A dream vacation, a mortgage payment, a new car or a retirement nest egg. The Gemini Safe Driver Credits program is providing those opportunities to 78 Gemini Motor Transport drivers who remained accident-free and adhered to Gemini’s stringent safety policies and procedures for five years. The 2016 and second class of Gemini Safe Driver Credits recipients was recently recognized with more than $1.8 million in bonus payments.
“We’re proud to reward our professional drivers for their hard work and maintaining Gemini’s reputation as one of the safest hazardous materials carriers in America,” said Brent Bergevin, vice president of transportation for Gemini, the fuel-hauling fleet for Love's Travel Stops. “Our safety numbers have improved for three straight years. We’ve also reduced turnover, increased our gas mileage, have better and safer equipment, improved truck aerodynamics and more. We love rewarding our drivers because we wouldn't be able to accomplish those things without them.”
Safety credits are awarded to drivers on an annual basis. To earn one safety credit, drivers must have no accidents, tickets or fuel-related incidents over the period of one year. They must also pass all inspections from the U.S. Department of Transportation and Gemini. Once drivers collect five safety credits, they’re eligible to receive the bonus. The program has helped Gemini keep its preventable accidents per 1 million miles to 0.5, less than half the national average. According to the National Private Truck Council, the industry average for private fleets was approximately 2.0 between 2007 and 2015. Gemini awarded more than $3.4 million to last year’s inaugural class of 135 drivers, the company noted.
“This program has been well received,” said Bergevin. “Not only are we helping our professional drivers plan for their futures, but they help us advertise all of the good we are doing at Gemini. Their safe driving in our yellow tankers truly makes them rolling billboards.”
Gemini added it has grown from six drivers and four trucks in 2001 to more than 900 drivers and 650 trucks. Hired drivers are required to complete a minimum of two weeks of Gemini-specific training and education before they can begin driving. They may undergo additional training based on experience and background. Drivers also attend quarterly safety meetings and adhere to the Gemini Code of Conduct, a set of guidelines designed to reduce chances of having any sort of incident while driving.
An additional 110 Gemini drivers are on track to receive their five-year payout in 2018. Beginning in 2021, Gemini will present higher payouts to the first-class of drivers who’ve earned 10 safe driver credits.
