Northeast Region Driver of the Month - August 2023

 

Every account has a few exceptional drivers, one that stands out above the rest. Tom is that driver for the Costco account. He holds the current record for the most trainees on our account at 17, with a 91.2% trainer score. His accident history is zero while working for JB Hunt for almost 7 years. He’s expected to hit 750,000 accident-free miles in January. It’s difficult to explain the level of appreciation we have for Tom. He calls into the office regularly to check in with us to verify his trainees’ information, so that he can arrive on time to greet them. As well as making himself available at night for any start up to accommodate the trainees. When we’re in need of a driver receiving additional training, such as a ride-along, Tom is there for us every time. Many of us have spoken to Tom and his family because he’ll call into the office while on speakerphone with them in his personal vehicle. Not only does he go out of his way to make sure he’s training everyone properly, but he also physically goes out of his way to get to work. Tom is our longest tenured driver based out of Connecticut. He parks in West Haven and takes an empty to our location in NJ to pick up his delivery. Recently, he attended our BBQ as he sat with our other drivers sharing stories. We are incredibly grateful for having Tom on our account and look forward to celebrating more milestones with him in the coming years.

Congratulations Tom !

Northeast Region Driver of the month - July 2023

 

Please join me in congratulating Petrit Osmanovic from the UNFI account in Schnecksville Pennsylvania for being selected as the July 2023 NE Region driver of the month.

Petrit joined the J.B. Hunt team in February of 2022 and his manager Ibn Rashed has the following comments to support this selection;

Over the past year, Petrit has demonstrated an extraordinary record of accident and event-free driving, showcasing his exceptional skill and vigilance on the road. His dedication to maintaining the highest safety standards not only reflects positively on our company but also contributes significantly to the safety of other road users. Notably, Petrit has gone above and beyond in contributing to the growth and development of our team. Through his exceptional mentoring and coaching abilities, he has played a vital role in training a remarkable 80% of our new drivers. His willingness to share his expertise and experiences has fostered a culture of continuous learning within our organization. Petrit's professionalism, positive attitude, and strong work ethic have garnered the respect and admiration of both his peers and supervisors alike. His exemplary conduct serves as an inspiration to others, setting a benchmark for excellence within our company.

For his selection , Petrit will be considered along with the other 2023 selections to compete for the prestigious driver of the year award being selected in January of 2024.   

Great work Petrit!

Northeast Region driver of the month - June 2023

 

Please join me in congratulating Sean Dowd from the Westfield Frozen account for being selected as the Northeast Region driver of the month for June of 2023. 

Sean has been with J.B. Hunt since August 15, 2016, just a couple months shy of 7 full years.  Sean was in the Air Force and is a Veteran which led to his nomination each year to participate in Wreaths Across America.  Sean had the honor of being part of the Wreaths events 3 times so far with J.B. Hunt.  He currently sits at 1,485 days critical event free days which equates to over 4 full years of never having any safety events in our trucks, an amazing achievement!  As of today, Sean is currently at 571,749 safe miles.  These safety milestones are not easy to achieve with everything Sean has done and still does for J. B. Hunt.  Sean is what we call a universal driver and a master driver trainer. Sean has his hazmat and doubles endorsements along with flatbed experience.  With all his experience and endorsements Sean has either worked on or trained up over 20+ accounts within J. B. Hunt!  Sean has worked on all C&S accounts, AutoZone, Macy’s, Shaw’s, and Westfield Frozen.  Sean has also hauled for and trained up fleets on Cardone, Amazon, OTR (going from California to Florida), JBI, JSI, Marvin Windows, Mountaire Farm, Murphy Road, Sherwood Lumber, ADUSA -Hannaford, Costco, Saks 5^th Ave, Petco and UNFI just to name a few! 

Great Work Sean !

Northeast Driver of the Month - May 2023

 

Please join me in congratulating Ray Carroll for being selected as the Northeast region driver of the month for May of 2023. 

Ray has been an exemplary J.B. Hunt employee since 2015and works at the Rite Aid account in Aberdeen MD.   He is one of the account’s stand-out trainers and has shown himself to be a safe and reliable roll model to his peers and trainees. Ray’s personal philosophy to success is to “stay vigilant in completing the work each day, to take your time, and understand all aspects of the job at hand.  The better you understand the job and value of the work, the better you understand the possible repercussions of failing to do things properly”. Rays sets the standards for himself and those he trains high, his motto is “Arrive Alive”.

 Ray’s driving career started 9 years ago, and he has consistently worked to make it a successful endeavor.  This is Ray’s second driving job, and he counts it as his best.  Ray had one collision event when starting at the company 8 years ago and he has not had a CVE in 2-years. Driving safely for the public, himself, and his family is what motivates him each day. Ray consistently goes above and beyond and has even been awarded the account’s champion belt for outstanding service.

 Outside of the office, Ray enjoys BBQing and spending quality time with this family.  He has 4 children and 1 granddaughter soon turning 1-year old.  Ray is an avid sports fan.  He used to play basketball and is a huge football fan of the Chicago Bears. Ray plans to retire from Hunt.  He says if he does decide to come out of the truck, he has an interest in Operations, particularly in Safety. 

 Ray’s dedication to creating a safe and healthy work environment made it easy to choose him for driver of the month.  The positivity he brings each day impacts everyone he interacts with.  His safety record shows that he practices what he teaches

Northeast region driver of the month - April 2023

 

Please join me in congratulating million safe mile driver, Mike Desrochers as the northeast region driver  of the Month. 

