55 Years Without An Accident: UPS Driver Tom Camp Sets Company Safety Record
October 18 2017 - 9:30AM
- Michigan Driver Has Safely Delivered Over 5 Million
Packages
- UPS To Give $25,000 Grant In His Honor To University Of
Michigan’s Transportation Research Institute
- Governor Rick Snyder Declares October 18, 2017 Safe Driving
Awareness Day In Michigan
UPS driver Tom Camp has achieved what no other UPS driver ever
has – 55 years behind the wheel of a brown delivery truck without
an accident. In that time Camp has driven over a million miles –
the equivalent of two round-trips to the moon, or 40 trips around
the equator.
The 77 year-old Camp, who began his career with UPS in 1962
delivering in suburban Detroit, credits his training and a healthy
dose of caution for his remarkable record. “You need to assume
other drivers are not as aware as you are,” said Camp. “If you
assume the other guy is daydreaming, that’s a good first step.”
At a company with a long history of records, Camp’s stands
alone. Only one other driver has eclipsed the 50-year mark – Ron
Sowder of Dayton, Ohio, who had 50 accident-free years upon his
retirement in 2012. Sowder and Camp are the only two drivers who’ve
earned the distinction of wearing the number “50” on their uniform
patch.
Of the 102,000 drivers at UPS, 9,349 have driven for 25 years or
more without an avoidable accident. Of those, 91 have gone 40 years
or more accident-free, and 10 have eclipsed the 45-year mark.
Manhattan, New York driver Ronnie McKnight, with 48 years of safe
driving, is currently number two.
A U.S. Marine Corps veteran, Camp began delivering when roads
were less congested and drivers less distracted. “Traffic has
doubled since I started with Big Brown,” says Camp. “I can’t
count how many times I’ve seen folks do crazy things behind the
wheel – reading the paper or doing their make-up. Cell phones
are a part of it, too, but it’s more than just that.”
There were 40,200 motor vehicle deaths in 2016, up six percent
from 2015, according to the National Safety Council. And distracted
driving plays a role: 36 percent of people surveyed in 2015 by
State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance admitted to texting while
driving, and 29 percent said they access the internet while behind
the wheel.
“Tom’s accomplishment is remarkable and serves as an inspiration
to all UPSers,” said Teri McClure, UPS chief human resources
officer and senior vice president, labor. “On behalf of UPS, I
thank Tom for taking such good care of our customers and others on
the road.” In recognition of his achievement, Camp was
honored by the company and his local co-workers at a ceremony in
Livonia.
In honor of Camp’s achievement, UPS has given a $25,000 grant to
the University of Michigan’s Transportation Research Institute
(UMTRI) to continue their exemplary work on road safety issues.
“Congratulations to Mr. Camp on his extraordinary achievement,”
said Michael Sivak Ph.D., Director, Worldwide Sustainable
Transportation for UMTRI. “We appreciate UPS’s contribution to our
research related to highway safety, sustainability and commercial
motor vehicle productivity, and for their dedication to these
important causes.”
UPS spent $194 million in 2016 on safety training, and in recent
years has opened nine regional UPS Integrad® driver training
schools where safe driving methods are taught through hands-on,
experiential learning and with high tech computer-assisted
techniques.
Tom Camp’s 55-plus years of safe driving at UPS is an
astonishing feat, and a testament to the impact of driver education
programs,” said Chris Spear, President and CEO of the American
Trucking Associations. “Smart decision making on the road reduces
the rate of accidents and keeps both pedestrians and other drivers
safe. We applaud Tom for his lifelong commitment to safety, as well
as his service to this country as a marine.”
At 77, Camp says he has no immediate plans for retirement. “I
enjoy my job and my customers,” he says. “As long as I can do it
well, I’ll keep going.”
Photos and video of Camp on the job can be found at
https://ups.box.com/s/aq9y5attfv6o4jiip079iutnpc0smue0.. About
UPS
UPS (NYSE: UPS) is a global leader in logistics, offering a
broad range of solutions including transporting packages and
freight; facilitating international trade, and deploying advanced
technology to more efficiently manage the world of business.
Headquartered in Atlanta, UPS serves more than 220 countries and
territories worldwide. The company can be found on the web
at ups.com or pressroom.ups.com and its
corporate blog can be found at longitudes.ups.com. To
get UPS news direct, follow @UPS_News on
Twitter.
Dan McMackin
dmcmackin@ups.com
United Parcel Service (NYSE:UPS)
Historical Stock Chart
From Mar 2024 to Apr 2024
United Parcel Service (NYSE:UPS)
Historical Stock Chart
From Apr 2023 to Apr 2024