Truck driver hits 5 million miles on the road without a single accident
One trucker from Nebraska has taken road trips to a whole other level entirely as he passes an incredible milestone.
Tim Dean has been a driver at haulage firm Werner for 35 years, and has hauled all manner of fascinating items in that time.
Trucks are used to haul the majority of freight by weight in the USA - roughly 72.6% of it in fact.
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Trucking can be a lonely and dangerous job, with long hours spent alone behind the wheel. The possibility of a crash is always there, and with long hours and fatigue, it's always a possibility.
But Dean, 59, has become only the second person in his company's 65-year-long history to rack up 5 million miles without a single accident in that time.
Tim heard 'drive safe' and really, really took it to heart.
He puts his success down to not over-extending, even though drivers are legally allowed to drive for up to 11 hours a day.
He told Fox News Digital: "I leave on Sunday, and drive about eight or nine hours on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday — then I'm home again on Saturday," Dean said.
"So, I’m never overextending. I try to keep a normal circadian rhythm, a sleeping pattern of going to bed at night and getting up in the morning. Then I get into the right mindset by doing the pre-trip and focusing on safety. Without being safe, you don't get to where I'm at."
And he has hauled some unusual and interesting things over the years.
He said: "It was equipment needed to run their sonar to try to find oil in the gulf."
He added: "When Omaha held the US Olympic swim trials, I hauled the parts for the practice pool and delivered that. So over the years there's been different things that I've been able to deliver and be a part of."
The industry has changed enormously since he started working, with technology playing a large part in that.
He said: "In the early days, there was no GPS. Today with technology and communication, as you're not letting those devices interfere with your driving, you can utilize them to program your trip, find that safe haven in bad weather and call family.
"I remember the days when every rest area or truck stop had banks of pay phones for drivers to call home."
But despite the fantastic achievement, Tim paid tribute to everyone else who made it possible.
He said: "Yeah, I did the driving, but a lot of people played a key part in me achieving five million. I give a lot of credit to my family for giving me a little extra drive to be safe and to Werner — the other drivers, the office, the management, all the top-to-bottom mechanics for keeping my trucks going. They all play a part in my success."
Kit Roberts