Tag: independent owner-operator

Awarding Exceptional Service

January & February 2021 Star of Quality Recipients

The impact of storms across North America this winter put millions of people, including members of the Landstar network, in dangerous weather-related situations. For helping fellow motorists and supporting each other in the wake of severe storms, the exceptional actions of several members of the Landstar network earned them each Landstar Star of Quality awards.

Each month, deserving independent business capacity owners (BCOs) and independent freight agents earn Star of Quality awards which recognize extra efforts and individual dedication to service.

When Landstar BCO Dwayne Walker saw a woman and her two young children stranded in bitter cold temperatures at a truck stop in North Dakota, he didn’t hesitate to offer help. Walker’s actions earned the BCO the Platinum Star of Quality, awarded in exceptional circumstances, intended for those who are faced with a life and death situation.

Without knowing Walker’s name, the motorist emailed Landstar about the independent owner-operator who saved her family on a freezing night in February 2021 when her car wouldn’t start. The female motorist wrote, “It was -37 degrees. I had my two daughters with me – 3 years old and 18 months – and we were more or less freezing. The driver offered for me and my daughters to sit in his truck so we could warm up while he tried to get my car to start. He fed us dinner and let us sleep in his bed to stay warm while he slept in the driver seat.”

Walker, who realized the fuel in the woman’s car had jelled up with the cold temperatures, bought an additive from the truck stop the next morning and poured it into the fuel tank. He made breakfast for the family, then worked on the fuel filter until the car started.

“I tried to pay him,” she wrote, “but he looked at me and said ‘No ma’am – that’s not how this industry works.’”

It was a fellow independent business capacity owner who needed Landstar BCO Cliff Thompson’s help after a breakdown during a storm in Texas. Landstar BCO Jeff Forb’s truck wouldn’t start at a receiver site in February when inclement weather and record low temperatures caused power outages in the area.

With Forb in danger of freezing in his truck, Thompson offered his fellow BCO a place in his truck to stay warm for the night. After learning about Thompson’s kindness, a Landstar employee in the night operations department nominated him to receive a Star of Quality Award.

“When it was safe, Cliff even delivered the other BCO’s load. This type of humanity and empathy is something we are so short on in this world. His offer showed true compassion and caring for his fellow man/driver, and for this act of generosity I nominate him for a Star of Quality Award. If I could give him more, I would. I am truly humbled by his kindness.”

  • Lysa Hannum, Night Operations Coordinator

Congratulations to all of the Star of Quality Award recipients during January and February 2021.

Platinum:

Dewayne Walker*

*Landstar’s Platinum Star of Quality Award is only given in exceptional circumstances, intended for Landstar Heroes of the Highway who are faced with a life or death situation.

Gold:

Robert Francis Barnard*, Paul E. Davis*, Renette Diede, Michael Erb, Lisa Evan*, Stephanie Garnhart*, Ronnie Haddan*, Wendy Hull, Rob Johnson*, Linda Kennedy*, Murray Kennedy, Cathy Kieger, Lloyd Edward Lampman, Beverly Ledgerwood, Gary Medley*, Anthony T. Mitchell*, Ray Russell Parker, Jeremiah Powers, Linda Scheel*, Zenoviu O. Sirbu, Jim Smith, Kjerstyn Thomas*, Rod J. Timmer*, Mike Thompson, Lewis B. Walker Jr., Donald H. Wood*

*Recipients have received multiple Gold Star of Quality awards.

Silver:

Korey Dion Allen, Cletus Dwayne Byler, Stephen J. Campbell, Tammy Clark, Tim Devoe, Frank Leonard Domako, James Duke, Brandon L. Estep, Daniel Gaudrea, Gustavo E. Gonzalez-Quiroz, Kathy Hoke, Normand L. LaPointe, Jackie Magee, Carrie Mann, Samuel A. Montoya, Thomas Mowry, Lyon Newsom III, Dave Nixon, Tony Pennello, Steven David Pestor, Georgiane Ann Plummer, Michael D. Slagle, Judy Steiner, Becky Stoball, Joshua D. Whitecloud

Bronze:

