Celebrating Our Newest Million-Mile Driver, Dexter Ratliff

Do you ever find yourself saying "a million" casually, like, "I had to park a million miles away from the store" when a million miles is actually almost too far to even comprehend? Or maybe you exclaim, "I can see a million stars in the sky!" If you stop to think about it, a million is such a large number we can barely comprehend it.

You could travel to the moon and back, TWICE, and still not quite reach a million miles. If there was a road around Earth, you could make about 40 laps around it before you'd reach a million miles. And if you're talking about driving a million miles safely--especially in a chemical tanker truck--it's truly an impressive number.

Driving One Million Safe Miles

At Highway Transport, safety is a top priority. We value the quality as well as the quantity of a million miles driven and understand the value of a driver who completes such a monumental task. That's why we recently had a million-mile celebration for Dexter Ratliff, our most recent chemical tank truck driver to achieve that milestone. 

"Driving one million miles safely is an incredible accomplishment," says Brenda Skoda, Highway’s Service Center Manager in Chattanooga. "It takes commitment and relentless focus." Ratliff, a Highway Transport Regional Driver on Skoda's Chattanooga team, has that commitment and relentless focus, along with the knowledge, skills, and experience necessary to complete the task.

One Million Miles = About Eight Years

"It’s hard to imagine hauling any type of load for one million miles. On average, it takes a truck driver about eight years to reach this milestone," says Wendy Drummer, Digital Marketing and Communications Manager for Highway Transport. "However, in the tanker trucking world, time slows down.”

"Chemical tanker truck drivers adhere to the highest standards of safety, which always means driving at regulated speeds. Plus, chemical tanker drivers follow strict chemical transportation protocols," Drummer says. So when a driver is hauling liquid bulk chemicals for a million miles, it's even more impressive a feat and can take more time to accumulate a million safe miles than a regular truck driver might. 

How Do You Celebrate A Million Safe Miles? In Style!

Every million-mile driver is given the opportunity to choose a new custom wrap for his new truck. Dexter is an American Army veteran who served from 1989 to 1991, so it's no surprise that this patriotic guy chose an American flag for his new truck's custom wrap.

"It was an honor to present Dexter the keys to his new truck as sincere appreciation for his accomplishment and dedication to Highway over the years. I am very proud Dexter is part of the Chattanooga team," Skoda says.

"Each million-mile driver receives a special emblem on their truck," Drummer says, in addition to their custom wrap on a new truck. They're also honored with a plaque on the wall of honor in our Knoxville headquarters. Everyone at Highway takes pride in our elite group of professional million-mile drivers. 

Join Highway Transport as a professional chemical tanker truck driver and get started toward your own million with a growing, family-friendly company today!