Con-way Truckload announced it has cut its total accident frequency rate by nearly 34 percent since 2004, a 22-year record for the company.

While the truckload carrier's accidents have been dropping over the last five years, the most recent figures are the lowest since the company began keeping records in 1987.

"Our company considers an accident any incident where one of our vehicles comes in contact with another vehicle or property resulting in visible damage, even as minor as a small scratch," said Randy Cornell, vice president of safety and recruiting, Con-way Truckload. "Other standards used in the industry typically define an accident as an incident involving injury or significant damage."

Under this definition, Con-way said its drivers averaged 7.9 accidents per million miles driven in 2009. Under the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's definition, which is a reportable accident as an occurrence that renders a vehicle inoperable or causes an injury, the 2009 accident frequency rate was .628, or one accident for every 1.6 million miles driven.

"This is a tremendous achievement by our drivers and a real measure of their commitment to safety in everything they do," said Herb Schmidt, president of Con-way Truckload. "We maintain the highest safety standards at Con-way Truckload and our drivers live up to that challenge every day as they represent the company on America's highways."

Con-way Truckload honored its drivers for their safety achievement in a recent ceremony at its Joplin, Mo., headquarters.