The Truckload Carriers Association and CCJ sister publications Overdrive and Truckers News announced Tuesday the winners of the 2015 Driver of the Year awards.
From the left: Brad Holthaus of Randall Reilly, Danny Smith, Randy Vernon of Big G Express and Jon Archard of Love’s Travel Stops.TCA and Truckers News named 56-year-old Tennessee trucker Danny Smith, a dry van driver for Big G Express of Shelbyville, Tenn., as the Company Driver of the Year. Smith has been driving for Big G Express for 21 years. He received $25,000 in the contest sponsored by Love’s Travel Stops and Cummins. This was the third time in four years Smith was up for the award.
Edward Mark Tricco, leased to Bison Transport in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, was named 2015 Owner-Operator of the Year by TCA and Overdrive Tuesday night. He also won a $25,000 cash prize.
The other finalists for the awards — company driveres Guy Broderick and David McGowan and owner-operator Glen Horack — each received $2,500.
Just before arriving at the TCA conference, Smith surpassed the career milestone of driving 3 million consecutive, accident-free miles. Smith, the first driver hired at Big G Express in 1995, is also the company’s first driver to reach this achievement.
“I couldn’t have reached this milestone without the support of my family and my Big G family,” said Smith. He describes safety as a habit and encourages others to practice good driving habits and avoid distractions while driving.
Edward Mark Tricco won the Owner-Operator of the Year Award.Accepting the award in the owner-operator category, Tricco said his job has given him the opportunity “to give back to the community and protect the environment.”
Tricco has logged more than 4.3 million accident-free miles during his 36-year driving career. He has been leased to Bison Transport since 1996 and pulls a reefer with his 2009 Volvo.
In a video interview played at the TCA awards banquet, Tricco recounted rescuing another truck driver who was freezing to death in his disabled truck. “He would’ve froze to death,” he said.
