INDIANAPOLIS — The Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) has awarded Jetco Delivery’s Vice President of Safety, Jeff McKinney, as its 2024 TCA Safety Professional of the Year.
The announcement was made recently during TCA’s 43rd Annual Safety and Security Meeting in Indianapolis.
This honor is given each year to a trucking industry professional whose actions and achievements have made a profound contribution to enhancing safety on North America’s highways, according to TCA.
McKinney has more than 25 years of experience in the trucking industry. He started as a driver and night warehouse manager, a TCA news release states.
He joined Werner Enterprises in 1994, rising from company driver to safety supervisor, where he managed DOT compliance and safety meetings.
From 2001 to 2002, McKinney worked as a lead trainer at United Driver Services, providing CDL training and defensive driving courses.
As director of safety and operations manager at General Logistics from 2002 to 2007, “he significantly reduced accidents and costs,” the news release notes.
“At Jetco Delivery since 2007, Jeff’s initiatives, including early adoption of Elogs, cut accident frequency by 50%,” according to TCA.
McKinney earned his Certified Director of Safety designation from the North American Transportation Management Institute in 2007 and has led Jetco to numerous safety awards. He is also an active participant and presenter at industry conferences.
“His leadership has also improved regional road safety, significantly reducing distracted driving, commercial vehicle and intersection crashes,” the news release states. “Through his outstanding leadership and unwavering commitment to safety, Jeff has left a lasting impact on the transportation industry, ensuring the well-being of drivers and promoting a culture of safety within organizations.”
Jetco’s Strategic Maintenance Director, Amanda Schuier, nominated McKinney for the award.
“One of the things that makes Jeff shine is his ability to make Safety approachable and accessible to all,” Schuier said. “Jeff maintains a ‘see, say, do’ mentality. I frequently spot him out with our professional drivers, diesel technicians, office staff and more. His example helps us all live and breathe safety every single day, across all departments of the company.”
Jetco Delivery President Kyle Kristynik agrees.
“Accountability is critical to any organization and one of our core values at Jetco,” Kristynik said. “I appreciate how Jeff incorporates accountability into Jetco’s safety culture. He partners well with our operations team, encouraging a culture in which everyone — not just a single department — owns safety. Jeff also recognizes that for everyone to be successful at their jobs, they must have the training and tools to execute.”
Kristynik referred to McKinney as an “old school trucker” who “has truly embraced the changing environment of safety, using data and analytics to make first Jetco, and now the whole GTI Group, a safer company.”
“We couldn’t be more proud of this recognition for Jeff, he is certainly deserving of this honor,” Kristynik concluded.
Born in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, and raised in East Texas, John Worthen returned to his home state to attend college in 1998 and decided to make his life in The Natural State. Worthen is a 20-year veteran of the journalism industry and has covered just about every topic there is. He has a passion for writing and telling stories. He has worked as a beat reporter and bureau chief for a statewide newspaper and as managing editor of a regional newspaper in Arkansas. Additionally, Worthen has been a prolific freelance journalist for two decades, and has been published in several travel magazines and on travel websites.
