Ruan Transportation Management Systems and Searcy Trucking Limited were awarded 2015 Volvo Trucks Safety Awards at the American Trucking Associations Management Conference & Exhibition October 17-20 in Philadelphia PA. The two companies were honored for their exemplary safety records and training programs, with each receiving $25,000 for future safety initiatives.
“By making safety a priority every day, Ruan Transportation and Searcy Trucking were able to deliver an outstanding safety performance during the past year,” said Göran Nyberg, president, Volvo Trucks North America. “Their investments in industry-leading safety programs and training show a dedication to driver safety, and we congratulate them on this achievement.”
Ruan Transportation Management Systems, based in Des Moines, Iowa (http://www.ruan.com) is the 2015 winner in the over 20 million miles category. Founded in 1932, Ruan is one of the top 10 privately owned transportation companies in the United States with 270-plus locations. With more than 3,900 trucks in its fleet, Ruan hauls freight for a wide range of industries, including retail, manufacturing, food and dairy, chemicals, medical supplies, and waste.
In the 1940s, Ruan became the first transportation company to introduce a formal safety program. Today, its strong safety culture focuses on continuous improvements in safety performance. Ruan uses the comprehensive Megasafe safety program to guide training, safety meetings and overall field safety operations. Ruan drivers logged more than 246 million miles in 2014 and had an accident frequency rate of only .61.
“We are honored and proud to be recognized with the Volvo safety award,” said Lisa Gonnerman, vice-president of safety for Ruan Transportation Management Systems. “Nothing is more important to us than the safety of our drivers and protecting the motoring public around us. We are driven to be safe, and our programs demonstrate our safety focus.”
Click here to learn more about Ruan’s commitment to safety or visit www.volvotrucks.com/trucks/na/en-us/fleet_safety_awards/winners/Pages/2015_Div2_Ruan.aspx
Searcy Trucking Limited (http://www.searcytrucking.com), a family-owned company located in Winnipeg MB, Canada, won the Volvo Trucks Safety Award in the under 20 million miles category. A division of Canada’s Bison Transport since 2013, Searcy was established in 1969 and specializes in flatbed transportation services. The company also has a distribution division for freight handling logistics.
Searcy’s strong safety culture calls for managing safety with the same attention to detail as financial management. Driver training includes simulations based on real-life fleet experience. With 88 trucks in its fleet, Searcy’s safety practices include a Right to Decide policy that empowers drivers with the right and the responsibility to temporarily discontinue a trip when conditions are too hazardous to drive safely. Searcy’s drivers logged more than 6.8 million miles in 2014 and had an accident frequency rate of just .58.
“Safety has been a core value at Searcy Trucking for as long as we’ve been in the trucking business, and was a key factor in Bison’s interest in acquiring Searcy back in 2013,” said Norm Blagden, president, Searcy Trucking. “Searcy drivers are some of the best in the business. That, combined with a leading safety program, ensures our drivers return home safely at the end of each and every trip.”
Click here to learn more about Searcy’s safety commitment or visit www.volvotrucks.com/trucks/na/en-us/fleet_safety_awards/winners/Pages/2015_Div1_Searcy.aspx
The Volvo Trucks Safety Award program, now entering its seventh year, recognizes the outstanding safety performance of North American fleets. Since 2009, Michelin Americas Truck Tires has been a co-sponsor of the program.
"Michelin has been focused on safety for over 125 years, and we are proud to again partner with Volvo Trucks to recognize the safest fleets in North America with the 2015 Volvo Trucks Safety Awards,” said Mike Cain, Michelin vice-president of original equipment.
The Volvo Trucks Safety Awards are open to all US and Canadian motor carriers operating at least five Class 8 units, at least one of which must be a Volvo model. Winners are selected based on their accident frequency rates, using the US Department of Transportation definition of a recordable accident, as well as their safety and accident prevention programs. Top prizes are awarded to the fleets with the best records in two divisions based on annual vehicle miles traveled: less than 20 million miles and more than 20 million miles.