SACRAMENTO — Many drivers might say fortune and luck play a role in driving accident-free for 30 years. For Joseph Garza and Melvin Richardson from Sacramento’s Arden Station Post Office, they know it’s neither fortune nor luck; it’s a matter of driving defensively and recognizing hazardous situations.

Garza and Richardson have each driven enough miles on their city delivery routes to equal one million miles or enough to circle the globe more than 40 times each. Their achievement did not go unnoticed. Both will be inducted into the elite “Million Mile Club” at 8:00 a.m., Thurs., May 29, 2014. The celebration will take place at the Arden Post Office, 2801 Arden Way, Sacramento CA 95825.

“Our Postal Service drivers are among the safest in the world,” said Sacramento District Manager Barbara Plunkett. “The achievement of driving that many miles for so many years, and accident-free, is truly remarkable. Joseph and Melvin are a testament to how our carriers continue to deliver on the promise of delivering their best every day with care, courtesy and concern for the safety of others.”

When asked about their impressive records, the letter carriers had a few safety tips to share:  “There are a lot of dangerous drivers out there,” said Garza. “Stay Alert! You never know what the other drivers around you will do next.” Richardson stated that “after eliminating hazards, unsafe attitudes and unsafe practices, if driving defensively isn’t enough — ‘Just get out of the way!’”

Sacramento Postmaster Jeffrey Day and Arden Station Manager Baldish Kaur will present each carrier with a jacket, a plaque and certificate from the National Safety Council and USPS Safe Driver Award Program. 

The million-mile award is a lifetime enrollment, and is given to drivers who have accumulated one million miles of driving without being involved in a preventable motor vehicle accident. According to the National Safety Council, it takes approximately 30 years to accumulate one million miles.

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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