While Mike earned his million miles last year, he hasn’t let off the proverbial throttle since. Mike is a leader in a veteran group of drivers at the C&S Brattleboro, VT account. As do all the drivers in Brattleboro, Mike has a BIG personality. As such, with the recently unearthed Brandtjen Badass of the Month belt back in hand, Mike can lift that bad boy above his head with pride.

 Mike’s management team had this to say: “Mike continuously goes above and beyond for C & S as well as our end customers and our drivers.  He always presents a professional demeanor when arriving at and unloading at his stops, always assist in the offload, and ensures that customers receive their products on time.  Mike also helps our other drivers with information on the best way to get to a store, assists those drivers when they are unsure of their approach to the loading docks at any stores they are unfamiliar with, and sets those drivers up for success. 

 Mike also works well with the warehouse team in Brattleboro.  In fact, he set up a text group with them to communicate about load quality, both good and bad, to facilitate any necessary changes that need to happen to provide the best possible service to the stores.

 In addition to the above, Mike is our first 1 Million Safe Miles driver, with 1.130,970 accident-free miles under his belt!”

 Congratulations Mike! Here’s to the next Million!!!!!

 

Northeast region driver of the month - March 2023

Please join me in congratulating Walter Sierpinski for representing the northeast region as the driver of the month.  The northeast region is comprised of over 2800 drivers and over 100 dedicated accounts.  Walter was hired in 2014 and his team had the following to say:

Once the Mountaire Refrigerated Account startup date arrived, Walter was one of the very first drivers to dive in and travel down from NY to support!

He was one of the most trustworthy drivers we could find, and when we asked Walter if he would like to join our team down in DE, he enthusiastically agreed. Two years later, Walter moved his family to Maryland, where they now live a peaceful life with his wife and daughter only 30 minutes away from our account.

 Everyone in our account is aware of Walter's thorough pre / post-trip inspections and attention to detail when it comes to his work. He is a dedicated driver, but also takes his role as a trainer very seriously, contributing his years of experience navigating NYC to a developing fleet.  In his spare time, Walter likes to play pool, but woodworking is his hobby and true love.  As appreciation for Walter’s accomplishments, a life size cardboard cutout stands proudly in the Mountaire Refrigerated office. Thanks Walter and congratulations on your achievement!

Northeast Driver of the Month - February 2023

Please join me in congratulating Anthony Porter from the Land O Lakes account in Camp Hill PA for being selected as the northeast region driver of the month.  Anthony joined J.B. Hunt in 2003 and has worked at a variety of locations during his time.  Including HD Pro PA,  Final Mile Carlisle , and his current location Land O Lakes in Camp Hill , his operations team submitted the following nomination:

Anthony started his career at JB Hunt on March 5, 2003. Anthony recalls having to drive from Harrisburg, PA to Philadelphia, PA at the TA to interview for his job at the Home Depot Pro Account. Anthony worked for the Home Depot Pro account for 7 years. Then Anthony made a change and moved over to Final Mile account based out of Carlisle, PA for 1 year. For his last transfer and current account he is working at, Anthony transferred over to the Land O Lakes Account in Camp Hill, PA.

Anthony has helped start up many of many accounts in the Northeast region without hesitation. Anthony helped start up as well as being a support driver for all the accounts listed: C and S York, Unilever, Big Lots, Home Depot Pro after we regained the business, Bulk side of business for Land O Lakes, Weyerhaeuser account,  ACH, Igps, Gerdau, Home Depot, Rite Aid JBI at the Harrisburg Terminal and many more other accounts. Anthony has also trained drivers and driver trainers for many of these accounts as well.

Anthony celebrated his 20 year tenure with JB Hunt just this past Tuesday. He was surprised to have a celebration with friends, coworkers of other account leadership, as well as his wife Denise. We would like to nominate him for his hard work over the past 20 years and more years to come. Anthony also was recognized for his safe driving accomplishment of 1.58 million miles driving collision free. We appreciate everything Anthony does day in and day out to ensure the safety of the motoring public.

Congratulations and drive safe! 

Northeast Region Driver of the Month - January 2023

 

Please join me in congratulating Hudson Monestime  from the Adusa Bethlehem account for being selected as the January 2023 northeast region driver of the month.   Hudson has a strong safety record and has been with J.B. Hunt since 2006.  Recently Hudson was called on to assist a driver out of the East Brunswick  fleet and when he arrived he quickly realized that this was a serious medical event that needed assistance,  Hudson was able to call and stay with the driver until medical personnel arrived and made sure the driver received the care that he needed.  Going the extra mile is what Hudson is all about.   Nice work Hudson on earning driver of the month honors. 

Northeast Region driver of the month -December 2022

Please join me in congratulating Catherine Nesbitt from the My Auto store account in Camden NJ for being selected as the northeast region driver of the month for December of 2022.

 Catherine's Manager Paul  Tavares had the following submission on why Catherine deserves this recognition:

Catharine has been the definition of exceptional for the last month. The word NO does not exist in her vocabulary. I appreciate the fact that Catharine thinks outside the box and offers how things can get done as opposed to why they cannot. She has been extremely safe, and she is currently sitting at 1200 critical event free days and over 200,00 safe miles. If I were describing the prototypical driver, we would have to start by spelling out Catharine’s name. She has been AMAZING, and I really appreciate her for the ease she provides to me as a manager and dispatcher. Please keep driving like a champion Catharine we really do appreciate it!!!

For her selection she will receive an additional pay award of $500.00 and consideration for next years driver of the year award.

