Best Delivery Drivers Crowned in Race to Deliver
12 September 2000
Best Delivery Drivers Crowned in Race to Deliver Male and Female Winners Take the Title after a Rigorous Competition
NEW YORK, Sept. 11 Race To Deliver, an intense two-day
delivery contest sponsored by Workhorse Custom Chassis, culminated today with
the crowning of male winner, Brian Baumeister of Ameripride Linen and Apparel
Services, and female winners, Lona Corbin of Five Star Fleet Services and
Tami Massaro of Safety-Kleen Systems Inc., as "Delivery Drivers of the Year."
Held in New York City, Race To Deliver brought together North America's
top delivery people from companies such as UPS and Frito-Lay. The
12 finalists -- honored for their contribution to the health of the new
economy -- were chosen based on criteria such as customer satisfaction,
delivery volume per day, safety record, dependability and driving and delivery
skills.
"These delivery professionals take their work seriously, and they are
fierce competitors," said Andrew Taitz, chairman and CEO of Workhorse Custom
Chassis. "With Race To Deliver, we gave them a chance to take their step van
driving skills to a new level, maneuvering their vehicles through city traffic
and dashing to deliver packages to New York City landmarks."
Like the other nine finalists, Baumeister of Bowmansville, N.Y., Corbin of
Oxford, Ala., and Massaro of Little Rock, Calif., were guiding step vans
through the streets of Manhattan for the first time, but their drive to
succeed led them to the winner's circle. Baumeister, 32, began driving a step
van three years ago. "I just decided I needed to do something different," he
explained, "and I've always liked truck driving." The winner of a truck rodeo
earlier this year, Baumeister considers himself "pretty fast" as he takes on
an extensive daily route in his 19-foot step van.
Both Corbin and Massaro face the pressure of working in a male-dominated
field. Corbin, 44, has been a full-time route delivery driver for the past
two years, beginning her workdays at 4:30 a.m. and staying on the road in her
step van until nearly 3 p.m. "It's a physical job," she notes; in fact,
Corbin has lost more than 40 pounds as a delivery driver. The same dedicated
spirit carried her through to the Race To Deliver title.
For Massaro, 25, who handles hazardous pickups in her step van, the
New York traffic was intimidating, but unlikely to rival that of her regular
route. Each day Massaro loads 30- and 55-gallon barrels of hazardous waste
from automotive repair and manufacturing facilities into her step van and
tackles the traffic of Los Angeles. Despite her challenging task, Massaro
loves her job. "I like to get out and meet people," she says. "It gives me a
change of scenery."
Baumeister, Corbin and Massaro battled a strong field of contestants
during the two-part event. In the first part, a rodeo-style relay that took
place yesterday, competitors challenged their technical driving abilities on a
step van obstacle course. Held earlier today, the second part tested
on-the-job delivery skills as drivers made pickups and deliveries on a
Manhattan route that included stops at Trump International Plaza,
the World Trade Center and Rockefeller Center.
The contestants showcased their talent in Workhorse step vans, which are
widely used by companies as urban delivery vehicles and mobile workshops. The
ergonomic design of the Workhorse step van enables ease of entry and exit with
full-height doors and front access to the cargo area. A low floor platform
further increases driver safety and efficiency while loading and unloading.
Finally, with aluminum no-rust bodies, step vans last twice as long as other
commercial vehicles such as cab chassis, cutaways, cargo vans and tilt cabs.
