Ralph Garcia, a driver for Fort Smith-based ABF Freight System, has received the Mike Russell Trucking Image award from the American Trucking Associations’, one of the top honors in the national trucking sector.
The Mike Russell Trucking Image Award celebrates companies, organizations, and individuals who creatively generate positive awareness of the trucking industry.
Garcia, began his career as a professional truck driver more than 37 years ago and has accumulated more than 3.5 million accident-free miles. He was nominated by his company, ABF Freight, for the award and has been with the company for the last 23 years.
“Ralph has been an exceptional voice for the trucking industry for decades and we are all very thankful for the work he has done to improve the industry’s image,” ATA President and CEO Bill Graves noted in a statement. “Ralph’s nationwide work as an America’s Road Team Captain has made a tremendous impact on highway safety and he has been an example of professionalism throughout his career.”
In his role as an America’s Road Team Captain, Garcia spends time each month speaking to schools, community groups, news media, legislators and industry and government officials about highway safety and the role of the trucking industry. He was also recently featured by Healthy Trucker as an advocate for spreading wellness messages to other professional truck drivers and industry employees.
