PHILADELPHIA -- Ruan Transportation Management Systems and Searcy Trucking Limited were awarded 2015 Volvo Trucks Safety Awards on Oct. 19 at the ATA’s Management Conference & Exhibition here. The two companies were honored for their exemplary safety records and training programs, with each receiving $25,000 for future safety initiatives.

“By making safety a priority every day, Ruan Transportation and Searcy Trucking were able to deliver an outstanding safety performance during the past year,” said Göran Nyberg, president, Volvo Trucks North America. “Their investments in industry-leading safety programs and training show a dedication to driver safety, and we congratulate them on this achievement.”

Now entering its seventh year, Volvo’s  Safety Award program recognizes the outstanding safety performance of North American fleets. Since 2009, Michelin Americas Truck Tires has been a co-sponsor of the program.

"Michelin has been focused on safety for over 125 years, and we are proud to again partner with Volvo Trucks to recognize the safest fleets in North America with the 2015 Volvo Trucks Safety Awards,” said Mike Cain, Michelin vice president of original equipment.

Nyberg said candidates were evaluated for their low accident rates and the quality of their safety programs. A candidate fleet must run some Volvos among its vehicles. Volvo and Michelin detailed the reasons for their choosing the two winning fleets:

Ruan Transportation Management Systems, based in Des Moines, Iowa, is the 2015 winner in the over 20 million miles category. Ruan drivers logged more than 246 million miles in 2014 and had an accident frequency rate of only 0.61.

Founded in 1932, Ruan is one of the top 10 privately owned transportation companies in the U.S. with 270-plus locations. With more than 3,900 trucks in its fleet, Ruan hauls freight for a wide range of industries, including retail, manufacturing, food and dairy, chemicals, medical supplies and waste.

Its Megasafe program guides training, regular safety meetings and field operations. In the 1940s, Ruan became the first transportation company to introduce a formal safety program.

“We are honored and proud to be recognized with the Volvo safety award,” said Lisa Gonnerman, vice president of safety for Ruan. “Nothing is more important to us than the safety of our drivers and protecting the motoring public around us. We are driven to be safe, and our programs demonstrate our safety focus.” 

Searcy Trucking Ltd., a family-owned company located in Winnipeg, Manitoba, won the award in the under 20 million miles category. A division of Canada’s Bison Transport since 2013, Searcy was established in 1969 and specializes in flatbed transportation services. It runs 88 trucks.

Searcy’s strong safety culture calls for managing safety with the same attention to detail as financial management. Driver training includes simulations based on real-life fleet experience.The company has a “right to decide” policy that allows drivers to temporarily discontinue a trip when conditions are too hazardous to drive safely.

Searcy’s drivers logged more than 6.8 million miles in 2014 and had an accident frequency rate of just 0.58.

“Safety has been a core value at Searcy Trucking for as long as we’ve been in the trucking business, and was a key factor in Bison’s interest in acquiring Searcy back in 2013,” said Norm Blagden, the company’s president.

“Searcy drivers are some of the best in the business. That, combined with a leading safety program, ensures our drivers return home safely at the end of each and every trip.”