Bison, Big Freight win top safety awards at TCA convention

by Sonia Straface

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – O Canada!

Patrick Kuehl (left) presents National Fleet Safety Award to Bison’s Garth Pitzel.

Two Manitoba-based carriers, Bison Transport and Big Freight Systems, were named the grand prize winners of the 2016 National Fleet Safety Awards at the Truckload Carriers Association’s (TCA) 41st annual Awards Banquet on March 28.

The awards honor trucking companies that display an unparalleled commitment to safety. Divisional winners were selected earlier in the year and were divided into six categories based on miles driven. Winners were selected based on accident frequency per million miles driven. Division winners were then invited to compete for one of two grand prizes — one for carriers with total annual mileage less than 25 million miles and one for mileage more than 25 million miles.

For the seventh year in a row, Bison Transport won the grand prize for the large carrier category.

According to Patrick Kuehl of Great West Casualty Company, which sponsors the award, Bison won the award because of its safety program that is “an amazing blend of safety initiatives” and because the company “puts its safety record at the forefront of everything it does.”

“On behalf of our executive management team and our employees and contractors I’d like to thank the TCA,” said Garth Pitzel, director of safety and driver development at Bison who accepted the award. “We’re absolutely fortunate we have 2500 people believing and supporting and executing on that through their daily actions. I’d like to congratulate all the award recipients and thank them for their dedication to safety and ensuring that they get their drivers home to their families.”

Patrick Kuehl (left) presents National Fleet Safety Award to Big Freight’s Gary Coleman.

Bison has won the National Fleet Safety Award a total of ten times.

Big Freight Systems took home the grand prize in the small carrier category.

“As a small carrier, their company’s vision is to be seen as an innovative service partner,” said Kuehl. “It is rated number one in safety and customer satisfaction as judged by their customers.”

“I’m super honored to accept the award and take this recognition back to our team members,” Gary Coleman, president and CEO of Big Freight said upon acceptance.


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