Heavy Duty Trucking Logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Meet HDT's 2023 Truck Fleet Innovators

Heavy Duty Trucking's 2023 Truck Fleet Innovators are honored for exploring innovation in areas such as zero-emissions transportation, use of data and telematics, customer service, driver retention, safety leadership, and finding new ways to improve efficiency and customer service.

Deborah Lockridge
Deborah LockridgeEditor and Associate Publisher
Read Deborah's Posts
June 12, 2023
Meet HDT's 2023 Truck Fleet Innovators

 

2 min to read


In an industry changing faster than ever before, it can be intimidating to keep looking forward, to wade into the changes and find how your fleet can benefit. What if you bet on the wrong technology? What if your ideas don’t work?

Ad Loading...

Yes, innovation means taking risks. But those who keep doing what has worked in the past risk being left behind.

For inspiration, we present six forward-looking trucking fleet executives as HDT Truck Fleet Innovators for 2023.

Ad Loading...

These awards honor their leadership and dedication to exploring innovation in areas such as zero-emissions transportation, use of data and telematics, customer service, driver retention, safety leadership, and finding new ways to improve efficiency and customer service.

HDT’s Truck Fleet Innovators may be honored for a specific innovation or for fostering an overall culture of innovative thinking. They are willing to share their insights and inspiration with others in the industry. An Innovator may be a top executive, or it can be someone in charge of a specific department, area, or initiative.

Each year, we go through industry nominations, as well as our own notes on innovative people we’ve met or read about during the year, and interview likely candidates before narrowing it down to our final honorees.

Read More About the 2023 HDT Truck Fleet Innovators:

  • James Adams, CEO and Founder, Revolution Trucking, Wadsworth, Ohio
  • Brad Bayne, Vice President of Strategic Initiatives, Duncan and Son Lines/4 Gen Logistics, Buckeye, Arizona
  • Brent Hickman, Senior Manager of Equipment Maintenance and Sales, Pilot Company, Knoxville, Tennessee
  • Garth Pitzel, Associate VP, Safety and Driver Development, Bison Transport, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
  • Thurman Register, Senior Fleet Manager, Ferguson Enterprises, Newport News, Virginia
  • Andrew Winkler, General Manager, Chief Carriers, Grand Island, Nebraska

HDT’s 2023 Truck Fleet Innovators will accept their awards and participate in a panel discussion during Heavy Duty Trucking Exchange in Scottsdale, Arizona, Sept. 6-8. Fleet managers can apply to attend the event at www.heavydutytruckingexchange.com.

A Message From Sponsor East Manufacturing: First in Innovation

Innovation is crucial to the continuing success of any organization. This is true of all of HDT’s 2023 Truck Fleet Innovators. These Innovators pay attention to the needs of the markets they serve — the needs of their customers — and stretch their thinking to meet or exceed those needs. The innovation is in the details, which allows them to actively seek new opportunities and invest in their companies, their processes and procedures, and above all, their people.

It is not easy to manage in these times of economic change and swiftly advancing technology in addition to a shifting workforce. Innovative business leaders, like these Truck Fleet Innovators, focus on their vision — where they want their businesses to go.

These innovators have more than a record or history of driving innovation; they have a commitment to it. They are bold, disruptive and look at things differently, which enables them to know how to make changes to achieve their goals.

We are proud to sponsor some of the industry’s most innovative, successful leaders — HDT’s 2023 Truck Fleet Innovators.

At East, we have built our reputation on listening to our customers’ needs and designing better trailers to meet those needs year after year. We’re building our business by helping you build yours.

— Chris Cooler, Vice President of Sales & Marketing, East Manufacturing

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

More Fleet Management

Lance Evans, Director of Safety at K&B Transportation.

Inside Modern Fleet Safety: AI, Cameras & Speed Control at K&B Transportation

How a former commercial vehicle enforcement officer turned director of safety at K&B Transportation is embracing real-world safety technology.

Read More →
TEN disaster prep.
Fleet ManagementMay 1, 2026

How Fleets Can Avoid Equipment Blind Spots in Disaster Response

When the unexpected happens, how you react to, and deal with operational blind spots is critical. Here’s how to keep you recovery on track, when nothing is normal.

Read More →
Illustration of cybersecurity images with "The Cyber Stop" text
Fleet Managementby Ben WilkensApril 30, 2026

AI Security Risks for Trucking Fleets: What to Know About Deepfakes and Agentic AI

As fleets adopt artificial intelligence for routing, maintenance, and load matching, new security risks are emerging. Learn where the vulnerabilities are and how to put the right controls in place.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Mobile tablet showing Motus screen against highway background with Motus logo

FMCSA’s Motus System Is Coming. What Fleets Need to Know Now

The long-awaited registration system promises a single portal — and tighter fraud controls.

Read More →
CargoNet 2026 Qi report.
Fleet Managementby News/Media ReleaseApril 24, 2026

Cargo Theft Incidents Fall in Q1, but Organized Crime and Impersonation Drive New Risks

CargoNet reports fewer supply chain crime events to start 2026. But losses hold steady as organized crime shifts tactics toward impersonation schemes and high-value goods.

Read More →
Graphic with light bulbs, HDT Truck Fleet Innovators logo, and the word Nominations
Fleet ManagementApril 24, 2026

Nominations Open for HDT Truck Fleet Innovators 2026

Heavy Duty Trucking is searching for forward-looking leaders at trucking fleets as nominations for HDT’s Truck Fleet Innovators 2026. Deadline is May 15.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Illustration with trojan horse and lock with inside of cargo container in background
Fleet Managementby News/Media ReleaseApril 23, 2026

New Trojan Driver Cargo Theft Scam Bypasses Carrier Vetting Systems

Cargo theft rings plant operatives as drivers inside legitimate, fully vetted carriers, then execute coordinated thefts that look like a traditional straight theft from the outside.

Read More →
ATA Truck Tonnage Index March 2026.
Fleet Managementby News/Media ReleaseApril 22, 2026

March Truck Tonnage Posts Strongest Annual Gain Since 2022

A modest sequential increase capped the strongest quarterly performance in years, signaling continued freight momentum in early 2026.

Read More →
Toll road.
Fleet Managementby Jack RobertsApril 22, 2026

Ohio Turnpike Targets $5.2 Million in Unpaid Tolls from Trucking Firms

More than 300 carriers across 26 states have been sent to collections as the Ohio Turnpike cracks down on toll evasion and delinquent payments.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Illustration with ATRI logo and square blocks spelling out "research"
Fleet Managementby Deborah LockridgeApril 20, 2026

'Beyond Compliance,' Regulations, Driver Coaching on ATRI’s 2026 Research List

The American Transportation Research Institute will examine driver coaching, regulatory impacts — including the "Beyond Compliance" concept —and weather disruptions that shape trucking operations.

Read More →