ATA Names Brown Driver of Year; Honors Safety Director Dunbar

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(Jim Urquhart for TT)
Charles BrownAmerican Trucking Associations named its driver and safety manager of the year at the associations’ Safety and Loss Prevention Management Council fall conference Sept. 22 and announced the winners of its 2004 National Truck Safety Contest the same day.

Charles Brown, a sleeper team linehaul driver for Yellow Transportation, was named 2004 National Truck Driver of the Year. Brown has accumulated more than 3 million accident-free miles during his 36 years on the road.

rown told Transport Topics he owed his award to everyone at Yellow Transportation, from “the janitors to Mr. [William] Zollars,” the chief executive officer of Yellow Roadway Corp. “I get the honor, but you have to share the glory.”

ATA recognized Brown at the 2004 SLPMC meeting in Minneapolis and planned to honor Brown again Oct. 5 at the ATA Management Conference and Exhibition in Las Vegas.

Brown said he was “overwhelmed” when he learned he was receiving the award. “My wife cried,” he said.

Gary Davenport, director of safety for the Kansas Motor Carriers Association, told TT that Brown was a role model for other drivers. Referring to Brown, he said, “The cream rises to the top.”

Brown was named the grand champion and national five-axle champion at the National Truck Driving Championships in 1993. He received the professional excellence award at the NTDC in 2002. Brown said he was also the national champion in the three-axle class in 1986.

Brown said he was proud of his driving record. “It gets more and more difficult to drive on the roads because there is more and more traffic.”

n addition to recognizing Brown, ATA named Sam Dunbar, director of safety and zone operations for Con-Way Western Express, Buena Park, Calif., Safety Director of the Year for providing a strong safety program at his company.

ATA said Dunbar conducted “unique” Monday morning communications meetings at which he discussed safety lesson plans for the following month. Dunbar also produced monthly safety calendars, posters and slogans to educate drivers and reinforce safety goals.

David Heller, SLPMC safety programs manager, said of Dunbar, “He’s been a stalwart with the council for many years and is extremely deserving of this award.”

Bill Graves, ATA’s president, said, “We’re proud of our professionals like Sam Dunbar. They set the example for how the trucking industry can lead the way in making the workplace and the highway safe for everyone.”

Like Brown, Dunbar was honored at the Minneapolis conference and was scheduled to receive a plaque at ATA’s MC&E in Las Vegas.

ATA named FedEx Ground in Moon Township, Pa.; Central Freight Lines Inc. in Waco, Texas; and Sinclair Trucking Co. in Salt Lake City as the winners of its 2004 National Truck Safety Contest.

ATA said those companies, representing large, mid-size and small fleets, had the best overall safety records and safety promotion programs throughout the industry.

The winning companies were slated to receive a trophy during MC&E in October.

Staff reporter Sean McNally contributed to this report.

This story appeared in the Sept. 20 edition of Transport Topics. Subscribe today.