Hello, everybody! It’s National Truck Driver Appreciation Week, and at Frito-Lay North America, we’re recognizing 104 “Million Milers,” a special group of over-the-road drivers who have driven one million or two million accident-free miles over the course of their careers.
Just think about that for a minute… One million or two million accident-free miles! In a tractor-trailer!
On average, it takes about 10 years for a driver to reach the million-mile mark. Now, it’s been 15 years since I got my driver’s license, and I’ve been in about four fender benders. And, that’s in a car -- and usually in the city! Frito-Lay’s Million Miler men and women drive across North American highways and interstates daily, safely bringing your favorite snacks from our manufacturing facilities to local distribution centers across the U.S. and Canada.
This year is especially exciting because we achieved two milestones with the Million Milers program. First, Frito Lay Canada welcomed its first female driver into the Million Miler fold. Carrie Coutts (pictured left), who works with our Lethbridge, Alberta, traffic center, has been with Frito Lay Canada for eight years. She racks up 2,500 miles on her weekly roundtrip route from Lethbridge to Thunder Bay, Ontario, and admits she loves driving. “I just like the freedom of it,” Carrie told me. She also recommends advice for staying safe on the road: “Just pay attention to the other drivers, and if you get tired, definitely pull over.”
Secondly, Frito-Lay now has a Million Miler family! Wayne Walker became a Two Million Miler this year. He joins his brother, Sonny, who became a Two Million Miler with the company in 2009. And if that’s not impressive enough, their father, Jerry, retired in 1987 as a Two Million Miler. The Walkers (pictured right) are based at our Charlotte, N.C., traffic center, and both Wayne and Sonny are striving for the Three Million Miler award. Now that’s what I call sibling rivalry!
Frito-Lay now has more than 500 active Million Milers on the road each day, representing 40 percent of our U.S. drivers. Through the Million Milers program, and Frito-Lay’s extensive safety efforts, we’ve seen a 70 percent decline in collisions since 1999. We must be doing something right!
Congrats to all of our Million Milers.
- Deanna
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