Michael T. (Motor) Rosenau: 2014 Highway Star of the Year

“Hello, Central Casting? Send over One Big-Hearted Trucker”

The 2014 Highway Star of the Year is Michael T. “Motor” Rosenau, an owner- operator “willing to give you the shirt off his back.”

A Calgary-based bear of a man, Rosenau, 45, has driven for his uncle Carl Rosenau’s company Rosenau Transport for 25 years. The prizes, which include $10,000 in cash, came from Newcom Business Media (publisher of Today’s Trucking and producer of Truck World) Freightliner, Meritor, Espar, Cummins, Chevron and the Owner-Operator’s Association of Canada (OBAC). Today’s Trucking Editor Peter Carter presented Rosenau with the obligatory giant check and handshake at Truck World, on Saturday, at the Daimler booth.

In addition to his squeaky clean driving record, a glance at Rosenau’s Facebook page tells the story of the many charities he’s involved with.

Every year he suits up as Santa for the 18 Wheels of Christmas food drive delivering donated goods to Calgary food banks, a cause he has embraced since 2005. He’s driven in three of the World’s Largest Convoy for Special Olympics. And he plans on driving in the next Alberta Convoy for the Cure to support the Breast Cancer Foundation.

“Motor is always willing to give you the shirt off his back. He’s one of the best guys you’ll meet and a great one to call a friend,” says his fellow driver and friend Edward Tucker, who works in Canada Post’s transportation division.

An added bonus of Rosenau’s Facebook activity: presenting a positive image of the trucking industry. What started as a way of keeping in touch turned into a way to share what life is like behind the wheel and to promote this industry he loves so much.