Pam Randol, professional driver at Knoxville, Tennessee-based Highway Transport, is one of eight finalists for National Tank Truck Carriers’ (NTTC) Professional Driver of the Year award. The program recognizes a tank truck driver with an incredible driving record, a demonstrated commitment to safety, and a history of serving their community. Each year during NTTC’s Annual Conference, eight finalists are presented for this prestigious award. One Grand Champion will be crowned and serve as the face of the industry, representing NTTC at safety-focused events throughout the year, and sharing NTTC’s mission of safety and education with the public. Highway Transport chatted with Randol before heading to Washington, D.C., for a round of events and interviews as part of the NTTC’s selection process.
FREEPORT, Texas—It’s late December 2022, and Pam Randol is at home beside a bayou in South Texas. She’s recovering from a nasty case of bronchitis and a rib fracture, but a listener would never know from her joyful, strong voice.
As if to anticipate the interview ahead, Randol starts by sharing her desire to come across as the person she truly is: “I’m not ashamed of who I am and I am humbled and excited about this experience to be a finalist for this award. I want to show others that—no matter what their background is or the obstacles they’ve had to overcome—they can make, pursue, and reach their goals.”
“Being a professional driver is my life’s calling,” Randol said. “I decided that I wanted to drive a truck in the Army when I was 8 years old.” Randol pursued her military dreams, serving in Desert Storm, then went on to work as a professional driver—a career she’s pursued for the last 30 years.
“I was told that girls couldn’t do so many things, but I saw my dad leave for work every day and I wanted to know what he did there, what the secret was,” she said. So, she didn’t let the naysayers stop her.
Out of her ‘comfort zone’
These days, she serves as a dedicated driver for one of Highway Transport’s accounts, picking up the client’s commodities and delivering to their customers across the country. She’s usually gone four to five days a week.
As Randol prepares to travel to Washington, D.C., for selection interviews and events, she shares a bit about how she’s feeling: “This is out of my comfort zone. Yes, I’m personable and I connect and speak easily, but I’m really an introvert. When I was asked about being nominated, I first talked to my husband (who’s also a professional tank truck driver at Highway Transport), got his complete support, then agreed to pursue the award. I decided that if Highway Transport saw something in me to nominate me, I would give 100% effort to stepping out of my comfort zone as I pursue the award.
“I’ve also leaned on my faith during this process,” she continued. “I want to always recognize opportunities to fulfill my God-given purpose, so as I have chances to connect with others and grow as a person, I’m going to embrace them.”
Representing Highway Transport factored into the decision as well. “The first question that came to my mind was, ‘Can I represent the company the way I need to?’ That’s another reason I’m putting so much effort into this—I don’t want to let myself or my company down.”
After being named Driver of the Quarter for the third quarter of 2022, and Regional Driver of the Year by Highway Transport, she flew to Knoxville to meet with company executives in preparation for the award nomination. “I was too tired when I arrived to be intimidated, and I was so pleased that everyone was so welcoming. It felt like having dinner with family.”
As she prepares for her trip to Washington, she jokes, “I’m most worried about what I’m going to wear. I never shop, I wear a uniform shirt, jeans, and boots every day. I’m going to approach shopping like a military mission.” But she is truly excited about the people she’ll meet, the things she’ll see, the food she’ll eat, and more. “I am so happy to get to experience this and be a part of the process. I’m also a hugger, so if I find a like mind, I’m going to hug.”
Ready to serve
Randol also wants to find ways to change perceptions about professional drivers and reveal her feelings and thoughts throughout the award process to show other drivers—who may be introverts like her—that it’s OK to pursue lofty goals.
“Drivers are smart people with so many skills, and I encourage my peers to show up, be themselves, be trainable, take criticism, have a good work ethic, listen and train, mentor, and lead those around you. It’s important to share your knowledge with others.”
“If I have a chance to be Driver of the Year, I’ll still be me, but I’ll also listen and educate myself about NTTC’s goals as I represent them and the industry. I’ll stay focused on the objective while enjoying the experience.”
Randol comes from a family of people who serve the public, from military to teaching and from law enforcement to clergy and beyond. She’s married to husband Joe McMullin—Randol’s “silver fox”—and she has three grown children, daughters Krayla, a chief petty officer in the U.S. Navy, and T.J., a certified Mopar mechanic; and son Carson, a lineman in the oilfield.
When she’s at home, she loves looking for alligators and birds in the bayou behind her home, cooking with her husband, and crocheting.
Check back soon for Part 2 of this series detailing Randol’s journey to Boston after the D.C. interviews.