Three Professional Drivers Recognized for Their Commitment to Safety;
Combined Professional Driving Experience of 103 Years and Nearly 6.5
Million Safe Miles
MIAMI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Ryder System, Inc. (NYSE:R), a leader in commercial fleet
management, dedicated
transportation, and supply
chain solutions, today announced the honorees of its 44th
Annual Driver of the Year Award, a tribute to driver excellence. The
three professional drivers recognized this year have a combined 103
years and nearly 6.5 million miles of safe, professional driving
experience.
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Junior Belt, Driver of the Year for Ryder Supply Chain Solutions. (Photo: Business Wire)
The Driver of the Year Award, one of Ryder’s longest running and most
prestigious recognition programs, honors drivers who have demonstrated
exemplary safety performance, customer service, and citizenship
throughout their careers. Honorees are selected through a rigorous
review process by a committee that includes Ryder customers, executives,
safety experts, and professional drivers. The top awards this year were
presented to two Ryder-employed drivers – one for Supply Chain
Solutions (SCS) and another for Ryder Dedicated Transportation Solutions
(DTS) – and a driver employed by one of Ryder’s Fleet Management
Solutions (FMS) customers. Recipients are inducted into the Ryder
“Driver Hall of Fame” and presented with a cash prize and a specially
designed ring and watch.
Junior Belt is the Driver of the Year for Ryder SCS. Ryder SCS
drivers are responsible for delivering customer product in a timely and
efficient manner. Mr. Belt drives for the Toyota account in London, Ky.
He has driven over two million miles without a preventable collision
during his almost 28 years with Ryder and a total of 3.1 million miles
over the course of his 32-year professional driving career. His talent
and commitment to safety are evident in his support of the Certified
Driver Trainer (CDT) program and Ryder’s Driver Development Program. In
August 2015, he became a CDT, and through his valuable feedback and
support, he has helped shape the program. Possessing tremendous
knowledge and work ethic, Mr. Belt is the go-to person for new business
start-ups. In addition to being a valuable employee, he also gives back
to his community by volunteering at his church, serving as a deacon, and
helping those in need by mowing lawns, assisting with an Alzheimer’s
patient, fixing cars, and lending a hand wherever needed.
The Driver of the Year for Ryder DTS is Willie Anderson. Ryder
DTS drivers are responsible for operating specialized equipment,
managing unique product handling, running complex routes, and meeting
rigorous service level requirements. The drivers have a special
responsibility when they represent Ryder customers, as they often wear
uniforms with Ryder customer logos and drive vehicles emblazoned with
customer brands. Through Ryder’s relationship with Shell Exploration &
Production Company, a subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell, Mr. Anderson
provides land material transportation to support Shell’s offshore
operations in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico. He has worked for Ryder for 20
years, and has driven over 2.8 million miles during his 34-year
professional driving career. Mr. Anderson’s strong commitment to safety
and professionalism has helped him earn numerous safety awards and
accolades. He is a Certified Driver Trainer, a Driver Ambassador who
assists in driver recruiting, and a Veteran
Buddy, helping recently discharged military personnel hired by Ryder
to transition more easily into their new civilian roles. In addition to
working for Ryder as a driver, Mr. Anderson has also worked for the
Company as a fuel island attendant, tire manager, and customer service
coordinator. He is involved in community programs that seek out homeless
people, providing them with much needed resources. He also volunteers at
his local church, where he serves as a deacon and provides spiritual
guidance to married couples. Mr. Anderson is a U.S. military veteran,
who served in Operation Desert Storm/Shield and aided in the aftermath
of Hurricane Andrew in New Orleans.
Gilbert “Gil” Gutierrez is the Driver of the Year for Ryder FMS.
Mr. Gutierrez drives for Ryder customer Spicers
Paper in Santa Fe Springs, Calif. He has been employed by Spicers
Paper – an independent, regional paper merchant that serves
commercial printers and corporate end users in eight regions throughout
the Western U.S. – for more than 37 years and has driven over a
half million collision-free miles during the course of his 37-year
professional driving career. This accomplishment is particularly notable
since Southern California is one of the most heavily congested traffic
areas in the U.S. Mr. Gutierrez’s knowledge, experience, and excellent
safety record are the benchmarks used by his employer to coach others.
In addition to being one of Spicers Paper’s most valuable employees, he
also gives back to his community by donating food to the needy,
participating in Toys for Tots runs, and donating toys to military
families.
“Ryder is extremely proud to be affiliated with such dedicated,
trustworthy professional drivers like Junior, Willie, and Gil,
who are the best of the best in the industry and who epitomize what it
means to go above and beyond,” said Robert Sanchez, Ryder Chairman and
Chief Executive Officer. “Their impeccable safety records are a
testament to their commitment to safety and excellence, as well as to
their company and its customers. They are the engine that helps keep
businesses running and consumers happy. The Driver of the Year Award
program gives Ryder the perfect platform to show its appreciation and
respect for these honorees, who demonstrate extraordinary safety
leadership, coupled with a sincere devotion to helping others.”
To learn about the types of professional driver positions available at
Ryder, visit https://ryder.com/careers/drivers.
About Ryder
Ryder is a FORTUNE 500® commercial fleet management, dedicated
transportation, and supply chain solutions company. Ryder’s stock
(NYSE:R) is a component of the Dow Jones Transportation Average and the
Standard & Poor’s 500 Index. Ryder has been named among FORTUNE’s
World’s Most Admired Companies, and has been recognized for its
industry-leading practices in third-party logistics,
environmentally-friendly fleet and supply chain solutions, and
world-class safety and security programs. The Company is a proud member
of the American Red Cross Disaster Responder Program, supporting
national and local disaster preparedness and response efforts. For more
information, visit www.ryder.com,
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Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: Certain statements
and information included in this news release are
"forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Federal Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking
statements are based on our current plans and expectations and are
subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Accordingly,
these forward-looking statements should be evaluated with consideration
given to the many risks and uncertainties that could cause actual
results and events to differ materially from those in the
forward-looking statements including those risks set forth in our
periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. New
risks emerge from time to time. It is not possible for management
to predict all such risk factors or to assess the impact of such risks
on our business. Accordingly, we undertake no obligation to
publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a
result of new information, future events, or otherwise.
View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170406005184/en/
Source: Ryder System, Inc.