Dart President Donald G. Oren (right) and Executive Vice President David Oren(left) congratulate Walter Johnson for receiving Dart’s Contractor of the Year Award for 2002.
Dart Contractor of the Year
Walter Johnson, a 17-year independent contractor from Philadelphia, is Dart Transit Company’s 2002 Contractor of the Year. At Dart, Johnson has driven 2 million miles without an accident and has a perfect record of on-time deliveries.
Johnson has testified in Washington, D.C., on truck driver safety issues and was one of nine Dart contractors to take part in a truck driver fatigue study in 2000 at Stanford University in California.
As Contractor of the Year, Johnson received a $1,000 bonus, a monogrammed leather jacket and a marble trophy.
Star Drivers
Star Transportation recently presented 19 drivers with safe driving awards for their combined 73 years of safe driving for the company.
Recognized were: David Neese, eight years; Roy Cole, seven years; Shane Fernando, seven years; Brian Thur, seven years; William Isley, seven years; Marshall Dutton, six years; Leroy Allen, five years; John Pinyan, four years; David Morgan, four years; James Snapp, three years; Lafond Booker, three years; Henry Lane, two years; Jimmy Patton, two years; Robert Adkison, two years; Thomas Steveson, two years; Fred Pryor, one year; Bernie Pisarchick, one year; William White, one year; and Rico Heard, one year.
PTL Honorees
Paschall Truck Lines recognized Loyd Reynolds as its Company Driver of the Month for March. Steve and Darlene Creel were named the March Owner-Operator Drivers of the Month.
Reynolds of Brookport, Ill., has been with Paschall for more than six years. He has logged more than 1 million safe miles and also received the December 2000 Company Driver of the Month award.
The Creels of Round O, S.C., have been driving for PTL for more than three years and both have achieved more than 500,000 safe miles.
Walbash Valley Trucking named its 2002 Board Drivers of the Year.
WVT Drivers
Walbash Valley Trucking recently named Clint Spangler of Galesburg, Ill., as the 2002 Robert Gary Coffman Memorial Driver of the Year. This award is named for Robert Gary Coffman, a WVT driver who was killed while delivering an extra load in 1991.
Spangler has been with WVT since August 1994. He and his wife Rhonda have two grown children.
WVT also named its 2002 Board Drivers of the Year. The Mt. Vernon Driver of the Year was Jeff Casteel of El Dorado, Ill. He has been with the company since May 1998.
The WVT Metals Division Driver of the Year was Darryl Zackmire of Lafayette, Ind., who joined the company in August 1987.
The Shoals Driver of the Year was Russ Miller of Russell Springs, Ky., who has been with WVT since July 1998.
The Midwest Driver of the Year was Don Marsh of Philadelphia, Tenn., who joined the company in March 1997.
Top Dog
Transport One driver Clem Worland earned the title of 2002 Safety Top Dog from The TLC Companies.
To achieve this milestone, Worland drove his over-the-road rig for 12 months without a motor vehicle accident or work-related injury.
The annual Top Dog Safety Program rewards TLC’s worksite drivers for safety awareness, safe work practices and knowledge. Drivers must register for the program and can win quarterly prizes. These include gift certificates and shopping sprees at Wal-Mart. More than half of the eligible TLC drivers participate in this program.
Maverick Honors Crane Operator
Maverick Transportation honored Matt Hanson of Walker Forge Inc. with the first ever Matt Hanson Award at the Walker Forge office in Clintonville, Wis.
Hanson, a crane operator, has been with Walker Forge for 15 years. He was commended for his “outstanding attitude, dedication and commitment to service.” Maverick Driver of the Year Gary Lewis presented Hanson with an award plaque and a custom jacket.
The Matt Hanson Award will be presented to individuals in the future who treat Maverick drivers like family and who exemplify the “Matt Hanson way.”
