Schneider recently held its fifth annual Intermodal Safety Rodeo at its Green Bay headquarters. The transportation/logistics firm annually hosts the competition, which is open to all drivers in its Intermodal division.
Set up regionally at 12 locations, the three-maneuver course is designed to test in about 15 minutes both blind-side backing and the ability to handle tricky parking situations.
The winner of each regional rodeo advances to the national championship event. Along with the 12 top regional finishers, the prior year’s winner is invited to defend his or her title.
This year, Matt McMillan of Worcester, MA-- who won both the 2012 and 2013 rodeos-- was unseated by first-time competitor Doug Dent of French Camp, CA. “I’m stoked— it’s a huge adrenaline rush,” Dent said after learning he was the new champ. “The whole time I was nervous as could be. It was very tough.”
McMillan, who’s been with Schneider for eight years, was gracious in defeat. “It was good, fun competition and very safety-oriented,” he remarked. “I was hoping for a ‘three-peat,’ but if you’re here, you’re pretty good.”
The top three finishers (Dent, McMillan and Luther Williams of Houston) received points to use in Schneider’s Pacesetter incentive-based merchandise redemption program. And as overall winner, Dent was also awarded a trophy
“Though we truly have the best of the best driving for Schneider, we look for every opportunity to reinforce our core value of safety first and always,” noted Don Osterberg, Schneider’s senior vice president of safety & security.
“When the drivers participate in the regional rodeos,” he continued, “it gives them the chance to practice some difficult moves, and it gives our trainers a chance to help them sharpen their skills so that everyone is even safer when they’re out on the road.”
Osterberg added that “for those who reach the championships, the fun experience they have in Green Bay is a wonderful way we recognize and reward them for the outstanding work they’re doing.”
