GREENSBORO, N.C. — Volvo Trucks North America is once again looking for the safest fleets in North America with the 2010 Volvo Trucks Safety Awards. Two fleets with the safest driving records and top safety programs will each receive $25,000 prizes to be used on their safety activities. 

This is year, the second that Volvo Trucks will highlight the safety efforts of individual fleets, Michelin has linked up with Volvo as a sponsor of the award.

“Year in and year out, safety remains a top issue for Volvo and the entire industry,” said Scott Kress, senior vice-president of sales and marketing. “The Volvo Trucks Safety Award is a way to show that safety pays, even during the difficult times trucking has been through recently.”

“Volvo Trucks and Michelin know how important it is to encourage all fleets to examine their safety programs to see where they can make improvements and to celebrate those companies which set a standard others can aspire to,” Kress said. “We want to promote the need for safe truck operations by all fleets.”

The Volvo Trucks Safety Award is open to all US and Canadian fleets operating at least five Class 8 units. Fleets must have at least one Volvo tractor in operation to be eligible for the award. Entrants will be ranked by their accident frequency rates. Participating fleets will also be judged on their accident prevention activities. 

The deadline for entry is May 30. The winners of the award will be announced in this fall. The two grand prizes will be awarded to the fleets with the best records in two divisions based on annual vehicle miles travelled: less than 20 million miles and more than 20 million miles. Complete rules and entry forms are at www.volvotruckssafetyaward.com.

The winners of the inaugural safety award in 2009 were Bison Transport of Winnipeg, Man. and Food City, of Abingdon, Va. Officials from the two companies detail their approach to fleet safety in a video here.