Washington – Today, the American Trucking Associations announced the five professional truck driver finalists for the 2024 ATA National Driver of the Year Award sponsored by DMC Insurance, one of the trucking industry’s top awards.
The ATA National Driver of the Year Award sponsored by DMC Insurance acknowledges one notable professional driver for their career-long professional achievements and their excellence and commitment to safety on the road.
The National Driver of the Year is selected from a pool of outstanding state Drivers of the Year submitted by ATA’s affiliated state trucking associations. Each candidate’s qualifications and achievements are examined by a group of industry safety professional judges who narrow down the nominees to a group of finalists.
Here are the finalists for 2024:
Jay Williams has spent 20 years of his driving career with TCW, Inc., accumulating over three million accident-free miles. Mr. Williams was the winner of the TCW 20 Year Safe Driving Award in 2023 as well as becoming the Tennessee Driver of the Year in 2024.
Rollie Fugate has driven for Wal-Mart for 24.5 of his 47.5-year career on the roadways. Mr. Fugate has accumulated an impressive six million accident-free miles. Mr. Fugate was awarded the Nevada Driver of the Year Award for 2023.
Michael Bortz has driven for Sorensen Transport for 21 of his 43 total years in the industry. Mr. Bortz has accumulated 4.85 million accident-free miles over his career without sustaining a single accident. Recently Michael was awarded the 2024 Montana Driver of the Year Award.
Danny Tankersly has driven for WEL Companies for 14 of his 36 career years as a driver. During his time on the road, Mr. Tankersly has amassed 4.6 million accident-free miles and counting. Mr. Tankersly has been awarded the WEL Companies Driver of the Year Award 11 times, as well as a 13-year Safe Driving Award Winner, and recently the WMCA 2023 Driver of the Year.
Thomas Miller has driven for 25 years for Prime Inc. out of Missouri. Mr. Miller has accumulated 3.5 million accident-free miles as a Prime employee and 3.8 million accident-free miles in his career. He has also been awarded multiple awards including but not limited to MOTA Professional Excellence Award (2019), Missouri Trucking Association Driver of the Year (2016/2023), as well as serving as one of ATA America's Road Team Captains.
The Safety Management Council Awards & Recognition Committee judges each video submission and selects a winner. The winner will be announced at ATA’s Safety, Security and Human Resources National Conference and Exhibition, which will be held in Louisville, KY, on April 23 – 25, 2025.