An Alaska-based trucking company has been selected to deliver this year’s U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree.

Lynden Transport will serve as the official carrier, transporting the Capitol Christmas Tree from Tongass National Forest in Alaska to the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. This marks the second time in under a decade that Lynden has been given the honor of carrying the tree.

The journey will start on October 26 in Wrangell, Alaska. After a public event in Ketchikan, the tree will be loaded onto a barge and shipped to Seattle, Washington. From there, Lynden will drive the tree over 4,000 miles to Washington, D.C., with several community stops along the way.

Veteran drivers Fred Austin and John Schank, who both joined Lynden in 1975, have been chosen for this special delivery. With a combined total of 10 million safe miles driven across Alaska, Schank will make this trip for the second time, having also been selected for the honor in 2015.

From a Lynden news release:

“Schank was recognized as the 2014 and 2017 Driver of the Year by the Alaska Trucking Association (ATA) and received letters of commendation from former Alaska Governors Parnell and Walker for almost 40 years of accident-free driving over the treacherous Dalton Highway linking Fairbanks to Prudhoe Bay. At that time, Schank had logged 5 million miles on the highway – more than any other driver in history. Since then, he has logged an additional 1.1 million miles – all accident-free.

Austin started working for Lynden in 1975 at the start of the Alaska oil pipeline construction in Fairbanks. He now serves as driver trainer and mentor at the Lynden Training Center in Fairbanks. He took instructor training in 2015 at age 79, becoming the oldest person to sit for the test in Alaska.“

“Lynden is an Alaska-based company, and our roots run as deep as the Christmas tree that will be harvested in the Tongass National Forest. We are proud that we are again being entrusted with the delivery of the tree and supporting the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree Tour with our legendary drivers, John Schank and Fred Austin, both from our Fairbanks Service Center,” says Lynden Transport President Paul Grimaldi. “John and Fred are a dynamic duo of driving experience, leadership, and positive energy which will make the cross-country trip memorable.”

Kenworth has revealed it will supply a T680 truck with a custom graphics wrap to carry the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree. This truck features a 76-inch sleeper and the PACCAR Powertrain, including a PACCAR MX-13 engine with 455 horsepower, a PACCAR TX-12 automated transmission, and PACCAR DX-40 tandem rear axles, according to Kenworth.

“Kenworth is proud to again provide the truck that will transport the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree for the 11th consecutive year,” said Kevin Haygood, Kenworth assistant general manager for sales and marketing. “Our continuing participation in this celebration that spreads holiday cheer in local communities from coast-to-coast is a program we look forward to every year.”

See the current 2024 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree Tour public schedule below:
– Oct. 30: Alaska Marine Highway Terminal, Ketchikan, Alaska
– Nov. 6: Gene Coulon Memorial Beach Park, Renton, Washington
– Nov. 8: Baker County Fairgrounds & Event Center, Baker City, Oregon
– Nov. 9: The Pocatello Veterans Day Parade, Pocatello, Idaho
– Nov. 9: Salt Lake County Parks & Recreation’s Wheeler Historic Farm, Murray, Utah
– Nov. 10: Cabela’s, Grand Junction, Colorado
– Nov. 11: The Ranch Events Complex, Loveland, Colorado
– Nov. 13: Gene Leahy Mall at The Landing at The RiverFront, Omaha, Nebraska
– Nov. 16: Parkview Field, Fort Wayne, Indiana
– Nov. 17: Center of Science and Industry, Columbus, Ohio
– Nov. 19: The Maryland Theater, Hagerstown, Maryland
– Nov. 21: Andrews Theater, Joint Base Andrews, Maryland (*base access only)
– Nov. 22: Delivery to West Lawn, U.S. Capitol Building, Washington, D.C.