Four Inducted into NPTC/Navistar’s NEXT Solutions Driver Hall of Fame

ARLINGTON, VA – Four drivers, who collectively have driven for more than 165 years while racking up nearly 15 million miles of service without a chargeable accident or a moving violation, have been inducted into the NPTC Driver Hall of Fame sponsored by Navistar’s NEXT Solutions. The recognition took place in conjunction with the NPTC Annual Education Management Conference and Exhibition, which was held April 10-12, 2022 in Cincinnati, OH.

The drivers are from NPTC member companies and have met the minimum qualifications of 20 years, three million miles or 50,000 hours of driving without a preventable accident. Many of the drivers have far exceeded these qualifications and are known for having made significant contributions to their industry and their communities. Since its inception, 112 drivers have been installed in the Driver Hall of Fame. This year’s Driver Hall of Fame inductees are:

 PATRICK FAY – Core‐Mark International

Pat started his driving career in 1983, and in those 39 years has racked up 2.2 million miles. Pat began with Carver Trucking and then joined Gene Dischler Trucking, hauling everything from livestock to seed, grain and chicken manure. He eventually switched from part-time to full-time truck driving, and his career took off. In 1998, he went to work for Farner-Bocken (now Core-Mark International), racking up 24 consecutive years of safe driving pins. Pat typically drives up to 400 miles per day and his days can last anywhere from 8 – 12 hours depending on his destination and any backhaul he may pick up. When not on the road, Pat is a corn and soybean farmer and very active in his community, serving as a volunteer firefighter, a certified firefighting instructor and member of the Glidden (Iowa) City Council. Recognized as a National Driver All-Star by NPTC in 2019, he was also an NPTC Hall of Fame Runner-up in 2019.

WAYNE HAYES – AutoZone, Inc.

Wayne has driven 4.1 million miles in a driving career that has spanned 38 years. He began his driving career 38 years ago when he went to work for Turner Dairy Company hauling milk and ice cream. Ten years later, in 1994, he joined AutoZone, where he has achieved mor than 3.1 million miles hauling auto parts to company stores. In his time with AutoZone, Wayne has made thousands of store deliveries without ever having a preventable collision, safety violation or a speeding ticket. He works 14 hours daily, a 70-hour work week. He drives on average 425 miles per day and 2,200 per week making deliveries in the southeast region. In 2020 he was the first AutoZone truck driver to log over 3 million safe miles driven. Wayne received AutoZone’s Driver of the Year award in 2021. He has received numerous Extra Miler awards for various achievements. Wayne also received an award for his perfect attendance for his 28-year career with AutoZone.

BILLY RAY NESTER – Unifi Manufacturing

In 49 years behind the wheel, Billy has driven 3.8 million miles, without a preventable accident. He started his career at age 16 working for his father’s trucking company, driving dump trucks hauling gravel in support of the family septic business. With trucking in his veins, he went to work for Spevco, hauling show cars and racing products in support of NASCAR. He joined UNIFI in 1999 and has worked there for the past 22 years with a brief two-year interlude when the company reoriented its business. In that amount of time, he has driven 1.9 million miles without an accident or moving violation. He currently works between 50-55 hours per week, averaging 10-12 hours per day and running about 1,800 miles per week hauling between the company’s plants in North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and Georgia. Last year he was recognized as the North Carolina Trucking Association Driver of the Year.

 JEFFERY PUTSKEY – Brakebush Transportation, Inc.

Jeff was born into the trucking business. Jeff’s father was a truck driver for Weiland Trucking out of Wautoma, WI and Jeff began his career working around the yard at Weiland’s. He officially joined the company 39 years ago hauling beer, cheese and soda for Weiland. In 1993, he joined Brakebush Transportation and started hauling finished chicken product for human consumption. Back then, the chicken was floor loaded mainly by hand. Jeff has operated in all of the lower 48 states and has been running out West for most of his career with Brakebush. In the 39 years behind the wheel, Jeff has generated 4.3 million miles all without an accident and just one moving violation. Recognized as an NPTC National Driver All-Star in 2021, Jeff has been recognized by the Wisconsin Motor Carriers Association as a Driver of the Month and for 22 years of safe driving in the State of Wisconsin Presidents Safe Driving Club – Wisconsin Motor Carriers Association.

Award sponsors Bob Mann, Vice President and Assistant General Manager, Vocational Business, International Truck/Navistar, Inc. (left) and Kevin Holland, Director, eMobility Truck Sales, Navistar’s NEXT Solutions (right) congratulate the 2022 Driver Hall of Fame inductees (from right), Billy Ray Nester, UNIFI Manufacturing; Patrick Fay, Core-Mark International; Wayne Hayes, AutoZone, Inc.; and Jeff Putskey, Brakebush Transportation, Inc.

About NPTC

Founded in 1939, the National Private Truck Council is the only national trade association exclusively representing the interests of the private truck industry and corporate/business private truck fleet management. With an actively engaged leadership team of Board representatives, member volunteers and staff, NPTC in the past decade has grown significantly to serve a rising professional class of private fleet practitioners meeting the challenges of modern corporate transportation. NPTC is the leading learning resource center, government affairs advocate, and business networking culture for America’s top private fleet and supplier member companies.  The Council produces benchmarking, best practices, and economic data reports on the private fleet market; administers the highly regarded Certified Transportation Professional (CTP) training program, and conducts some of the most successful events in the trucking industry including the Annual Education Management Conference and Exhibition, the Private Fleet Management Institute, and the National Safety Conference. For more information about the Council’s activities and programs, visit our website at www.nptc.org.

About Navistar

Navistar, Inc. (“Navistar”) is a purpose-driven company, reimagining how to deliver what matters to create more cohesive relationships, build higher-performing teams and find solutions where others don’t. Based in Lisle, Illinois, Navistar or its subsidiaries and affiliates produce International^® brand commercial trucks and engines, IC Bus^® brand school and commercial buses, all-makes OnCommand^® Connection advanced connectivity services, and Fleetrite^®, ReNEWeD^® and Diamond Advantage^® brand aftermarket parts and includes a Brazilian manufacturer of engines and gensets, MWM Motores Diesel e Geradores. With a history of innovation dating back to 1831, Navistar has more than 14,500 employees worldwide and is part of TRATON SE, a global champion of the truck and transport services industry. Additional information is available at www.Navistar.com.