Inaugural program supports families behind Canada’s transportation and logistics industry
TORONTO (October 14, 2026) — Trucking HR Canada (THRC) and Samsara (NYSE: IOT), today awarded a combined $10,000 to three post-secondary students through the inaugural Top Fleet Employers Scholarship. The recipients were announced during THRC’s Top Fleet Employers Awards Gala in Toronto. The 2026 recipients are Jillian Rust, Heysha Makwana, and Nikolay Sazanovich
The scholarship recognizes students whose parent(s) work for a current Top Fleet Employer, a designation for fleets whose HR policies and practices meet the highest standards. The scholarship celebrates the important contributions Canada’s transportation and logistics employees make to their families, communities, and supply chain.
Applicants submitted a video describing their parents’ work and its impact on their lives. An independent selection committee of industry leaders reviewed the applications and evaluated them based on how clearly students conveyed that personal connection, their understanding of Canada’s supply chain, and the essential role transportation and logistics plays within it.
“It was inspiring to hear students describe the pride they have in their parents and the important work they do,” said Angela Splinter, President and CEO, Trucking HR Canada. “Their stories are a powerful reminder of how trucking and logistics touches Canadian families and communities, and of the people who keep our supply chain moving.”
The scholarship attracted extraordinary interest from students across Canada. Inspired by the high calibre of the submissions, Samsara and THRC expanded the program from one $5,000 scholarship to three awards totalling $10,000.
The 2026 scholarship recipients are:
- Jillian Rust, St. Thomas University: $5,000.
Jillian’s father works for RST Sunbury Transport. - Heysha Makwana, McMaster University: $3,000.
Heysha’s mother works for Armour Transportation Systems. - Nikolay Sazanovich, University of Alberta: $2,000.
Nikolay’s father works for Big Freight Systems.
“The people who keep Canada’s supply chain moving show incredible dedication and skill in their work every day,” said Charlie Cubeta, Senior Manager at Samsara, Canada. “These students have watched it up close their whole lives, and I was moved by what they shared. We’re proud to partner with Trucking HR Canada on such a meaningful program.”
THRC and Samsara also announced a new round of applications will open later this year for 2027 scholarships.
Samsara (NYSE: IOT) is the pioneer of the Connected Operations® Platform, which is an open platform that connects the people, devices, and systems of some of the world’s most complex operations, allowing them to develop actionable insights and improve their operations. With tens of thousands of customers across North America and Europe, Samsara is a proud technology partner to the people who keep our global economy running, including the world’s leading organizations across industries in transportation, construction, wholesale and retail trade, field services, logistics, manufacturing, utilities and energy, government, healthcare and education, food and beverage, and others. The company’s mission is to increase the safety, efficiency, and sustainability of the operations that power the global economy.
Samsara is a registered trademark of Samsara Inc. All other brand names, product names or trademarks belong to their respective holders.
Samsara Communications:
media@samsara.com
Trucking HR Canada (THRC) is the national, non-profit workforce development organization for Canada’s trucking and logistics sector. Established in 2012, THRC is the recognized authority on workforce strategy for the industry, providing labour market intelligence, workforce research, skills development initiatives, occupational standards, training resources and evidence-based human resource solutions.
Working closely with employers, industry associations, governments, educators and workforce stakeholders, THRC supports a sector that employs nearly 800,000 Canadians and plays a critical role in Canada’s supply chain.
Media contact: comms@truckinghr.com
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