The "Best of the Best" of 2021 was recognized at the 2022 Safety Awards Ceremony Tuesday April 19th. The Ceremony and Dinner was at the Hotel Topeka At City Center (1717 SW Topeka Blvd, Topeka, KS 66612) Previously known as Capitol Plaza Hotel.
Professional Truck Drivers and their employers were recognized for their exceptional commitment to the safety of the driving public on April 19, 2022 in Topeka.
Representing over 320 years of experience and more than 19.4 million miles of safe driving during their careers, 12 drivers were chosen as 2021 Drivers of the Month.
The Kansas Drivers of the Month
January Max Slieter J&H Trucking, Inc. | February Guadalupe Heredia-Franco National Carriers Inc | March Kevin O'Moore National Carriers Inc | April Robert Boldra Jr. National Carriers Inc |
May Stefanus D Voges National Carriers Inc | June Tyler Claussen National Carriers Inc | July Larry Willits RedGuard LLC | August Stephen R Madrigal RedGuard LLC |
September Kenneth Minium Wal-Mart Transportation LLC | October Randy Duncan Wal-Mart Transportation LLC | November Robert "Bob" Oswald Wal-Mart Transportation LLC | December Tom Segebart Wal-Mart Transportation LLC |
2021 Kansas Driver of the Year
In addition to being chosen as a Driver of the Month, Robert “Bob” Oswald, Wal-Mart Transportation LLC was chosen as
Driver of the Year. Bob has logged over 4.7 million miles during his career of 49 years. Bob takes part in Wal-Mart’s
Hazmat and claims training programs. He was a Kansas Driver of the Month last year, is a New Driver Mentor and has been a Kansas Road Team Captain for the last four years. He competes in all local Wal-Mart TDCs, 9 State TDCs, and competed at ATA’s National TDC in 2012. Bob is a Knight of Columbus in Boonville and enjoys going to church, taking road trips with Gail and spending time with his two kids and six grandkids.
Margie Gayle Edwards and Robert "Bob" Oswald Lieutenant Steve La Row, Kansas Highway Patrol, Margie Gayle Edwards, Bob Oswald, Wal-Mart Transportation LLC, and Lieutenant Bryon Wilson, Kansas Highway Patrol
The Safety Professional of the Year Kevin Hanschu with J&H Trucking, Inc. was chosen as the Safety Professional of the Year. Judges were particularly impressed with the dedication of Hanschu because of his effort he puts into his job every day. He delivers his ideas to better J&H Trucking, Inc. in a manner in which he is knowledgeable, believable, and most importantly trusted. |
The Fleet Safety Contest
This competition acknowledges carriers who compete in their division category and submit their company’s accident records for review by the panel of judges who also judge other KMCA safety contests. The carriers are evaluated on their Kansas DOT accident frequency ratio, ISS-2 score, SafeStat score and miles traveled in Kansas during the contest year.
The top fleets have driven 117 million miles in 2021, with an accident ratio of 0.197 accidents per million miles. Certificate winners of the fleet safety contest included:
AGRICULTURAL CARRIER DIVISION Short & Son Inc., Goodland, KS MOVERS CONFERENCE OF KANSAS Kansas Van & Storage Criqui Corporation, Topeka, KS PRIVATE CARRIER DIVISION Occidental Chemical Corporation OCC DBA Basic Chemicals Company, Wichita, KS RedGuard LLC, Wichita, KS LARGE PRIVATE CARRIER DIVISION Wal-Mart Transportation LLC, Ottawa, KS TANK TRUCK CARRIER DIVISION John E Jones Oil Co., Inc., Stockton, KS LARGE TANK TRUCK CARRIER DIVISION Groendyke Transport Inc., Liberal, KS LARGE LESS-THAN-TRUCKLOAD CARRIER DIVISION ABF Freight System Inc., Wichita, KS FedEx Freight, Inc., Kansas City, KS TRUCKLOAD CARRIERS DIVISION Debrick Truck Line Company, Paola, KS Great Plains Trucking, Inc., Salina, KS International Express Trucking Inc., Kansas City, KS J&H Trucking, Inc., Andover, KS Red Line Inc., Emporia, KS RMJK Enterprises, Inc. dba HIT, Inc., Kansas City, KS LARGE TRUCKLOAD CARRIER DIVISION National Carriers Inc., Liberal, KS (Pictured left to right): Steve Crider - RedGuard LLC, Brent Burrell - Occidental Chemical Corporation OCC dba Basic Chemicals Company, Judy Weis - Great Plains Trucking, Larry "Doc" Criqui - Kansas Van and Storage Criqui Corporation, Kevin Hanschu - J&H Trucking Inc, Jason Boyle - Groendyke Transport Inc., Curt Lewis - Wal-Mart Transportation LLC, Jill Maschmeier - National Carriers Inc., Kevin Nelson - Red Line Inc., Mark McNeely - FedEx Freight Inc, and Ross Johnston - RMJK Enterprises Inc. dba HIT Inc. | And division winners who received a plaque for outstanding achievement in highway safety included: AGRICULTURAL CARRIER DIVISION Short & Son Inc. MOVERS CONFERENCE OF KANSAS Kansas Van & Storage Criqui Corporation PRIVATE CARRIER DIVISION Occidental Chemical Corporation OCC DBA Basic Chemicals Company LARGE PRIVATE CARRIER DIVISION Wal-Mart Transportation LLC TANK TRUCK CARRIER DIVISION John E Jones Oil Co., Inc. LARGE TANK TRUCK CARRIER DIVISION Groendyke Transport, Inc. TRUCKLOAD CARRIERS DIVISION Red Line Inc. LARGE TRUCKLOAD CARRIER DIVISION National Carriers Inc LESS-THAN-TRUCKLOAD CARRIER DIVISION FedEx Freight, Inc. (Pictured left to right): Mark McNeely - FedEx Freight Inc, Jill Maschmeier - National Carriers Inc., Jason Criqui - Kansas Van and Storage Criqui Corporation, Brent Burrell - Occidental Chemical Corporation OCC dba Basic Chemicals Company, Curt Lewis - Wal-Mart Transportation LLC, and Jason Boyle - Groendyke Transport Inc. |
Kansas Fleet Safety Contest Grand Trophy Winners |
FedEx Freight Inc. was named the Large Fleet Safety Contest Grand Trophy winner. Large fleets are those which have more than 1,000 units. FedEx Freight Inc. has a 0.04% out of service rate for driver inspections and 12.3% out of service rate for vehicle inspections. Pictured Left: Mark McNeely, FedEx Freight Inc. | Occidental Chemical Corporation OCC dba Basic Chemicals Company was the Grand Trophy winner for the Fleet Safety Contest. They have a 0% out of service rate in driver inspections and 1.7% out of service rate for vehicle inspections. Pictured Right: Brent Burrell, Occidental Chemical Corporation |
This annual ceremony hosted by the Safety Management Council of the Kansas Motor Carriers Association recognizes drivers and their companies for their constant commitment to the safety of our roadways. Winners are selected by a panel of judges from the Kansas Highway Patrol, and Kansas Corporation Commission.