Lytx celebrates outstanding drivers and coaches
AmeriGas Propane and Barney Trucking drivers are among the big winners in Lytx’s 2026 Driver and Coach of the Year Awards, which highlight the safest drivers and most impactful coaches setting the standards for performance and leadership within the transportation industry.
Tommy Negahnquet, from propane hauler AmeriGas, placed first in the Services and Utilities category in the 17th edition of the awards—which Lytx says is the longest-running program in the fleet management industry—and Gayland Larsen from Barney, a liquid and dry bulk hauler based in Salina, Utah, took first in the Trucking and Freight category.
“This year’s nominees and winners not only keep our roads safer, but they also set a powerful example of teamwork and commitment,” Lytx CEO Chris Cabrera said in a news release. “As the company who first established this type of awards program in our space, we are proud to celebrate all of the safety professionals whose dedication and leadership inspire other members of the fleet community to strive for excellence day in and day out.”
Award recipients illustrate the powerful dynamic between drivers and coaches, emphasizing the lasting impact of positive recognition and meaningful coaching conversations, Lytx said. These individuals prove that excellence in safety is a collaborative effort that benefits other drivers and local communities.
The 2026 program saw a record-setting number of nominations, with a 95% increase from last year, Lytx reported. Nominees for outstanding performance were submitted by both colleagues and supervisors within the Services and Utilities; Transit and EMS; Trucking and Freight; Distribution and Retail; and Waste, Construction, and Concrete sectors. Winners in all industry groups receive monetary prizes and recognition certificates. First-place finishers also receive a trip for two to the Lytx Protect Conference, set for May 2-5 in San Diego.
2026 Lytx Driver and Coach of the Year Awards
Services and Utilities industries
Driver awards
- First: Tommy Negahnquet, AmeriGas Propane
- Second: Kenneth Williams, City of Kansas City
- Third: Brandon Ratterree, Rottler Pest Solutions
Coach awards
- First: Jazzy Lineberger, Dycom Industries
- Second: Christopher D’Anna, Washington Gas
- Third: Zackariah Xavier, Brink’s
Transit and EMS industries
Driver awards
- First: Lester Tukiendorf, Transit Team
- Second: Russ Ximenez, MV Transportation
- Third: Andrea Tubbs Hilliard, Transdev North America
Coach awards
- First: Brandon Skidmore, MV Transportation
- Second: Eduardo Bustamante, Transdev North America
- Third: Alicia Edenburg, Transit Team
Trucking and Freight industries
Driver awards
- First: Gayland Larsen, Barney Trucking
- Second: Tamara Land, Ryder System
- Third: Kurt Scott, Old Dominion Freight Line
Coach awards
- First: Teresa Patterson, J.B. Hunt Transport
- Second: Diane Taylor, Barney Trucking
- Third: Fernando Martinez, Hub Group
Distribution and Retail industries
Driver awards
- First: Marty Vigil, UPS
- Second: Joseph Medel, Harbor Wholesale Grocery
- Third: Robert Trzecki, Linde Gas and Equipment
Coach awards
- First: Ronald Schafer, Vulcan Materials Company
- Second: Kerri-Kaye Lamb, UPS
- Third: Jasper Horn, Imperial Dade
Waste, Construction, and Concrete industries
Driver awards
- First: Stephen Drussell, Waste Connections
- Second: Curtis Hale, CEMEX
- Third: Billy Johnson, GFL Environmental
Coach awards
- First: Marina Hernandez, Baldwin Paving
- Second: Patricia Hernandez, Waste Connections
- Third: Jason Van Achte, GFL Environmental