Veteran Lynden Drivers John Schank (left) and Fred Austin (right) behind the wheel
Almost 10 years ago, Lynden Transport was selected to carry the Capitol Christmas Tree from the pristine forests of Alaska to the nation’s capital. This year, Lynden will once again deliver this important ‘haul-iday’ freight with the same driver who was behind the wheel in 2015. The Tongass National Forest, in partnership with the Society of American Foresters, will bring this special gift from Alaska to the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. with the help of Lynden Transport and its nationally recognized driver John Schank plus veteran Lynden Driver Fred Austin.
Sister company Alaska Marine Lines will move the tree on its Southeast Alaska barge service to Seattle, and Lynden Transport will take it from there on a national truck tour with many stops between Seattle and Washington, D.C.
“Lynden is an Alaska-based company, and our roots run as deep as the Christmas tree that will be harvested in the Tongass National Forest. We are proud that we are again being entrusted with the delivery of the tree and supporting the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree Tour with our legendary drivers, John Schank and Fred Austin, both from our Fairbanks Service Center,” says Lynden Transport President Paul Grimaldi. “John and Fred are a dynamic duo of driving experience, leadership, and positive energy which will make the cross-country trip memorable.”
Schank was recognized as the 2014 and 2017 Driver of the Year by the Alaska Trucking Association (ATA) and received letters of commendation from former Alaska Governors Parnell and Walker for almost 40 years of accident-free driving over the treacherous Dalton Highway linking Fairbanks to Prudhoe Bay. At that time, Schank had logged 5 million miles on the highway – more than any other driver in history. Since then, he has logged an additional 1.1 million miles – all accident-free.
“It was my honor to carry the tree across the country in 2015, and I’m grateful to get another opportunity in 2024,” Schank says. “I stopped along the way for community events and met a lot of kids who thought I was Santa taking the Christmas tree to the U.S. Capitol. I’ll never forget it. I can’t wait to start the journey in early November to deliver another beautiful tree from my home state of Alaska.”
Austin started working for Lynden in 1975 at the start of the Alaska oil pipeline construction in Fairbanks. He now serves as driver trainer and mentor at the Lynden Training Center in Fairbanks. He took instructor training in 2015 at age 79, becoming the oldest person to sit for the test in Alaska. Known as the “Icon of the Alcan,” Austin is an inspiration to Lynden employees and customers. “I’m excited to be a part of this important project and look forward to meeting new friends along the way,” he says.
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The 2024 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree began its journey in the Tongass National Forest near Wrangell, Alaska.
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