The winners in the opening round of National Tank Truck Carriers’ 2025 North American Safety Contest are in, and only four of the 22 Grand award winners—who are the second-round finalists—previously hoisted Heil trophies.
Tidewater Transit, one of five Grand award winners in the Harvison division for for-hire carriers who traveled more than 15 million miles, claimed NTTC’s grand championship in 2014. Usher Transport, one of the 11 finalists in the Sutherland division for for-hire carriers who traveled less than 15 million miles, finished first in 2001 and 2012; and Lacy’s Express and MBH Trucking—both also in the Sutherland division—secured Heil trophies in 2021 and 2024, respectively.
The six Grand award winners in the private-fleet division all are seeking their first championship.
“Being named a Grand Champion in the North American Safety Contest is the highest honor a tank truck carrier or private fleet can achieve in the realm of safety performance,” NTTC said in a news release. “This prestigious title is awarded to carriers who not only demonstrate exceptional safety records but also embody a culture of continuous improvement, accountability, and operational excellence.
“The Grand Champion designation reflects outstanding performance across a range of safety metrics, including accident frequency, compliance history, and safety program implementation.”
NTTC will reveal the three 2025 safety champions April 22 during its 2026 Annual Conference in Baltimore, Maryland.
The North American Safety Contest is open to all for-hire-carrier and private-fleet NTTC members in good standing. Members compete in floating mileage-class categories based on relative size. The contest is conducted in two rounds to determine the safest carriers and fleet. In Round 1, also known as the Competitive Safety Contest, the association recognizes Grand, Honor, and Merit award winners in their respective classes. Each division includes five mileage classes evenly distributed by the number of participating companies. In the for-hire contest, Classes 1-5 are in the Harvison division, with Class 1 as the highest mileage class, and Classes 6-10 are in the Sutherland division, with Class 10 as the lowest.
All Round 1 placers boast the lowest accident frequency in their class, as verified by independent auditors, NTTC reported. Grand award winners move on to Round 2, where judges critique them across nine areas: Driver qualification, driver training, driver management, worker safety program, accident and incident response, safety and training organization, vehicle and tank inspection, vehicle and tank maintenance, and industry engagement.
For-hire carrier award winners
(company, mileage category)
Harvison division (more than 15 million miles)
Grand
- Heniff Transportation Systems, Class 1
- Oakley Transport, Class 2
- Ergon Trucking, Class 3
- LGT Transport, Class 4
- Tidewater Transit, Class 5
Honor
- Quality Carriers, Class 1
- Andrews Logistics, Class 2
- Highway Transport Chemical, Class 3
- Genox Transportation, Class 4
- Liquid Trucking, Class 5
Merit
- Kenan Advantage Group, Class 1
- TransWood Carriers, Class 2
- Western Dairy Transport, Class 3
- Action Resources, Class 4
- Custom, Class 5
Sutherland division (Less than 15 million miles)
Grand
- Usher Transport, Class 6
- RST Industries, Class 7
- Iowa Tanklines, Class 8
- Liquid Cargo, Class 8
- Reed Hurst Trucking, Class 8
- Ee-Jay Motor Transports, Class 9
- Chemical South Transport, Class 9
- Lacy’s Express, Class 10
- MBH Trucking, Class 10
- Ventura Transfer Company, Class 10
- Weaver Bros., Class 10
Honor
- Associated Petroleum Carriers, Class 6
- All Chemical Transport, Class 7
- Alaska West Express, Class 8
- Roeder Cartage, Class 9
- J&S Transport, Class 10
Merit
- HazMat Environmental Group, Class 6
- G&D Trucking/Hoffman Transportation, Class 7
- LCL Bulk Transport, Class 8
- PAR Trucking, Class 9
Private fleet award winners
Grand
- Pilot Travel Centers, Class 1
- SWTO, Class 2
- RB Stewart Petroleum Products, Class 3
- Sapphire Gas Solutions, Class 4
- Chevron Phillips Chemical, Class 5
- Poolsure, Class 5
Honor
- Gemini Motor Transport, Class 1
- Casey’s Services, Class 2
- ADM Trucking, Class 3
- LSP Transport, Class 4
- Kuehne Chemical, Class 5
Merit
- CLI Transport, Class 2
Past North American safety champions
(Since the contest first split into multiple divisions in 2014)
- 2014: Tidewater Transit, Harvison; Wynne Transport, Sutherland
- 2015: Miller Transporters, Harvison; Carbon Express, Sutherland
- 2016: Groendyke Transport, Harvison; GLS Transport, Sutherland
- 2017: Gemini Motor Transport, Harvison; G&D Trucking/Hoffman Transportation, Sutherland
- 2018: Groendyke Transport, Harvison; Tandet Logistics, Sutherland
- 2019: Trimac Transportation, Harvison; G&D Trucking/Hoffman Transportation, Sutherland
- 2020: Suttles Truck Leasing, Harvison; LSP Transport, Sutherland
- 2021: Service Transport Company, Harvison; Lacy’s Express, Sutherland
- 2022: Tandet Logistics, Harvison; Harmac Transportation, Sutherland; Gemini Motor Transport, private
- 2023: Groendyke Transport, Harvison; G&D Trucking/Hoffman Transportation, Sutherland; Gemini Motor Transport, private
- 2024: Trimac Transportation, Harvison; MBH Trucking, Sutherland; LSP Transport, private
About the Author
Jason McDaniel
Jason McDaniel, based in the Houston TX area, has more than 20 years of experience as an award-winning journalist. He spent 15 writing and editing for daily newspapers, including the Houston Chronicle, and began covering the commercial vehicle industry in 2018. He was named editor of Bulk Transporter and Refrigerated Transporter magazines in July 2020.