KING CITY, Ont. — Three professional drivers with more than 100 years of safe driving between them have earned spots in the Private Motor Truck Council Hall of Fame for Professional Drivers.

The Hall, sponsored by Huron Services Group, resides online on the PMTC’s Web site at www.pmtc.ca.

The drivers were honoured during the PTMC’s annual conference June 18.

First to be named during a special luncheon in their honour was Vince Russo of Summit Food Service Distributors. Russo drives tractor-trailer out of Summit’s London, Ont. distribution centre and has racked up 40 years of safe driving experience.

Even more impressive is that Russo drives in the city, making deliveries to restaurants, schools, nursing homes and day cares – many of which were not designed to accommodate heavy trucks.

To keep in shape, Russo often chooses delivery routes that need to be unloaded by hand, using two-wheeled carts in busy downtown areas.

Also joining the Hall of Fame is Jim Hagen of Maple Leaf Consumer Foods. Hagen has 35 years of collision-free driving to his credit, including more than two million accident-free miles. He has driven for Maple Leaf for the past four years and earned a reputation as a hard worker.

Hagen’s employer describes him as respectful with peers and coworkers and always willing to assist. He’s known for his diligent logbooks, trip inspections and record-keeping. Hagen also trains other Maple Leaf drivers.

The third new member of the Hall is Bill Youden, a driver with the TDL Group, more commonly known as Tim Horton’s. Youden has 27 years of safe driving under his belt and is often contributing ideas on how to improve the fleet’s operations, according to his employer.

Youden considers the company’s customers to be his own and offers guidance to new hires as a coach.

“There are many professional commercial truck drivers in Canada who demonstrate their skills every day, and compile safe driving records that are beyond amazing, considering all the adverse conditions they face every day,” said PMTC president Bruce Richards. “But it is only a select few that match the caliber of the drivers in the PMTC/Huron Services Group Hall of Fame. The industry salutes these individuals and we are pleased to honour them today.”