June 22, 2024

Groendyke announces Driver of the Year, 2023 safety awards

Wichita, Kan., Driver Heath Lietzke (fourth from left) earned Groendyke Transport's Company Driver of the Year. He is pictured with (from left) Western Region Director Bobby Lensing, Vice President of Operations Robbie Parrish, Wichita Driver Manager Doug Hill, Vice President of Safety and Training Chris Pape, and Operations Manager Jason Billows.
 
Operations Manager Javier Diaz (third from left) accepts the Terminal Safety Excellence Award on behalf of the Riverton, Wy., terminal. 
Operations Manager Darrell Jeter (third from left) accepts the Terminal Safety Loading and Unloading Award on behalf of the Albuquerque, N.M., terminal and the Western Region Driver of the Year Award on behalf of Albuquerque Driver Chris Antonio.
 
Liberal, Kan., Terminal Manager Blaine Beckley (third from left) accepts the Terminal Safety Driving Award on behalf of his terminal.
Mobile, Ala., Driver Travis Smart (center) accepts his Gulf Region Driver of the Year Award. Also pictured are Operations Manager David Rogers (from left), Vice President of Operations Robbie Parrish, Mobile Driver Manager Terry Hagler, and Vice President of Safety and Training Chris Pape.
Red Team Driver Akeyra Green (fourth from left) accepts her Eastern Region Driver of the Year Award. Also pictured are Operations Manager David Rogers (from left), Vice President of Operations Robbie Parrish, Baton Rouge, La., Driver Manager Kevin Graham, Red Team Driver Manager Dave Parillo, and Vice President of Safety and Training Chris Pape.

ENID, Okla. - Groendyke Transport unveiled the winners of its company safety awards at its annual company safety awards banquet on June 22 at the Groendyke Lodge in Enid.

Why it matters: Recognizing and rewarding safety efforts is crucial to maintaining Groendyke’s high standards and ensuring the continued safety of its employees and operations.

Driver of the Year: Wichita, Kan., Heath Lietzke earned the company’s top driver honor with 91,035 safe miles and exceptional safety metrics across the board. He currently has more than 1.5 million safe miles as a member of the President’s Club, and has shown exceptional dedication in driver training and safety.

Also the Central Region Driver of the Year, Heath beat out fellow Region Drivers of the Year Chris Antonio (Albuquerque, N.M.), Travis Smart (Mobile, Ala.), and Akeyra Green (Baton Rouge, La.) by a narrow margin.

Terminal Safety Excellence: The Riverton, Wy., terminal achieved an average of zero safety events, highlighting their outstanding commitment to safety across all metrics.

Terminal Safety Loading and Unloading: The Albuquerque, N.M., terminal was awarded for achieving zero preventable spills or claims in 2023, surpassing the qualification threshold of less than 0.5 preventable spills per thousand loads.

Terminal Safety Driving Award: The Liberal, Kan., terminal won with a frequency of less than 1.5 moving events per million miles, considering all minor incidents.

What they're saying: “We are incredibly proud of all our award winners for their Relentless Integrity and outstanding performance,” said Chris Pape, Vice President of Safety and Training. “Their achievements are a testament to our commitment to safety and Delivering Excellence™ at Groendyke Transport.”

About Groendyke Transport, Inc.:

Groendyke Transport, Inc. provides safe, superior transport solutions that deliver excellence and power the economy. Groendyke Transport is a privately held, family-owned company and a record nine-time NTTC North American Safety Champion for best overall safety record and program in North America.

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