Lynden Transport drivers recently wrapped up their 4,000-mile haul to deliver the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree from the tree’s harvest site in Alaska’s Tongass National Forest to the nation’s capital.
Combined, the two drivers -- John Schank (left) and Fred Austin -- have more than 10 million combined safe miles and nearly 100 years of trucking experience behind them.
For the 11th year in a row, Kenworth was a major sponsor of the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree program, supplying trucks to transport the tree each holiday season. This year, Kenworth worked with Lynden to transport an 80-foot Sitka Spruce behind a Kenworth T680 from Alaska to the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. The truck was equipped with a 76-inch sleeper and the Paccar Powertrain, featuring the Paccar MX-13 engine rated at 455 horsepower, Paccar TX-12 automated transmission and Paccar DX-40 tandem rear axles.
For Lynden driver John Schank, it was the second time he participated in hauling the tree. He was the sole truck driver for the tour when the tree was last harvested in Alaska in 2015.
“It was pretty cool to once again transport the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree. Like they say, the Capitol Christmas Tree is the People’s Tree, and we’ve enjoyed spreading holiday cheer as we made our way across the country to D.C.,” said Schank. With his long white beard and hair, Schank looks the part of old Saint Nick. “I bet if I had dressed up in the bright red suit during the tour, I would’ve had kids tell me what they’d like for Christmas.”
Both Schank and Austin went to work for Lynden in 1975. Austin, who is now almost 90 years old, is a driver trainer for the company. He began his career trucking in a 1944 Kenworth and is still going strong, passing along his knowledge to the next generation of drivers on how to operate in the Last Frontier. They're shown here during the tour's stop at the Kenworth plant in Chillicothe, Ohio.
“The top priority for us is safety, and we’re proud we made this trip safely and on schedule. Its hard work being a truck driver, especially in Alaska where weather conditions can be extreme and change quickly,” said Schank's copilot Fred Austin. “But it’s a highly rewarding career. Virtually everything we use was moved on a truck at some point, even Christmas trees, and it feels good knowing you’ve made a difference.”
The driving duo made a number of stops on their tour from Alaska to D.C. following the tree’s harvest on Oct. 26 near Wrangell, Alaska. The tree was barged from Alaska to Seattle after a couple stops in Alaska, then stops were made as the tree crossed the country.
Attendees at the tree's tour stop in Renton, Washington, are shown here signing the side of the trailer.
The Kenworth T680 used to haul the 2024 U.S. Capitol Christmas tree is shown here parked in Renton, Washington.
The team traveling with the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree visited the Kenworth production plant in Chillicothe, Ohio
According to Schank, given both he and Austin are experienced hauling heavy equipment for the oil and gas industries, transporting the oversize Hale Trailer used to deliver the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree was something they were comfortable doing.
