A driver is being honored with a celebration, a new trailer wrapped in his honor, and a place in his company’s hall of fame after he passed 5 million miles accident-free.
Bobby Elrod, a 45-year trucking veteran, comes from a trucking family. “My dad, two uncles, a brother, and a brother-in-law–they were all truck drivers,” said Elrod. “It’s in my blood.”
Elrod celebrated the milestone on March 6th at YRC Freight’s Chattanooga terminal, the company’s closest to his Knoxville/Roanoke route. The 500-mile route is his daily routine, but earlier in his career Elrod was an OTR driver as well. And when he’s not doing his normal route, he occasionally hauls around Indy race cars for big-name drivers.
YRC Freight Director Terry Budimlija put Elrod’s 5 million miles into perspective.
“Five million miles is like driving to the moon and back over ten times or driving around the equator 200 times–all without a single accident,” said Budimlija. “I tip my safety hat to him, and I send my heartfelt thanks to his family for sharing Bobby with us.”
As Knoxville News Sentinel reports though, Elrod is quick to deflect any praise heaped on him. “I’ve had a real blessed career,” he said. “I’ve always had the good Lord as my co-pilot.”
Well done, driver!
Source: gobytrucknews, globenewswire, knoxnews
Russ says
Could he have done this legally?
Jon says
Good job, getting harder to do these days.
Glenn says
I salute you Mr Elrod on your phenominal safety career driving 5 million miles. 45 yrs doing this is a feat in itself w/out losing your mind.
dkbean says
remarkable, you would think there might even be a picture of the gentleman
mousekiller says
Congratulations to you Mr Elrod and to your family of truckers that taught you the finer art of safe driving. . You belong to a very small group of drivers. You worked hard and earned every mile of the safe driving award. Thank you .
Barney Big Rig says
Congratulations, Mr.Elrod on your 5million mile/45yr. accomplishment!! In this day & age with all the idiots on the road it’s becoming harder to do!! Well Done!!💯🇺🇸👍😎✌🔥
MrYowler says
Wanna bet that there is still nobody interested in his opinions about best safety practices, autonomous vehicles, ELDs, or HoS rules? It will still be some a-hole who is not even qualified to drive a truck, that will make those decisions, and impose them on drivers like Elrod…
jim tomblin says
No disrespect intended, but i am up to my eyeballs with hearing these bs claims of 3 or more million miles without an accident, they are full of it, even these ltl double trailer jocks going back and forth from terminal to terminal every day…the way companies rate even minor incidents as accidents lends to the almost impossible odds of 5 million or even 4 million miles accident free…i have 26 years behind the wheel and 2.7 million miles and have expierence in almost every possible situation…there is no shame in having a less than perfit driving record. So try to remember the scraps, bumps and broken mirrors etc etc etc that occurred over the years. Just saying.
george says
well you would be wrong, other then a minor parking lot scrape at the ta in nj along I80? in my first week of driving, it can be done. 31 one years later no broken mirrors. 6 years otr, 25 years ltl.
hope I never catch up to Mr. Elrod, i plan to retire in 7 years.
Richard says
If you read the fine print these big companies usually count miles without a dot preventable accident, so a little fender bender wouldn’t count against you
Wesley Cory says
Yes they do, they just say they don’t. Hell, I probably got at least 3 million, plus a few “dingers”, so big freakin’ deal.
Shogun says
I agree. Plenty of multi million drivers who have hit things and driven off and not reported to. I don’t care what they say, they are lying if they say they haven’t. Heck I go to places where you have to rub the trailer next to you to get on the dock.mthats what happens when you put two swing door trailers on a dock that was built for roll up doors.
Jventura says
Congratulations on that achievement
You are an inspiration to all of us truckers.
Trucker says
We need more safe drivers like this on the road
BASEBALL bat says
Lets talk about bullies behind the desk for a while. Why most drivers don’t get noticed for what they really accomplish.
Red says
I like reading stories like this. We need more stories like this. Criminal executives, American greed, and ignorant button-pushers that don’t know the difference between a turbo and an air dryer is getting very depressing. If the main goal was to make trucking as hard and stressful as it can possibly be, congrats, we have succeeded!
Mike says
Great job. Congratulations 5 millioniles is quit an accomplishment. To the jealous idiots! , scratching a mirror or a bumper in a tight spot or being hit by something is not what they base these awards on they base them on preventable accidents. I’ve got 1.8 million miles without having any preventable accidents. Yes I’ve had close calls, yes I’ve scratched a mirror or 2 yes I’ve scratched a bumper at a construction site in soft dirt that’s part of the job. Don’t be haters there’s already enough of those to go around.
Sean Lyman says
Damn right!! TESTIFY
Trish Elkins says
My Husband Roger has done 4 Million Miles accident free..unfortunately he didnt get no plaque for his 25 years otr coast to coast ..I wish i could have one made for him ..Congratulations Driver on your 5 million miles…
Brown matt says
it’s never ok to hit anything at all. No hit is a small hit!! If you hit something then you are unsafe driver. And no you don’t own the grass on the side of road/street so it’s considered property damage. Just because you got away hitting something doesn’t make it right.
Merrill Gehman says
Good job Elrod . Obviously you love driving. I’m wondering I’m wondering what your worst and most unjust traffic citation you got in all those miles.