Great Job and thanks for your dedication !

Northeast region driver of the month - November 2022

 

Congratulations Anthony Turner from the Unilever Newville PA fleet for being selected as the northeast region driver of the month.

Anthony has been with JB Hunt since 10/08/2019. Mr. Turner has 350,000 safe driving miles since being hired on, it shows how hard of a working man he is. He is a proud dad of two boys who he loves dearly and never misses a football game of theirs. He is also an outdoorsman who enjoys fishing and hunting.  For 18 years he has been happily married to his wife Angie, who is also a member of the J.B. Hunt family.

Mr. Turner is a great example of what you want when it comes to a driver. He is safe, responsible, and goal-oriented member of the Unilever team. He always looks out for the benefit of the account and sees the bigger picture. Anything that is asked from management, Anthony is there for! Examples would be where its him coming back to drop and hook to a short haul, or even staying out longer than he anticipated for. He does live unloads better than anyone else on the account and is in hours early to ensure his equipment is up to DOT standards and gives himself extra time for those unknown variables that he may encounter. Also, he is fearless when it comes to winter storms. Last year when it was snowing in North Carolina which it never does, and majority of the fleet were skeptic of going, I called Anthony and he already knew what was going to be asked of him, no hesitation he said yes, I got you! Overall, Anthony is a great driver and someone who is always welcomed in the office as he brightens up the moral even on the worst of days! The Unilever team is proud to nominate Anthony Turner. 

Northeast Region Driver of the Month October 2022

 

This months winner for northeast region DOM  Tee Yodkaew!    Tee works at the Amazon NE Bethlehem PA location and has been with J.B.Hunt since January of 2020.

Tee has been with us since just before the pandemic began and from the beginning has proven to be one of our best, he takes his job seriously, is one of our safest drivers, and has trained quite a few of our best and most consistent drivers. 

Tee is down to earth, easy to communicate with, appreciates all of the managers on the account and is a good representative of our Drive like a Champion culture here at JB Hunt.

For his selection Tee will be considered for the prestigious driver of the year award being selected in January 2023 at our annual kick off ceremony.    

Northeast Region Driver of the Month - September 2022

Please join me in congratulating Glenn Van Arkel for being selected as the northeast region driver of the month.  Glenn works at the Home Depot Pittston location and has been with J.B. Hunt since 2017.  Jeff's management team has the following to say on why Jeff was such a solid driver for them:

It is with great honor in acknowledging Glens 5 year contribution to the account. Glenn is one of those guys who shows up to work every day ready to do whatever we need him to do. Whereas other drivers are preplanned because they are difficult to deal with, or because they don’t want to get certain parts of our service area, Glenn ended up getting pre-planned through his actions alone. He is always on time. He gets his stores delivered without issue. He gets his backhauls picked up without issue. And anytime there is a snag in his day, he makes sure to over communicate it with the office. Once we knew we could rely on his excellent work-ethic, we knew we had a stud able to get some more of the challenging runs done.

But what really sets Glenn apart is his willingness to bail us out of bad situations. Whether it’s recovering other drivers or taking on last minute outsource work. Glenn rarely, if ever, says no. He has been the epitome of a team player. Often taking on outsource gigs others would pass on, just because he knows it’s the right thing to do.

Thank you, Glenn, for five fantastic years!!!

Glen will be recognized at the 2023 Kick off Meeting and awards ceremony in the coming months.  Good Luck and congratulations!

Northeast Region Driver of the Month - August 2022

 

Please join me in congratulating Brian Cadwallader for being selected as the Northeast Region Driver of the month. 

 As an account driver Brian prides himself on safe driving, as a million mile driver, he values his safety record and on time service.  He’s our most reliable driver for one of the toughest runs going to Colchester VT. Has a great relationship with the store team as well as the customer here on site,  which shows his caring that the customer is getting the service they signed up for with JB Hunt.  As a driver trainer, Brian is always available to drivers to give them updates on road conditions, store delays or help with anything they may ask. He went through the month of August without any CVE or safety events.

His love for JB Hunt spreads everywhere he goes as he has helped recruit drivers to work here.  Brian has been called upon to help on several projects for the company in the past with high corporate visibility helping them get off the ground with great success and helping the company grow, such as the TJ Maxx startup.

When we say “drive live a champion” Brian is truly someone who embraces that saying.  He has truly been an individual who has helped the Costco account deliver the success that it has been for our company and one of it’s hardest workers most dedicated drivers. 

Great job Brian and the Costco team!

 

Northeast Region Driver of the Month - July 2022

 

Please join me in congratulating Brook Adonay for being selected as the July northeast region driver of the month.   Brooks works at the Home Depot Breinigsville Pennsylvania location and joined J.B. Hunt in 2014.   The team submitted this nomination:

Brooks Adonay is a professional driver that any account would and should fight to have.  Brooks has been 406 days critical event free and has 552,092 safe miles. Brooks currently shows 0 CSA points and 0 OOS Violations. The dedication Brooks gives to his craft certainly shows as far as safety is concerned. Working a 6^th day for Brooks is just a normal work week as he constantly raises his hand to work on Saturday’s and support either 5965 or 5034 with a smile on his face. We can always call Brooks if we are in a pinch and need an additional load covered and he does it while staying compliant, legal and safe. Along with being a professional, reliable driver, Brooks is an even better person. He always makes sure to say hello to everyone in the office when he comes in to scan his paperwork or do his monthly training. He loves to look sharp on nights out with his wife and has style like none other! We are so happy and lucky to have a great driver and person like Brooks on our account and we could really give him Driver of the Month every month as he certainly deserves it. We believe here at NEIN that Brooks should be the Driver of the Year and his Driver Centric page can back that up! Thank you Brooks for all the laughs, hard work and dedication to J.B. Hunt!

