Every day many of us get into our vehicles and drive to and from work, run errands and visit family and friends. If you are like me, driving is just like any other routine. We know, but do not often think about the many distractions that can take our focus away from being safe while driving. We forget that there are other drivers out there who do get distracted and could be a danger to us. 

Now think about operating your vehicle for eight hours a day, making frequent stops to deliver and pick-up packages on time, all while having to back into tight spaces and drive through busy streets, no matter what the weather is like. UPS drivers do this every day and some have done this for 25 years or more without a single auto crash. These are the drivers who are inducted into the UPS Circle of Honor and this year, for the first time, three drivers from Puerto Rico join this elite group.

Joseph Arroyo from Carolina, Edward Bonilla from Cabo Rojo and Roberto Rosario from Bayamon were all hired and began driving in 1985 and have not had a single crash since. While some of us were going out to watch the movie The Breakfast Club or going out to try new Coke, (if you were born in the 80s or later, you can look these up) these drivers began UPS training that has kept them and our roads safe for many years since. 

Their induction to the Circle of Honor represents UPS drivers everywhere as being the safest on the road. These drivers, like all UPS drivers, continue to show that safe driving is not an afterthought – it’s at the very heart of the UPS culture. Our drivers make a choice to be the best. The Circle of Honor is a testament to the daily dedication that our drivers display in keeping the roads safe for everyone.

There is no doubt that going 25 years without an auto crash takes something special. Some of us would say that they had a little bit of luck. But ask any UPS driver and they‘ll tell you that it’s not about luck – it’s about the training they receive before they begin their first delivery and the training they get every day thereafter. As drivers in our “newer” operations begin to reach this tremendous milestone, it reminds me how UPS’s dedication to safety extends across the globe. This inspires me to be aware and safe when I’m out in my car running my errands. Being safe in our vehicles is no routine and definitely no accident. Who better than UPS drivers like Roberto to remind us that, “My most important stop is when I return to my family at the end of the day.”