Driven For Excellence
On November 19, we honored three ABF city drivers — Chuck Smetzer, John Tiedemann and Thomas Fischer — for becoming the first to achieve 75,000 consecutive driving hours without a preventable accident. This feat, which takes an average of about 8.5 years behind the wheel to accomplish, has earned them the ABF Diamond Award and a place in company history.
“Every day, our drivers navigate congested areas and narrow roads with remarkable precision — demonstrating skills that require a steadfast commitment to safety and decades of practice,” said Matt Godfrey, ABF Freight president. “I’m incredibly proud of Chuck, John and Thomas for this outstanding achievement, and I commend all of our ABF drivers for prioritizing safety every time they get behind the wheel. It’s an honor to celebrate these exceptional drivers, and I’m excited to see more of our team reach this milestone in the future.”
ABF drivers are known for being some of the best in the industry. Through various levels of awards, we recognize our city and road drivers for their unwavering commitment to safety and compliance. From onboarding to retirement, ABF emphasizes safety on the dock and on the road — requiring regular training throughout their careers and providing them with the tools and technology they need for success.
ABF Road drivers are also eligible for the Diamond Award after driving five million miles consecutively without a preventable accident.
75,000 hours of dedication: Meet the trailblazers of ABF’s Diamond Award!
Our people are the heart of our success, and ABF drivers prove that every day. Congratulations, Chuck, John and Thomas! Learn more about our honorees and their career achievements:
Charles “Chuck” Smetzer
Chuck has driven for ABF for 34 years, achieving more than 76,500 safe driving hours without a preventable accident. He joined the company in 1990 and currently works out of Hagerstown, MD. In addition to the Diamond award, his ABF safety recognitions include:
- Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum Safe Driving Awards
- 30-Year Safe Driving Ring
- 33 years of ABF safe driving certificates and patches
“When I was informed I won the new Diamond Award I was totally surprised and felt honored to be recognized. I thought I had earned the top award when I was presented with the Platinum Award, so this was unexpected! To win the Diamond Award means so much because I’m a very proud ABF driver — I strive to be safe every day. Nothing is worth getting hurt over and nothing is worth hurting or damaging somebody or something else.”
John Tiedemann
John joined ABF in 1986, and works out of Avenel, NJ. During his 38-year career as a professional truck driver, he’s driven over 76,900 hours safely without a preventable accident and earned numerous ABF safety awards before the Diamond award, including:
- Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum Safe Driving Awards
- 30-Year Safe Driving Ring
- 36 years of ABF safe driving certificates and patches
“Being one of the first in ABF history to win this award is truly an honor. It represents not only a personal achievement but also a recognition of the high standards of safety and professionalism that I strive to uphold every day on the road. Safety in driving is incredibly important to me because, ultimately, it's about protecting lives — my own, my fellow drivers and everyone else on the road.”
Thomas Fischer
Thomas’s career with ABF spans 40 years. Since 1984, he’s driven over 78,700 safe driving hours without a preventable accident. Today, Thomas works out of San Bernardino, CA, and along with the Diamond Award, has earned several ABF safe-driving recognitions:
- Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum Safe Driving Awards
- 30-Year Safe Driving Ring
- 38 years of ABF safe driving certificates and patches
“To be recognized with the Diamond Award makes me feel very honored and grateful. I’m only a small part of this amazing team of great people who work hard every day to make this company successful. To be rewarded and recognized makes me feel valued as an ABF employee.”