Great Work Brooks!  

NE Region Driver of the Month - June 2022

 

Congratulations to Tracy Peck and the Windsor Locks CT team,

Tracy was hired in January of 2017 and has NEVER had a critical event or an accident in the 5.5 years he has worked here!  On top of his impeccable safety history, Tracy has worked 6 days a week for the past 5.5 years, only taking breaks for scheduled vacations… He is nearing in on 600,000 miles accident AND CVE free.

 Additionally, Tracy has been able to channel his outstanding work ethic and dedication to safety into a hugely successful training career. In his four years of being a driver mentor, he has trained new JB Hunt drivers from all over the region (and beyond) --  from Windsor Locks, to Hatfield, to Westfield, to Marvin Windows Regional, all the way to Delaware to Mountaire Regional, Tracy has dealt with every kind of new driver JB Hunt has onboarded. There is a clear trend with the drivers that leave Tracy’s truck: they almost always remain accident-free, they typically work six days a week, rarely get critical events, and perhaps most importantly, they have a good attitude. To keep his trainees safe even after he signs their AST packets, Tracy stays in close contact with each of them – they all have his personal number and don’t hesitate to reach out to him when they encounter a difficult delivery. Tracy takes an average of six calls per day from his trainees on the road!

In my mind, there is no driver more qualified to win DOM and Driver of the Year. Tracy’s dedication to safety and hard work doesn’t just stop with himself – he has spread that mindset to the new drivers of this company, and it is exciting to watch. Not to mention, Tracy is one of the key factors that led to Windsor Locks hitting 5 million Miles Collision Free. Thank you Tracy!

NE Region Driver of the Month - May 2022

 

Congratulations to our May NE Region driver of the month  John Swinn.  

    John came aboard J.B. Hunt in October of 2020 and is already a stand out performer.    Johns manager included the following write up.   When you hear JB Hunt Employees and Drivers talk about “Drive Like A Champion”, John Swinn should come to your mind. John has been with JB Hunt for a little bit over a year and a half, spending his full tenure at the MI Windows Account. He is currently riding a streak of 144 days critical event free and 189,294 safe miles. John is one of our go to guys, if we are in a pinch, one call to John can help smooth things over. He is willing to go above and beyond for JB Hunt and this account, putting in an average of 2,376 miles a week. This is roughly 500 more miles than our fleet average, but John has been constantly willing to put that 6^th day of work in week after week. From Hegins, PA to Minatare, NE, Valdosta, GA, and Brooklyn, NY, John is a man who has travelled the country for JB Hunt and puts safety and customer satisfaction at the top of his list every day. When not spending his time on the road, John enjoys camping and fixing up his properties. John is an exceptional driver and an exceptional man, we look forward to many more months with him on the team.

Great work John and the MI windows team!

Northeast Region Driver of the month - April 2022

 

Please join me in congratulating Jack Bosworth for being selected as the April 2022 NE Region driver of the month. Jack works at the C&S Hatfield Massachusetts Location and has been with J.B. Hunt since 2013

Jack’s manager, Nick Pykosz, had this to say:

“Having been with J.B. Hunt for an astounding 9 years, Jack has proved to be one of Hatfield’s top drivers. Jack has proven to be reliable in times of need and has always been willing to help. While completing tough Bronx and Manhattan loads six days a week, Jack has also been trusted by C&S to be the face of J.B. Hunt’s fleet for their yearly food show. Jack leads by example by practicing safe driving, always arriving early, and willing to lead and assist others. Even if a snow storm or even a tropical storm is headed our way, Jack is known for showing up and completing his load in any weather condition. Currently sitting at 844,806 safe miles, he has easily earned this status. Jack is the first to call when drivers need help with maneuvering in tight areas, when a drivers pallet jack fails, or any other road issues. For these reasons, we are proud to have Jack as Hatfield’s driver of the month.”

Congratulations Jack and keep up the great work!

 

Northeast Driver of the month - March 2022

Regional Driver of the Month, Aaron Poulson

Mr. Poulson joined Mountaire Millsboro Live haul as an incumbent driver on 11/21/2016.

After 2 years of outstanding performance as both a driver and a trainer, he jumped aboard a new start up at Mountaire Selbyville. He put his skills and leadership to use training up a low tenured fleet.  He consistently goes above and beyond building relationships and discussing issues he hears with management to improve their safety and experience. 

As a top trainer, he helped lead his team to million miles collision free in 2021. Additionally, he is a go to trainer for other accounts in the region, adding his expertise across the DE shore.  After being congratulated and asked "what are you most proud of during your time at J.B. Hunt? He replied,       “my team”  That answer really stands out and is reflective of his character.

Northeast Driver of the month February 2022

 

Seth Damon has been with C&S since January 2014. During his tenure, Seth has become an invaluable part of the team. He always has a positive and ready to work attitude. If the account has a run that is time sensitive or complicated, Seth is the driver we can call on. He regularly runs our higher risk loads which sometimes include long days which results staying out late at night.  He is also very flexible when it comes to helping the account and takes the loads that no one will usually take. Any run Seth takes he does it efficiently and safely. Seth has also supported the Nestle account in Breinigsville, PA which sends runs up north to Vermont. Safety is and has always been at the forefront of his daily plan and it shows, as Seth is closing in on 800k safe miles and is projected to hit 1 million safe miles by 2024.

