Drivers Inducted Into NPTC/Lytx Hall of Fame
CINCINNATI — Four truck drivers earned the highest honor of their careers with their induction into the National Private Truck Council/Lytx Inc. Driver Hall of Fame at the NPTC annual education management conference and exhibition.
The association also handed out awards for fleet safety, fleet of the year and professional leadership.
Drivers were honored not just for driving safely over many years but for their positive attitude and service to their employers and the communities in which they live, said Tom Moore, senior vice president of NPTC.
• Scott Beck of West Valley City, Utah, has driven 4.6 million miles over 36 years for Deseret Transportation with no accidents and or moving violations. Beck drives more than 3,000 miles a week over the road delivering food, commodities and furniture for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
• Larry Lloyd, a driver employed by CPC Logistics in Cottonwood, Ariz., has 48 years behind the wheel and more than 3.25 million miles without an accident or moving violation. Lloyd started driv- ing for a road contractor in 1969 and is working as a team driver for Walgreen Co.’s private fleet.
• George Newman, a driver for Frito-Lay Inc. in Dayville, Conn., accumulated 4.6 million accident- free and violation-free miles over a career spanning 46 years. Newman learned to drive at the age of 19 working for RB Green, a less-than-truckload carrier in New England. He has driven dump trucks, oil tankers, flatbed and low-boy units and conventional tractor-trailers.
• John Tiemann from Omaha, Neb., started driving in 1978 for Hudson Foods and has been employed at Kellogg’s Keebler Snack Foods Division for the past 34 years. Tiemann runs about 800 miles a week delivering to stores in Omaha and Lincoln, Neb.
NPTC presented safety awards to companies with the best safety records in 2016.
Fleets that recorded no crashes were: ADM Trucking, AEP Industries, Frito-Lay Inc. and Koch Foods.
Companies that reduced the frequency of crashes by 40% or more included Contract Transportation Systems/The Sherwin Williams Co. and Orgill Transportation.
Fleets with the lowest ratio of accidents per million miles for the past year were presented Fleet of the Year awards.
In the category of local operations, American Proteins Inc. and Blain Supply received first- and second- place awards. Contract Transportation Systems/The Sherwin Williams Co. received first place in the regional operations category.
Among small fleets (fewer than 50 vehicles), Sugar Foods Corp., Moen Inc. and FTC Transport placed first, second and third, respectively. First place for large fleets (50 vehicles or more) went to New South Express Inc., with Baxter Healthcare Corp. and Koch Foods earning second and third place, respectively.
• Mari Roberts, customer integration director at Frito-Lay Inc., was honored as NPTC Private Fleet Executive of the Year.
As the logistics, distribution and transportation director in Dallas, Roberts led a team of 300 employees who were responsible for handling more than 75 million cases a year and driving more than 6 million miles while improving efficiency, fill rates and on-time delivery performance.
• Mike Little of Service First Distribution was chosen Private Fleet Member of the Year.
Service First Distribution is a private fleet that supports Mid South Baking Co. production plants in Bryan, Texas, and Pelahatchie, Miss.
• Victor Hart was selected Private Fleet Safety Professional of the Year. Hart has spent more than 40 years in the transportation industry working at Pet Inc., McKee Foods and Dot Foods. As director of safety at Dot Transportation, Hart oversees 1,400 drivers at 10 distribution centers in the United States.
Other award recipients were Brian Holley, director of transportation for Whiteline Express Ltd., for excellence in membership; Gary Strausbaugh, vice president of transportation for The Mennel Milling Co., for the Dan P. Smith life achievement award; Mike Schwersenska, director of transportation and logistics for Brakebush Transportation Inc., for excellence in backhauling; and CPC Logistics Inc. as allied member of the year.
