Fall Foliage Wins TCA Photo Contest

Jim Wallace, a driver for Gainey Transportation Services of Grand Rapids, Mich., has won the Truckload Carriers Assn.'s annual photo contest.

The contest, sponsored by Dallas-based S-Line, Inc., recognizes talented truck drivers who are also amateur photographers.
Wallace, who lives in Fremont, Mich., snapped the winning photograph as he was returning home from work near the end of October. At his wife's suggestion, Wallace set up the shot so that his truck is contrasted against the splendor of a heavily wooded area at the peak of the fall season. The photo shows the beauty of the fall foliage, with a sea of gold and yellow leaves above the truck, to its side, and on the ground to its right.
Wallace will receive a check for $1,000 and have his photograph featured on the front cover of TCA's 2001-2002 Annual Report.
In second place, and winning $750, was Heaven Newton of North Salt Lake City, Utah, a company driver for ACT Transportation of Salt Lake City. Newton, who lives year-long in her truck along with her husband, Richard, got the idea of visiting the California Sequoia National Forest so she could park her truck against the backdrop of the huge trees. "I wanted to show the immense size of the trees as compared to a big truck," she said.
Third place and $500 was awarded to Cathy Allen of Priest River, Idaho, an owner-operator leased to Roberts Trucking of Eldorado, Wis. Allen, who drives with her husband, David, and their dog, Timpte, took the winning photograph at Feather River Canyon on California Highway 70. The shot features the Allen's truck parked against a deep green background of trees. To the right are two magnificent trestle bridges.
Louis and Minerva Wiss of Seattle, company drivers for Interstate Distributor Co. of Tacoma, Wash., won 4th place and $100 in the contest. For their winning shot, the Wiss' positioned their truck at the base of Mt. Shasta, the second highest volcano in the United States (located in northern California). The striking blue, June sky and snow-capped mountain rising high behind the truck made this photo one of the most beautiful shots submitted to the contest.
In fifth place, and winner of $100, was Larry Fulgham of Stigler, Okla., who is a company driver for Wal-Mart. His photo made the judges look twice and then take a deep breath: Jutting up from the city skyline behind the truck, proudly stand the two World Trade Center towers, pre-September 11.
Sixth place and $100 was awarded to Rick Vaders of Buckley, Wash., an owner-operator who has been leased to Interstate Distributor Co. of Tacoma for over nine years. In August 2000, Vaders had just shown his truck at the Great Salt Lake Truck Show when he managed to capture an unusual twilight/nighttime picture of his truck with all the headlights and running lights aglow.
In addition to the six primary winners, four honorable mentions ($50 prize each) were awarded.
Information about the 2002 photo contest will be available in August. The contest is open to truck drivers who are currently employed with or leased to a trucking company. To view this year's winning photographs, visit the Truckload Carriers Association's website at www.truckload.org/contests/photocontest.htm.