A Wisconsin truck driver and his 1.5 million-plus accident-free miles earned 2005 Driver of the Year honors from the Truck Renting and Leasing Assn.

Award sponsor Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. presented Orville Pat Rule, of Dodgeville, Wis., and a 15-year driver for ICON Transportation Co., with the top award and a cash prize.
Rule has logged 4,435,312 miles without a single preventable accident. Since 1957, Rule has hauled livestock, milk, tobacco, auto parts, compact discs and videos. In January, ICON Transportation, of Remington, Ind., recognized the driver with "Pat Rule Day" at the company.
The TRALA program recognizes men and women who achieve the highest level of excellence in professional truck driving and demonstrate the vehicle renting and leasing industry's continuing commitment to highway safety, the association said.
Now in its 18th year, the Driver of the Year - as well as runners-up - were announced by Goodyear's Cohn during TRALA's annual conference.
A week ago, the company announced that a Texas truck driver had won the popular Goodyear North American Highway Hero program, which recognizes and honors U.S. and Canadian professional truck drivers who exhibit selflessness and courage in helping others.
TRALA's Driver of the Year runners-up include:
- Perry Chappell, of Unifi Inc., Winston-Salem, N.C.
- Terry Hemby, of Penske Logistics, Nashville, Tenn.
- Peter McConnen, of Penske Logistics, Stockton, Calif.
- Ronald McMillion, of Cargo Transporters, Claremont, N.C.
- Larry Rosengarten, of Clopay Transportation Co., Russia, Ohio
- Jerome Stalder, of Clopay Transportation Co., Russia, Ohio
- Michael Stowell, of Monroe Muffler-Brake, Rochester, N.Y.
- Steve Simon, of Penske Logistics, Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.
- James Wilborn, of Penske Logistics, Kansas City, Mo.
- Gary Wilson, of Hills Pet Nutrition, Mechanicsville, Va.
For more on Goodyear commercial tires, go to www.goodyear.com/truck.