January -- Richard Reese, Vorzik Transport

Richard Reese, of Pittston is the Driver of the Month for January 2020. Reese has been driving professionally since 1977 and has been with Vorzik since 2005. He has recorded 2.7 million miles in his career with more than 700,000 of them in the city. He has never had an accident and has been honored with 8 consecutive Safe Driving Awards from Vorzik and a 5-year Safe Driver Award from FedEx Ground.

“Richard is our most experienced and safest driver at our Scranton Facility, and he is the go-to driver for truck inspections and road tests for new drivers,” said Dale Knox, the Safety Specialist for Vorzik. “Always safety conscious, Richard routinely sends the Safety Department pictures of any problem he sees wrong with our equipment, and then helps us solve problems so the trucks are ready for the road.”

He is married to Doreen and they have a son named Brian. Reese enjoys showing cars and car shows and photography, which he can do at a professional level.

February – Troy Wolf, A&S Kinard

Troy Wolf, of Gardners, is the February 2020 Driver of the Month. He has been behind the wheel for 26 years and has logged more than 1.5 million miles. He has not had an accident in more than 14 years and has twice won the Flatbed Division in the Pennsylvania Truck Driving Championships. In 2002, Wolf was named the Driver of the Year for Beverage Transportation and he was the Driver of the Month for A&S Kinard in January of 2018.

“He is a safe, experienced, professional, dependable driver,” said Dana Bollinger, Director of Safety for A&S Services Group. “Troy’s distinguished trucking career began 26 years ago. In that time, he has been involved in one, non-preventable accident giving him an astonishing 1.5 million safe driving miles. The motive for this distinguished record is the fact that Troy holds safety as his top priority 100 percent of the time.”

Troy and his wife Tracey have two sons, Justin and Jared four grandchildren; Sladen, Grayson, Gabrielle and Shane. In his free time, he enjoys singing with St. John’s Lutheran Church, hunting and practicing for the TDCs. He is also a member of Union Hook & Ladder #33, his local volunteer fire company where he mostly assists with fundraising.

March – Jose D. Echegoyen, Sauder Transport Company

Jose D. Echegoyen, of Manheim, has been named the March 2020 Driver of the Month. He has been driving professionally for 25 years, all for Sauder Eggs. He has driven nearly two million accident-free miles. He was the employee of the month in October of 97 and the 1997 Employee of the Year for Sauder.

“Jose, or ‘Danny’ as we call him, always shows true professionalism and courtesy, not only with his peers but also with customers,” said Luis Gonzalez, Director of Transportation for Sauder Transport Company. “We constantly get positive feedback about his positive attitude and character. He is always willing to go the extra mile to ensure the job gets done.”

Echegoyen enjoys going to the beach, fishing and spending time with his family when he’s not on the road.

April – Jeff Reed, R.H. Crawford, Inc.

The Driver of the Month for April is Jeff Reed, of Littlestown. Reed has been driving professionally since 2001 and has been with R.H. Crawford since October of 2017. In that time he has driven more than 1.8 million miles, all in the city, and was only involved in one accident when he was struck while parked. He was awarded with a 1-Year Safe Driving award with R.H. Crawford.

“Jeffrey Reed has a very upbeat personality and a safe driving record, a winning combination,” said Abby Nace, Safety Director for R.H. Crawford. “Jeff’s can-do attitude has quickly made him a favorite with dispatch. Jeff’s professionalism is seen with his accident-free record and spotless truck inside and out. The mechanics are eager to work on his truck because Jeff always takes great care of the equipment.”

Reed enjoys working on cars and his motorcycle in his free time. He’s very handy around the house and enjoys gardening and home improvement projects.

May – Charlie Wagner Jr, Pitt Ohio

Charlie Wagner Jr., of Phoenixville, is the Driver of the Month for May. He has been behind the wheel professionally since 1986 and has been with Pitt Ohio since 1989. He has recorded more than 3.3 million miles and was only involved in one accident when an impaired driver struck him in 2016. He has earned the One-, two- and three-million safe miles awards for Pitt Ohio and was a Driver of the Month in 2006.

“When reviewing Charlie’s 30-year history at Pitt Ohio you could say he is the type of driver that is willing to volunteer his time and talent and readily accepts any assignment regardless of weather conditions or day of the week,” said Dean Yockey, Manager of Training and Development for Pitt Ohio.  “In addition to a perfect driving record, Charlie received many DOT inspections without a violation and 2 Bendix video events; both categorized as good defensive driving. Charlie’s commitment to highway safety is second to none and his driving record proves that he takes that responsibility seriously each and every day.  In addition, Charlie has helped others when stranded or when injured during an accident.”

Wagner enjoys fishing, hiking, camping and spending time with his two sons Clayton and Kyle.

June – Craig Marple, PGT Trucking, Inc

Craig Marple, of Johnstown, is the Driver of the Month for June. Marple has been driving professionally since 2003 and has been with PGT since 2010. He has driven more than 1.5 million miles and more than 1 million for PGT. He has never been involved in an accident and has earned a One Million Mile Safe Driving award as well as the 2016 PGT Company Driver of the Year Award.

“Mr. Craig Marple’s no-frills, to-the-point attitude is a valuable driver resource that we have come to rely on when trying to understand a driver’s perspective on incidents at PGT,” said Paul Vargo, Executive Driver at PGT. “He somehow manages to give criticism, then spin it around with a positive and support response, most of the time in the same sentence! PGT Trucking is a better company because of Mr. Marple’s talents. Craig approaches all tasks with a smile and positive outlook both new and seasoned drivers should strive to emulate.”

