Delivering Enchantment from New Mexico to D.C.
Three Drivers Embark on Cross-County Tour to Deliver “The People’s Tree” to the U.S. Capitol
Today, three professional New Mexican truck drivers from Wilbanks Trucking are embarking on a cross-country tour from Carson National Forest in New Mexico to the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., with a 60-foot Blue Spruce tree in tow, to deliver “The People’s Tree” to our nation’s capital.
The festivities were kicked off during the tree-cutting ceremony in Carson National Forest on November 6, which you can view through the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree Facebook page and Wilbanks Trucking’s Facebook page. After loading the tree onto the truck, the drivers officially began their month-long 2,000-mile journey.
During the tour, they’ll be making 31 stops across nine states– spreading holiday cheer and delivering enchantment to communities in New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Virginia and Maryland before making their final stop in D.C. The full list of stops can be found here.
At each stop, community members have the opportunity to see the tree and sign banners on the sides of the decorated Kentworth W990 truck transporting the tree, which displays the New Mexico state flag, an image of the U.S. Capitol Building with a Christmas tree, and the phrase, “From the Land of Enchantment to Enchanting the Nation.”
The theme of this year’s cross-country tour is “Delivering Enchantment” because the tree comes from the Enchanted Circle, a scenic byway in New Mexico. The state is also referred to as “The Land of Enchantment,” because of New Mexico’s wondrous natural beauty, unique culture and rich history.
Wilbanks was selected to transport this year’s tree as the company specializes in heavy haul and oversized loads. The three experienced Wilbanks Trucking drivers hauling the 2019 Capitol Christmas tree are: Josh Garcia, Brum Stephens and Josh Rice. The drivers were nominated by their peers and then selected by company leadership.
Learn more about the drivers below by watching the following videos!
Josh Garcia
Josh Garcia is a second-generation employee of Wilbanks. Josh is honored and excited to be selected as one of the drivers of this year’s Capitol Christmas tree. Hear about what makes it so special to him:
Josh Rice
Josh Rice, a third-generation rig mover, said this adventure will be one of the most unique and memorable highlights of his career. Can you guess which holiday is Josh’s favorite? Find out here:
Brum Stephens:
Brum has been working in the trucking industry for over 20 years. Brum described the opportunity to haul the tree as a special one. Learn about what Brum is looking forward to most on this journey here:
The 55th annual cross-country tour is made possible because of the support of the trucking industry. Through donations from industry companies, associations and partners, this anticipated cross-country holiday festivity is made possible each year.
Follow along with the drivers live, in real-time, through the Capitol Tree Tracker, which can be found here: www.capitoltreetracker.com. To learn more about the 2019 Capitol Christmas Tree, visit www.uscapitolchristmastree.com
