ROADWAY DRIVER WINS GOODYEAR HIGHWAY HERO AWARD [01/07/98]
AKRON, Ohio -- January 7, 1998 -- For helping a fellow truck driver who was trapped in his rig after an accident, Roadway Express driver James Sheriff was chosen The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company 1997 State Highway Hero Award winner for Illinois.
Sheriff's act of heroism occurred in March, 1997. After witnessing a rear-end collision involving two trucks, Sheriff immediately called 911 and assisted thedrivers until EMS and police officials arrived.
The award accurately reflects Jims attitudes toward the value of life and safety, which he puts first and foremost, said Phil Blackman, assistant relay manager for Roadway Express. Jim is role model for Roadway and every professional truck driver.
Sheriff has been a Roadway driver for more than 26 years and a professional driver for 32 years. He was nominated three times, for three separate incidents in 1997, for Goodyears State Highway Hero Award. He was also nominated for the award in 1996 and 1995. Sheriff was recently recognized by Roadway Express for driving three million miles without a preventable accident. Sheriff has never been cited for a moving violation in his professional career.
Other awards he has received throughout his professional driving career are Roadways Golden Q award for acting safely; a Certificate of Commendation from the U.S. Department of Transportation for commitment to commercial motor vehicle safety; and the 1992 Illinois Driver of the Year award.
"The key to road safety is to drive as though the road were always under construction," Sheriff said. "Always drive within the law and stay alert."
Sheriff received a $100 U.S. Savings Bond from Goodyear for winning the Illinois State Highway Hero Award, and became eligible for Goodyear s National Highway Hero Award. Sheriff drives out of Roadway's Chicago Heights facility and is a member of Teamsters Local 710 in Chicago. He lives Homewood, Ill. with his wife Mary Anne, and their two daughters, Jeanine and Joline.
To be nominated for Goodyear's State Highway Hero, a driver must be on-the-job, operating a vehicle with 14 wheels or more and the incident in which they provide assistance must occur within the United States. Goodyear started the award program in 1983 to recognize professional truck drivers for life-saving rescues and the roadside help they provide.
Goodyear granted 26 State Highway Hero Awards in 1997, from which four finalists are selected for the National Highway Hero Award. Winners are selected by a panel of transportation industry experts, transportation media members and industry officials. The National Highway Hero winner receives a $20,000 U.S. Savings Bond, and the other three finalists receive $5,000 savings bonds.
