HOUSTON, Feb. 26, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- UPS (NYSE:UPS) today announced that 55 elite drivers from Texas are among 1,436 newly inducted worldwide into the Circle of Honor, an honorary organization for UPS drivers who have achieved 25 or more years of accident-free driving.
Texas boasts 805 Circle of Honor drivers with a combined 23,639 years of accident-free driving. Arturo Martinez of El Paso is the state’s senior-most safe driver, with 45 years of accident-free driving under his belt. There are 8,407 total full-time UPS drivers in Texas.
“My thanks go to all of them for their dedication and focus and for the countless lives they’ve saved,” said Deryl Hill, president, UPS Red River District. “Their attention to detail has kept them safe and has helped improve public safety.”
Globally, the most seasoned UPS Circle of Honor driver is Thomas Camp of Livonia, Mich., with 56 years of driving without an accident. Ronald McKnight of Bronx, N.Y., is next in line with 50 years of safe driving. One hundred twenty six others have logged at least 40 years without an accident.
UPS’s 125,000 small package drivers worldwide are among the safest on the roads, logging close to 4 billion miles a year and delivering 5.2 billion packages annually.
Collectively, these drivers have achieved more than 298,957 years of safe driving throughout their careers. That’s enough time behind the wheel to drive non-stop from Miami to San Diego – 68 million times. And they’ve done it while helping to deliver 3 percent of the world’s GDP – 20 million packages a day.
Founded in 1907, UPS has a rich history of safety and training. The company issued its first driver handbook in 1917 and began recognizing safe drivers in 1923. In 1928, UPS recognized its first five-year safe driver, Ray McCue, with UPS founder Jim Casey presenting him a gold and platinum watch. UPS formally established its safe driving honor program in 1928.
** NOTE: The following page lists local drivers by hometown and UPS center. If you’re interested in interviewing a local driver, please contact UPS Public Relations at pr@ups.com. Visit pressroom.ups.com for multimedia assets.
Following is a list of Texas drivers inducted this year to the Circle of Honor.
| Driver | Hometown | UPS Work Location |
| Adams, James | Spring | Houston |
| Andrade, Maria-Victoria | Harlingen | San Antonio |
| Angelle, Everett | Spring | Houston |
| Atkinson, Barry | Fort Worth | Fort Worth |
| Avery, David | Missouri City | Stafford |
| Barajas, Jesse | Dallas | Dallas |
| Bean, Donnie | Whitewright | Sherman |
| Bridier, Teddy | Tolar | Granbury |
| Broomes, Anderson | Katy | Maspeth, NY |
| Broussard Jr., Ronald | Houston | Stafford |
| Bryant, David | Grand Prairie | Chalk Hill |
| Carman, Kenneth | Abilene | Abilene |
| Carrizales, David | Katy | Stafford |
| Centilli, Brent | College Station | Conroe |
| Colangeli, Jack | Spring | Houston |
| Combs, Nicholas | Lewisville | Fort Worth |
| Contreras, Joe | Uvalde | Uvalde |
| Coomes, Timothy | Spring | Houston |
| Downing, Anne | Austin | Austin |
| Freeman Jr., John | Hitchcock | Texas City |
| Freeman, Darryl | Garland | Mesquite |
| Fritchen, Scott | Keller | Fort Worth |
| Garcia III, Reyes | Buda | Austin |
| Garcia, Larry | Castroville | Pleasanton |
| Griffin, Robert | Santa Fe | League City |
| Hang, Jeff | Midlothian | Fort Worth |
| Hansen, Phillip | Granbury | Fort Worth |
| Haynes, Jack | Longview | Longview |
| Jackson, Hubert | Baytown | Baytown |
| Jacobs, Greggory | Houston | Mykawa |
| Johnson, Donald | San Antonio | San Antonio |
| Kucharski, Jon | Magnolia | Houston |
| Lawrence, Jim | Giddings | Austin |
| Lawson, Gordon | Houston | Houston |
| Marshall, Larry | Waxahachie | Chalk Hill |
| Morning, John | Red Oak | Dallas |
| Norris, Philip | Humble | Mykawa |
| Ortiz Jr., Robert | Arlington | Fort Worth |
| Ponton, Harold | Spring | Stafford |
| Rehak, Robert | Needville | Stafford |
| Rincon, Pedro | El Paso | El Paso |
| Rios, David | San Antonio | San Antonio |
| Rose, Charles | Beaumont | Houston |
| Roy, Randall | Fort Worth | Fort Worth |
| Sugarek, Ron | Cibolo | San Marcos |
| Trevino, Sharon | Dallas | Mesquite |
| Twine, Terry | Newton | Lufkin |
| Vick, Byron | Richmond | Stafford |
| Villarreal, Albert | Corpus Christi | Corpus Christi |
| Warneke Jr., Ernest | Houston | Houston |
| Webb, Roddrick | Houston | Houston |
| Whitlatch, John | Waco | Waco |
| Whitt, Jeffrey | Leander | Austin |
| Williams, Washington | Forney | Mesquite |
| Zulauf, Byron | Georgetown | Austin |
Contact:
UPS Public Relations
pr@ups.com