WINNIPEG, Man. – The Manitoba Trucking Association (MTA) has announced its Driver of the Month award winners for the months of January to May.

The awards, sponsored by Custom Truck Sales and Canadian Kenworth, were presented to drivers with exemplary safety records that also exhibit strong customer service skills and dedication to their jobs.

The presentations were made at an Aug. 13 event hosted by MTA president Vic Switzer of Portage Cartage and Storage.

Jim Clark of Custom Truck Sales was also on hand to make the presentations.

The winners included: Ronald Friesen, Penner International in January; Dennis Schmidt, Reimer Express Lines, February; Ron Gawuik, RTM Transport, March; Eldon Morris, Canada Safeway, April; and Richard Brown, Redline Transport, May.

Combined, the drivers have 121 years and more than nine million miles of driving experience.

Friesen has driven for 36 years and accumulated three million miles with no preventable accidents.

Schmidt has 23 years of driving under his belt with more than one million miles.

Gawiuk has been driving for 11 years without a collision.

Morris has 36 years of driving experience without an accident and Brown has been a driver for 15 years accumulating 1,900,000 accident-free miles.