A public safety outreach program from ATA’s Safety and Maintenance Management Council

Alabama’s Road Team was established in 2000 by the Alabama Trucking Association to serve as a public education program to address highway safety within the trucking industry and to educate the motoring public on how to drive near large commercial vehicles. Our Road Team is composed of professional drivers selected for an outstanding safety record and an ability to communicate with audiences from many different walks of life. These individuals are ambassadors for the trucking industry and take a few days each month away from their regular driving duties to speak to civic organizations, classrooms, businesses and media. The Alabama Road Team is a free service to the public and available upon request to any group needing a speaker to inform or entertain. Presentations include Share the Road demonstrations, driver safety, industry promotion, and a variety of other topics. For more information, contact Tim Frazier at 334-834-3983 or tfrazier@alabamatrucking.org.

Meet the Road Team

Dan Thompson

FedEx Freight
Mobile, Ala.

Dan Thompson is a 35-year veteran truck driver based in Spanish Fort, Ala. He drives for FedEx Freight’s terminal in Theodore, Ala., which is located a few miles south of Mobile. Thompson has been with the company for 28 years and handles a daily route to Birmingham and back. In his 1.8-million miles on the road, he has never had an accident. He has pulled a myriad of rigs during his career, including flatbed, dry van, twin trailers, hazmat, and even school buses. He is a diverse and crossed trained driver, and his knowledge of the transportation industry is a reflection of his vast experience. Like other Road Team members, Dan has had plenty of success at the Alabama Truck Driving Championships. Last June he was the overall high scorer at the event to earn the 2016 Grand Champion title. He’s been a regular at the national competing there in 2016, 2015, 2013 and 2011 He is also a man of many talents and interests outside of trucking. He’s a coach for a local elementary school chess club, and a self-described “health nut” who enjoys road biking, kayaking and flyfishing. “Safety is never an afterthought for me,” he says. “The public is counting on me to drive safely under any condition or circumstance; my family is counting on me to return home safely each evening, and my employer and co-workers are counting on me to protect their image. I cannot let any of them down – that’s been my mission my entire career. I now have an opportunity to showcase the trucking industry’s efforts in safety and professionalism.”

Lloyd Howell

TCW, Inc.
Birmingham, Ala.

From the first time Lloyd Howell sat behind the wheel of a truck, he knew driving for a living was what he wanted to do. He loves the freedom of the open road, the machinery, and the opportunity to meet new people. The 52-year-old driver for TCW, Inc.’s Birmingham terminal has worked in trucking for 23 years, starting with Birmingham Budweiser as a driver helper making local deliveries and eventually moving into the driver’s seat after teaching himself how to drive a truck. “I just kept hinting around to my supervisor that I wanted to drive,” Howell says. “One day, he pointed to an empty truck on the yard and told me to start learning how. Trouble was it was an old 10 speed with a splitter, so it took me a little while. I spent a lot of time just driving circles on the yard until I got the hang of it.” After a few weeks of training, practice and study, he told his supervisor he was ready to sit for his CDL exam. “As soon as I came back with my new CDL, they put me in a truck. I’ve been at it ever since.” In 2009, he signed on with his current employer, TCW, as a full-time driver. As with Sysco, his supervisors soon realized his leadership abilities and commitment to steadfast adherence to the rules of the road and workplace safety. Company managers asked him to serve as a “Master Coach” for the fleet. Drivers call him with questions and suggestions – or they may just need an outlet to vent their concerns. As a Road Team captain, he says he enjoys getting out and sharing his message of highway safety. “One thing that’s served me well since I started driving a truck is that truly care about what I’m doing,” he says. “I care about my job, my employer, my coworkers, and, most importantly, my family. I want to do be as safe as possible when I’m driving. I think of myself as a driver in a bubble. And what that means is, regardless of what going on around me, I’m going to make sure I’m doing all I can to make those around me are safe. It doesn’t matter to me if someone is driving too fast or aggressively, I’m going to do what I need to do to make sure that person gets home to their family in one piece. That’s all I want.”