2011
Ron CainDSR, NWN
Con-way Freight Driver Sales Representative Ron Cain got his start in the trucking industry with a job sorting and loading freight on the docks. Having grown up on a farm, he had experience driving everything from tractors to dump trucks and jumped at the opportunity to get behind the wheel when the company was looking for drivers.
“I was always a little jealous of the guys that got to drive, I thought they just looked like they were having more fun,” Ron said. “I was right; even though deliveries can get cold in the winter and hot in the summer, there is nothing like having the freedom of not being cooped up inside all day. It’s just me, my truck and the road, I like that.”
When asked what the biggest challenge is for truck drivers to maintain a safe driving record today, Ron quickly responded, “The biggest challenge is dodging everyone who is not paying attention to the road. Not only are there a lot more cars on the road than there were when I started 25 years ago, but there are a lot more distractions. I frequently see people on the phone, using their laptops, putting on makeup and sometimes even reading books or the newspaper. It’s crazy.”
Ron credits always remaining alert, along with his defensive driving skills, for keeping him accident-free for so many years. He believes that if people put half as much effort into driving as they do into whatever they are distracted by, a lot of accidents could be prevented.
“When you are on the road, you need to be paying attention 100 percent of the time,” Ron explained. “This is especially true in the situations I face while on my route, such as sitting in four or five lanes of solid traffic. It can be easy to lose your focus, but it’s important to remember that even if you aren’t moving, you are still driving.”
Reaching his goal of driving two million miles without an accident means a lot to Ron, “I try to stay as safe as I can every day and I take care of my truck as if it’s my own. Receiving this award is such an honor, I can’t believe I’ve gotten this far.”
A resident of Mount Airy, N.C., Ron is based out of Con-way Freight’s Kernersville, N.C., service center. He has been married to his wife, Lora, for five years and has two children: Megan, 21, and Jessica, 18. Ron enjoys camping, hunting and fishing in his free time
