Mario Almendarez, a lease operator at Prime Inc., rode a total of 538.99 miles to win Prime’s 2013 May Bicycle Challenge.

Almendarez took the lead from Ange Mwiseneza during the last week of May by riding an incredible 204.59 miles. He finished the competition in second place with 488.5 miles, while Jeff Schmid finished in third with 155.34 miles.

The month long competition was designed by Prime’s Driver Health and Fitness Coach Siphiwe Baleka in an effort to further the culture of fitness among Prime’s drivers. Twice a year, Prime Inc. sponsors a month long bicycle challenge to encourage drivers to be more active.

As part of its award-winning Driver Health and Fitness program, drivers store bikes on their trucks and utilize Smartphone apps to track rides. Being able to accumulate miles is contingent on a number of factors.

According to Almendarez, “It all comes down to location and trips. I was lucky to be in the south last month with a lot of short trips and good weather. Up north, where I usually run, I probably wouldn’t have done as well.”

Roy Romo, who finished second last year during the September Bicycle Challenge, finished fourth in this year’s May challenge.

“As a Prime Student Driver Trainer,” Romo said, “I found riding a bike an enjoyable way to see and explore more at the places I travel to, as well as a way to exercise. The bike challenge gave me the incentive to ride more often and farther than I would have otherwise. I encourage every driver to find a way to get out of the truck and exercise as often as you can.”

Last year, Prime and bicycle manufacturer Montague partnered to provide high quality fold-up mountain bikes to the fleet.

“Twenty-eight drivers now carry a mountain bike inside their tractor cabs,” Baleka said, “and more and more drivers are riding.”

He continued, “Almendarez and Mwiseneza had an epic battle. They said it helped push each other in friendly competition. I am very impressed and inspired by their efforts.”

Top Driver Results

Mario Almendarez – 538.99 miles
Ange Mwiseneza  - 488.5 miles
Jeff Schmid – 155.34 miles
Roy Romo – 62.9 miles