KISSIMMEE, FL. — Winnipeg’s Bison Transport took home the National Fleet Safety Award in the large carrier division last night at The Truckload Carriers Association’s (TCA) Annual Awards Banquet.

Rob Penner, vice president for Bison Transport, was on hand to accept the award.

In order to be granted the prestigious grand prize, Bison had to demonstrate that they strive 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.

Erb International, Inc., New Hamburg, Ontario, and N. Yanke Transfer, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, took second and third place in the 25-49.99 million miles division, respectively.

The judging process for TCA’s National Fleet Safety Awards began with the determination of the top companies in each of six mileage-based divisions. The division winners were selected based on accident frequency only. The top three winners in each division were then able to compete for the two grand prizes. The grand prize-winning companies were judged on their excellent overall safety programs, both on- and off-highway. During the judging, some of the factors considered included safety program organization, employee driver/independent contractor selection procedures, training, supervision, accident investigation, inspection and maintenance of equipment, and outside activities, including general highway safety.

In an effort to ensure the highest level of integrity in the contest, all grand prize finalists were audited by independent auditors not affiliated with TCA or the carrier.

Below are the names of the 2011 top divisional winners based on low accident frequency ratios per million miles. Companies are listed in the order that they placed:

Division I Winners (Less than 5 million miles)
1. Rocha Transportation, Ceres, Cal.
2. Art Pape Transfer, Inc., Dubuque, Iowa
3. Specialty Transport, Inc., Knoxville, Tenn.

Division II Winners (5-14.99 million miles)
1. Southland Transportation Co., Boonville, N.C.
2. Houff Transfer, Inc., Weyers Cave, Va.
3. Skyline Transportation, Inc., Knoxville, Tenn.

Division III Winners (15-24.99 million miles)
1. Stagecoach Cartage & Dist. LP, El Paso, Texas
2. Grand Island Express, Grand Island, Neb.
3. Ace Doran Hauling & Rigging, Cincinnati, Ohio

Division IV Winners (25-49.99 million miles)
1. Titan Transfer, Inc., Shelbyville, Tenn.
2. Erb International, Inc., New Hamburg, Ontario
3. N. Yanke Transfer, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

Division V Winners (50-99.99 million miles)
1. Groupe Robert, Inc., Rougemont, Québec
2. Navajo Express, Inc., Denver, Col.
3. May Trucking Company, Salem, Ore.

Division VI Winners (100 million or more miles)
1. Bison Transport, Inc., Winnipeg, Manitoba
2. Gordon Trucking, Inc., Pacific, Wash.
3. Roehl Transport Inc., Marshfield, Wisc.

How Bison Did It

This from TCA:

For several years, the essence of Bison Transport’s safety program has been captured in its mantra, “You’re Safe With Me.” This year, the theme was expanded for an internal campaign, “You’re Safe With Me Because…” which constantly reminds employees of the company’s safety values and raises awareness about the importance of their actions. Everyone is held accountable, from management to drivers, and each member of the team is expected to share the company’s safety priorities.

In exchange, Bison Transport provides its people with the best possible compensation and tools to foster a safe working environment. For example, drivers receive interactive, customized training that is tailored to their specific equipment and experience level. New drivers in training receive a salary rather than payment by the mile so they can focus on learning safe practices rather than worrying about meeting a specific mileage goal. Drivers who are safe on the roads are given numerous incentives to stay that way; in fact, Bison spends more than 30 percent of its actual accident costs to reward and encourage its drivers.

When it comes to maintenance, Bison’s detailed computer program tracks every piece of equipment, whether owned, leased, rented, or exchanged with another carrier. It alerts technicians when repairs, service, or inspections are due, so company equipment is always in excellent working condition and drivers experience few on-road breakdowns. Owner operators must provide monthly maintenance reports showing what work was performed on their vehicle, and Bison technicians can request their own inspection if they feel it is warranted.

Bison Transport’s safety strategy appears to be paying off. It holds the highest safety rating available from the U.S. Department of Transportation. As safety increased, accident costs decreased 32 percent in 2010 and an additional 17 percent in 2011. The company enjoys a high driver retention rate of 73 percent and for a third time has been named a TCA Best Fleet to Drive For, an honor that stems from driver nominations and general overall satisfaction with a carrier.

According to Bison Transport’s grand prize application, “Being the safest fleet in North America is not the goal… it is an outcome. The goal is that each of our people makes it home safely to their families every single time. Our culture is evident throughout our business. We don’t just talk about [safety], we live it!”