SALT LAKE CITY — 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 13 Salt Lake area postal carriers (see list below).
As Labor Day approaches, one of the busiest travel weekends of the year, these Utah road warriors serve as reminders to drive safely.
The million mile drivers offer the following tips for safe driving:
- 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 USPS Salt Lake District Manager Jimmy Wolf.
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.
“Our carriers deliver the mail in all kinds of weather and face daily hazards on their routes,” Wolf explained. “So, to drive a million miles without an accident is a tremendous achievement. They stand as great examples not only to our workforce, but to drivers everywhere.”
The following 13 Salt Lake area postal carriers are 2013 recipients of the National Safety Council Million Mile Safe Driving Award:
| Michael Lems | Holladay |
| John Zambos | South Salt Lake |
| Charles Babbel | Sugarhouse |
| Mark Ramsey | Sugarhouse |
| Rozanne Taylor | West Valley |
| Allan Bott | West Valley |
| Devin Smith | West Valley |
| Larry Warner | West Valley |
| George Westerman | West Valley |
| Kelly Taylor | Bountiful |
| Gary Bown | Sandy |
| Hal Stott | Sandy |
| Marvin Graham | Sandy Alta Canyon |
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Please Note: For broadcast quality video and audio, photo stills and other media resources, visit the USPS Newsroom at http://about.usps.com/news/welcome.htm.
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 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.
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