2011
Thomas KyleDSR, NBM
It was on a cross-country road trip to California that driver sales representative Thomas Kyle realized that he loved driving enough to make it a career.
“After taking that trip, I decided to look into getting a full-time driving position,” Thomas said. “I love being on the road and am glad that I have the opportunity to do something I really enjoy.”
Having spent 36 years as a professional driver, Thomas is familiar with the challenges truck drivers are faced with in maintaining safe driving records. He says that the biggest challenge is remaining focused on the people around you and being prepared to react to any situation. With exponentially more vehicles on the road today than when he first started, staying alert has become more important than ever.
“If I could give one tip that would help keep other drivers safe, it would be to avoid driving alongside heavy equipment as much as possible,” he said. “You are more likely to end up in a truck’s blind spot the longer you spend next to them. The more space that you can leave between your car and large trucks, the better.”
When asked what helped him to achieve two million accident-free miles, Thomas cites being able to see the big picture while behind the wheel. “When you lose your attention to small distractions, that’s asking for trouble,” he said.
To Thomas this award is proof that safety always pays off, and is honored to have his efforts recognized.
“I always leave for my shift with the attitude that safety is my number one priority,” he said. “Keeping that in mind has paid off. When I reached one million miles, I knew that I could reach two million and if age weren’t a factor, I think I could make it to three million.”
A resident of Birmingham, Ala., Thomas is based out of Con-way Freight’s Birmingham service center. He has three children: Yohonna, Thomas Jr. and Tanarus; and five grandchildren: Porschea, Pasha, Tiniya, Zada and most recently, Zoé. In his spare time, Thomas is a barber and enjoys woodworking projects.
