NPTC recognizes private-fleet leaders

By Staff -- Logistics Management, 6/1/2000

The National Private Truck Council (NPTC) presented its annual FLEET Awards last month during its annual conference in Tampa, Fla.

The FLEET (For Leadership, Enterprise, and Excellence in Trucking) awards are given each year to recognize individuals who have made significant contributions to their fleet operations and to the private trucking community.

The group's Executive of the Year was Gerald P. Beauchamp, president of DTF Trucking Inc. and Dana Global Logistics of Columbia City, Ind. He was cited by NPTC for DTF's safety record. DTF ranks in the upper 5 percent of all carriers in safety and regulatory compliance, according to NPTC.

The Fleet Member of the Year was Chip Kohser, president of Best Feeds & Farm Supplies Inc. in Oakdale, Pa. The company's fleet is responsible for delivering products to nearly 300 distributor locations in 38 states. Kohser has been active in NPTC leadership roles since 1989.

Teryl K. Woods, national group safety manager for Frito-Lay Inc. in Plano, Texas, was presented with the Fleet Safety Professional of the Year Award, also known as the Joseph P. Glass Award. Woods was cited for coordinating the rollout of a new delivery system at Frito-Lay; for leading a safety campaign called "Star Fleet"; for initiating new safety training programs that resulted in a 45-percent reduction in third-party liability claims over the past five years; and for developing a companywide awareness program to educate employees and their families about the dangers of driving while fatigued.