The American Truck Historical Society has spent more than 50 years keeping the story of trucks and trucking alive, honoring the people and innovations that shaped the industry. One of the biggest ways it does this is through the American Trucking and Industry Leader Hall of Fame, established in 2021 at ATHS headquarters in Kansas City, Missouri.
The hall of fame is open to the public and celebrates the careers and achievements of industry leaders who have made a lasting impact on trucking.
On October 22, ATHS welcomed its fifth class of honorees:
- Roy Carver – Carver founded Bandag Incorporated in 1957, creating a tire retreading system and building the company’s first finishing line. Today, Bandag has more than 1,700 dealers worldwide.
- Lewis Semple Clarke – Clarke built the “Autocar No. 1” in 1897, now housed in the Smithsonian National Museum of American History. Autocar is the oldest vehicle nameplate in the U.S. and the only truck manufacturer dedicated entirely to severe-duty vocational applications.
- Joseph Morten – In 1936, Joe Morten & Son Inc. launched to help truckers navigate new state and federal regulations. The company remains a leading commercial trucking insurance agency with over 9,000 customers across 46 states.
“This year, we found three candidates we thought were really worthy,” said Tom Mullen, ATIL Hall of Fame chair. “There are many more out there, and we look forward to honoring them in 2026 and beyond. It really does speak to the history of the industry, and that’s really what we’re all about.”
The new inductees bring the hall of fame’s total to 18 members, including the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association.
Past Honorees Include:
- 2024: John Ruan (Ruan Transportation), Marvin Rush (Rush Enterprises), Frederick McKinley Jones (Thermo King), Robert Young (ABF Freight)
- 2023: Harry Kent and Edgar Worthington (Kenworth), Al and Don Schneider (Schneider National Inc.), Ted Rogers (American Trucking Associations), Frank Seiberling (Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company)
- 2022: Bill and Carolyn Moon (Iowa 80), Leland James (Freightliner Trucks), Earl and Lillian Congdon (Old Dominion Freight Line)
- 2021: Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, Clessie Lyle Cummins (Cummins Engine Co.), John Jack and Gus Mack (Mack Trucks Inc.), Dave Nemo (Radio Nemo)
For truckers, the ATIL Hall of Fame is more than a tribute. It’s a reminder of the people who built the industry and the innovations that continue to keep trucks on the road across America.
Source: Land Line Media
