May 15 - In the USA, a truck driver credited with transporting more than 350 wind towers without incident has been named Truck Driver of the Year by the Specialized Carriers & Rigging Association (SC&RA).
Rudy Moreno drives for Anderson Trucking Service, Inc. (ATS), which is based in St. Cloud, Minnesota. In his 17 years with the company, he has driven over 1.4 million accident-free miles as a professional driver, while earning a reputation for maintaining a top-notch work ethic.
Rudy is also regarded as a consummate planner, an attribute that has proven significant while transporting more than 350 wind towers without incident. Individual components may be as large as 36 m long and 4.5 m in diameter and he was one of the first drivers in his company entrusted to deliver wind-tower components, and subsequently earned the nickname of "Mr. Wind."
"Rudy possesses a strong attention to detail, which has helped him accumulate the understanding, and the knowledge and skill required to successfully haul overdimensional freight," according to entry information submitted by ATS. "Rudy is a perfectionist, striving to do the job right the first time. He does this for the safety of everyone-the public, his escorts and himself."
During the awards presentation, SC&RA Chairman Randy Goddard pointed out that the Driver of the Year prides himself on knowing what he and his equipment can and cannot accomplish. "When moving loads this big, it is vital every driver knows what his or her capabilities and limitations are," said Goddard. "When asked how he does it, Rudy Moreno responds: 'I treat every trip like it is my first trip and never assume anything or take anything for granted.'"
