Video telematics provider Lytx recently recognized the winners of its 2020 Driver and Coach of the Year awards during its 8th annual User Group Conference in San Diego CA.
The awards highlight professional drivers and coaches using the Lytx Driver Safety Program.
This year’s recipients demonstrate a commitment to safety every day, proving exceptional coaches and drivers are instrumental in creating successful, safe environments for the companies and communities they serve.
“Lytx is honored to shine a light on these drivers and coaches and the exceptional work they have done over the past year,” said Del Lisk, vice president of safety services at Lytx. “Through tireless commitment and dedication to their craft, these professionals have each played a key role in creating cultures at their respective companies that are deeply committed to safety.”
Lytx provides video telematics safety, productivity and analytics solutions for fleets of all sizes. Having captured and analyzed more than 120 billion miles of driving data, Lytx maintains it offers customers “unparalleled expertise” when it comes to identifying the best drivers and coaches.
Lytx recognized winners of the Driver of the Year award from clients across six commercial driving categories: Government, Services and Utilities, Transit and Motor Coach, For-Hire Trucking, Private Trucking, and Waste and Construction.
Driver of the Year
Government
- First Place: Christopher Fernandez, of the City of North Miami, began his career 18 years ago as a general maintenance worker before being promoted to his current position as a utility coordinator. He has received numerous awards while working with the city. Recently, with the support of the Lytx Driver Safety Program, he was awarded a certificate of recognition for safe drivers honoring drivers who achieve a risk score of zero over two years. Fernandez takes pride in serving the citizens of North Miami and volunteers as a youth baseball coach and mentor in his spare time.
- Second Place: Emily Street, of the Fairfax County DPWES—Stormwater Management
- Third Place: Robert Bruner, of the City of Ocala
Services and Utilities
- First Place: Adam Werner, of the Murphy-Hoffman Company, demonstrates that achieving high standards and operating at the safest levels go hand in hand. Werner is a Kenworth certified master technician, having achieved Kenworth’s highest service certification, and serves as a mentor to all apprentice technicians at the St Joseph branch of Murphy-Hoffman. Along with his dedication to the Murphy-Hoffman community, Werner’s work ethic and commitment to safety are unmatched, having worked for five years without a coachable event or preventable collision.
- Second Place: Walter O'Brisky, of National Grid
- Third Place: Tim Chapin, of ARS RighTime Home Services of Riverside
Transit and Motor Coach
- First Place: Patrick Maccarelli, of Greyhound Lines, has put passengers first, and ensured they arrive at their destinations safely, for 42 years. Driving for Greyhound his entire career, Maccarelli has been recognized numerous times for his safe driving record. Most recently, he received the Greyhound Faces of Excellence Award for his 40-year safe driving record. Living his life by the adage, “Treat others the way you want to be treated,” Maccarelli maintains a fierce dedication to customer service in all facets of his life, including volunteering at a local homeless shelter.
- Second Place: Leonardo Corral, of MV Transportation
- Third Place: Stacy Bell, of the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority
For-Hire Trucking
- First Place: Chris Lytwyn, of TransWood Carriers, has worked with the company since 2014, prior to which he served in the US Army for six years. Lytwyn is steadfast in his commitment to safety and believes proper training and developing good habits early are key in creating a culture devoted to safety. Lytwyn received the TransWood Annual Safe Driver Award on four occasions and is dedicated to sharing his knowledge with newly hired drivers to help them safe and professional.
- Second Place: Matthew Petsch, of US Xpress
- Third Place: Paul Vancamp, of Cargo Transporters
Private Trucking
- First Place: Tim Grant, of Performance Food Group, is always working to be the best and most professional driver on the road. A mentor to new employees and a diligent worker always open to new assignments, Grant has not had a DriveCam event since he began working with PFG in November 2015. His colleagues call him a model employee who goes above and beyond to create a positive atmosphere and build trustworthy relationships within the company, community, and with the customers he serves.
- Second Place: Jose Magallon, of Messer Group
- Third Place: Anthun Barnes, of Coca-Cola Consolidated
Waste and Construction
- First Place: Jody Crooks, of Waste Connections, is an ambassador to the safety culture at Waste Connections. With a family history of professional driving, Crooks has been around the business all his life. He has been a member of the Waste Connections team for 13 years, and recently was awarded the 2019 Canadian Driver of the Year honor for consistently being a vigilant driver and true pro. Crooks is the first to offer a helping hand to his fellow drivers and has inspired many of the company’s younger drivers to maintain a high level of safety while keeping the customer in mind.
- Second Place: Edwin Vega, of Waste Corporation of America
- Third Place: Eric Crawley, of Waste Management of Virginia
Coach of the Year
- Lytx recognized Brentt Mackie, of Pierce Transit, as the 2020 Coach of the Year at the ceremony. Since Pierce implemented the Lytx Driver Safety Program in 2018, Mackie has stood out as an exceptional coach and a guiding force, holding drivers to the highest safety standards. Driven by a desire and commitment to prioritize safety for his department, Mackie’s hard work has helped Pierce Transit achieve a 31% reduction in collisions and supported the company’s success in its overall goal of identifying risky patterns of behavior before they result in collisions. During his two years as a coach, Mackie has built a powerful level of trust and rapport with his drivers as he effectively promoted a culture of safety. In addition to being selected as the overall winner of the 2020 Coach of the Year award, Mackie also took first place in the Transit and Motor Coach category.
Other winners and finalists within their respective categories this year were:
Government
- First Place: Detric Cummings, of the City of Atlanta Fire Rescue
- Second Place: Patricia Thompson, of the City of Tyler
Services and Utilities
- First Place: Steve Yu, of ARS Rescue Rooter Orange County
- Second Place: Candice Williams, of LifeStream Blood Bank
- Third Place: Greg Coutu, of National Grid
Transit and Motor Coach
- Second Place: Milan Obradovic, of Greyhound Lines
- Third Place: Lisa Townes, of Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority
For-Hire Trucking
- First Place: Ian Schrage, of CRST, Inc
- Second Place: Joyce Schreiner-Smith, of TransWood
- Third Place: David Foster, of Bay and Bay Transportation
Private Trucking
- First Place: Dianne Loppnow of Reyes Holdings—Great Lakes Coca-Cola
- Second Place: Dale Knox, of Vorzik Transport
- Third Place: John Dittly Jr, of Coca-Cola Consolidated
Waste and Construction
- First Place: Dustin Janes, of Waste Connections of Charlotte Hauling
- Second Place: Darrell Eads, of WCA Waste
- Third Place: Dawn Carmen, of Waste Management of San Diego
“We’re thrilled to honor these men and women for their outstanding work and for continuing to maintain the highest for safety every single day,” Lisk said. “Lytx remains committed to helping our clients achieve and surpass their safety goals, and we could not do this without drivers and coaches, like this year’s winners, devoted to making our roadways and communities safer.”
