For the 35th year, the Truckload Carriers Association announced the grand prize winners of its National Fleet Safety Awards, sponsored by Great West Casualty Co. Brian Kurtz Trucking Ltd., of Breslau, Ontario, won the award for truckload companies in the small carrier division (total annual mileage of less than 25 million miles), while Bison Transport of Winnipeg, Manitoba, won in the category for truckload companies in the large carrier division (total annual mileage of 25 million or more miles).
TCA presented the awards to Brian Kurtz, president of Brian Kurtz Trucking Ltd., and Rob Penner, vice president of operations for Bison Transport, at the association’s Annual Awards Banquet held March 15 at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego. Both companies will be recognized a second time during TCA’s upcoming Safety & Security Division Annual Meeting, to be held May 15-17 at the Embassy Suites Murfreesboro Hotel and Conference Center in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
The two grand prize winners were selected from among 18 division winners in the National Fleet Safety Division Awards announced in January. In order to be granted the prestigious grand prize, both companies had to demonstrate that they strive to meet stringent standards in their overall safety programs, on and off the highway, and were judged to be the best in their commitment to improving safety on our nation’s highways.
The judging process for TCA’s National Fleet Safety Awards began with the determination of the top companies in each of six mileage divisions. The division winners were selected based on accident frequency only. The top three winners in each division then were able to compete for the two grand prizes. The grand prize-winning companies were judged on their excellent overall safety programs, both on- and off-highway
During the judging, some of the factors considered included safety program organization, employee driver/independent contractor selection procedures, training, supervision, accident investigation, inspection and maintenance of equipment, and outside activities, including general highway safety. All grand prize finalists were audited by independent auditors not affiliated with TCA or the carrier.
