R&J Trucking Holds Safety & Awards Banquet

BOARDMAN, OH…. R&J Trucking, a subsidiary of American Bulk Commodities, held a Safety and Awards Banquet for their drivers at the Holiday Inn on South Ave. in Boardman, Ohio this past May 21st.

The guest speaker was Lieutenant Allen Ogden of the Ohio State Highway Patrol, Southington, Ohio Barrack J. Lt. Ogden spoke to drives about focused enforcement issues, including following too closely, mandatory seat belt use, failure to move over for 1st Responders (law enforcement, construction personnel, tow trucks, and disabled vehicles.). He also mentioned securing loose items on the trailer and truck catwalk, as well as cleaning loose material off the tailgate and making sure the control floor door is completely closed as well.  He mentioned the importance of pre and post trip inspections by the driver to help prevent and mitigate litigations in case of an incident, even when it is not the truck driver’s fault.  The Lt. also spoke about human trafficking and the signs that drives should look for in trafficking victims.  Lt. Ogden said that human trafficking arrests are rising each year.

The new R&J Vice President Of Safety Andy Straley was introduced.  Andy has an extensive background in law enforcement and trucking.  A safety film was shown with shocking real-time video of R&J drivers being cut off, ran into, and other road incidents.  Andy stated, “I feel like I have been brought here to R&J Trucking for a reason.”  He congratulated the many safe drivers for a job well done and said, “Don’t ever look back and say, “What if” when it comes to safety. The video ended with photos of friends and family at R&J Trucking.

American Bulk Commodities President Mark Carrocce addressed drivers, bringing them up to date on several new implementations made by the company.  Mark explained that the cameras used on the trucks are to protect both the driver and the company from frivolous litigation.  The company has also invested in customer software for their ELDs, which allows drivers to record each load so that billing can be immediate.  American Bulk Commodities continues to be challenged as many companies are currently having difficulty obtaining new trucks, however R&J is very busy with opportunities from new steel and aluminum mills that have opened recently.

Next on the agenda - Tiffany Carrocce, Brad Bates, and Gary and Mark Carrocce presented the Safe Driving Awards to the many R&J Trucking safe drivers.  2021 Safe Driving Awards were presented to:

Jonathan C Hart-Wood, Richard Larry Ricketts, Terry A Robinson, Michael Kessler, Joshua Dominick, Ashley Marie Getsy, Travis Christian Stewart, Nicholas Osborne, Richard H Johnson, Paul Hilbig, Nicholas J D'amico, Gary D Chick, Jurgen David Starr, Joseph A Hegedus, Ceaonnie L Jones, James Eugene Burney Sr., Donald L Kimble, Michael Allen Manse, Robert C Ashman, Timothy A Sears, Terry Dunbar, Shawn A Byers, Bryan D Hicks, Scott D Hart, Charles Jones, Steven E. Sturges, James E. Trube, William R Fialkowski, James C Marlatt, Roy H Weamer, John McMillion, Matthew Desellem, Charles Phillips, David Packard, David York Jr, James Tulip, Chad Krenn, Kenneth Cappitti, James Niddel, David A Salinski, Carey Lapushansky, Brad Druschel, Anthony J Geraci Jr, Augustine Gonzalez Jr, Tyrone J. Wallace, Ralph R Bays, Brian Thomas Zunac, Robert E Vaughn, John Edward Just, Robert Vernon Boney, Curtis Eugene Williams, Henry Rutschow, Heath L Guerin, Robert Young, Leonard Brewer Jr, Ronald H Vandine, William D Shafer, Michael Larry Grear, Jesse Guy Malson, Elijah Thomas Copen, Jared Lipscomb, Jonathan C Neal, Orlan Lee Hardman Jr, Nathanial Andrew Guiler, Billy Joe King, Byron Mitchell Rodney, Donald J Zuspan, Jason D McGraw, Matthew Maynard Christopher, Adam Wayne Dille, William Kenneth Holland, III, Elihu McDowell Jr, John F Heiskel, Joshua David Robinson, Bernie Edward Boutwell, Albert Eugene Hill Jr, Donald Key, Raymond Matthew Eplin, Richard Lee Fridley, Fetalaiga Joe Olo, Brian Edward Wright, Richard Allen Mayes, Rick  Laskowski, Richard Alan Eubanks, Greg Lee Benson, Lawrence Arthur Smith Davis, Mark Ronald Walker, Mario Dominic Salizzoni, Patrick T Kincaid, David Wayne Eagle, Gary Rhodes, Mark D Kincaid, William B Gill, Ricky E Robinson, Raymond Ohlinger, Mark Peter Dasher, Thomas J Haines, Curtis Harris, II, Michael E Male, Mitchell G Williams, Loid J Boney, Terry L Foster, Jonathan R Pifer, John M Everson, David W Runnion, David E Carder, Terry Gregory, Roy Ohlinger, Robert Lee Deem, Raymond Schenkenberger, Scot Wayne Zimmerman, Christopher W Crousser, James Corey Pebley, Stanley Robert Lapekas, Randy P Ducat, William A Griffith, Martin Smith, Russell J Wade Jr, Stanley Patten, Michael Kuron, Kevin Perry, Richard Glowacki, Scott D Smith, Timothy Thomas, Keneus J Garcia Baez, Jonathan Emmanuel Diaz, Brendon Rieske, Michael E Gibson, Michael Wayne Corsaro, David James Mutnansky, Dylan Scott Hale, Robert Lance Kraft, Juan Miguel Rawlins, Bryan Michael Rust, Stephen Harsar, Daniel J Kirby, Greg Brammer, Earl E Smith, Russel Manning Valley Johnson, Darren Lee Gillott, Willard Yoak, Luis Burch, Kenneth W Farley, Ronald  Sivits, Patrick Henry Seibert, John Bryan Hall, Matthew Lipscomb, Jeffery W Zornes, Jeremy Dean Salyer, Robert Allen Knapp Sr, Matthieu Phillip McDaniel, Anatolius Jarachovic, Matthew Craig Smith, Eric James Smith Jr, David Sheriff Jr, Robert A Stephens, Anthony Roub, Bobby Davis Jr, Timothy H Abrams, Ivan L Comer, Roderick Michael Drohan, Christopher Leon Gamble, Christopher Shawn Rice Sr, Richard Neil Bennett Jr., Donnell Void, Elvis Derry Jones, Mark Steven Lacock, Alvin Chapell Bacote, Bryan Mathew Stainbrook, Elry Septimus Enoch, Dion Lemart Brunson, Lester Williams, Michael P Simcic, Levie Anthony Moorer, Reginald Lenard Hartwell, Sidney James Johnson, Brandon McCameron, Darin Ashley White, James Gary Moore, Lacey Anne Riffey

A special award was presented to John McMillion for 13 years and 1 Million Safe Miles and Mike Kuron for 3 Million Safe Miles.  Congratulations to all of the Safe Drivers at R&J Trucking!

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Left to right: Gary Carrocce;  John McMillion – 13 years and 1 Million Safe Miles; Mark Carrocce; and VP of Safety Andy Straley.