After 50 years of dedicated long-haul driving, Mary “Candy” Bass—the self-proclaimed “Granny Glitter” or “Grandma Candy” has earned a place on the Wall of Fame at Mid America Trucking Show. At 78, she continues to navigate highways with 6 million crash-free miles and counting under her belt. Bass will be inducted into MATS’ 2023 class alongside other esteemed members in recognition for her lifetime dedication as an exemplary trucker.
Bass has amassed plenty of awards during her time behind the wheel. In 2016, she was given the TA Petro Citizen Driver award. As part of the award, a TA truck stop in Nashville, Tenn. – lovingly referred to as “The Candy Store” – is dedicated in her honor.
Bass has gone above and beyond to challenge gender stereotypes in the trucking industry, showing that women can drive with just as much success. This year, Women in trucking named her as a Top Woman to Watch in Transportation for her role modeling and inspiring more women to get behind the wheel of an 18-wheeler. She’s also been featured on multiple magazine covers plus promotional materials by Transport Designs – further proof of how far women drivers have come.
Bass has continued to demonstrate her commitment to giving back, having joined forces with a variety of charities such as St. Christopher Foundation and Special Olympics. She extended that generosity even further through the launch of “Hats for Heroes,” an organization dedicated to providing baseball caps to veterans affected by head trauma or burns.
This week, Bass capped off an exciting stretch of news by also earning recognition as Women in Trucking announced her as one of three finalists for their Driver of the Year award. The winner of this award will be announced on March 30 at MATS in Louisville.
Bass was nominated for the Wall of Fame by fellow driver Susie De Ridder.
“Candy is everything the Wall of Fame is about. She’s a long-time attendee at MATS. She contributes every way she can,” De Ridder said. “I can’t say enough about Candy Bass. She’s the meaning of the word ‘inspirational’… She means the world to me.”
After a trucking career spanning 44 remarkable years, Sharon De Ridder has gathered her own share of accolades to name. In 2020, she earned the Women In Trucking Association’s Driver of The Year Award and this past October she was honored with the TA & Petro Citizen Driver Award, an award nominated by Bass herself. This inspiring veteran is still motivated daily by the presence of fellow driver Bass whose undeniable influence continues to make waves in their industry.
“She’s the face of inducting more women into the industry. Everything she does is just so inspirational… I can’t express enough how great of a person (she) is,” De Ridder said.
Bass joins the late Troy Huddleston as honorees in the 2023 Wall of Fame Class. According to a MATS spokesperson, this year’s class will consist of three new honorees, with the final name planned to be announced in the coming weeks.
According to the MATS website, nominees for the Wall of Fame must:
• Conduct themselves with a high degree of integrity both within and outside of the heavy-duty trucking industry.
• Demonstrate professionalism and dedication to the trucking industry and contribute toward enhancing its image, technology and/or growth.
• Nominee’s contributions must reach beyond the local level.
Source: Land Line
