The trucking industry values driver health and safety all year round, but several companies are celebrating additional achievements and efforts this week. Read about these achievements in this week’s Five Good Things.
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Truck driver named TCA Highway Angel for helping crash victim with medical emergency
The Truckload Carriers Association has named truck driver Andre Reynolds from Phoenix, Arizona, a TCA Highway Angel for stopping to help a man who crashed his car after experiencing a seizure. Reynolds works for Hogan Transports out of Maryland Heights, Missouri.
On April 15, 2024, at 1 p.m. in Utica, Mississippi, Reynolds was traveling on MS27 when he noticed a Ford Mustang slowly turn into his lane on the two-lane (one lane each way) highway. The vehicle almost came to a stop, nearly causing a collision, then suddenly veered off the road into a ditch.
In an attempt to check on the driver, Reynolds pulled over and discovered that he was having a seizure behind the wheel. “He was pretty much incoherent,” Reynolds said.
Another driver stopped to help, so Reynolds asked him to call 911, and they waited with the driver until the seizure stopped. The man was disoriented but tried to make a phone call to his father. Reynolds took charge and explained to the man’s father what had happened.
Once the accident victim was alert and walking on his own, Reynolds left him and continued on his way. “I wouldn’t leave somebody in a bad spot,” he said. “It doesn’t hurt to help somebody.”
Sibley Transportation helps employees improve their health
The owner of Sibley Transportation, Marcus Sibley, has pledged to cover the cost of each employee's workout sessions with a personal trainer. Sibley said his staff has been completing 45-minute team workouts during work hours on Mondays and Wednesdays since January. The sessions are optional, but employees have been consistent and attend the sessions willingly.
Dispatcher Donald Spiney said the sessions help relieve stress, and he hopes to drop some weight by continuing to attend.
"It does help a lot," Spiney said. "Takes your mind off any problems or issues you might have while you're sweating or trying to push the weight."
Sibley contends that trucking promotes an unhealthy lifestyle, with drivers spending much time on the road and often eating out.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the average life expectancy of a commercial truck driver is 61 years old, which is 16 years younger than the national average. Sibley said the average age of his drivers is 60 years old.
Sibley said it's not uncommon for drivers to have strokes or medical emergencies while on the road, which can be challenging for dispatchers responsible for helping resolve issues remotely. Sibley said he hopes that by making training available to all employees, he not only retains workers in an aging workforce but also pushes them to do a little work for themselves.
Drivewyze receives Innovation Showcase Award from ITS America
Drivewyze recently received the inaugural ITS Innovation Showcase Award from the Intelligent Transportation Society of America at the 2024 ITS America Conference & Expo in Phoenix, Arizona. ITS America is a membership and advocacy organization that advances the research and deployment of intelligent transportation technologies to save lives, improve mobility, promote sustainability, and increase efficiency and productivity.
The ITS Innovation Showcase Award recognizes innovations and solutions that define the future of transportation. For the award, ITS America members submitted products driving innovation that were then voted on by those attending the conference and expo. The product with the most votes received the Innovation Showcase Award.
“This year’s ITS America Conference and Expo saw many deserving nominees for the ITS America Showcase Award. The innovations occurring daily in our sector are multiplying, and this win reinforces the strength and relevancy of Drivewyze’s solution and partnership with government agencies to deliver in-cab safety alerts to truck drivers,” said Laura Chace, president and CEO of ITS America. “Their creative and innovative approach to keep drivers safe on their roads can only be realized by the public and private sector working together. I want to congratulate Drivewyze on their Smart Roadways program. This award is meant to reflect the best of the best in the industry, and they are a very worthy inaugural recipient.”
Drivewyze showcased its Smart Roadways technology, which state transportation agencies can use to issue in-cab safety alerts to commercial truck drivers on upcoming road hazards, such as sudden or unexpected traffic slowdowns, active work zones, or parked service vehicles, as well as emergency events or conditions. This technology is free of charge to truckers and trucking companies through the Drivewyze Free application. It has been shown to slow drivers down, helping them avoid potential crashes and improve roadway safety. State agencies that sponsor real-time Smart Roadways alerts can assess their program’s effectiveness by monitoring driver behavior trends after drivers receive the alert, including speed changes and where hard braking has occurred.
“State agencies partner with us because our Smart Roadways services leverage hundreds of thousands of connected trucks, high-quality data, and quantifiable benefits, including insights into the number of in-cab alerts sent and the resulting improvements in driver behavior,” said Brian Heath, CEO of Drivewyze. “It’s exciting to work with leading transportation agencies that leverage our device-agnostic, one-to-many connected truck platform because, together, we are moving the needle on highway safety.”
See also: Oregon’s Umatilla County partners with Drivewyze to deliver in-cab work zone alerts
J.B. Hunt celebrates 54 drivers for safely driving 2M-plus miles
The annual Million Mile Celebration at J.B. Hunt Transport Services’ headquarters in Lowell, Arkansas, honored 54 company drivers who have safely driven more than two million miles without a preventable accident. The drivers were awarded $770,000 in safe driving bonuses for their outstanding accomplishments and commitment to operational excellence.
“These drivers are the champions of our safety culture,” said Nick Hobbs, COO and president of contract services at J.B. Hunt. “Their million-mile achievements demonstrate an unwavering commitment to delivering long-term, exceptional value for our customers. 2023 was a record year for our safety organization, and these drivers were a huge part of that. Congratulations to all 54 drivers for their monumental safety milestone.”
The 2024 Million Mile driver class spent the last few days at company headquarters with their families, management, and executive leadership team celebrating their million-mile moment. On average, it takes a driver about seven to 10 years to reach one million safe miles. J.B. Hunt’s third driver to reach five million miles and its first to be honored with the Women In Trucking Association’s Driver of the Year is among this year’s class.
The peak of the celebration took place at the Million Mile Walk of Fame. On the Lowell campus, the company’s drivers and their families walked the red carpet to the cheers of hundreds of employees and words of gratitude from company executives. Since 1996, J.B. Hunt has awarded more than $38 million in safe driving bonuses to nearly 5,000 company drivers and has hosted the Million Mile event since 2001.
Schneider celebrates safety achievements of nearly 200 drivers
Schneider National recently celebrated the safety-related career milestones of almost 200 drivers. These professionals exemplify safety excellence, serving thousands of customers across millions of miles without a preventable accident.
Schneider’s annual recognition program celebrates drivers who have earned Million Mile Driver Awards, Consecutive Years of Safe Driving Awards, and induction into the company’s prestigious Haul of Fame.
Five extraordinary drivers achieved a notable milestone this year: four million safe driving miles. Only a dozen other drivers have previously reached this milestone in the company’s history.
“Whether they’re first-time award recipients or seasoned safe driving award winners, we appreciate each driver’s dedication to our values,” said Schneider President and CEO Mark Rourke. “In particular, we commend Jon Shackleford, Michael Barnette, Daniel Dailey, Curt Fields, and Wayne Iovinella, who each achieved an astounding four million safe driving miles. Drivers serve as ambassadors of both Schneider and the customers we represent, and these superstars represent excellence in action.”