In his free time he likes to work on restoring a 1997 Ford pickup with his son Ian, spend time with his family and work on home improvement projects.

July – Timothy Cubbon, PGT Trucking, Inc.

Timothy Cubbon, of Seneca, is the Driver of the Month for July. Cubbon has been a professional driver since January of 2006 and has been with PGT since 2008. He has driven more than 1.4 million miles without any accident, with more than 1.2 million of them coming with PGT. He won the 2012 and 2013 Independent Driver of the Year Award, a One-Million Mile Safe Driver Award and is on the Independent Contractor Advisory Board.

“Corporate members of PGT can attest to multiple occasions when Tim has stepped up and assisted other drivers with their load securement. He will not hesitate to speak up and do what is right with public safety in mind,” said Vargo. “Several years after he leased on at PGT, Tim took his own personal time to attend our orientation again to give his feedback to help us improve the experience for our onboarding drivers. Time has also volunteered to be an instructor at various Safety Team Building Events.”

When he’s not driving, Cubbon enjoys riding his Harley, spending time with his children Connor and Tatum, roller skating, fishing and swimming.

August – Ryan Weaver, Lester R. Summers, Inc.

Lester R. Summers’ Ryan Weaver, of Ephrata, is the Driver of the Month for August. Weaver has been a professional driver since 2008 and has been with Summers since 2011. In that time, he has logged more than 775,000 miles and has had just one preventable accident due to an insecure load shifting at a red light in 2017. He has been a member of Summers’ OSHA Safety Committee for three years.

“Ryan Weaver is an excellent representative of Lester R. Summers, Inc., as well as the transportation industry,” said Carla Brodbeck, Director of Safety of Lester R. Summers. “He is always professional, consistent and never gets upset about anything. Ryan is one of the nicest drivers and is easy to work with…Ryan has hauled the biggest and best super loads in the past, but currently has chosen to haul dump trailers to have more family time.”

His hobbies include hunting, fishing and riding his dual sport motorcycle.

September – Troy Mohney, ABF Freight

Troy Mohney, of Harrisburg, has been named the September Driver of the Month. Mohney has been behind the wheel since October of 2001 and has been with ABF Freight for his entire career. He has driven more than 1.8 million miles without a single accident. He has earned a One-Million Mile Safe Driving Award. He once assisted a motorist that rolled their vehicle on I-78 and ensured her safety until the police arrived.

“Troy is a class act and very responsible driver,” said Michael Hogan of ABF. “He is always making sure things are done right the first time, and takes safety very seriously as reflected by his impeccable record. Troy consistently goes out of his way to help the company accomplish unforeseen tasks and goals. As a part of the Yard Focus Group created by ABF Carlisle, Troy actively participates in making the company a better and safer place to work. I can’t think of a better person, both in and outside of work, to deserve this award.”

When he’s off the clock, he enjoys wife Laura and their dogs, gardening, hunting, fishing and riding motorcycles.

October – Jan Michael Keith, Lester R. Summers, Inc

Jan Keith, of Reinholds, is the Driver of the Month for October. He has been professionally driving since 1977 and has been with Lester R. Summers since 1993. In his 43 years on the road he has driven more than 3.2 million miles and been involved in just three accidents, but not a single preventable accident in the last 28 years. He has earned a 23-year safe driving award from Summers.

“Jan is an excellent representative for our company and our industry,” said Brodbeck. “He is always ready to help others when asked. Jan is known to get the job done and do it right. A top driver, he volunteers for jobs that others don’t want to do.”

Keith and his wife Susan have two children, Michelle and Tim, and in his free time, Keith enjoys camping, racing, motorcycle riding and any kind of travel. He is active with his church and also enjoys spending time with his grandchildren.

November – Ronald DeVor Jr., Lester R. Summers, Inc

Ronald DeVor Jr., of Red Lion, is the Driver of the Month for November. Devor has been a professional driver since 1989 and has been with Summers since 2016. He has won a Safe Driving Award for each of the last three years with Lester R. Summers.

“Ronald DeVor has been with our company since July of 2016, but has been in our industry for almost 30 years,” said Brodbeck. “He has proven to be an asset to our company not only with his safety record, but he likes to work, and is always willing to try new things. His easy-going manner makes him great to work with, and he is always very nice and respectful to everyone.”

DeVor once saved his girlfriend’s life be performing CPR and also once ran into a burning building to help save his neighbors. “In an emergency, Ron is one who runs toward danger rather than away from it,” said Brodbeck.

When he’s not driving, DeVor enjoys landscaping, grilling and spending time with his children Bobbi Jo, Courtney and Randy, and his girlfriend Becky Vaughn.

December – Craig Smith, Lester R. Summers, Inc

The Driver of the Month for December is Craig Smith, of Akron. He has been driving professionally since 1996 and has been with Summers since April of 1999. He has driven a 3-axle van, a tanker and a flatbed in his career and he has not had an accident since 1996, his first year on the road.

“Craig Smith has been a driver in our industry for 24 years, 21 of them at Lester R. Summers. He’s a very safety-conscious individual, who is liked by everyone,” Brodbeck said. “His versatility is an asset to our company. He’s been described as a ‘very nice guy.” On the quiet side, Craig comes to work, does his job well and returns home to his family which consists of his mother, Jen, and his sister Jennifer.”

When he’s not driving, he enjoys flying drones and target practice.