Leonard’s Express recently secured first place in the second-largest division of the 47th Annual Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) Fleet Safety Awards competition.
The New York-based refrigerated and dry van carrier won in Division V (50-99.99 million miles).
TCA’s Fleet Safety Awards annually recognize carriers with the lowest accident-to-mileage ratios in six mileage-based divisions.
“Across the company, we work tirelessly to build a ‘safety-first’ culture,” said Ken Johnson, CEO of Leonard’s Express. “Through training and the use of technology, we emphasize that safety is always our No. 1 priority. Driving safely is not a task that can be given as a directive. Everyone has to believe it’s the right thing to do—even if it’s not the easy thing to do.”
The 18 division awardees now advance to compete for one of two grand prizes (one for carriers who traveled more than 25 million miles, and one for those with fewer than 25 million miles). Winners will be revealed at Truckload 2023, set for March 4-7 at the Gaylord Palms in Orlando, Florida; and also receive special recognition during TCA’s 2023 Safety & Security Meeting, slated for June 11-13 in San Antonio, Texas.
To select winners, TCA analyzed each fleet’s safety data, including an audit and verification of mileage-to-accident ratios. An independent auditor then validated the information. The process requires each applicant to record and track their fleet’s safety over the course of a year—no small task for a fleet that travels more than 50 million miles.
“Our risk control team conducts multiple quarterly safety meetings at each of our terminals (in Idaho, Wisconsin, New York, Delaware, and North Carolina) in addition to sending out weekly safety messages, which include the previous week’s hours-of-service violations and incidents,” said Katie Griffin, director of fleet safety for Leonard’s Express. “Leonard’s is a family, and we truly care about each other and want what is best for everyone.
“Our goal is to make sure everyone—our drivers and the motorists who we share the roads with—make it home safely.”
The 2022 TCA Fleet Safety Award division honorees are:
Division I
(less than 5 million miles)
- First place: JR Kays Trucking, Clarendon, Pennsylvania
- Second place: Nagle Toledo, Walbridge, Ohio
- Third place: FTC Transportation, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Division II
(5-14.99 million miles)
- First place: Mill Creek Motor Freight, Ayr, Ontario, Canada
- Second place: Garner Trucking, Findlay, Ohio
- Third place: M&W Transportation, Nashville, Tennessee
Division III
(15-24.99 million miles)
- First place: Chalk Mountain Services, Fort Worth, Texas
- Second place: Elgin Motor Freight, London, Ontario, Canada
- Third place: PI & I Motor Express, Hubbard, Ohio
Division IV
(25-49.99 million miles)
- First place: Trans-West Logistics, Lachine, Quebec, Canada
- Second place: Johnson Feed, Canton, South Dakota
- Third place: Big M Transportation, Blue Mountain, Mississippi
Division V
(50-99.99 million miles)
- First place: Leonard’s Express, Farmington, New York
- Second place: Millis Transfer, Black River Falls, Wisconsin
- Third place: Wilson Logistics, Strafford, Missouri
Division VI
(100 million or more miles)
- First place: Bison Transport, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
- Second place: CFI, Joplin, Missouri
- Third place: Melton Truck Lines, Tulsa, Oklahoma