 Seth is a team player who is always willing to provide a friendly face and a warm welcome to our newest team members. Whether it is with directions, paperwork, or other questions, he is always ready to stop and help anyone who asks or seems to need it. He regularly assists with training and is a certified trainer for the account. Seth’s team attitude truly makes him an asset and is now someone the account has looked to count on.  Lastly, he has a role model of professionalism, and his work ethic shows on a daily basis. We are extremely grateful to have him on our team.  

Northeast region driver of the month - January 2022

 

Please join me in congratulating Angelo Cianciulli from the C&S Chester NY fleet for being selected as the northeast region driver of the month for January 2022.  Angelo has been with J.B. Hunt since 2013 and in his 8+ years of service has been a rock solid driver.  Angelo puts safety first and has had no preventable collisions in his career at J.B. Hunt.   Angelo has accumulated over 800,000 safe miles and  consistently puts in a six day work week.   Angelo always brings lots of positive energy to the account every day and is a pleasure to work with.  Strong safety performance and a great work ethic is the reason Angelo was nominated for this recognition.   Angelo will be given an additional cash award, a certificate of achievement and considered for the 2022 driver of the year award given in early 2023.  

Drive safe Angelo and congrats to the C&S Chester team!

Northeast Region Driver of the Month - November 2021

       

Please join me in congratulating James Rash from the Mountaire Regional Fleet in Millsboro Delaware for being selected as the northeast region driver of the month.   James was recently profiled on our corporate home page on a story that recognizes employees with disabilities during national employees with disabilities month which occurred in November.   

James' manager Grant Fleetwood had the following to say about Mr. Rash and his contributions to the account;

James Rash has been with the Mountaire Refrigerated Account since January and has been one of the most dependable and safest drivers on our fleet in his time with J.B Hunt. The Mountaire Account proves to be an extremely difficult customer with long wait times at customers and extremely difficult delivery area, but James succeeds every day with his proactive decisions to make his deliveries on time and safely. James has been a driver that will sacrifice his home time in order to better serve our account and customer needs. James has been extremely receptive to management and has built strong relationships with our drivers as well. This account is extremely fortunate to have a driver such as James on our fleet and look forward to the long career James will develop here at J.B Hunt. 

Great work James !

 

Northeast Region Driver of the Month - October 2021

 

I am pleased to announce the latest northeast region driver of the month,  Mr. Steven Maust from the MI windows location in Pennsylvania.  Steven was recently hired in December of 2020 and in those 11 months his management team has the following to write about him:

It is almost impossible to put in words the value that Steven brings to this account. In just under a year, he quickly established a presence with not only the fleet but the office staff. Steven is safe, reliable and a provider of 20+ years of driving knowledge to all those around him. We quickly identified Steven as a strong member of our team during startup and had him certified as a trainer at the account. His willingness to help the account succeed at a safety level is a direct result of the safety improvements we made at the account. Steven is currently sitting on a streak of 200 days without a CVE and 128,483 miles without accident or incident.

Steven is a retired veteran who came to JB Hunt looking for a change of pace. Prior to his arrival at JB Hunt he was transporting fuel in the Middle East in some of the most hostile environments in the world. Steven is currently working toward retirement, where he can join his wife and children in the Philippines. When I think of the phrase “Drive Like a Champion”, Steven is the first person that comes to mind and a true professional. 

Great job Steven and drive safe!

Northeast Region Driver of the Month - September 2021

 Please join me in congratulating Phil Henry from our  DCS Mission Foods account based in Mountain Top Pennsylvania for being selected as the Northeast Region Driver of the Month for September of 2021.  Phil came aboard the J.B. Hunt team in June of 2016 as a regional driver covering the western PA and Ohio routes and then ending his week in the more challenging NY and New England area routes.  Phil consistently works 6 days and is extremely safe and reliable.  Phil always has a smile and we know we can depend on him to get the job done.   For his selection Phil will be eligible to compete with the 11 other Northeast Region finalists for the prestigious driver of the year award.

Great Work Phil and Drive Safe!

Northeast Driver of the month - August 2021

 

Sean Craig is from the Gargiulo Produce account and hired on to  JBH in 2011.    He currently has 25,654 “MY Safety Points”, 2070 critical event free days, and 998,166 safe miles. Our soon to be million miler is always on time and steps up to the plate when you need him most. He is willing to pull any load when needed. Sean has gone above and beyond for this account by being a professional and safe driver and providing excellent customer service for Gargiulo and other accounts when outsourced. Sean has zero service failures and has been the main driver trainer on this account for years. Sean has trained and guided most of the drivers the account and is the reason for the success they are having. When we say, “Drive like a Champion,” Sean Craig is truly someone who embraces that saying.

Northeast Region driver of the month July 2021

 

Please join me in congratulating Vinny Luna from the Advance Auto account in Kutztown Pennsylvania for being selected as the July 2021 northeast region driver of the month.   Vinny came over to J.B. Hunt in March of 2019 as an incumbent hire who worked for Advance Auto for over 10 years.   Vinny's safety performance is stellar and his commitment to the customer is on point.   As a veteran driver of the account he understands how important customer service is.   Vinny always has a smile on his face and brings an infectious attitude to everyone he interacts with. Vinny represents the Rosemary Downey region of fleet drivers and now becomes eligible for the prestigious driver of the year which will be announced in January of 2022.

Congratulations Vinny and drive safe!

