The Abingdon, VA based Food City Distribution Center recently donated several thousand dollars in much-needed transportation equipment to the Hazard, KY Community and Technical College.    

“We are excited to have this opportunity to assist our local community college in increasing their educational offerings to benefit our area students and the community as a whole,” says Hazard Food City store manager Rocky Tickle.

The company was first approached by Jimmy Caudill, diesel technology instructor.  Caudill was looking to transition the college’s instruction from a construction equipment based technician program to a diesel trucking course.  “Our primarily focus has previously been geared toward construction equipment technicians, but with the challenges the coal industry continues to face, we realized the need to expand our curriculum to include a concentration on diesel trucking equipment,” says Caudill. 

In order to launch their new diesel trucking program, the college was in need of refrigerated trailer units and/or tractors.  Caudill approached Food City with his request which included operational or non-operations units or even parts that would be useful in the instruction of the new diesel trucking course.  Food City agreed to donate two used refrigeration units, along with a used tractor, a total of $7,400 in instructional equipment. 

“There is a great need and demand for tractor and refrigerated trailer mechanics in our area,” says Mike Tate, transportation manager for the Food City Distribution Center.  “We were happy to partner with the college to donate this equipment to help facilitate the launch of this much-needed new training.”

The Food City Distribution Center employs over 600 associates.  Its fleet currently consists of more than 100 drivers and over 80 tractors and 500 trailers.  The team is responsible for transporting in excess of 800 loads weekly or 42,000 loads annually to their chain of supermarkets. 

Pictured Above From Left to Right:
Billy Burgett, Food City Assistant Store Manager
Jeffery Stidham, HCTC Diesel Technology Instructional Specialist
Jimmy Caudill, HCTC Diesel Technology Associate Professor
Rocky Tickle, Food City Store Manager
Dr. Jennifer Lindon, HCTC Occupational Technologies Dean

Headquartered in Abingdon, Virginia, K-VA-T Food Stores, Inc. (Food City’s parent company) currently operates 105 retail food outlets in the tri-state regions of Southeast Kentucky, Southwest Virginia and Northeast Tennessee.