Image: Truckload Carriers Association / The Truckload Carriers Association, a trade association representing over 220,000 truck operators across North America, has named Daljit Sohi from Abbotsford trucking firm Triple Eight Transport one of its TCA Highway Angels for driving three hours to return a purse to its rightful owner last month in British Columbia. 

By Mike Vanden Bosch

Abbotsford truck driver honoured

Abbotsford truck driver honoured for driving 3 hours to return a purse with money, jewelry to rightful owner

Dec 24, 2024 | 9:00 AM

ABBOTSFORD — The Truckload Carriers Association, a trade association representing over 220,000 truck operators across North America, has named Daljit Sohi from Abbotsford trucking firm Triple Eight Transport one of its TCA Highway Angels for driving three hours to return a purse to its rightful owner last month.

According to a statement from TCA, Shailly James of High River, Alberta, stopped in Golden, B.C., on November 29, 2024, while traveling from Banff to Salmon Arm to assist her 4-year-old child. James had pulled over to a rest stop and unknowingly dropped her purse containing money and jewelry.

“I was not aware,” James said, according to TCA.

Triple Eight Transport driver Sohi saw James drop her purse and followed her in his truck in order to return the purse.

“I followed the lady for three hours,” Sohi said, as per TCA.

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Once she was back on the highway, James noticed a truck driver following her, which caused some concern. When she stopped to refuel at a gas station in Sicamous, B.C., Sohi approached James and told her that he had found her lost purse.

To her relief, everything in the handbag was accounted for, including her money and jewelry, and nothing was missing.

“I was so happy that, thank God, he found it,” James said. “Then I tried to give him $500 as a reward, but he didn’t take it.” She says she plans to send a thank you gift to Sohi at his company office.

In the 25-plus years since the TCA Highway Angel program’s genesis in August 1997, almost 1,400 professional truck drivers have been lauded as TCA Highway Angels for stellar acts of kindness, exemplary courtesy, and outstanding courage displayed while on the job. Due to the program’s presenting sponsor, EpicVue, and supporting sponsors, DriverFacts and Northland Insurance, TCA says it is able to showcase outstanding drivers like Daljit Sohi.

The TCA Highway Angel website can be accessed at https://www.truckload.org/highway-angel/.