After Driving More Than 2 Million Miles Without An Accident, Nuckolls Named Trala Driver Of The Year
ALEXANDRIA, VA - April 24, 2003 – Gary Nuckolls has a lot to show off from his 29 years on the road as a commercial truck driver – certificates, letters of commendation and a shelf full of trophies in his home commending him for more than 2 million accident-free miles.
But what’s he most proud of in his career? The countless number of high school students who have entered the “No Zone” driver education program Nuckolls launched in his hometown of Montgomery, Alabama, to teach young drivers the basics of staying safe. Created in 1994, “No Zone” is a national public safety program directed by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to educate the driving public about how to safely share the road with trucks and buses.
Because of Nuckolls’ achievements both on and off the highway, the Truck Renting and Leasing Association (TRALA) has honored him as its 2003 Driver of the Year, a program sponsored by Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company. Nuckolls was recognized at TRALA’s 25th Annual Meeting in Palm Springs.
“In addition to being an outstanding driver and dedicated Penske Logistics associate, Gary contributes a great deal of his time to improving our industry and the community by supporting highway safety programs and taking a lead role in helping new drivers acquire safe driving skills,” said Vincent Hartnett, president, Penske Logistics. “Penske congratulates Gary for being named TRALA Driver of the Year. We are extremely proud to have him on our team.”
Nuckolls started out in the industry hauling mobile homes. He spent 10 years with the Winn-Dixie grocery fleet and 11 years with the MBM Distribution fleet before coming to Penske Logistics at the end of 1998. Currently, Nuckolls delivers for Big Lots stores in the Montgomery, Alabama, area.
“I want to be a good example to drivers and to the community,” Nuckolls said. “I enjoy talking to the next generation of drivers on the road, and I would encourage other drivers to take the time to start a program in their community.”
This year, 12 drivers will receive certificates of merit for their outstanding service. These certificates will be mailed to the drivers. These drivers with outstanding service are:
Jeff Arnold of Penske Logistics in Rancho Cucamonga, California, nominated by Penske Truck Leasing.
Michael Dombrowiak of AIM Dedicated Logistics in Girard, Ohio, nominated by AIM NationaLease.
Larry Dommer of Can-Am Express in Fargo, North Dakota, nominated by RLN NationaLease.
Mark Filson of Perlman-Roque in Greenfield, Indiana, nominated by PRIMMS NationaLease.
James C. Freeman of Penske Logistics in Bridgeton, Missouri, nominated by Penske Logistics.
Merill W. Hughes of RG Transport Inc. in Elwood, Indiana, nominated by Stoops NationaLease.
Kenny H. Hufford of Success Logistics in Kansas City, Kansas, nominated by NationaLease of Kansas City.
Robert Kay of Veteran Food Sales Co. in Rochester, New York, nominated by DeCarolis Truck Rental Inc.
William Henry Martin of Cargo Transporters Inc. in Claremont, North Carolina, nominated by CT Group.
Agostinho P. Pinto of Lily Transportation Corporation in Bronx, New York, nominated by Lily Transportation Corporation.
Kreigh A. Spahr of Penske Logistics in Dayton, Ohio, nominated by Penske Truck Leasing.
Noe Torres of West Coast Turf in Bermuda Dunes, California, nominated by Scully NationaLease.
“Each year, it grows more difficult for TRALA to choose just one Driver of the Year with the number of men and women who are giving their best on the roads day after day,” said TRALA President and CEO Peter Vroom. “We salute Mr. Nuckolls for his dedication and wish him many more years of safe driving.”
ABOUT TRALA
The Truck Renting and Leasing Association, based in Alexandria, Va., is a voluntary, non-profit national trade association, organized in 1978 to provide a unified and focused voice for the truck renting and leasing industry. TRALA's membership includes more than 650 leasing and rental firms and 100 suppliers that make up nearly the entire full-service truck renting and leasing industry. The renting and leasing industry is responsible for approximately 40 percent of all new class 3 through 8 commercial truck registrations.
ABOUT PENSKE LOGISTICS
Penske Logistics is a wholly owned subsidiary of Penske Truck Leasing, a joint venture of Penske Corporation and General Electric. A leading global transportation services provider headquartered in Reading, Pa., the company operates approximately 200,000 vehicles and serves customers from nearly 1,000 locations in the United States, Canada, Mexico, South America and Europe. Product lines include full-service leasing, contract maintenance, commercial and consumer rental, transportation management, distribution management, integrated logistics services, and supply chain management solutions. Penske Logistics is committed to flawless execution, calling on the company’s technology, skilled engineers and operational expertise to create and manage innovative solutions that optimize performance while integrating systems and providing complete supply chain visibility. These solutions help customers reach their business objectives by improving business flow – the flow of product, cash, work and information.
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