Career Mileage - Red Eye Radio

Nominee:
R
O
L
Y
A
T
N
Y
B
O
R
&
L
BIL
Location:
ENFIELD, CT
y:
Nominated b
R
O
IS
V
R
E
P
U
S
,
L
L
E
B
Y
H
KAT
Driving Career: 17 YEARS AS A TEAM,
BILL, OVER 30 YEARS
Employer: LANDSTAR RANGER
Annual Mileage: 200,000
Career Mileage: 4 MILLION
Accident Free Mileage: 4 MILLION
Military: BILL: ARMY, 1970 - 1973,
ARMY RESERVE, 1976 - 1981
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Bill Taylor started his trucking career over 30
years ago while servicing the Army in Vietnam.
When he and Robyn met years later, she decided
the ever-changing view from a truck window was
much more interesting than that of her computer
system administrator job, and decided to join
him. She got her license in 1999, and they hit the
road together!
Bill and Robyn make a great team with their polite,
positive attitude and willingness to help out whenever
needed. Their customers are quick to offer praise on
their professionalism and work ethic – early for pick
ups, on time with deliveries, and flexibility when asked.
In turn, Bill and Robyn appreciate their customers, and
make sure to relay their gratitude back to them.
Though Bill’s time with the Army is over, he and Robyn continue to contribute to their country and community. They support POW efforts and are
active in helping other veterans. They support their local schools, sharing
both their truck and experiences with the students. And they are strong
champions for owner-operators, often calling or writing their congressman
in regards to the legalities imposed on the trucking industry.
These days, Bill and Robyn are joined by 2 additional passengers – their
four-legged German Shepherd rescues, Niko and Ruby.
Bill and Robyn have been involved with the
Trucker Buddy program for many years, and
were named Trucker Buddy of the Month in
June, 2002. This pen pal program matches
drivers to classrooms of children in grades
2-8 in an effort to educate and mentor them.
Since then, their commitment to the program
has grown, and they now Buddy with at least
18 classes in three schools! Bill and Robyn
take their roles very seriously and have devoted countless hours to help
benefit the student’s education. Not only do they send regular emails and
postcards to the classes, they also take the time to find out about each
student and send personalized individual notes. Of course, the highlight
of each year is when they bring their truck to the schools for the kids to
climb in and on.
Bill and Robyn even bring their sense of philanthropy to the classes. They
support the preservation of endangered animals, especially bats, and make an
annual donation to save a bat in the name of each class. This has encouraged
the students to look beyond themselves as they now collect pennies to care
for more bats.
In honor of their dedication to the program, Bill and Robyn were honored
with a Friends of Education award as well as a Congressional Recognition
award.
Their community involvement also extends beyond the school system:
• Bill is a member of the American Legion, and a life member of the
Vietnam Veterans of America and of the 82nd Airborne Division
200,000 miles a year is a lot of driving. But Bill
and Robyn do it well, and have accumulated
4 million accident free miles in the process!
They’ve received Landstar Safety Awards for the
two years they’ve been with them, as well as other
safety awards from their previous carriers. They’re
conscientious about their equipment, and their truck and trailer always pass
Landstar’s 120-day inspections. They track the weather patterns to plan for
the safest routes and drive at slower speeds to get the best fuel efficiency.
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• Bill and Robyn are long time members of the OOIDA (Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association)
• Robyn was the 20,000 person to become a member of Team Run Smart, an open online community for truckers to share advice, support and
information
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Bill was the campaign co-chairman for a benefit for the Newington, CT Children’s Hospital
They support and volunteer for Make-A-Wish events, such as its annual “Wishes on Wheels” truck convoy fund raiser
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Bill and Robyn’s leadership skills are very evident
in the roles they take in their community service.
They go above and beyond in everything they do
to give the people they serve the best possible
experience. They also know how valuable a kind
word can be, and take the initiative to let others
know that the work they do is appreciated.
This simple act of kindness is too often a rare
occurrence, as was demonstrated in the overwhelming response they
received from an email they sent to a customer praising their employees.
Robyn and Bill do not smoke and recently went on diets to become
healthier. Robyn has lost 20 pounds and Bill lost 30 pounds on the
road. They walk their dogs and try to get plenty of exercise. They
make sure they are always well rested before leaving on a trip, and
packed healthy foods to eat.
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