Northeast Region Driver of the Month June 2021

 

Please me in congratulating Dawn Maine-Maglio for being selected as the June 2021 driver of the month.   Dawn is based out of the Bobs Discount Furniture account in Connecticut. Dawns team submitted the following on why she deserves this selection.  Dawn is the definition of  prime driver of the month. I would say driver of the year from the trend and base line she is setting. Multiple times during last second surge I would need to switch her to double Melville runs to get all runs covered. Without hesitation she would take the layover. She cancelled one of her PTO days to assist the account. She even ran a double that night! July 4^th weekend her and a family member took 2 down trucks to WL as in her words “why would you pay for a tow when you have me”. She was going to take a third, but the unit would not start. One night there was a callout at a supporting facility. Dawn had just completed her 2^nd run and had 3 hours on her clock. I had another driver on the fleet meet her halfway to take the trailer down to north Bergen to ensure on time delivery. Saved me a late and kept the account above 99% prior to a mid-year business review. Again, no hesitation whatsoever. Day to day task such as pre-trips are always done. Out of the 5 times I hid in the parking lot she was 1 out of 6 doing her pre trips 100% of the time. During my observation she used the smith system, and I even went in front of her and slowed down. She adjusted her distance perfectly. My mind is at ease when Dawn is on the road. She is there to help and wants the account to be successful. She is uncomfortable heading to new locations and was promised 2 days of training on a lane. The training turned out to be one day and she completed a run before hand by following the other driver. She gets the job done regardless of the situation.

  For her selection Dawn will become eligible for the prestigious driver of the year , receive a cash award and recognition at the annual kick off meeting in January 2022.

Northeast Region Driver of the Month - May 2021

 

Please join me in congratulating Robert Wolff  from the Big Lots account in Tremont Pennsylvania for being selected as the Northeast Region Driver of the month for May of 2021.  Robert is an all around great driver who volunteers for extra work and is extremely reliable.  Robert has a safety first mindset and has a achieved one million safe miles while at J.B. Hunt.  Congratulations and Drive like a champion!

  

Northeast region driver of the month - April 2021

 

Mike Covington, simply put, is the type of driver you wish you could clone. My personal interactions with Mike, whether they be in casual interaction, collision reviews, or onboarding processes, have always been incredibly positive and productive. He cares. While most drivers, particularly in the West Haven market, are on the lookout generally for themselves and their own wallet, Mike cares passionately about the performance of the account. Mike is always looking for ways to make his trainees better and make the account as welcoming a place as it can be. He is an absolute asset, as already mentioned, to the Hatfield account, but he truly has been instrumental in supporting Dedicated accounts throughout the Northeast Region. He has supported Amazon, Costco, Mountaire, and many others over the years, bringing the same passion for safe driving everywhere he goes, along with his winning personality. I could not be prouder to nominate Mike for Driver of the Month, 

Northeast driver of the month - March 2021

 

Please join me in congratulating Edward Clarke for being selected as Northeast Region driver of the month for March of 2021.

Ed joined the J.B. Hunt team in January of 2015 and works out of Allen Harim Harbeson DE location. He is a very valuable asset Allen Harim, and to the J.B. Hunt organization. Ed is willing to do whatever is needed to pursue our goals and help drive our account’s success.

 His positive attitude and strong safety mindset always stand out. He carries a wealth of knowledge that we rely on daily. He is a trusted mentor/trainer and always goes above and beyond to get the job done.

He is a great nominee for Driver of the Month, and he is well deserving of Driver of the Year.

Mr. Clarke is also a veteran who served our fine country. Thank you for your service!

NE Region Driver of the month - February 2021

 

Mr. Gibbs embodies the vision and philosophy upon which JB Hunt was founded.  Through the good and the bad, he demonstrates a continuous dedication to JB Hunt.  It is this dedication that has put him into an elite group of drivers within JB Hunt.  Mr. Gibbs has over 27 years of service, covering multiple divisions and customers.  He has been a dedicated driver at C&S York for the last 8 years of his 27-year tenure. Recently through his hard work and dedication to overall safe practices, Mr. Gibbs reached a milestone of achieving 2 Million Safe Miles.

Mr. Gibbs is the model of consistency at the account.  He demonstrates daily his value to the team and brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to his peers and account personnel.  Mr. Gibbs reports to work daily with the mentality that it is his first day on the job.  He is always in proper uniform and holds himself to a high standard of presenting to the customer as a professional driver.  He pre-trips and post-trips each piece of equipment he is responsible for to ensure that he can provide the best service possible to the customer.  Mr. Gibbs demonstrates a high level of team concept as he understands the high demand of a C&S account

Mr. Gibbs has and will continue to be a role model for what it means to be a professional driver for JB Hunt. His actions carry volume for a man that speaks very little, and we are truly fortunate to have him on our team. Congratulations Mr. Gibbs on all your accomplishments!

NE Region Driver of the Month - January 2021

 

Please join me in congratulating Harry Jefferson from the C&S Chester NY fleet, Harry joined the  J.B. Hunt team in January of 2019 and recently had his 2 year anniversary.   Managers Rick Zigari and Jason Krug had the following comments.  Harry is a consistent driver for this account. He’s someone we never have to worry about coming to work on time, and we know what to expect when he does get in. Harry averages just under 1900 miles a week, which is an outstanding average. Harry takes the longest run we have available, and always with a backhaul. Harry is someone who uses excellent communication with management regarding any issues or questions he has.  Harry will now become eligible for the prestigious driver of the year along with the other winners in 2021.  

Drive Safe! 

