Fort Myers driver earns Waste Pro’s $10,000 safety award

Pictured from left: Keith Banasiak, regional vice president at Waste Pro; Angel Veloz, garbage truck driver at Waste Pro; Bill Jones, Fort Myers division manager at Waste Pro

Waste Pro USA, Longwood, Florida, awarded Angel Veloz with its $10,000 safety award. Veloz, a garbage truck driver for Waste Pro’s Fort Myers, Florida, division, has become the first driver to win the company’s $10,000 safety award four times. 

According to a Waste Pro USA news release, Veloz previously won in 2015, 2012 and 2009.

Veloz, who has been with Waste Pro since 2006, has also received national recognition for his safe driving habits. In 2016, he received the National Waste & Recycling Association’s (NWRA), Arlington, Virginia, Driver of the Year Award for the regional industrial sector. NWRA’s award is presented to drivers who “operate their trucks in a safe and responsible manner, have outstanding performance records, and whose contributions have enhanced the overall safety and image of the solid waste industry.”

“Angel has exemplified our brand, ‘The Distinguishable Difference,’ since the day he joined our team,” says Keith Banasiak, regional vice president of southwest Florida at Waste Pro in a company news release.

Waste Pro first established its $10,000 safety award in 2004. Since the program’s establishment, the company has awarded more than $3.5 million to drivers across its Southeast footprint. To earn the award, drivers must have three consecutive years without accidents, injuries or property damage; achieve a spotless work record; exhibit excellent customer service and have a positive attitude; keep a strong attendance record; and maintain a well-kept truck.