UPT honors top personnel

Oklahoma City-based United Petroleum Transports (UPT) recently named Houston owner-operator John Alexander as the company’s 2019 Professional Driver of the Year.

Alexander was one of 12 drivers selected as Professional Driver of the Year nominees from the more than 600 company drivers, owner-operators and lease drivers who work under the UPT banner serving customers across the nation. From those nominated drivers, a special committee created by the Oklahoma Highway Patrol reviewed each professional driver’s safety and performance metrics and determined the Professional Driver of the Year.

UPT is the largest carrier of motor fuels, aviation fuels and chemicals in the Southwest.

“Our Professional Driver of the Year and all of our nominees not only represent the best of UPT, but also the best of our industry because they have exceeded the high standards of safety and customer service that define our company,” said Greg Price, UPT president and CEO.

Alexander has been a professional driver for 24 years and joined UPT in 2011 at the company’s Houston Customer Service Center. He was a UPT Driver of the Year nominee twice before and was named Driver of the Quarter for the company twice.

Other professional drivers nominated for UPT’s Driver of the Year award were Felix Contreras (El Paso), Luis Estrada (Oklahoma City), Scott Johnson (Wichita), Kevin Jordan (San Antonio), Lazaro Llanes (Albuquerque), Raul Marterior (Houston), WC Moseley (Odessa), Garry Northrup (Oklahoma City), Ronald Shults (Odessa), Carl Thederahn (Oklahoma City) and Christian Torres (Houston).

During the award presentation, UPT also recognized its Certified Safety Trainer of the Year, Recruit of the Year and Technician of the year:

• Certified Safety Trainer of the Year: Drew Parsons, Oklahoma City
• Recruit of the Year: David Baxley, Oklahoma City
• Technician of the Year: Joe Baca, El Paso

“We’re honored to recognize all of our award winners and nominees for their dedication to safety and excellence,” said David Price, UPT’s chief operating officer. “These members of the UPT family have proven to be among the best in their profession, and they represent our company well.”