The Arkansas Trucking Association recently named top award recipients for 2021. Wyatt Jepsen of Walmart Transportation was named as the 2021 ‘Driver of the Year’ and Russ Curbo- director of safety at Lew Thompson & Son Trucking in Huntsville, Ark.- was named as the 2021 ‘Safety Professional of the Year.’ Both honors were presented at the Safety Awards Luncheon during the ATA Annual Business Conference & Vendor Showcase in Hot Springs.
Traditionally, each year, the Arkansas Trucking Association recognizes one driver for their strong and noteworthy professional qualifications, experience and performance, and one safety professional for their qualifications, safety program and safety achievements.
All member companies of the ATA are eligible in nominating drivers and safety professionals for these awards.
Jepsen has been a professional truck driver for 37 years, with 27 of those years spent with Walmart Transportation. While at Walmart, Jepsen has accumulated over 3.5 million accident-free miles and is a member of Walmart’s Million Mile Accident-Free Club.
He is also a member of Walmart Transportation’s emergency response team, traveling to areas of crisis to deliver critical supplies. Jepsen, in the past year, supported relief efforts in Louisiana in response to Hurricane Ida by delivering and manning a mobile pharmacy. He has also delivered food to Mayfield, KY, in the aftermath of tornadoes and stayed several weeks to help cook for people in the community. He and his wife, Vickie, reside in Rogers.
Curbo has over 30 years of industry experience, and has worked as a driver, maintenance technician, highway police and 17 years in safety. In his position as safety director, Curbo has developed policies and procedures to allow Lew Thompson to adopt safety technology, this includes the electronic logging devices and outward-facing cameras on trucks.
“Russ has been an active and engaged leader within our Safety Management Council for several years,” said ATA President Shannon Newton. “He is dedicated to improving safety and education in trucking by giving his time to this association, the state truck driving championship and his company.”
The Arkansas Trucking Association has served as the voice of the trucking industry for the past 90 years, promoting the vitality of this industry on which nearly 87 percent of Arkansas communities exclusively rely on to move their goods. ATA is made up of approximately 330 trucking and service companies, and has been helping members grow their business and profits while protecting the collective interests of trucking companies in the political and regulatory arenas since 1932.
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