Donaldson has spent the past 28 years driving for Dana Corporation. His truck, a Kenworth T600B, is on a full-service lease through Palmer Leasing Group, a PacLease affiliate, on a dedicated run to the Kenworth manufacturing plant in Chillicothe, Ohio.

"Ever since I learned I had won these awards, I've caught myself driving down the road with a smile on my face," said Donaldson, who was also recognized in San Diego as the 2001 PacLease Driver of the Year. "I smile a lot anyway, but it's a real warm feeling in my heart. I definitely appreciate it with all my heart."

The first runner-up for the award is Wayne Freant, who hauled petroleum products for the past decade with J.D. Streett and Company in St. Louis, Missouri. In his 18 years on the road, he's logged more than 1 million miles. Brian Hogan of Hogan Motor Leasing, who nominated Freant, accepted the runner-up award on his behalf in San Diego.

This year, six drivers will receive certificates of merit for their outstanding service. These drivers with outstanding service are:

• Ernest C. Cook of Crown Foods Inc. in St. Louis, Missouri, nominated by Hogan Motor Leasing.
• Dewey Earl Croom of Ethan Allen Inc. in Old Fort, North Carolina, nominated by CT Group.
• James Lee Fry of AIM Dedicated Logistics in Girard, Ohio, nominated by AIM NationaLease.
• Gary Jeffers of A.O. Smith Corporation in Tipp City, Ohio, nominated by Kirk NationaLease.
• Richard Spears of Cargo Transporters in Claremont, North Carolina, nominated by Catawba Truck Rental.
• William Van Dusen of Jacobstein Foodservice in Rochester, New York, nominated by DeCarolis Truck Rental.

"Each year, it grows more difficult for TRALA to choose just one Driver of the Year with the number of men and women who are giving their best on the roads day after day," said TRALA President and CEO Peter Vroom. "We salute Mr. Donaldson for his dedication and wish him many more years of safe driving."

The Truck Renting and Leasing Association, based in Alexandria, Va., is a voluntary, non-profit national trade association, organized in 1978 to provide a unified and focused voice for the truck renting and leasing industry. TRALA's membership includes more than 650 leasing and rental firms and 100 suppliers that make up nearly the entire full-service truck renting and leasing industry. The renting and leasing industry is responsible for approximately 40 percent of all new class 3 through 8 commercial truck registrations.