Rutherford Joins Landstar Team for a Rutherford Ride Along

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Congressman John H. Rutherford (FL-05) joined Jacksonville's Landstar for a Rutherford Ride Along and tour of their Field Operations Center in St. Augustine with Landstar's professional driver, Michael Smith.

"I was proud to join Landstar for a Rutherford Ride Along to learn more about the people and processes that keep our supply chains moving across Northeast Florida and nationwide," said Rutherford. "These men and women help drive our economy and get goods where they need to go, safely and efficiently. I was honored to walk a day in their shoes and see firsthand the professionalism and commitment these drivers, like Michael Smith, bring to their jobs. Thank you for driving our economy forward."

Michael Smith is a 25-year Landstar veteran, a Million Mile Safe Driver, and recipient of the organization's highest driver honor, the Roadstar award. Smith specializes in transporting highly sensitive and specialized freight, including military-related equipment and other critical shipments supporting national defense operations worldwide.

Together, Rutherford and Smith conducted a comprehensive pre-trip inspection of "Goldie," Smith's tractor, before hitting the road. They traveled from the Jacksonville headquarters to Landstar's Field Operations Center in St. Augustine. Rutherford met with other members of the Landstar team to talk about the daily realities of professional drivers traveling along America's highways today.

Rutherford continued, "Many thanks to the whole team at Landstar for giving me a behind-the-scenes look at their operations here in Northeast Florida and the opportunity to join them for a Rutherford Ride Along!"

Headquartered in Jacksonville, Landstar operates an asset-light transportation model supported by a nationwide network of approximately 1,000 independent agents, more than 8,000 independent BCOs, over 1,300 employees, and access to 70,000 capacity providers across North America.