In honor of Driver Appreciation Week, Sept. 15-21, Pilot Flying J will celebrate Driver Appreciation Month throughout September, offering double MyRewards points and giveaways for our professional driver customers. During this time, we also want to feature certain drivers who embody everything the Pilot Flying J brand represents. Today we’d like to tell you about Toby Bogard, a driver, author, aspiring life coach, mentor and father.
Toby Bogard fills the gaps.
Five years ago, Toby was at a Pilot Travel Center, where he ran into a rookie driver who had questions about life on the road. That chance encounter got him thinking about the gap in training students receive at truck driving schools and training academies. Upon that realization, Toby began speaking with other veteran drivers about tips that could help rookie drivers out. Based on those tips – and lessons learned from his own mistakes – Toby wrote On the Big Road, a guide for the next generation of drivers.
“I’m a firm believer you can accomplish anything in life you want to accomplish if you’re willing to sacrifice,” said Toby. “I am living proof that if you are willing to work hard and strive toward your goals, you can achieve them.”
Inspiring drivers through the Million Pound Challenge.
It can be a challenge for many professional drivers to stay in shape while being on the road for such long hours. In fact, more than half of those in the industry are overweight. So what can we do about that? Well, Toby decided to start the Million Pound Challenge to motivate and inspire drivers to lose weight and get healthy. He also wanted to provide a support group for those who may be struggling or just want to document their progress.
Toby wants to see the entire trucking industry lose a million pounds, collectively. The Challenge starts September 30th and runs through November 30th. Prizes are available for the three who lose the most weight, but the real winners are the ones who can turn their lives around and live a healthy lifestyle. Toby is currently at 47 pounds lost.
Leader to many, father to two.
Toby’s time on the road – 1.2 million miles to be exact – is a direct correlation to his self-discipline and ambition. In April 2008, his oldest son Zachary passed away. This staggering life-changing moment prompted him to take a hard look at his life — where he was and where he was going. Toby is working toward becoming a life coach and mentor. This is his ultimate goal because he loves to teach and help people.
Although a driver by profession, Toby offers much more than that as a father, author and mentor, and we’re proud to be Toby’s home on the road.
In honor of Driver Appreciation Month, we are pleased to offer double MyRewards points for all our professional driver loyalty members, as well as many in-store giveaways during Driver Appreciation Week, Sept. 15-21. To learn more about Pilot Flying J’s Driver Appreciation Month, visit http://pilotflyingj.com/driver-appreciation.
