The 2019 Lytx Driver and Coach of the Year award recipients demonstrate that safe driving is the product of continuous learning, and that a deep-seeded commitment to safety can have a positive impact on every individual, company and community they serve.
“Lytx is honored to recognize these drivers and coaches who truly make a difference on America’s roadways. It’s not about never having an incident, but learning from a mistake, making a commitment to implement safety practices daily and coaching those around you to do the same,” said Del Lisk, vice president of Safety Services at Lytx.
“These drivers and coaches exemplify the safest driving standards and behaviors found in the transportation industry today.”
- Del Lisk, vice president of Safety Services at Lytx.
The winners of the “Driver of the Year Award” derive from clients across six commercial driving categories: Government; Services and Utilities; Transit/Motor Coach; For-Hire Trucking; Private Trucking; and Waste/Construction.
All of the 2019 winners are listed below. Take a look at what the first place winners had to say about their career, the award, and their commitment to safety.
Government
First Place Winner – Martin Bowen of the City of Ocala, Florida has been committed to how his Lytx DriveCam® Event Recorder can help him improve safety since his last coachable event in November 2016. The incident transformed the way he operates his clamshell truck. Since then, Bowen has made safe driving a habit and hasn’t triggered a single coachable event. He has won numerous safety awards, including Ocala’s “Driver of the Year Award” in both 2017 and 2018, as well as, the Public Works Department Character Award in December 2018, which was sparked by a citizen calling the city to express appreciation for Bowen going above and beyond what is expected of him.
Second Place – Juan Trujillo of the City & County of Denver Solid Waste Management, Colorado
Third Place – Donald Cassedy of the Fairfax County Government Land Development, Virginia
Services and utilities
First Place Winner – Jerry Ingram of Murphy-Hoffman Company (MHC) has been a model employee who has risen quickly to be the lead driver and driver trainer at MHC’s Atlanta branch. Ingram has never been involved in a preventable collision nor received any moving violations during his tenure at the company. He is well liked by his MHC team and by the vast customer base he serves. This safety-minded driver approaches customer service with a “whatever it takes” attitude, and consistently provides constructive feedback to help the company further reach its goals. Ingram is both a model employee and a model citizen who serves his community as a youth football coach and disaster relief volunteer.
Second Place – John L. Enos of National Grid
Third Place – Louie Escando of Rescue Rooter
Transit/motor coach
First Place Winner – John Como of MV Transportation, Inc. loves what he does, especially when it comes to transporting the elderly or people with disabilities to doctor visits, shopping, the bank, or wherever they need to go. After each coachable event, he works closely with his manager to find a solution and never makes the same mistake twice. Como’s work ethic is unmatched even after a lung cancer diagnosis and ensuing treatment, he only missed two weeks of work.
Second Place – George Kessler of Greyhound Lines
For-hire trucking
First Place Winner – Doug Hager of American Central Transport, Inc. (ACT) has a goal to be the best driver he can be. He strives to always represent his company in a positive light and treat every customer and coworker with respect. He has gone two consecutive years without any coachable events and was recognized as the 2017 ACT Safe Driver of the Year. Hager works diligently to be the safest driver possible and encourages others to do the same by promoting important safety practices across his organization.
Second Place – Edward Perry II of TransAm Trucking
Third Place – Arvis Dyches Jr. of TransWood
Private trucking
First Place Winner – Earl Brown of Performance Food Group (PFG) has been working with PFG since 2000, after he left the U.S. Army with the rank of Corporal. Brown recognizes that having his commercial driver’s license is an honor, not a privilege, and views his Lytx DriveCam Event Recorder as an added benefit to help safeguard his livelihood. He is a model employee who treats every customer with respect. As a husband and a father of three, Brown supported his wife and family every step of the way after her diagnosis with lupus in 2012. He even helped to raise money and disease awareness through charity bike events.
Second Place – Jonathan Gazda of Reyes Holdings
Third Place – Mark Connealy of Fred Meyer/Kroger
Waste/construction
First Place Winner – Leonard Leanos of Waste Management San Gabriel has been with the company for more than three decades and receives praise from his coworkers, the community and customers he serves. In 2018, he was recognized as the National Waste and Recycling Association Driver of the Year, as well as the Waste Management San Gabriel Employee of the Year. In addition to his superb work ethic and focus on driver safety, Leanos conducts recycling demonstrations at local schools and participates in the annual California Highway Patrol’s CHiPS for Kids toy drive event, helping to distribute toys to less fortunate children. Leanos even helped fulfill a little boy’s fourth birthday wish of having his very own Waste Management truck, stopping by with a toy-sized model and showing the boy around his full-sized side-load trash truck.
Second Place – Bill White of Waste Connections
Third Place – DeAnn Martwick of GCC
Coach of the Year
Dina Dixon of ARS/Rescue Rooter is the “2019 Coach of the Year.” Since implementing the Lytx Driver Safety Program, ARS was awarded Best Overall Safety branch in 2016. Dixon met or exceeded safety compliance in all four quarters of 2018. She coached drivers following incidents, provided weekly presentations on safety topics, conducted job site and vehicle inspections and managed annual and new-hire driver training programs. Her hard work culminated in reducing total collisions from eight in 2017 to three in 2018; improving preventable incidents year-over-year from 67 percent to 33 percent; and reducing total claims to just nine incidents with regard to auto loss, workers’ compensation and general liability claims. Dixon is committed to ensuring everyone looks out for each other on the jobsite and performs their jobs as safely as possible.
In addition to being selected the overall winner of the “2019 Coach of the Year,” Dixon was also the First Place Winner in the Services and Utilities category. Other First Place Winners within their respective categories this year were:
- Government: Carlos Garcia of the City of North Miami
- For-Hire Trucking: Jody Clark of Big M Transportation
- Transit/Motor Coach: Harry MacGlaughlin of Keolis Transit America
- Private Trucking: James Bullwinkel of Sysco Sacramento
- Waste/Construction: David Bass of Concrete Supply Co.
"We congratulate the exceptional performance of all nominated drivers and coaches and applaud them on their dedication to driver safety. As such, Lytx remains steadfast to enhancing our Driver Safety Program, and will continue to honor those who have risen to the top of their profession," Lisk said.