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Mar 14, 2008 9:27 AM

Stagecoach Cartage and Distribution LP of El Paso TX is the grand prize winner of the Truckload Carrier Association (TCA) 33rd Annual National Fleet Safety Awards.

Stagecoach, also a bulk carrier, won the award for truckload companies with a total annual mileage of less than 25 million miles.

TCA, which presented the award at its annual meeting March 4, said in a press release that the Stagecoach safety program begins with major investments in technology. The company has incorporated the latest technology into its vehicles, allowing it to track things such as the maximum speed of the truck, idle time, hard braking, lane departures, and tire pressure. Using this information, it can, for example, spot a driver who is following other vehicles too closely and work with him to change the unsafe habit. Speeding is another issue that is tracked closely; drivers are warned twice and then terminated if three speeding incidents are detected.

In an effort to encourage healthy drivers, Stagecoach provides fruit every day and reimburses them for membership in a fitness facility, if they choose to participate. The company recently held a fitness challenge, paying $10 per pound to everyone who lost weight. It also hosts a driver fatigue (sleep apnea) program and a smoking cessation program.