Groendyke Transport executives believed they could claim one of National Tank Truck Carriers’ 2023 North American safety championships after posting the company’s lowest recorded accident frequency. But for the first time in Groendyke’s storied safety history, they weren’t certain until hearing their name on stage.
That’s because up until the 2020 awards, NTTC notified winners before making the public announcement at its Annual Conference, and the 92-year-old bulk hauler last claimed a Heil trophy in 2018. “When you don’t know you’re going to win, it feels more like the Oscars,” quipped Groendyke CEO Greg Hodgen.
He would know. Hodgen, who joined Groendyke the year it secured its fourth outstanding performance trophy, now has played a role in five of the carrier’s record nine safety championships (1973, 1975, 1990, 1991, 1999, 2000, 2016, 2018, and 2023), a feat that will be hard for anyone to match. Dan Dugan Oil Transport, which won seven of the first nine trophies, and Manfredi Motor Transit Company, which won five, no longer exist, leaving Gemini Motor Transport, G&D Trucking/Hoffman Transportation, and Trimac Transportation as the closest active competition with three apiece.
And Groendyke shows no signs of slowing down.
“We got started on it earlier than a lot of companies, and we’ve just always felt like it was our mission to get our drivers home, do it the right way, and do the job safely—no matter what it takes,” explained Chris Pape, vice president of safety and training, who accepted the award May 7 at Fontainebleau Las Vegas. Now the pursuit of safety is ingrained in Groendyke’s culture, which drivers proudly internalize, and leaders reinforce with advanced technology, “world-class” training, and growth-oriented operations.
“Having nine wins puts more pressure on us,” Hodgen contended. “We have to figure out how to stay on top of the mountain and keep getting better every year, and I like that motivation. It keeps us hungry and forces us to be creative.”
Safety ‘storm’
Groendyke’s 800 professional tank truckers traveled 56 million miles and delivered more than 400,000 loads with only nine DOT-recordable crashes in 2023 for an accident frequency of 0.162 per million miles. The Enid, Oklahoma-based carrier won its previous three trophies with frequencies of 0.462 (2018), 0.373 (2016), and 0.269 (2000). “We’ve never had a better year, as long as we’ve been keeping the statistics,” said Joe Morrissey, who succeeded Hodgen as president in January.
“It was the perfect storm.”
See also: Linden Bulk joins Groendyke Transport
Groendyke fended off stiff competition from Trimac, Service Transport Company, and Slay Transportation to win the trophy, according to Pape, who was allowed to review judges’ scores anonymously. “The tank truck industry identifies so closely with safety that everybody digs in and tries hard,” Hodgen said
“So being recognized, and then winning, really is cool.”
The presence of long-time chairman John D. Groendyke, who accepted NTTC’s Lifetime Achievement award, made it cooler. “He’s very proud,” relayed Hodgen, John’s son-in-law. “His name is on the tanks. And the whole family, everyone who was there, truly feels connected to this company, and knows what it means to be safe and win these awards—but they hadn’t all been there to see one presented.
“So it was a very emotional day for everyone.”
Drivers and safety personnel watching from Panama City, Florida, via live stream were equally excited, said Robbie Parrish, VP of operations. “It’s our Super Bowl trophy, so they were stoked,” he said. Parrish, a player in three wins, insists each is special, with new and familiar obstacles for drivers to overcome. Groendyke’s centralized load planning centers help drivers stay safe, reducing stress by increasing efficiency. Leaders’ willingness to adopt novel technologies and build training programs and materials in house also plays a critical role—as does the full support of every Groendyke employee.
“It takes a whole village to achieve something like this,” Parrish said.
Safety technology
Groendyke was the first carrier to secure an exemption from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to use auxiliary pulsating brake lamps on the back of trailers to reduce rear-end crashes. FMCSA renewed the original five-year exemption, which expired April 26, through Oct. 26 while noting Groendyke had equipped 93% of its 1,440 tank trailers with pulsating brake lamps as of 2023 and achieved “a notable reduction in rear-end accidents since 2018” following widespread implementation.
Still, Hodgen hopes to see further brake lamp technology evolution.
