OVERLAND PARK, Kan. — After nearly five decades of professionally driving for YRC Freight, Robert Herber has logged his 5 millionth consecutive mile without a single preventable accident. YRC recently reverted to its roots, renaming itself Yellow Corp.
Herber has been involved with the freight industry for most of his life. His first taste of the industry was unloading cars at a cattle feed mill in his native Burkes County, Pennsylvania.
During Herber’s 45-year career with Yellow, he has worked out of seven different terminals across the country. He currently drives a dedicated route from Jackson, Mississippi, to Jacksonville, Florida.
“Throughout his career, Robert has demonstrated great dedication to the highest levels of professionalism and safety,” said Yellow CEO Darren Hawkins. “We thank Robert for continuing to be an outstanding example for Yellow and congratulate him on reaching this extraordinary milestone.”
Herber credits his remarkable safety record to consistency and maintaining habitual checklists. His method is rooted in the Smith System, a set of industry-accepted safety practices. Over the years, Herber has developed his own set of requirements to meet while he drives his route.
“Everyone has his or her own system that works best. The important thing is to stay consistent and make sure you are following a pattern,” Herber said. “I’m not comfortable until I’ve followed all steps of my own system; if I don’t complete steps fully the first time, I’ll pull over and double check everything. The rest is by the grace of God. I never thought I would be driving for this long.”
In addition to being recognized for each million-mile safe driving milestone, Herber has participated in Maryland’s State Truck Driving Championship, even proceeding to the national championships.
“Robert’s unwavering record represents Yellow’s safety focus with excellence,” said Tamara Jalving, vice president of safety for Yellow. “Drivers like Robert are what allow us to continue delivering award-winning service to our customers while keeping highways safe. We are proud to recognize his incredible achievement.”
When he is not driving, Herber and his wife have enjoyed attending street rod shows everywhere from Atlanta, Georgia, to Fort Worth, Texas.
They also spend their time volunteering in their hometown of Meridian, Mississippi. In 2018, Herber was selected Man of the Year by the Center Hill Community Development Club for his service to the community.
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.
