NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE, Ont. – Organizers weren’t the only ones who came home from the Private Motor Truck Council’s annual conference feeling like winners.

Awards for individual drivers, private fleets and truck graphics were also distributed at the event’s closing luncheon.

Inducted into the PMTC’s Hall of Fame for professional drivers were: Pierre Vzina of Global Driver Services, contracted to Kraft Canada; Larry Blackburn of Global Driver Services, contracted to DTF Trucking; Gary Cougle of Unique Personnel, contracted to Hbc Logistics; and Pierre Boyer of Unique Personnel, contracted to Sonoco Limited.

“Between them these professional drivers have accumulated a remarkable 88 years of accident-free driving,” said PMTC President Bruce Richards. Sponsored by Cancom Tracking, the Hall of Fame recognizes superior over-the-road performance by drivers whose companies are members of the PMTC. The concept for the Hall of Fame was to provide a more permanent recognition of their abilities that afforded by an award in a single year.

The Hall of Fame resides in cyber-space on the PMTC Web site (www.pmtc.ca) where any and all can visit.

Private Fleet Safety Awards were also handed out at the luncheon. Co-sponsored by the PMTC and Zurich North America Canada, private fleets were awarded in three categories: small, medium and large.

The 2003 award winners were: (Small Fleet Category) London Drugs, Richmond, B.C.; (Medium Fleet Category) DTF Trucking, Beamsville, Ont.; and (Large Fleet Category) Hbc Logistics, Mississauga, Ont.

The competition was open to all Canadian private carriers. Judging was conducted by an independent panel and followed established criteria concentrating on the company’s overall safety regime and its over-the-road record.

“Zurich North America Canada and the PMTC congratulate the management and drivers of these private fleets,” said Richards. “Their combined efforts in promoting road safety are exemplary and their attention to the details of operating safe fleets is to be commended.”

Winners of the PMTC’s 18th annual Vehicle Graphics Design competition, co-sponsored by 3M Canada were also announced at the luncheon, after a brief slide show depicting the graphically-enhanced cabs and trailers of participants.

Awards were presented in five categories: Van/Pickup; Straight Truck; Special Events/Promotional; Night Time Safety; and Tractor-Trailer.

Awards by category were presented to the following fleets: (Van/Pickup) Cold Springs Farms & Porky’s BBQ & Leisure; (Straight Truck) Factory Shoe and Okanagan Spring Brewery (with an Honourable Mention to Fountain Water Products); (Special Events/Promotional) Bison Transport and Muskoka Transport; (Night Time Safety) Home Hardware Stores & Schneider Foods (with an Honourable Mention to Markel Professional Transport Training); (Tractor-Trailer) The TDL Group and Federated Co-operatives (with an Honourable Mention to Molson Breweries).