“We need to provide passenger cars more information about what’s going on ahead of them because they’re not always paying attention,” he said. “I’d really like to see something on the light that’s speed actuated.”
See also: FMCSA grants more pulsating brake lamp exemptions
Hodgen, who expects artificial intelligence to play a role in safety in the future, points out Groendyke also was an early adopter of electronic logging devices and driver vehicle inspection reports; advanced driver-assistance systems like roll stability, blind-spot detection, and adaptive cruise control; and cameras, which the carrier last year upgraded to a Samsara system that delivers real-time “nudges.”
“All of the technology we’re able to put on trucks today helps us avoid or mitigate accidents, and we’re big adopters,” Hodgen said. “We’re not always first, but when something works, we’re in completely. And it’s helping the entire industry. It has elevated all of us to a higher level of performance.”
Technology innovation extends to the carrier’s Workday learning management system, and the Adobe Captive software that dedicated staff use to create educational courses. Groendyke boasts over 500 custom-made video presentations and assessments—with only a handful of “off-the-shelf” content purchases.
“We’re proud of those programs and we’re constantly rolling out new ones,” Pape said.
Safety training
Safety leaders also are proud of Groendyke’s training trucks, three late-model Freightliner and Kenworth sleepers with three extra seats instead of a bunk, allowing trainers to teach four drivers simultaneously. “It grows their knowledge quickly and exponentially,” Pape said. “As they learn from someone else, they don’t want to be the guy who gets in the seat next and messes up the same task.”
Groendyke also boasts two training bays for simulating loading, unloading, and other tanker activities at its Enid headquarters, where all drivers receive classroom instruction. “It gives people a sense of the culture and organization, and leaders meet them face-to-face.” Orientation typically lasts three weeks, with online and in-cab instruction included, but every training is unique. “It’s not about days or loads,” Pape said. “Everybody learns differently, and we let each employee learn at their pace. But you also need to manage the program well, and make sure they’re continuously improving.”
See also: Familiar faces earn 2023 Heil trophies
The carrier also recently “gamified” improvement with scores for harsh braking, cornering, speeding, and other behaviors; and bolstered its driver feedback program. “We have a great review program that gives drivers a real-time understanding of how they’re performing and their safety habits,” Pape said. And managers make sure to celebrate what drivers are doing well. Hodgen said. “By and large, they actually look forward to that review because they want to know how they’re doing,” he said.
Coaching and continuing education reinforce training, ensuring drivers stay up to date on regulations and the rules of the road. “We practice to proficiency every day because we must take responsibility for everyone around us, and those messages resonate with our drivers after they leave the classroom,” Pape said.
Safety success
A room filled with championship trophies is equally impactful.
“They’re proud to work for a company that is known for safety and consistently puts energy and resources into protecting drivers,” Pape said.
The same goes for all 1,200 employees spread across 40 terminals. Parrish, a Marine Corps veteran, picked Groendyke because his values align with the company’s culture of “relentless integrity, courageous leadership, and continuous innovation;” and Morrissey—who left his dream job as CEO of CTL Transportation to join Groendyke—insists they stay focused on safety no matter what is going on.
“Safety never takes a day off,” he said.
Groendyke’s chosen approach to the market also resonates with customers and potential acquisitional targets, leaders agree.
Many shippers today are “rationalizing” their carrier bases, Morrissey said, and companies of Groendyke’s size, scale, and capability, who also prioritize safe fuel and chemical deliveries, stand out. “The value proposition we’re selling, with service, safety, and capacity assurance, has resonated well with shippers,” he said. “So the trophies do matter. They align with the values of our customers.”
Other carriers see it, too—and want to be part of something special.
Groendyke had several acquisitions in the works that Hodgen—who’s in line to serve as American Trucking Associations’ 80th chairman—expected to close within the next 18 months. It finalized one of those deals, the addition of Linden Bulk Transportation, last month. “I’ve been in this business for 33 years now—I’ll be 60 years old this year—and I have a strong urge to give back,” he said. “That’s why I like the opportunity I’m getting. And it’s an interesting, even pivotal, time for trucking.”
