The U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony took place Nov. 28, in Washington, D.C. A Kenworth T680 Signature Edition delivered the 63-foot-tall Norway Spruce U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree from the Monongahela National Forest in West Virginia to D.C. For the past 10 years, Kenworth has been a sponsor of the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree program, supplying trucks to haul the tree each holiday season.
The tree was transported by Werner Enterprises drivers Tim Dean and Jesus Davila. The journey spanned 28 days starting on Nov. 1, with many stops for special events along the way.
“It was an absolute privilege to be one of the drivers for this year’s tour and travel throughout West Virginia to share the holiday spirit,” said Dean. “Being involved in this special transport far exceeded my expectations. I had so much fun visiting communities along the way and seeing how much joy and pride this tree brought to West Virginians who came out and visited us during the tour.”
“I couldn’t be more appreciative for all the hard work law enforcement and the Forest Service put in to help direct us and keep us on the right path throughout the tour. There was a lot of pre-trip planning, so we knew the route logistics,” said Davila. “As for driving, our job would have been much tougher if Kenworth didn’t produce such a great product and provide a truck with all the bells and whistles. The T680’s turning radius, coupled with Torque Assisted Steering, made for a lighter steering effort – which reduced arm fatigue and made it easier to turn through tight city roads. The Digital Mirrors system also eliminated blind spots and gave us many different viewpoints to support in backing the trailer around corners. That safety technology made it easier for us to do our job.”
