LOWELL, Ark. – J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc. has recognized 116 company drivers for achieving two, three, four and – for the first time in company history — five million miles driven without a preventable accident, awarding more than $1.6 million in safe driver bonuses.
Phil Fortin, or “Five-Mil-Phil” to his colleagues, surpassed five million safe miles in December 2019, according to a company news release.
Fortin and his fellow drivers were honored in the first two weeks of October during the company’s annual Million Mile Celebration at corporate headquarters in Lowell, Arkansas, marking the 20th anniversary of the event.
“Our million-mile drivers represent the epitome of who we want all of our drivers to be,” Nick Hobbs, chief operating officer and president of contract services at J.B. Hunt, said. “It’s their unwavering commitment to be the very best at what they do that makes this accomplishment so special. We couldn’t do what we do without them.”
To commemorate the milestone, J.B. Hunt drivers and employees participated in the Million Mile Walk of Fame, an annual company tradition. The million-mile drivers descended four flights of stairs lined with employees greeting them with cheers and applause to express appreciation for their safety efforts.
“We’ve been hosting this ceremony for 20 years, and I believe we’ll be doing it for 20 more,” John Roberts, president and CEO of J.B. Hunt, said. “The atmosphere is electric. There’s so much excitement to celebrate our drivers and their achievements.”
J.B. Hunt has hosted the Million Mile Celebration since 2001 and has recognized million-mile drivers dating back to 1971. The event was canceled in 2020 because of the pandemic.
In addition to the celebration, drivers will receive further recognition on J.B. Hunt’s Million Mile Wall. The wall lists all company drivers who have achieved between one and five million safe miles while employed at J.B. Hunt, totaling almost 4,000 drivers.
The Trucker News Staff produces engaging content for not only TheTrucker.com, but also The Trucker Newspaper, which has been serving the trucking industry for more than 30 years. With a focus on drivers, the Trucker News Staff aims to provide relevant, objective content pertaining to the trucking segment of the transportation industry. The Trucker News Staff is based in Little Rock, Arkansas.
