Meet the 2025 Transport Topics’ Trucking’s Frontline Heroes

Three individuals named Transport Topics’ 2025 Trucking’s Frontline Heroes. 

Yesterday, Transport Topics proudly presented the 2025 Trucking’s Frontline Heroes award to James and Ashton Coviak of Ruan Transportation, and Landon Cheatham of Alex D. Delivery. Discover their stories below.

 Hurricane Helene brought devastation to the southeastern United States in September 2024. States of emergency were issued in Florida and in bordering Georgia, with rural communities in Georgia hit particularly hard by record-breaking rainfall. Seven hours northwest of Atkinson County, Ga., a trucking family – James and Ashton Coviak – were looking for a way to help someone close to them and wound up helping an entire community. 

A regular route that had a trucker pulling an empty trailer into California became a life-changing opportunity to deliver aid to individuals in need after a pair of deadly wildfires ravaged the state. California native Landon Cheatham recognized the opportunity during one of his 11-hour runs from Los Angeles to Utah. After getting an early look at the devastation, Cheatham acted quickly, launching via social media what would become a sweeping aid effort to assist survivors.

 Transport Topics’ Trucking’s Frontline Heroes is an annual award meant to recognize the selfless, hard-working individuals who met the challenges of the past year and went above and beyond their duties as industry professionals. We look forward to celebrating more exemplary individuals who honor the industry with their work. For more information, visit heroes.ttnews.com.