LAS VEGAS — Erb International of New Hamburg, Ont. has won another big international prize.

This time, the 50-year-old family-owned fleet was the grand prize winner of the U.S.-based Truckload Carriers Association‘s 34th National Fleet Safety Awards.

The prestigious award, in the category of less than 25 million miles, was presented this week to general manager Wendell Erb at the TCA’s annual banquet in Las Vegas.

The other grand prize winner, Roehl Transport of Marshfield, Wis. won in the 25 million or more miles category.

Erb has developed a reputation for its employee-centered safety practices. (See here for more).

The two fleets were selected from among 18 division winners in the National Fleet Safety Division Awards announced in January.

Both companies demonstrated that they strived "to meet stringent standards in their overall safety programs, on and off the highway, and were judged to be the best in their commitment to improving safety on our nation’s highways," stated TCA.

Specifically, Erb’s safety program goes beyond traditional communications methods, such as newsletters, a company magazine, and staff meetings, which include all levels of Erb’s management team. Leaders, including the president, interact frequently with staff and drivers.

A comprehensive Safety Management Program defines the corporate safety culture and covers all aspects of the carrier’s operations.

Erb also employs Pro-Drive, which is a driver performance monitoring and incentive program that uses electronic onboard recorders to measure the driver’s speed, hard-braking, idle time, routing, and mileage.

Drivers who do not meet above average industry standards receive further evaluation, training, and corrective action.

As a result of its policies and incentives, Erb, which has over 500 company drivers and owner-ops, boasts a driver turnover rate of just 10 percent.

Erb also ranked as a finalist for the National Fleet Safety Award in five of the past eight years. In 2009, it was also a finalist in Best Fleets to Drive For, a program administered jointly by TCA and Toronto online training provider, CarriersEdge.