7 Reasons Why Jack Fielding is Ontario’s Driver of the Year

TORONTO, ON — Jack Fielding, a truckload operator for Bison Transport, was named the 2015 Volvo Trucks Canada-Ontario Trucking Association (OTA) driver of the year last week, during an awards ceremony at the association’s annual conference in Toronto.

Here are seven reasons he walked away with the honor:

* A 40-year career of about 3 million collision-free kilometers.

* He’s also no stranger to other driver of the year awards. In 2013, he was given that title by the U.S.-based Truckload Carriers Association.

* Fielding was a member of the 2011-2012 OTA Road Knights team where he travelled the province, visiting schools and community events to help promote safe driving, environmental responsibility and enhance the image of the trucking industry.

* Fielding got his start in trucking at the young age of 17 when his father, a driver for a department store chain, would take him out on the road on weekends. It wasn’t long after Jack finished school that he bought his own truck.

* The award is given to an Ontario commercial truck driver who exhibits an exemplary safety record and dedication to the profession as well as his or her community.

* “He’s passionate about safety and leads by example,” according to Peter Currie, Ontario district manager, Volvo Trucks Canada, who handed out the award.

* Fielding enjoys the time he spends mentoring new drivers. His top three pieces of advice on becoming a good truck driver, “You need to have patience. You need to constantly be thinking about what you are doing at all times…and you need a good night’s rest.”