NE Region Driver of the Month - December 2020

 

Congratulations are in order for our final 2020 NE Region Driver of the month Selection. 

Mr. David Humphrey joined the J.B. Hunt team in March of 2013 and works out of our C&S Brattleboro VT location.  In addition to an all around great driver , David places safety as his number one priority.  David typically works a 6 day work week and always willing to go the extra mile to contribute to the team.  David operates in one of the most challenging driving environments and takes pride in getting the job done right.  As we move on from a challenging 2020 we are happy to end it with such an outstanding performer.

Great work David!  

Drive Safe.

NE Region Driver of the Month November 2020

 

 Driver of the month for the month of November is Michael “Mack” McNair. Mike has been with J.B. hunt for a little over 7 years where he came to our company as an incumbent driver from Webster out of C&S in York, PA. With such a smooth transition Mike then wanted to venture outside of groceries and do something new within the company. With that being said, Mr. Mcnair, then transitioned to Gerdau Metals in York, PA where he became the accounts only certified driver trainer. With Mike being the account leader behind the wheel he aided Gerdau to several safety achievements such as 1 Million injury free miles which took the account 3 years and 2 years collision free. Not to mention the account was awarded account of the Year in its class 2017.

Now we fast forward to Mr. McNair, joining Unilever in early 2019 due to Gerdau’s closure. This bittersweet inheritance of one of J.B. Hunts top drivers was the spark the Unilever Account needed.  As we doubled the fleet, we found Mike being our accounts second certified driver trainer. He went right to work practicing the safety culture we preached at Unilever. Mike is a natural born leader who earned the respect of his peers by doing and not just saying. McNair has mentored several young drivers at the account who find themselves having someone to go to who truly cares about their success as well as the accounts. Mack has definitely trailblazed the safety efforts at Unilever as the account has gone 6 Million accident free miles as well as 365 days preventable accident free here in 2020. Mr. McNair is closing in on a half a million preventable accident free and has also gone almost 1000 days critical event free.

Did I also mention that Mack is a veteran who served for our fine country by way of the U.S. Navy? Mr. McNair has also received the nomination in which he accepted in being a Wreaths Across America driver for this year’s celebration.

Great Job Mack!

NE Region Driver of the Month -October 2020

 

Please join me in congratulating Robert Armentrout from the NE Amazon account for being selected as the northeast region driver of the month.  There is over 2400 drivers operating daily in DCS and Rob is one of the best. Robert Armentrout started with the Amazon account in May 2019, and he has been a pillar at the account since coming onboard. He is truly dedicated to his job and the organization through stellar customer service, a peer mentor to new hires, and a commitment to safety! Rob is a team player, when there is a load that needs to be covered, and he’s got the time, he will make it happen. Everyone knows that they can count on him!  If there are ever any issues, Rob is calling us before we have to call him. He keeps everyone on the same page, at all times. One of the most noticeable characteristics is his willingness to want to be better. He has done an exceptional job improving in the areas that we needed him to, specifically around CVE’s. Each day that he goes out on the road, he is prepared mentally and physically, and knows what it takes to succeed and more importantly remain safe. He is an outstanding driver, and that is why he is our October 2020 Driver of the Month!

Northeast Region Driver of the Month - September 2020

 

Septembers driver of the month is  Rob Dorneman.    Saks manager Steve Murnane had the following to to say about Rob: He is the absolute embodiment it means to “Drive Like a Champion.” When he joined the company in 2019, Rob was assigned to the HD Pittston Account. In his time there, he was noted as a driver who would always get the job done. In other words, “Mr. Dependable.” He would always make his pickups. He would communicate early and often if problems arose. There was no load that he would deny. When the opportunity arose at the formation of the Saks account, Rob embraced the new challenge and hopped into a sleeper truck. He took loads from the DC in Wilkes Barre, PA to Chicago, Detroit, and completed several runs very tough to the flag ship store in Manhattan. The flag ship store has several challenges, including a freight elevator that takes the truck and trailer down 3 floors and then requires a very awkward backing maneuver into a small dock. Covid-19 threw a monkey wrench into the entire transportation network. This shift was felt especially hard at Saks, a retail company. When Rob signed on for the sleeper it was with the understanding, he would only be out a day or 2 at a time. Rob began to outsource for Saks for a full week at a time. This went on for almost 5 months. He supported Costco, Amazon, Nestle, MI Windows, Leslie Pools, HD Pittston, and Mission Foods. Rob never complained. Rob took ownership of the new routes, locations, and challenges. Whether it means switching schedules, working odd hours, or having to spend weekends on the road, Rob’s professionalism is unrivaled. These amazing achievements are compounded with the fact that he is often working six-days-per-week. It is easy to see why he has become so popular among drivers and management alike

Congratulations Rob!

Northeast Region Driver of the Month - August 2020

 

Please join me in Congratulating Sean Craig from the Gargiulo Produce fleet based in Highland New Jersey for being selected as the August northeast region driver of the month.  To identify one standout driver in our region with all the solid essential workers that we have to choose from is never an easy task.  We are very proud to honor Sean Craig for being named for August and he is a very deserving nominee.   Sean came to J.B. Hunt in 2011 and performs all of his job functions safely and efficiently.  He is an "on time" type of guy and extremely reliable.   What makes him special is his willingness to go the extra mile and provide training an insight when called upon.  Sean is the type of driver who always checks in with management and makes sure the customers needs are met before hanging up the keys.  Sean's dedication  and outstanding safety performance are why we are so successful.  Sean will receive additional money, a certificate of achievement and become eligible for the prestigious driver of the year.   We look forward to many more great years of accomplishments from Sean.  Congratulations and be safe!

