Trucker Life · Ohio · November 6, 2026

Purple Heart Army Veteran and Steel Hauler Joshua Kearney Wins Pilot's Road Warrior Kenworth W990 and $50,000

By Big Rig Daily Staff

Pilot Travel Stops announced on Nov. 5, 2026, that Joshua Kearney is the 2026 Road Warrior champion, according to Pilot's newsroom and CDLLife. Kearney drives for Ohio-based Kaplan Trucking hauling steel coils and has nearly 1 million safe miles.

Service and career

Pilot says Kearney served on active duty in the U.S. Army from 2008 to 2012 and in the Army Reserve from 2013 to 2020. He was wounded in Afghanistan and received the Purple Heart in 2011. After returning to Ohio, he built a trucking career and now hauls steel coils for Kaplan Trucking of North Ridgeville, Ohio. Pilot says he was selected from more than 2,000 nominations.

The prize

The award includes a Kenworth W990 customized with the Diesel Brothers and a $50,000 check. Pilot describes a 52-inch flat-top sleeper with a Diamond VIT interior, a PACCAR MX-13 engine rated at 510 horsepower and 1,850 lb-ft of torque, and a PACCAR TX-18 transmission. Pilot says the keys and check were presented with his family and colleagues on Oct. 27.

Kari Irons, Pilot's chief experience officer, said Kearney's story reflects the resilience, work ethic and character that keep freight moving.

Why it matters to truckers

Awards do not change freight rates. They do put a public spotlight on a professional driving career built after combat wounds and nearly a million safe miles. Drivers still starting out can use our guide to finding a good first trucking job. The details above come from Pilot and CDLLife; they are company and outlet claims about the contest.

Quick facts

• Winner: Joshua Kearney, Kaplan Trucking, Ohio.
• Safe miles cited: nearly 1 million.
• Purple Heart: 2011, after wounds in Afghanistan.
• Prize: custom Kenworth W990 and $50,000.

FAQ

Who runs the Pilot Road Warrior contest?

Pilot Travel Stops, with Kenworth and the Diesel Brothers helping customize the truck, according to Pilot.

Is Pilot Road Warrior winner Joshua Kearney an owner-operator?

The sources identify him as a professional driver for Kaplan Trucking. They do not say he is an owner-operator.

When was Kearney's Pilot Road Warrior Kenworth handed over?

Pilot says the keys and check were presented on Oct. 27, with a public announcement on Nov. 5.

A question for readers

Truckers, when was the last time the industry celebrated a driver this loudly for safe miles and service?

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