OMAHA, NE — One million miles is equal to about two trips to the moon and back. Driving that distance over the course of a career is an accomplishment, doing it accident-free is something special, and a feat achieved by a dozen Nebraska postal carriers, including five from Omaha (see list below).

As Labor Day approaches, one of the busiest travel weekends of the year, these Nebraska road warriors serve as reminders to drive safely. They offer the following safe driving tips:

• Drive defensively — expect the unexpected.
• Maintain a safe distance of one car length for every 10 mph between you and the car in front of you.
• Be courteous, use turn signals and obey all laws.
• 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.

Each Million Mile Safe Driving Award recipient is recognized by the National Safety Council with a lapel pin and a plaque. Reaching this pinnacle requires 30 years of service and a safe attitude.

“We couldn’t be more proud of these carriers, who daily provide excellent customer service, while safeguarding themselves and the neighborhoods and communities they serve,” said Omaha Postmaster Keith Reid.

Among the elite group of Nebraska carriers is Larry Schultz of Lincoln, who is the recipient of a 2 Million Mile Safe Driving Award, which requires 45 years of accident-free driving.

The nation’s 31,000 plus Post Offices are linked by nearly 214,000 vehicles – the world largest civilian fleet.  Nearly 300,000 letter carriers and truck drivers log more than 1.2 billion miles annually when delivering to America’s 151.5 million addresses.

The following dozen Nebraska postal carriers are 2013 recipients of the National Safety Council Million Mile Safe Driving Award:

Stephen Bohac – Omaha Boystown Station
David Dickes - Omaha Boystown Station
Larry Hillman – Omaha West Omaha Station
Sherry Ohrt – Omaha Northwest Station
Jeri Petersen – Omaha West Omaha Station
Landis Rulla Jr - Douglas
Duane Johnson - Grand Island
Terry Anderson - Grand Island
Jerry Clausen - Lincoln Cheney Ridge Station
Larry Schultz – Lincoln Main – 2 Million Mile Safe Driving Award
Kathleen Bromm - Oakland
Gary Ehlers - Utica

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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, 151 million residences, businesses and Post Office Boxes. The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses, and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations. With nearly 32,000 retail locations and the most frequently visited website in the federal government, usps.com, the Postal Service has annual revenue of more than $65 billion and delivers nearly 40 percent of the world’s mail. If it were a private sector company, the U.S. Postal Service would rank 35th in the 2011 Fortune 500. In 2011, the U.S. Postal Service was ranked number one in overall service performance, out of the top 20 wealthiest nations in the world, Oxford Strategic Consulting. Black Enterprise and Hispanic Business magazines ranked the Postal Service as a leader in workforce diversity. The Postal Service has been named the Most Trusted Government Agency for six years and the sixth Most Trusted Business in the nation by the Ponemon Institute.