SMC Awards

2021 Safety Management Council Awards

Each year, FTA’s Safety Management Council (SMC) celebrates fleets, drivers, and safety professionals for their commitment to safety on the roads through the SMC Awards program. During Fall Round-Up, SMC announced the 2021 winners of the Fleet Safety Awards, Safety Professional of the Year, Drivers of the Month, and the Driver of the Year.

Fleet Safety Awards

To put it simply, Fleet Safety Awards are a big deal. To receive an award, a company must rely on the driving records and accident history of all of its drivers. Receiving such an award requires a singular goal and commitment to safety that is evident throughout all departments of a company. The Fleet Safety Awards program has three separate classifications: Truckload, Less-Than-Truckload, and Bulk/Other, delineated by size of fleet. The winners are selected by reported DOT recordable accidents for the past two years, crash frequency, and overall number of Florida miles driven.

Safety Professional of the Year

Ray Lloyd of Carroll Fulmer Logistics Corporation is the 2021 Safety Professional of the Year. The object of the award is to advance standards of excellence for truck fleet safety professionals. Member companies boast thousands of safety experts at the top of their game, so it is truly an honor to receive the award. In 1990, Ray began his dedication to public safety at the age of 18 as a Dispatcher with the Lakeland Police Department. He went on to serve the citizens of Lakeland as a police officer for the next 19 years, ultimately attaining the rank of Sergeant before retirement. Once he left public safety, Ray decided to continue his dedication in the private sector and was given the opportunity to lead the Safey Program at McTyre Trucking in Orlando. During his time at McTyre, he encouraged the drivers to promote safety not just for themselves, but others. He brought respect to the position and could often be found in the field working with drivers to promote safety. Ray became active with FTA, eventually becoming a member of the SMC Executive Board. In 2018, McTyre Trucking closed which left him without a job; but through his connections within FTA, Ray was introduced to Philip Fulmer. Philip hired Ray at Carroll Fulmer Logistics to lead the Safety Department. Ray brought organization and leadership to the team, and Carroll Fulmer has been the recipient of Fleet Safety Awards each year he has been there. Ray is the Immediate Past SMC Chair and remains active within FTA.

Drivers of the Month

Nominees for the Driver of the Month/ Year Awards must be employed by or contracted to a member company of FTA, and must have been continuously employed or contracted for at least one year prior to the nomination date. To select Drivers of the Month, the SMC considers a number of criteria, including their safety record, professional experience, mileage and route classification, professional development training, community leadership, and acts of heroism. The coveted Driver of the Year Award is presented to one of the 12 Drivers of the Month, with the winner receiving a trophy, driver’s ring, and a gift from the SMC.

Driver of the Year

Charlie Fuller of FedEx Freight is the 2021 Driver of the Year. He has driven more than 2.7 million safe miles in his 35-year career. Charlie’s dedication to safety is made clear with his high level of professionalism displayed daily to the motoring public. His commitment to the future of trucking can be seen with the number of employees he has trained within his company. Charlie has competed in the Florida Truck Driving Championships since 2003, and he became a member of FTA’s Road Team in 2014 where he found his true passion for safety by teaching high school students how to Share the Road with trucks. Outside of work, you can find him being a leader in his community. He leads a non-profit organization called the JM:12 Foundation, in honor of his grandchild who was lost in a drive-by shooting at the age of 12 years old. The Foundation features a mentorship program focused on empowering young men ages 12 to 18, providing assistance as they navigate their youth into adulthood.