Honoring excellence is a long-held tradition at Maverick Transportation and our road trainers are no exception. In our world of professional drivers, our 2024 Trainer of the Year stands out for his dedication to safety, extensive industry knowledge and the ability to help others develop their professional driving skills.
Meet Lonnie Johnson, Maverick Transportation’s 2024 Trainer of the Year!
From his entrance into this industry to now being a top road trainer, Lonnie, a 19-year Maverick veteran, has trained more than 60 students to date. We interviewed him this week and wanted to provide you all with the opportunity to get to know him a bit more.
When did you decide to become a road trainer? - "I decided to become a road trainer after discussing it with my fleet manager in 2016.”
What is your favorite aspect of being a road trainer? - “I really enjoy helping young people make their dreams come true and mentoring. After raising 4 children, I can definitely be a resource for these students along the way. I still speak with a lot of my students weekly!”
What is your best piece of advice to new drivers in this industry? - "Don’t quit, no matter how hard it gets. Stay with it. Learning anything new is difficult but stay with it.”
Why have you stayed with Maverick for 19 years? - “Maverick is safe, and they are better than any other out there. These people are so kind and understanding and you’re never a number. They know my name and my pay has always been great. Maverick gets you home and things here just keep getting better and better. Lastly, Maverick recognizes our drivers and helps us solve problems when we run into them.”
How does it feel to be named Trainer of the Year? - This means so much to me. Maverick helped me make a better life for my kids and I love it here. I was even able to buy a house working here! This place is a family.
As we celebrate Lonnie’s achievements, we also highlight the vital role that our talented road trainers play here at Maverick and within our industry. We are excited to witness the continued impact that they have on future growth here at Maverick.
Congratulations once again to Lonnie Johnson, our 2024 Trainer of the Year and all our trainer finalists!