans and say the truckload of fresh balsam-fir wreaths is the most precious cargo they transport in their careers. Wreaths Across America shares their stories in the “Trucking Tributes” feature online and on Wreaths Across America Radio.

“The secret is out! We need trucks for National Wreaths Across America Day, Saturday, December 13, 2025.” Courtney George, Director of Transportation for Wreaths Across America, is just the woman to speak with when it comes to becoming a member of the Honor Fleet. Each year, as the mission grows, more carriers are needed to haul veterans ' wreaths to participating locations. Those locations may be cemeteries or memorials in communities in all fifty states, at sea, and abroad. Volunteers step up and get wreath sponsorships for U.S. military who are laid to rest to remember and honor their service, while teaching the next generation about the value of their service and sacrifice for our nation. “This year, we’re going up by one to two-hundred thousand wreaths,” she explained. “We’re excited too that we’ve set up a new hub in Denver and we’re working on another in Florida. It’s a growing market and this gives us some more room and flexibility with their capacity.”

What this means for professional drivers and their carrier companies is there’s a plan to fit their specific needs. Not all trucks have to travel to Maine to pick up the fresh balsam fir wreaths for distribution. Many drivers will have multiple stops as more locations sign up their communities for participation. It all depends on the volunteers and their ability to cover each headstone or marker. The cross-docks or & " hubs; are strategically located throughout the country.

There’s room for everyone to carry a load of veterans’ wreaths to become part of the mission, and sometimes creativity is the name of the game. “As markets continue to grow, we can shift with that growth and make it as easy as possible for everyone who wants to participate. Our goal is to deliver those wreaths in a timely manner. We have many options, and we just need you to tell us what you need to make it happen. Our biggest challenge every year is really the weather, and of course, we can't control that, but as far as we're concerned, there are really no problems, only solutions, and we really want to make it easy for our carriers.”

As has been mentioned repeatedly in Trucking Tributes, veterans’ wreaths are transported by trucks, trains, planes, boats, and other not-so-ordinary modes of transportation like livestock trailers, and last year a new delivery method was called into action according to Courtney. “We had a fleet of men and women with their motorcycle trailers step up and they had never done it before, but they were great. We kept running into small pockets of deliveries and locations that came up at the last minute that we just couldn't get trucks for, and this worked out great. We were so appreciative of their efforts and support.”

It's that “can-do” attitude and willingness to support the mission that make options easy to come up with for the transportation sector. Courtney says they’ve also added a new staff member to the transportation division, Anna Leblanc, who has years of experience in transportation logistics. “We also have partnerships that are absolutely unparallelled,” Courtney shared. “Companies like Interstate Van Lines, Norfolk Southern, J.B. Hunt, and Crowley Maritime to just name a few. Our intermodal services are incredible, and the number of people who step up is just unbelievable. Their commitment to truck drivers and our country is amazing.”

It's never too early in the process to reach out and verify loads. “The sooner we hear from you the better in terms of knowing where our loads are headed. This year, we have another first, too, because we already know where we have some open lanes available.”

Courtney will be attending the TCA Safety and Security conference in June, and she’s headed to Biloxi, Mississippi, too, for the Gulf Coast Big Rig Truck Show in July. “Watching a company get involved for the first time and seeing the program take off is exciting to us, and so many of these companies hire veterans. The gratitude that you see in one driver’s heart who participates, and then they’ll take the story back to their company and the other drivers. Their participation in the mission is a powerful experience for all of them.”

Thank you, Courtney, for your tireless commitment to our veterans through the mission to remember, honor and teach.

If you’d like to join the Wreaths Across America Honor Fleet, you can get started with a click right here!

You can hear more with Courtney on Trucking Tributes, which can be listened to every Truckin’ Tuesday at 11:00 AM and again at 4:00 PM EST on Wreaths Across America Radio and on Tuesdays at 9:00 AM ET / 8:00 AM CT as part of RadioNemo’s Road Gang Radio, streaming exclusively at RadioNemo.com — or stream on-demand anytime on your favorite podcast and streaming platforms. Just search “RadioNemo.”

Discover the Trucking Tributes archive playlist on Soundcloud.com