It's My Job to Drive Safely
Kind, calm, humble, and down-to-earth. That's your first impression upon meeting Donnie Francis. With his warm smile, neatly trimmed goatee, and pressed Roadway uniform, the word "professional" comes to mind. Talk to employees at White Pine and you hear "safety-conscious" and "mentor." And he's known around the facility as the "Captain of Safety."
Now he can also be called a "4 Million Miler."
Donnie sincerely accepts congratulations about his accomplishment and politely agrees to an interview. But he doesn't want to spend much time as the center of attention, worrying aloud that he won't be a good interview.
He needn't worry; even during a short conversation you sense that Donnie has the aura of a true professional-an expert in his field who lets his work speak for itself. It's the same quiet competence we see in some of Roadway's safest drivers.
The only difficult part of a conversation with Donnie is getting him to expound on his accomplishment-it's like a lesson in humility. When asked how he feels to reach this rare goal, he shrugs, smiles, and says, "I guess it's a big deal." When asked to explain how he did it, he acknowledges that it takes a certain mindset, but adds simply, "It's my job to drive safely."
Donnie's humbleness doesn't mean he isn't proud of his achievement. He watched two other White Pine drivers-David Hooker and Bill McMillan-attain 4-million-mile status and wanted to do the same. But he focused on the safety aspects of his safe-driving span, not on the accomplishment itself. "I've never thought much about milestones," he says. "Milestones cross your mind, but I concentrate more on being safe."
As any professional driver knows, driving safely each day is a feat. Driving safely for 29 years-Donnie's career with Roadway-is another issue altogether.
On the road six days per week and 530 miles per day, Donnie's job as a safe driver is not an easy one. He thinks increased highway traffic is one of the major driving challenges. "I see an accident everyday, so the potential doesn't often leave your thoughts," says Donnie. He slows down when other vehicles get too close and makes adjustments when driving through hills and mountains. These techniques, and many of Donnie's other methods for safe driving, can be found in the Smith System™, the safe-driving program Roadway teaches its drivers to prevent accidents. Donnie says that learning the Smith System's™ five keys for accident prevention helped his driving, although Mike Woody, White Pine relay manager, claims "Donnie was practicing the five keys long before we knew about them."
So it comes as quite a shock when Donnie suddenly says, "To be honest, I'm not a good driver." He laughs at the surprised reaction to his comment then explains, "I've driven with a lot of good drivers over the years-drivers who had the skills to get them out of any situation. I didn't think I had those skills, so I've compensated by being extra careful." While some might suggest that the definition of good driver is a person who doesn't get into dangerous situations, you certainly can't argue with Donnie's success. His "compensation" obviously works for him.
Donnie earned his "Captain of Safety" nickname for his involvement with White Pine's IPI Council and for his safety-conscious attitude. Mike Woody also says that Donnie is a "mentor to our younger drivers and has passed along his safe-driving techniques to them." Donnie, though, doesn't see himself as a role model. He acknowledges that other drivers may want to attain 4-million-mile status, but says, "they'll do their job the best they can-just like David, Bill, and I did."
Donnie's dedicated tractor, which he received as a 3-million-mile driver, is something he truly enjoys and its former 3-million-mile decal was a source of pleasure. "People congratulate me and are really nice when they see that decal, although some people think it's a dedication to Dale Earnhardt," he laughs. He doesn't think much will change when he's driving around with his new 4-million-mile decal, but he's prepared to talk about it and answer their questions. "I do get a lot of people who want to know if I really drove that many miles," he says. "And I'm proud to say I did."
Donnie's pride also extends to the trucking industry itself. He feels the miles he's driving, moving our customers' freight through the Roadway system, contributes to the continuing cycle of life in the United States. "I feel a part of the big picture," he says. "Someone needs to haul the freight... and I hope Roadway hauls most of it."
With his interview over and after a quick good-bye to dispatchers and drivers in the breakroom, Donnie heads out to pre-trip his tractor and set of doubles. "I enjoy driving, especially when it's a beautiful day and the traffic's light," he says. With that, Donnie sets off for another 530-mile day-doing his job of driving safely.