Mike Anderson, Jeffrey S. Arthur, Steven Barrett, Vincent Bascone, Brian Beach, Maria Been, Lyman R. Bernard, Humberto Mojica Cano, William Andrew Capps, Michael F. Card, Lindsi Childers, Chad Collins, Michael Daniel, Dennis Lee Davidson, Michael David, Rasheam D. Davis, Jim Dolan, Brandon L. Estep, Jon Fairbanks, Robert McNeely Fulcher, Luis Bautista Gil, Tobias Goodwin Sr., Michael Glynn Greer, Bradley A. Haga, Shawn Brian Hall, Paul Hegarty, Brian Heistand, Jared Lowell Herl, Marc Horton, Heather Marie Hutchens, Jason Allen Hutchens, Linda Janzen, Joseph Demetrius Johnson, Jeremy P. Julian, Robert B. Kasye, Mark Lambert, Jean Louise LeBlanc, Donnie Ledgerwood, Dietrich Letkeman, Carroll L. Lipper, Guy Lovan, Ricky L. Mann, John J. Mather, Douglas G. Miller, Sabra Odom, Dora Overend, Jonathon David Patterson, Jenn Peterson, Adam Reagan, Kerwin Miles Reed, Jimmy Reese, Robert Leland Reid, Joe Rinehart, Nicolas Roderic, Mark Christopher Rowland, John Sabol, Rosa Hilda Santos, Dino Saracevic, Bobby Schlieske, Brian James Schnipke, Russell Lee Shannon, Julie Shollenberger, Patty Short, Shawn Snedden, Gregory Scott Spitzer, Judy Steiner, Jess Steward, Michael Swift, Clifton G. Thompson, Ralph Edward Tickle, Victor German Trejo, Jody Valvo, Rebecca Vasquez, Joshua D. Whitecloud, Reginald Paul Wilson, Bil Wright

*Business Capacity Owner (BCO) is Landstar’s term for independent truck owner-operators with exclusive lease agreements.

If you would like to nominate a member of the Landstar network for a Landstar Star of Quality Award, send an email to StarQ@Landstar.com.

Achieving Excellence in Service and Professionalism

September & October 2020 Star of Quality Recipients

The Landstar Star of Quality Award is intended for members of the Landstar network who go above and beyond in representing the freight transportation industry. Each month, deserving independent business capacity owners (BCOs) and independent agents earn Star of Quality awards, recognizing their extra efforts and individual dedication to service.

The outstanding efforts made by these professional men and women during September and October 2020, earned them a Landstar Star of Quality Award.

Gold:

Kenneth Adams, William E. Almy III*, Richard A. Brant, Alec S. Costerus*, Jonathan E Damm*, William J. Dobrie, Christopher S. Higgins, Patrick B. Martin, William L. Martin*, Adam R. Miller, Billy Dean Vaughn

*Going Beyond the Gold – recipients have received multiple Gold Star of Quality awards.

Silver:

Rodrick Ondra Allen Sr., Rodney L. Book, Randall Kieth Campbell, Chris E. Dock, Allan Wayne Dooley, Ronald G. Harris, Benson Githinji Kinyua, Stanley Launza Jr., Valentin Lopez, James H. McKean, Jennifer Denise McNabb, Randal Scott McNabb Sr., Anthony D. Nowicki, Cary Peters, Ricardo Flores Quinones Sr., Bryan Ragin, Jeffrey C. Reuter, Richard Dean Reynolds, Joe Leland Rowland, Eugene Smiley Jr., Haden Barrington Smith, Andrew Lee Wade, Jonathan Ware, Donald Ray Willaford, Raul Edenilson Zelaya

Bronze:

Trevoling F. Allwood, Clarence Armstrong Jr., Brian Francis Backer, Travis D. Baker, Melvin D. Barnes, Sharon Bass, Noel M. Begne III, Mark Thomas Benton, Thomas Mark Brown, Abel Carrola, Jesse C. Charles, Jesse Wayne Clark, Harry D. Clinton, Jimmie Ed Cotner Jr., Matthew John Cutler, Cheick O. Diakite, Jhosinnory Diaz, Terrence Dowell, Randy William Doyon, Roger Wilson Durham Jr., Joseph Eanes, Walter Larry Gomez, William Andrew Guy, Willie Junior Hawkins, Benjamin R. Hinshaw, Cassandra Johnson Hinshaw, Jason Leon Ironmoccasin, Anthony Joseph Jackson, Nathan Charles Jeffers, Joseph Donald Johnson Jr., Edward J. Jurbala, Angela Deneen King, James Willis King, Mark J. Knepp, Christopher Martin La Hori Sr., Benjamin Aaron Lee, Robert S. Livingston Jr., Marcel Lowery, John Mwangi Maina, Steven Marcelletta, Ricardo A. Martinez, Arthur Reynald McGarvey, Curtis Duane Mitchell, Jason Montgomery, John M. Morris, Ceylon M. Mosley, Randolph Stanley Muhr, Edward Russell Neville, Paul Royce Nichol, Robert William Norman, Lee Nelson Queen, Douglas Eugene Ralston, Aldo Jose Grullon Ramirez, Douglas Ransom, Torrance Keith Robinson, Carol Scoggins, Larry Scoggins, Andrew Scott Shirey, Terry A. Silversmith, Miguel Angel Soto, Robert Dale Spicer, Roger T. Springstead, Randy Lee Scrivner, Steven D. Summers, Gene Sylpha, Janusz A. Szklarski Sr., Curtis J. Tillman Jr., Webster A. Toler, Thomas Adam Torrance, Michael James VanBuren, Johnny Joel, Vanegas, Karrie L. Walmer, Kenton Hull Wamsley II, Jeff W. Ward, Franklin Morris Wek, Bryan S. White, David Williams Deckion Shrell Williams

