The search is on to recognize truck drivers who are among the best on the road and in their communities.
TA and Petro are seeking nominations for their third annual Citizen Driver Awards, and nominations are open through the end of September.
Here’s how to nominate a driver you know.
Citizen drivers honored at 2015 Mid-America truck ShowAs TA and Petro say on the award’s website, “This award recognizes drivers who earn public respect for our industry through good citizenship, safety, community involvement, health and wellness, and leadership.”
Anyone can nominate a driver – fleet owners, employees, husbands, wives, sons, daughters, trucking organization members, trucking industry suppliers. A panel of trucking professionals will review the nominees and serve as judges.
Winners will be announced at the 2016 Mid-America Truck Show.
Among other honors, winners will have a TA or Petro location named for them.
This year’s winners included:
- Richard Ash, an owner/operator from Lakewood, Colo.
- Gary Buchs, an owner/operator for Landstar from Colfax, Ill.
- Robert Fernald, from Westbrook, Me., who drives for Walmart Transportation
- Sandy Long from Marceline, Mo. who drives for Weston Transport
- Michael Sheeds, from Bandera, Tx., who drives for Werner
Here is what TA and Petro are looking for in nominees:
Citizenship: Citizenship encompasses areas in which a professional drivers acts when he or she is around fellow employees, freight customers, dock workers, truck stop employees and motorists. It also includes the way the driver treats his neighbors, friends, family and community. How does the candidate stand out in the way of Citizenship as they represent themselves and the trucking industry?
Safety: The safety area comprises of items like how many miles has this driver driven currently without an accident? Has the candidate ever been honored with any safety awards? What makes this candidate stand out with respect to their approach to driving safely? Might this candidate have saved another’s life? How does the candidate stand out in the way of Safety that makes them a compelling case for this award?
Community Involvement: Is this candidate involved in any trucking related charities or organizations? Is the candidate involved in any organizations back in their home town? What does the candidate do for these organizations? Do they volunteer when they have the opportunity to do so? What makes the candidate stand out with respect to their Community Involvement or within the industry?
Leadership: Does the candidate have any organizations whereby he has a leadership position? Does he volunteer when needed ? Does the candidate lead by example? In what way and with what behaviors do their leadership qualities stand out? What makes this candidate stand out with respect to Leadership?
Health & Wellness: Does the candidate try to live a healthy lifestyle? Has the candidate lost weight by living a healthier lifestyle? Are they physically active? Even if they still stand to lose weight or get healthier, what efforts are they making to bring a healthier lifestyle to their lives? What makes this candidate stand out with respect to Health and Wellness?
