Monday 30 January 2012

UPS honours Ron “Big Dog” Sowder for 50 years of safe driving


Image c/o UPS

“A lot has changed in 50 years. When I started driving for UPS, folks in cars did a better job of keeping their hands on the wheel and their eyes on the road”, said Ron “Big Dog” Sowder. The Ohio-born is the first UPS driver to ever pass the 50-year mark for safe driving. 

After joining the parcel service and global logistics company in 1960 and delivering packages to businesses and private addresses, Ron Sowder drove tractor-trailers as a UPS feeder driver. He currently covers a distance of 306 miles each week between UPS head offices in Atlanta, Georgia and the UPS Worldport in Louisville, Kentucky.

During his 50 years of service, Sowder reckons that he drove more than 4 million miles whilst delivering over 35 million UPS parcels. About 5,200 active UPS drivers have had a minimum of 25 years without any accidents making them members of UPS’s “Circle of Honour”.

Myron Gray, UPS president of U.S. operations, praised Sowder as an exemplary driver and role model for many UPS drivers. “Ron continues to set and reset the gold standard for our drivers. He is an asset to UPS, a great example for all of our drivers and a leader within his peer group of Circle of Honour members. It’s operator like Ron who help ensure UPS is able to keep its promises to its customers.”

UPS ensures that all drivers participate in the safety course “Space and Visibility” before climbing into a lorry. Additionally they have to take part in undergoing training session throughout their time at UPS ensuring that their driving skills are being kept up to UPS’s standards. 

Source: UPS

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