Wreaths Across America's Trucking Tributes Presents Kellylynn McLaughlin & Schneider


The Wreaths Across America mission to remember, honor, and teach is impossible without the transportation industry. Veterans’ wreaths move by planes, trains, and livestock trailers, but trucks and their professional drivers transport the lion’s share of America’s respect. Many of these drivers are veterans and say the truckload of fresh, balsam-fir wreaths is the most precious cargo they transport in their careers. Wreaths Across America highlights their steadfast commitment in the “Trucking Tributes” feature online and on Wreaths Across America Radio.

Professional drivers and trucking companies give so much to the nation. In December, arguably the busiest time of the year for the transportation sector, the Wreaths Across America mission brings them together in an effort of unparalleled unity. Combined with a “can-do” work ethic, that unity makes it possible for Americans to honor millions of veterans laid to rest here at home and overseas. With over 2,500 participating locations and Arlington National Cemetery, transportation logistics are immense.

Within the first few minutes of speaking with Kellylynn McLaughlin about her chosen career in the trucking industry, it’s clear she loves the job, and easy to see why she’s a Driver Ambassador for the Women in Trucking Association.

Kellylynn is a professional driver and trainer for Schneider Trucking, and was captivated by the concept of driving a truck after agreeing to take on a volunteer position at her girls’ high school. “I was involved with a high school marching band and was a multi-tasker,” she shared. “They asked me to be the director of logistics, and I had zero trucking background and had never been involved in marching. I didn’t understand all the complexities involved. It was a 350-member marching band with a 350-thousand-dollar budget. We had a 53-foot lowboy and a bunch of other small trailers. I had to learn about coordinating props, events, shows, loading and unloading, weights and axels, and all sorts of things. Over time, I realized the volunteer-driving-Dad was having more fun than anybody,” Kellylynn giggled. “I said to him one day that I wished I could drive, but I had the same thought a lot of other people did, that to be a truck driver, you had to be a man and strong. He told me all I needed to do was get a learner’s permit and learn to drive like you would a car and that I could do it. I took it to heart and said to myself why would I leave that sitting on the table. So, I did it and found out I really enjoyed it. I wasn’t very good and needed more training. The next step kept leading to the next step, and here I am.”

Kellylynn shares she was shocked at how the career she loved was considered an “unseen job” and she wanted to help advocate for a better image for professional drivers. “I quickly realized it was a dangerous job. It was a hard job. You see a lot of trucks everywhere, right? But most people don’t really see them. They move around them, expect them to get out of their way. I discovered there wasn’t a lot of respect out there for drivers, and there were times I wasn’t treated very politely. So, as opposed to complaining about it, I decided to do something. I decided to talk about my experiences and share with people what drivers do. The training that’s involved to be a driver and the risks you take, and how important it is to our country. I’ve learned so much being a driver about how our country’s circulatory system works and the part we play in it. I just can’t say enough good things about the trucking industry.”

The pandemic taught America a lot about the country’s “circulatory system” and the critical need for the trucking industry. At Wreaths Across America, we already knew professional drivers, companies, and industry associations were critical to support transportation logistics that drive the mission to remember, honor, and teach. When Kellylynn learned about hauling veterans’ wreaths, she added that to her trucking bucket list. “When I saw the Schneider Ride of Pride Truck in Arlington, I got a lump in my throat, and I said I want to be a part of this movement, but I knew I wasn’t a veteran.” Kellylynn was brought into Wreaths Across America through Debbie Sparks and the Women in Trucking Association. “In 2020, I was able to borrow a trailer from Schneider, and I took my tractor and was able to do a Women in Trucking Wreaths Across America load of wreaths to Texas.” Kellylynn didn’t want to travel by herself. She wanted to share the experience with other women who were in the trucking industry who were veterans. She wound up making the trip with Nichole Garcia, a veteran who works in media relations for Schneider, and Janice Neitz, a veteran who was a 9-1-1 operator and snowplow truck driver in Massachusetts. Nichole documented their life-changing journey.

Thank you, Kellylynn and Schneider, for helping to educate others about exciting career opportunities in the trucking industry and for helping us live up to their legacy. You can hear Kellylynn’s full interview on Trucking Tributes, which can be heard every Tuesday at 11:00 AM and again at 4:00 PM EDT exclusively on Wreaths Across America Radio.