ARLINGTON, Va. - The American Trucking Associations today announced the Captains of the 2009 - 2010 America's Road Team. The premier group of million-mile, accident-free professional truck drivers will spend the next two years representing the trucking industry and delivering its highway safety message to the motoring public.
18 captains, with a collective 468 years of experience and over 30.7 million accident free miles, were selected from a group of 34 finalists who competed this week before a panel of judges from the trucking industry and related fields. The competition included a review of trucking industry expertise and a demonstration of their communication skills, combined with their community service and lifetime safety records.
“The America's Road Team is the best way the trucking industry can reach out to the motoring public to advance the image of the industry,” said ATA President and CEO Bill Graves. “These elite professional drivers combine impressive safety records with the desire to share their dedication and passion for safety. The trucking industry is proud to welcome these new Captains as they serve as ambassadors, sharing trucking’s message of professionalism, safety and essentiality.” ATA created America's Road Team in 1986. It continues today with the generous support of Volvo Trucks North America. The Team represents America's 3.5 million professional drivers and serves as an example of the professional dedication and teamwork needed to deliver America's freight safely and on time.
“Volvo Trucks congratulates the outstanding drivers chosen to represent the U.S. trucking industry in 2009 and 2010,” said Scott Kress, Volvo Trucks senior vice president - sales & marketing. “Their driving records and complete professionalism demonstrate their commitment to safety and the pride they take in driving a truck well, every day. They make possible the benefit to society that the trucking industry delivers. Volvo also salutes their employers, since America's Road Team wouldn't happen without their support.”
While maintaining their jobs as full-time professional drivers, the new America's Road Team Captains will now travel the country speaking on behalf of the trucking industry to the community, news media and public officials. The Captains will address transportation and safety issues, speaking at community events and anywhere they can reach the motoring public to share safe driving tips and offer advice on how to safely share the road with tractor-trailers.
The Road Team Captains also advocate safety to those within the industry at terminals and truck stops. They speak with fellow drivers, driver training students and corporate safety officers. They also have the opportunity to present trucking and safety issues before our public officials, at the national, state and local levels.
To be nominated to serve as a Road Team Captain, the candidates must be employed as a company driver or leased owner-operator by a full-dues-paying member of ATA. Each nominee must have an excellent safety record and demonstrate an ability to communicate a commitment to safety and professionalism.
2009-2010 America’s Road Team Captains
| NAME |
COMPANY |
HOME CITY / STATE |
| Gerald Charron |
Con-way Freight |
Danville, VT |
| Tim Dean |
Werner Enterprises |
Griswold, IA |
| Rich Ewing |
Yellow Transportation |
Bellingham, WA |
| John Foran |
United Parcel Service |
Saint Albans, VT |
| James Gallagher |
Roadway |
Williamsville, NY |
| Paul Gattin |
ABF Freight System |
Benton, AR |
| Ronald Hawkins, Jr. |
K-Limited Carrier Ltd. |
Perrysburg, OH |
| Mark Hassemer |
Yellow Transportation |
Whitelaw, WI |
| Barry Holland |
UPS Freight |
Hurlock, MD |
| Edward Hosegood |
Publix Super Markets, Inc. |
Lakeland, FL |
| Keith Johnson |
Roadway |
Eatonville, WA |
| Gary Leu |
Wal-Mart Transportation |
Shelbina, MO |
| Greg Nauertz |
Roadway |
Peoria, AZ |
| Kurt Pedersen |
Con-way Freight |
Surprise, AZ |
| Ben Saiz |
ABF Freight System |
Estancia, NM |
| Frank Silio |
Covenant Transport |
Miami, FL |
| Jeffrey Thompson |
FedEx Freight |
Olathe, KS |
| Ron Van Bibber |
Roadway |
South Jordan, UT |
The America's Road Team, sponsored by Volvo Trucks North America, is a national public outreach program led by a small group of professional truck drivers who share superior driving skills, remarkable safety records and a strong desire to spread the word about safety on the highway. For more information go to www.americasroadteam.com.
The American Trucking Associations is the largest national trade association for the trucking industry. Through a federation of other trucking groups, industry-related conferences, and its 50 affiliated state trucking associations, ATA represents more than 37,000 members covering every type of motor carrier in the United States.
The American Trucking Associations has led the campaign for rigorous safety laws that affect every driver on the nation’s highways. ATA’s overall safety agenda includes greater education on sharing the road with large trucks, increased traffic enforcement for all vehicles that operate unsafely around large trucks, the adoption of primary safety belt laws in all states, and reinstatement of a national maximum speed limit of 65 mph for all vehicles. ATA also supports limiting truck speeds at the time of manufacture. www.truckline.com