Batesville Veteran Driver, Leon Turner, Inducted into the NPTC Hall of Fame
Turner has 25 years and 3.2 million accident-free miles with Batesville
BATESVILLE, IN., May 13, 2015 – Batesville, the largest casket manufacturer and leading provider of comprehensive solutions to the death care industry, announced that 25-year veteran over-the-road driver Leon Turner was inducted into the National Private Truck Council’s (NPTC) Driver Hall of Fame. A professional driver for more than 38 years, Turner has worked for Batesville for the past 25, accumulating an impressive 3.2 million miles with zero preventable accidents and no moving violations. He has earned Driver of the Month from the Indiana Motor Truck Association (IMTA) for five consecutive years and the National Safety Council (NSC) Safe Driver Award for three years.
“Leon is an inspiring driver with an unquestionable commitment to safety,” said Keith Hazelwood, director of transportation for Batesville. “He deserves this award from the NPTC, but more importantly, Leon has earned our respect for how he represents Batesville every day on the nation’s highways.” During his tenure at Batesville, Turner has transported products from the East coast to the West coast and to Canada. His current run takes him from Batesville, Indiana to El Paso, Texas by way of Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, and Texas.
“Being an over-the-road truck driver is a great profession,” said Turner. “Batesville’s customers, our regional warehouses and local service centers depend on us to deliver products on time. I’m proud to be part of such an excellent company.”
Turner started his trucking career after graduating from driving school in the seventies. He landed a job, but had to work for two weeks without pay to prove himself. After learning the ropes early in his career, Turner worked for several other companies before joining the Batesville team in 1990.
A quarter of a decade later, he still shares his passion for trucking with children through his participation in the Trucker Buddy program. Trucker Buddies enrich the lives of tens of thousands of school children and put a face behind the steering wheel of trucks across the country. For the past 7 years, Turner has visited schools where he shows the kids his truck and answers questions about his profession. “The children get real excited when I allow them to climb up into my rig and see where I sleep when I’m on the road,” he explains. Turner is also a Highway Watch participant.
The NPTC inducts four drivers each year at the association’s Annual Education Management Conference and Exhibition. To qualify, a driver must have 3 million miles, 20 years or 50,000 hours of consecutive driving without a preventable accident. NPTC represents a cross-section of American manufacturers, distributors, retailers, and public service organizations ranging from family-owned businesses and town utility fleets to Fortune 500 global conglomerates.
ABOUT BATESVILLE
Batesville (www.Batesville.com), a wholly owned subsidiary of Hillenbrand, Inc. (NYSE:HI), is the leader in the North American death care industry, offering a comprehensive portfolio of Burial Solutions, Cremation Options, Memorial Solutions and Technology Solutions. For more than 125 years, Batesville has been dedicated to helping families honor the lives of those they love®. Batesville’s innovation has changed the face of funeral service, from advancements in manufacturing and quality to patented features and memorialization offerings, technology and web-based solutions, and profit-enhancing merchandising systems. Our history of manufacturing excellence, product innovation, superior customer service, and reliable delivery has helped Batesville become – and remain – a market leader.
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Teresa M. Gyulafia
Director – Brand & Marketing Communications
Teresa.Gyulafia@batesville.com
Phone: 812.931.5084
