KING CITY, Ont. — Luckily for Pro Distribution Services and Home Hardware, winning safety awards never grows tiresome. If it did, the companies would have to consider boycotting the Private Motor Truck Council (PMTC) annual conference, where they routinely win their respective categories in the association’s fleet safety awards, sponsored by Zurich Insurance.

For the sixth time in 13 years, Pro Distribution Services has been named the award winner in the small fleet category. The company has been running a fleet for more than 25 years, delivering dated material such as weekly flyers to newspapers.

The fleet consists of six power units and 13 trailers and accumulated close to 100,000 kms in each of the past here years, while maintaining a CVOR violation rate of just 2.6% – particularly impressive since the fleet runs inner-city most of the time.

The company has a written Safety Policy Statement and Driver Policy, which outline their safety standards and procedures. Driver turnover is nearly non-existent, with all drivers having remained with the fleet for at least the last nine years.

New hires, when they do come along, must spend the first week with an experienced driver and the operations manager so they can be assessed and ask any questions. Regular safety meetings are held and a bonus system is in place for safe driving.

Winner of the large fleet category was Home Hardware Stores, a three-time winner in its own right. Home Hardware runs 132 power units and nearly 500 trailers from a network of four distribution centres.

The fleet delivers about 95% of the product sold in its stores. In each of the last three years, the fleet ran over 17 million kilometres.

Home Hardware has written policies for the hiring, orientation and training of drivers. It also has a Carrier Safety Management System developed in conjunction with the Canadian Standards Association.

On-board recorders monitor driver behaviour and drivers are kept appraised of their performance and that of the entire fleet. Bonuses are awarded for safe driving. Home Hardware has a CVOR violation rate of 11.6%.

“Zurich and the PMTC congratulate the management and drivers of these fleets,” said PMTC prez, Bruce Richards. “It requires a good deal of effort from everyone involved with the fleet to keep road safety uppermost in mind, and that effort pays of with these enviable safety records. Both Pro Distribution and Home Hardware Stores are excellent examples of well-run fleets”.