Trucker Earns ATA Image Award After 4.9 Million Safe Miles

Trucker with 4.9 Million Safe Driving Miles Receives ATA Image Award

A FedEx Freight driver with 4.9 million safe driving miles has been recognized by the American Trucking Associations for his work on and off the road.

Steve Brand was one of three recipients of the Mike Russell Trucking Image Award, presented Monday during the ATA’s annual Management Conference & Exhibition in Charlotte. The award, sponsored by Great West, an Old Republic company, recognizes individuals, motor carriers and trucking organizations that demonstrate trucking’s essential role, professionalism and commitment to safety.

Brand was honored alongside the Trucking Association Executives Council Task Force and Conversion Interactive Agency.

According to ATA, Brand has spent 37 years in the trucking industry, including 30 years with FedEx Freight and seven years as an over-the-road driver. The association said he has built his career around safety, service and leadership.

Brand is an America’s Road Team Captain and a member of the FedEx Freight Road Team. He has also competed twice in the National Truck Driving Championships, was named the 2024 Ohio Driver of the Year and received the 2026 TA Petro Citizen Driver honor.

His involvement extends beyond regular driving duties. ATA cited Brand’s participation in community and industry events including Dayton Touch a Truck, Share the Road and Safety Drive for a Cure. He has also supported Make-A-Wish fundraisers, hosted the Truckers’ Voice podcast and served as an ambassador for Truckers Against Trafficking.

Those activities reflect the broader purpose of the Mike Russell award: recognizing people who help explain trucking’s role to the public while representing the industry’s safety and service standards.

“The Mike Russell Award recognizes the individuals and organizations who take ownership of trucking’s story and share it with authenticity, passion, and purpose,” said Nikki Thomas, ATA vice president of Industry Affairs. “From solving problems to serving as trucking ambassadors to creating career opportunities, this year’s honorees have found powerful ways to elevate our industry.”

Brand’s record also highlights the importance of experienced professional drivers in representing trucking outside the cab. Drivers routinely interact with motorists, customers and community members, making their conduct an important part of how the industry is understood by the public.

The Trucking Association Executives Council Task Force received the award for its work on the report Trucking Resurgence: The Fight for Fairness and Safety. ATA said the group developed grassroots-driven proposals addressing fraud, safety enforcement and business practices that it said have harmed public safety and legitimate trucking companies.

The task force’s work focused on identifying loopholes and challenging bad actors across parts of the trucking industry, including carriers, brokers and electronic logging device providers. ATA described the effort as an example of industry leaders turning concerns about safety and fairness into specific recommendations and action.

Conversion Interactive Agency was recognized for more than three decades of work involving workforce development, education, innovation and community engagement. According to ATA, the agency’s efforts have generated nearly five million driver leads, helped facilitate more than 56,000 hires and connected prospective drivers with trucking careers.

Driver recruitment remains a central issue for carriers and the broader industry, but the agency’s recognition also points to the need for accurate information about the profession. Connecting people with meaningful opportunities requires explaining the work, its responsibilities and the standards expected of professional drivers.

For drivers, Brand’s honor represents one of the clearest forms of recognition available within the industry: a career measured not only by miles and years of service, but also by safety performance and public involvement. His 4.9 million safe driving miles provide the foundation for the award, while his work in community events, driver advocacy and public outreach has broadened his impact beyond everyday operations.

ATA said the three honorees each contributed to trucking’s public image in a different way—through safe driving and service, policy and safety advocacy, or workforce development.

“Their efforts remind us that every positive story told about this industry helps strengthen public understanding of the essential role trucking plays in America,” Thomas said.