Continental Express recognized over 200 company drivers for outstanding safe driving at their annual appreciation picnic Saturday, with three awards honoring one million consecutive safe miles driven. Held at Continental’s corporate terminal in Sidney, the National Truck Driver Appreciation Week event included complimentary breakfast, lunch, raffled prizes, and industry-expert speakers.
“Our drivers work hard all year long and we are happy to participate in the much-deserved Driver Appreciation Week. The picnic is a way for Continental Express to close out the week showing gratitude for our drivers’ dedication to the work they do each day. It’s a way to reward them with prizes and recognition, but also better empower them to be as safe as possible while on the road,” said General Manager Jake Albers.
Festivities kicked off with breakfast and an address by the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) Field Safety Investigators Steve Morrie and Jace Neal. Both Morrie and Neal focused on the growing danger of distracted driving.
Following the PUCO presentation, Continental Express Vice President Brad Gottemoeller updated those in attendance on recent growth at Continental, including a new terminal location and plans for the future. Gottemoeller also spoke about changes in the current market and trends in safety and compliance.
In addition to showing appreciation for their hard work, Continental utilized the morning to give special thanks to drivers for their dedication to safety.
Over 230 awards were distributed for consecutive years of accident-free driving, spanning 1 to 27 years.
Highlighting the safety awards were three drivers achieving their million safe mile awards. One million safe miles is one of the highest career achievements for a truck driver. Cody Devlin of Litchfield, MI, Henry Andrade of Fairborn, OH, and David Moore of Duncan, SC received awards for 1 million continuous safe miles.
2024 Million Mile Drivers Henry Andrade and Cody Devlin2024 Million Mile Driver David Moore
As part of their award, each driver received a plaque to note the accomplishment, a generous cash gift, and a custom award decal for their truck.
In addition to these safety awards, Vice Presidents Kiera Sullivan and Brad Gottemoeller recognized two retiring drivers for their lifetime achievements and dedication to Continental Express; Van Barnes of Dayton, OH, and Jim Ledbetter of Ansonia, OH.
Retiring Driver Van Barnes
The driver appreciation picnic concluded with lunch and a raffle.
In addition to driver appreciation week celebrations in Sidney, Continental also celebrated drivers at their Gaffney, South Carolina, Danville, Virginia, Louisville, Kentucky, Fort Worth, Texas, Indianapolis, Indiana, Obetz, Ohio, Fishersville, Virginia, and Oswego, IL locations.
Nationwide, Continental operates with 500 trucks, over 1300 trailers, and 725 associates, 550 of which are professional drivers.
