Driver of the Quarter: Derek Veland

on Thursday, October 29, 2026 in Awards & Recognition

Throughout ten years with TMC and 1.15 million safe miles, Derek Veland has shown that he’s a dedicated team player who pays attention to the details—securing every load safely, delivering on time, and building great relationships with customers on his Texas Dedicated route. And he’s always willing to go out of his way to help other drivers, says his fleet manager, Adam Simmons: “Derek is one of those drivers that won’t say no to a load. Good or bad, he will take it, because he’s all about the team.”

For all these reasons, we’re proud to recognize Derek as Driver of the Quarter for the second quarter of 2026.

Getting Started

Derek’s interest in being a truck driver started very early. As kids, he and his brother would try to get semi drivers to honk for them on family road trips, and the two of them would talk about someday working as truck drivers. “We’d say, ‘We should be truck drivers and just drive around the country because we love traveling.’ And that was kind of the start of it,” Derek remembers.

At 23, Derek decided to pursue his childhood dream of becoming a truck driver. He got his CDL in the Indianapolis area, and he says his CDL instructor, Karen Bastin, had a big impact on him: “She really laid the groundwork for my success, and she encouraged me to check out TMC.”

As Derek learned more about TMC, it became clear that joining the Black and Chrome was the right decision for him. “TMC had a lot of the things that are important to me—getting me home on the weekend and taking care of their equipment. And I just thought that I couldn't go wrong with them,” he says.

The Value of Home Time

Home time has only become more important to Derek over the ten years he’s driven for TMC. When he first got behind the wheel, he was single, and home time meant hanging out with his friends on the weekend.

Now, he looks forward to spending time with his wife, Kristen, and their two-year-old son, Henry, when he’s at home. As a family, they make the most of each weekend, often going to the zoo, playing with Legos, and visiting Kristen’s parents, who live nearby.

Derek and Kristen have worked together to find a system that works for both of them, where she can keep the home running smoothly while he is out during the week. “Kristen is a real trooper,” Derek says, “because she was unfamiliar with the trucking industry. Being a truck driver, finding somebody who would put up with your crazy schedule is one more challenge to finding the right wife,” he laughs. “I say that she's the CEO of the house, and then I'm the CFO out here on the road. We have our important roles in being able to take care of the house.”

Team Work on the Road

Just as he and Kristen are a team at home, Derek has a reputation for being a team player on the road, according to Operations Manager Jeff Knafla. “He’s willing to give a hand to any driver out on the road without hesitation,” says Jeff. “He truly lives by Destination: Excellence and our culture here at TMC.”

Combine that team-oriented mindset with how much Derek values home time, and it’s no surprise that he has gone out of his way more than once to help his fellow drivers get home for the weekend.

“He’s come back from vacation early on two separate occasions to sit on loads over the weekend, so that the drivers could get loads to get home,” notes Adam.

For Derek, this was about more than just helping another TMC driver have a good weekend; it was about showing how much drivers matter to TMC. “The amount of team effort from TMC to get just one driver home is very remarkable. I don't want anybody to miss out on experiencing what one driver means to TMC,” he says

While this is a very notable example of Derek’s team spirit, his everyday actions also show his willingness to help others. “Derek does a great job of picking up after other drivers. He’s always picking up and folding tarps when he goes to the Lowe’s distribution center,” Adam says.

A Career to Be Proud of

Derek’s career with TMC has been full of proud moments, like achieving 1.15 million safe miles and seeing his son’s excitement when he pulls in the driveway each week. But one of the most notable moments of his career took place unexpectedly on an Indiana highway.

Derek was driving near Indianapolis when he heard a car honking. Looking around, he realized it was his brother—the same one who used to ride in the backseat with Derek on family road trips and dream about being a truck driver.

Now Derek himself was the truck driver his brother was waving to.

Throughout his driving career, Derek has lived out his childhood dream of becoming a truck driver and demonstrated what TMC’s commitment to excellence looks like every day. Congratulations, Derek, for being named Driver of the Quarter!