Thomas comes from a family involved in the trucking industry, and has been driving for 8 years. He has been with TransForce’s Birmingham branch for the last 5 years, during which time, he has had a stellar attendance record and has maintained a perfect safety record!
Thomas keeps a Safety First attitude by his constant display of safe driving behaviors and best practices throughout his shifts every day. When asked what his key to success is, he says you just need to remember to be safe at all times so you can return home at the end of each day. Thomas has many important reasons to return home safe each day, namely, his 4 year old son, 11 year old daughter, and his fiancé, whom he plans to marry in September.
Working at TransForce, the benefits are good, but it’s the people that Thomas likes most. And the feeling is mutual—people like working with Thomas. He gets positive feedback across the board. His helpful, can-do outlook and exemplary leadership skills make him an asset to TransForce and to the New South Express team he works with in Lincoln, AL. His New South Express team members have referred to him as “The Poster Child” for what
Congratulations to Thomas Krusick, TransForce Driver of the Year!
Attention to Safety, Attitude and Leadership! Those are three qualities repeatedly used to describe Thomas Krusick, our Driver of the Year, who we are
proud to feature in this issue of In the Safety Zone™. Winning the Driver of the Year Award is no small feat—up against more than 3,000 drivers, the competition is incredibly stiff!
IN T
HIS
IS
SU
E:
■■
A n
ew lo
ok
for
In t
he
Saf
ety
Zo
ne!
■■
Tran
sFo
rce
Dri
ver
of t
he
Year
■■
Saf
ety
Wee
k st
arts
Ap
ril 2
2
■■
Ap
ril i
s D
istr
acte
d D
rivi
ng
A
war
enes
s M
on
th
continues next page
Thomas Krusick (left) was honored at a ceremony in Birmingham, AL on March 7. He is shown here with Paul Braswell, TransForce VP of Field Operations and Recruiting, and Kenny Horne, Market Manager.
TransForce Driver Referral Program!TransForce needs more good drivers to fill local, regional and OTR openings.
If you know a driver who would like:
Tell the driver about employment with TransForce. Give the driver your name and your local TransForce office phone number.
they want in a driver, he’s their go-to guy whenever they need a critical job performed.
Thomas shares some of the reasons you’d expect for why he enjoys being a driver: being out and about and getting to see the country, different scenery, the feeling of being your own boss. But mostly, he just really likes driving—whether it’s a truck for TransForce, or his Mustang Convertible when he’s off the clock.
*$250 after driver works 200 hours; $250 after driver works 400 hours
TransForce Safety Week starts April 22
S afety is a shared commitment among our drivers, our clients and ourselves. At TransForce, we practice safety every single day as
one of our core values! Setting aside a specific week allows us to focus on our commitment to safety, and to engage and encourage our customers and drivers to do their part. The most important benefit TransForce can provide to our drivers is a safe working environment.
April is also Distracted Driving Awareness Month so it makes it the perfect month to host TransForce Safety week. Check your local TransForce office for special events planned for the week.
Pre
sort
edS
tand
ard
Mai
lU
.S. P
osta
ge
PAID
Livi
ngst
on M
TPe
rmit
#2
MD
TX
CA
WI
MS
NC
VA
OH
MT ME
CT RI
NJ
DE
SC
TNOKAZ
COUT
IA
INIL
MI
MN
NE
NM
MO
AR
LA
WV
KY
PA
NYNH
VT
NV
OR
WA
WY
ND
ID SD
AL GA
FL
MA
KS
While his driving skills are top-notch, he excels in many other areas as well: training, conducting road tests, evaluations, effectively communicating, and supporting new TransForce drivers. New South Express has multiple locations and positions that require additional training. Thomas has worked every single job type,
Driver of the Year (continued from page 1)
Driver of the Year Thomas Krusick is also an AHSAA football official.
1. Texas 2. California 3. Virginia 4. Mississippi 5. Ohio
6. Maine 7. Montana 8. Maryland 9. North Carolina 10. Wisconsin
putting him in the unique position of understanding exactly what is required to perform each job function, and making him the perfect person to train and assist new drivers. Knowing each position combined with his dedication to safety, excellent communication skills and his commitment to the team make him a perfect mentor for any new driver.
Besides driving, Thomas loves football. He’s a Cleveland Brown, Ohio State Buckeye and extreme high school football fan. As an AHSAA Football Official, on Friday nights during football season, you’ll find him on the field refereeing games. He’s happy to support anyone interested in joining him so if you’re interested in becoming a football official, give him a shout and he’ll help you get started!
Congratulations, Thomas! The entire team at New South is a stronger unit under your leadership and we are proud to have you as part of our TransForce family. We’re looking forward to your continued success with TransForce!
The Facts About Distracted Driving
Distracted driving has fast become one of the biggest risks we face on the roads
each day, with roughly 420,000 Americans injured each year in distraction-affected motor vehicle incidents. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that 9 Americans are killed and roughly 1,000 more are injured each day in these types of incidents.
With the constant advances in technology both in and out of the vehicle, there are more potential distractions than ever before. That’s why we at TransForce want to remind everyone that April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month!
At TransForce we want our great drivers to lead the effort in helping to decrease the potential for distracted driving and its consequences. Whether it is a cell phone or a sub sandwich, we have to make sure that we set the tone in avoiding distractions on the road.
A t TransForce your safety is our top priority. Your supervisor may not always
have first-hand knowledge of the conditions you are facing when picking up/dropping off loads and they rely on you to report any unsafe practices or unsafe working environments you encounter at customer sites or at pickup or drop-off locations.
If you see something unsafe, please say something to your supervisor. If for some reason you cannot reach your supervisor or don’t feel comfortable going to them, you can report any unsafe locations/practices you come across on the job to [email protected].
* This email hotline is to be used for reporting unsafe working conditions only. If you’re involved in a crash or have an injury (no matter how minor), continue to report those directly to your branch and the customer immediately.
See Something, Say Something
TOP 10 STATES FOR
Maintenance Violations
Safety in the trucking industry doesn’t just apply to the road. The responsibility to ensure that your tractor and its equipment are in proper working order is paramount
to a professional driver.
While we do not maintain the fleet of tractors, it is imperative that we are diligent in reporting any known maintenance issues to our customers so that they can rectify them as soon as possible. Not only is this a safety issue, but we all know there are several instances in which violations or citations can be given for failure to ensure the tractor is in top running condition before hitting the road.
Given the nature of our industry, safety should be our number one concern both on and off the road. This is why it is so important to perform thorough pre-trip inspections on your tractors and trailers. That extra ten minutes may save some hassle if you’re traveling through any of the states mentioned, but it may also save a life anywhere you’re running!
April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month! LEAD BY EXAMPLE!
Join us in our commitment to distraction-free driving, not just in April but every day!
Top Ten Issuers of Maintenance Related Violations (2018)
