SAN FRANCISCO — Labor Day weekend travelers could learn a thing or two about safe driving from 78 San Francisco Postal District employees. Last week, an unprecedented 78 letter carriers and collection route drivers were honored for successfully navigating the streets, highways and byways in and around the San Francisco Bay Area for 30 years or more without a preventable accident.
 
The drivers were recognized for driving an estimated one million miles each and received a plaque from the National Safety Council for their accomplishment and a lifetime membership in the prestigious National Safety Council “Million Mile Club.” In addition, San Francisco Postal District Manager Rosemarie Fernandez presented each recipient with a coveted San Francisco District Million Mile Club jacket.

“The U.S. Postal Service prides itself in promoting safety for all of its employees and the public. By driving for 30 years or more without a preventable accident, the employees being recognized at the Million Mile Celebration have reached an important milestone in their careers,” Fernandez said.

To put the distance in perspective, imagine driving coast-to-coast 334 times without ever leaving the city limits or driving around the equator 40 times. That is the equivalent of what these drivers accomplished as they logged over a million miles on their appointed rounds. 

The nation’s 34,000 Post Offices are linked by 221,000 vehicles — the world’s largest civilian fleet. As one of America’s last vestiges to make house calls, 340,000 letter carriers and truck drivers log more than 1.2 billion miles annually when delivering mail to America’s 140 million addresses. 

Since 2005, when records were established, 5,858 Postal Service professionals have each driven more than a million miles without a single accident. Reaching this pinnacle requires 30 years of service and a safe attitude.

Driving for the Postal Service is a privilege that requires all drivers to demonstrate safe driving practices throughout their careers.

Behind-the-wheel job candidates undergo a rigorous screening, training and testing process to earn credentials to operate a right-hand-drive Postal Service vehicle. After a review of state driving records, candidates undergo a thorough medical examination and an extensive interview process. Potential drivers also must pass road tests in their own passenger vehicles before taking eight hours of classroom training to pass a computer-based exam. If they pass these hurdles, defensive driver training and a special skills course for hands-on behind-the-wheel training follow. The skills course acclimates candidates to driving right-hand-drive vehicles under various conditions on an “off-road” course that simulates street conditions. When completed, driving instructors accompany them for a 45-minute street drive followed by a final exam in a Postal Service right-hand-drive vehicle.

Americans hitting the road this Labor Day weekend should consider some advice from the U.S. Postal Service and its nearly 5,900 million mile drivers.

• Drive defensively — expect the unexpected.
• Maintain a distance of one car length for every 10 M.P.H. between you and the car in front of you.
• Keep your options open — have a “what do I do if I’m cut off” strategy.
• Turn off mobile devices when driving — no cell phones or texting.

Information on the National Safety Council’s Safe Driver Program is located at www.nsc.org/usps. Questions can be directed to National Safety Council Customer Relations at 1-800-621-7619 or uspsawards@nsc.org.

The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses, and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.

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A self-supporting government enterprise, the U.S. Postal Service is the only delivery service that reaches every address in the nation, 150 million residences, businesses and Post Office Boxes. The Postal Service receives no direct support from taxpayers. With 36,000 retail locations and the most frequently visited website in the federal government, the Postal Service relies on the sale of postage, products and services to pay for operating expenses. Named the Most Trusted Government Agency five consecutive years and the sixth Most Trusted Business in the nation by the Ponemon Institute, the Postal Service has annual revenue of more than $68 billion and delivers nearly half the world’s mail. If it were a private sector company, the U.S. Postal Service would rank 28th in the 2009 Fortune 500.