New York news

May 31, 2023

Garden City Tractor Trailer Operator Receives Postmaster General Hero Award for Rescue

Garden City Tractor Trailer Operator Jonathan Thompson

Garden City, NY – United States Postal Service Tractor Trailer Operator Jonathan Thompson received the highest honor a postal employee can get – a Postmaster General (PMG) Hero Award for an act of bravery while on the clock. 

Thompson – of Westbury, NY – was driving on his regular route (from Garden City to Queens) when he spotted unsupervised children in the middle of a busy road. He immediately pulled over and guided them to the side of the road where he waited for authorities.

His swift actions in the situation potentially saved the lives of these children. He was nominated for a Postal Service PMG Hero Award which was received in the mail on May 25.

In a letter from Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, Thompson was commended for the way he handled the situation.

“I want to commend your selfless display of civic duty. You deserve the highest level of admiration for coming to the aid of unsupervised children. I am proud of the way you handled the situation. Thank you for being the eyes and ears of your community,” wrote DeJoy.

The Postal Service has played an integral role in the daily lives of American citizens for 247 years. Through the faithful completion of their duties, and by going the extra mile whenever needed, postal employees maintain and strengthen a proud tradition.

“Your efforts are a timely reminder of the ties that bind communities and our country together,” added DeJoy.

Thompson has 33 years of service.

“I was in shock when I saw the children in the street,” said Thompson of the incident.

“I have always been a driver. I love to drive. I do about 86 miles a day. I listen to music to pass the time, mostly oldies – it brings back memories,” he said. 

“Take care of each other and that’s it,” he added.

Background:

The Postal Vehicle Service (PVS) operations include more than 10,000 uniformed motor vehicle and tractor trailer operators. The PVS fleet includes 2,202 cargo vans, 1,880 tractors and nearly 3,200 trailers.

Commuting within a 170-mile radius of their facility, PVS drivers traveled more than 167 million miles last year.

In 2022, the Postal Service recognized 149 heroic employees.

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The United States Postal Service is an independent federal establishment, mandated to be self-financing and to serve every American community through the affordable, reliable and secure delivery of mail and packages to 167 million addresses six and often seven days a week. Overseen by a bipartisan Board of Governors, the Postal Service is implementing a 10-year transformation plan, Delivering for America, to modernize the postal network, restore long-term financial sustainability, dramatically improve service across all mail and shipping categories, and maintain the organization as one of America’s most valued and trusted brands.

The Postal Service generally 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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