If you would like to nominate a member of the Landstar network for a Star of Quality Award, please email StarQ@Landstar.com

A Flawless 40-Year Safety Record

“Humble” is the best word to describe the 2019 recipient of the Landstar BCO Lifetime Achievement Award Art Trezise – a three million mile safe driver and Roadstar® honoree.

Trezise says during the BCO All-Star Celebration awards ceremony, as he listened to Landstar President and CEO Jim Gattoni read the criteria for the BCO Lifetime Achievement Award, he knew his career matched each of the qualifications.

But, Trezise says, he never expected to hear his name called as the recipient of the company’s highest honor for owner-operators.

“Oh yes, it was certainly a surprise and I am extremely honored to have received it,” says Trezise.

The business capacity owner (BCO) has a flawless 40-year safety record with Landstar. It is an accomplishment Trezise is proud of, but as his wife Debbie explains, it is not one he brags about.

“He’ll tell you, ‘I’m just out here doing my job’,” says Debbie Trezise. “To just think of him getting this award, it makes me cry. I am so proud of him.”

To date, the BCO has driven more than 3.5 million miles while leased to Landstar, without incident. He says there’s no real secret to his perfect driving record. He just loves being a professional truck driver and does the best he can at all times.

“The Landstar safety culture is second to none, and I’m proud to be part of it. Landstar has been very good to us through the years,” says Trezise.”It’s given my family a great life and I’m thankful for that every day.”

The BCO Lifetime Achievement Award was first introduced during the 2012 BCO All-Star Celebration.

To be considered for the BCO Lifetime Achievement Award nominees must:

  • Be an active or retired Landstar BCO who has been, or was, leased to Landstar for 20 consecutive years
  • Have earned Two Million Mile Safe Driver status
  • Be a Landstar Roadstar® honoree
  • Consistently demonstrate professionalism

BCO Town Hall Conference Call – August 2019

During the BCO Town Hall conference call recorded on August 1, 2019, BCOs received an update about the state of the industry and Landstar’s current truckload market.

Plus, the call included a discussion about LandstarOne, a new mobile app from Landstar created to give owner-operators one stop for all of their business needs.

Visit www.LandstarOnline.com, click on the Podcast & Videos tile to access the call. Be sure to subscribe to the podcast to access recordings of future Landstar BCO Town Hall conference calls. 

BCO Lifetime Achievement Award Presented to Art Trezise

Landstar presented its BCO Lifetime Achievement Award to Landstar Three Million Mile Safe Driver and Landstar Roadstar® Art Trezise during a special ceremony held on July 2, 2019.

The award was kept a surprise until Trezise’s name was revealed during the awards ceremony portion of the 8th Annual BCO All-Star Celebration. Each year, the event honors the company’s best and safest independent owner-operators.

During the award presentation, Landstar President and CEO Jim Gattoni called Art Trezise’s safety record “flawless.” Since leasing to Landstar in 1979, Trezise has driven more than 3.5 million miles at Landstar without incident.

“The BCO Lifetime Achievement Award is the perfect way to honor this 40-year safe driver,” said Gattoni. “The award is a testament to Art’s professionalism and excellence as an independent owner-operator at Landstar.”

Trezise, who lives in Springhill, Florida, was named a One Million Mile Safe Driver in 1993. In 2001, he reached two million safe miles with Landstar and also was named a Landstar Roadstar® recipient, one of Landstar’s highest awards for owner operators that recognizes their high levels of safety, productivity and excellence. In 2012, Trezise was honored as a Three Million Mile Safe Driver.

The BCO Lifetime Achievement Award was first introduced during the 2012 BCO All-Star Celebration. To be considered for the honor, nominees must be an active or retired Landstar BCO who has been leased on to Landstar for at least 20 consecutive years. Nominees must be at least a Two Million Mile Safe Driver and a Landstar Roadstar® recipient.

Independent owner-operators who receive the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award must also have consistently demonstrated professionalism by developing a positive reputation with regulatory and enforcement personnel, customers, agents and Landstar employees, as well as through industry recognition.