Northeast Region Driver of the Month - July 2020

Please join me in congratulating Bill Joseph from the US Cold Storage location based in Bethlehem Pennsylvania for being selected as the July 2020 northeast region driver of the month.  Bill is our 7th driver of the month for 2020 and will become eligible for our prestigious driver of the year honor being chosen in early 2021.

Bill started out his long career with JB Hunt back in 2011.  He began at our Home Depot Account and quickly became a very valuable asset.  He transferred to US Cold storage when the account was started up and has been with us ever since.  He has helped in starting up multiple other accounts and is the trainer for US Cold Storage.  Bill is willing to do whatever is needed throughout our week and is the go-to person when anyone has a question about maintenance on trucks and trailers, directions to just about all our locations, and really any information that people may need.  He has helped me, Jason, tremendously with figuring out trailer pools and whether certain load combinations will work while Katie has been on leave.  He is a very valuable asset to our account, and to JB Hunt, and is deserving of this honor.  Bill drives safe and always makes his deliveries on time.   

            He has a wife at home, and they have 9 kids and 13 grand kids with a 14^th on the way.  In his spare time, when he can find it, Bill likes to Hunt and Fish on his property, but does admit that he doesn’t know what to do with himself when he finally takes a vacation. 

Great Work Bill!

Northeast Region Driver of the Month - June 2020

Please join me in congratulating Bill Crocker from our Shaw's account located in Westfield Massachusetts. Bill has been with the J.B Hunt family since 2013 and often is eclipsing over 2500 miles per week which demonstrates his strong work ethic.  In addition, Bob runs in one of the most challenging areas of the country, frequently making runs up to Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire and driving in mountainous terrain.  Bob is one of the top performers in service and safety DCS and this recognition is well deserved. Thanks Bob and continue to lead the way. 

Northeast Region Driver of the month - May 2020

Congratulations to the May 2020 Northeast region driver of the month.   We recognize  Richard Johnson from the C&S Wholesale account in Bethlehem Pennsylvania .   Rich's team submitted the following reasons for selecting him;    Rich shows up to work with a smile on his face and a positive attitude towards both the office staff and other drivers in the room.  He is always willing to help a new driver plan his trip for the day and is constantly giving his phone number out to drivers to call him when they get into a bind.  With C&S being a training account, there are lots of new managers  who must go for their first ride along which is sometimes an intimidating event. Rich is the first driver that account managers think of to send the new employees with since he can really teach what truck driving is and what drivers go through on an everyday occurrence. Having been able to give that knowledge to a new manager speaks to how in-tune Rich is with the struggles of both the office and the 

drivers. In the last few months, the C&S Bethlehem account has seen some hard times with the COVID-19 pandemic which has reduced our outbound freight by more than half.  This has stirred up some stress from the driving team and Rich has stepped up as another voice to keep spirits high. He talks with drivers daily about staying positive, staying safe, and making sure they are in good spirits when behind the wheel. This is a priceless asset to our team as they see a leader being a fellow driver as well as office management.   

With the decrease in work at C&S Bethlehem, Rich has been flexible with going to other accounts and helping where and when he can.  In the last month, Rich has worked every possible “6^th-Day”, outsourced to 6 different accounts, and safely executed White Rose loads. White Rose is a secondary customer for C&S Bethlehem and involves going into Manhattan and hand unloading the trailers.  When drivers ask, “Why are you doing all this extra work?” he simply says, “One team, One dream.” The list could go on about why Richard Johnson is deserving of this award, but when I think of the slogan “Driver like a Champion”, Rich is the first team member that comes to mind as he demonstrates that mentality daily. 

Thanks and congratulations Rich!

Northeast Region Driver of the Month - April 2020

Please join me in congratulating Jacob Leon from the C&S Hatfield Massachusetts account. 

Jacobs Manager submitted the following nomination :

Since coming to us in November of last year, Jacob has been a great asset. He comes to work every day with one of the most positive attitudes you will ever see. He is always very friendly and respectful, and he is always willing to help. He has been especially helpful these last few months during this pandemic. Jacob is based out of West Haven CT  and delivers to NYC. In most cases as a daytime operations supervisor, I would rarely actually see him in person. However, Jacob often brings his empty trailer back to Hatfield after his run. This gives us the opportunity to see what, if anything, he may be able to do should we still need coverage help. And, we sure have needed it lately. Every weekend he has been helping with our daytime shuttles after his city run.

Up to this point, Jacob has proven himself a safe driver. He has not been involved in any accidents since joining the team, and to date, he has not had a Critical vehicle event. While his obc compliance has never been below the standards, he has continuously improved (90% this month) which means he takes our initiatives seriously. To conclude, I will recount one particular story about this driver which demonstrates his character.

Not long ago, on a Sunday, we had a driver breakdown in Long Island with 2 stops remaining to deliver. We only had a dozen or so loads going out that day. I called every driver we had on the road to ask for their help, except Jacob. Every other driver had 3 or less stops on their own load. Jacob had 5. So, I was not even going to bother asking him. That was until every other driver either would not help or would not respond to my call. He became the last and only option. With limited hours remaining on his clock, and knowing that he may now have to layover, he did not even hesitate to assist. He met up with the other driver, trans loaded all the product into his trailer while they waited for a tow truck, and then completed the delivery. He has shown on numerous occasions to go above and beyond the call of duty. 

Great Job Jacob and thanks for your dedication!