The Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) has announced the Grand Prize winners of the 2003 National Fleet Safety Awards: Lawrence Transportation Co. of Rochester, Minn., and MacKinnon Transport Inc. of Guelph, Ont., Canada.

The awards were presented earlier this week at the Annual Banquet & Awards Dinner to Eric Lawrence, president of Lawrence Transportation, and to Ray Haight, president of MacKinnon Transport.
Lawrence Transportation won the award for truckload companies operating under 25 million miles annually, while MacKinnon Transport Inc. won for the category of over 25 million miles annually.
Lawrence Transportation Co. said it believes its safety success is due to its concept of "operations with safety, not operations and safety." The company has received seven consecutive first-place awards in the annual Minnesota Trucking Assn. Safety Contest, including the Grand Trophy in 1997.
MacKinnon Transport Inc. believes that a commitment to safety "begins with the leadership of the owners and senior management."
One way that MacKinnon supports their safe drivers is through their driver safety incentive program, which rewards drivers up to 5% of their wage to acknowledge safe driving and reinforce a commitment to safety.
The TCA Fleet Safety Contest judging process began with the determination of the top companies in each of six mileage divisions. The division winners (listed below) were selected based on accident frequency only. The top three winners in each division were then able to compete for the two grand prizes.
The top divisional winners based on low accident frequency per million miles were:

Division I Winners (under 5 million miles)

1st Place: Specialty Transport Inc., Knoxville, Tenn.
2nd Place: Frerichs Freight Lines Inc., Swansea, Ill.
3rd Place: Rochester Cartage Inc., Rochester, Minn.

Division II Winners (5-14.99 million miles)

1st Place: Five Star Trucking Inc., Willoughby, Ohio
2nd Place: Lawrence Transportation Co., Rochester, Minn.
3rd Place: Best Cartage, Kernersville, N.C.

Division III Winners (15-24.99 Million Miles)

1st Place: Grand Island Express, Grand Island, Neb.
2nd Place: Christenson Transportation Inc., Springfield, Mo.
3rd Place: Erb International, New Hamburg, Ont., Canada

Division IV Winners (25-49.99 Million Miles)

1st Place: Kriska Transportation, Prescott, Ont., Canada
2nd Place: MacKinnon Transport Inc., Guelph, Ont., Canada
3rd Place: Cornhusker Motor Lines, Omaha, Neb.

Division V Winners (50-99.99 Million Miles)

1st Place: John Christner Trucking Inc., Sapulpa, Okla.
2nd Place: Highland Transport, Markham, Ont., Canada
3rd Place: G & P Trucking Co. Inc., Gaston, S.C.

Division VI Winners (Over 100 Million Miles)

1st Place: National Freight Inc., Vineland, N.J.
2nd Place: FFE Transportation Services Inc., Lancaster Texas
3rd Place: Smithway Motor Xpress Inc., Fort Dodge, Iowa.