Awards

For many years, the chapters of the Fleet Safety Council have annually acknowledged both drivers and safety professionals. Many worthy individuals have been honored with the titles of Driver of the Year or Safety Professional of the Year by their respective chapters. FSC members are encouraged to examine the nomination criteria provided below and put forward nominations for deserving drivers or safety professionals.

In 2024, the Fleet Safety Council proudly collaborated with TruckRight to honor outstanding individuals on a provincial level. From the pool of regional award recipients, one exceptional driver and one exemplary safety professional are chosen to receive the prestigious titles of Provincial Driver of the Year and Provincial Safety Professional of the Year. This partnership highlights the commitment to acknowledging the hard work and dedication of those who contribute significantly to fleet safety.


Click on the sections to learn more about the awards and how to nominate:

FSC Regional Awards

Regional Driver of the Year Nomination Criteria

Click to review the nomination criteria for the FSC Regional Driver of the Year:

The nominated individual must meet the following criteria:

  • Must have a valid driver’s license for the class of vehicle being operated and a clean drivers & CVOR abstract for the last 3 years dated within 30-days of the the nomination submission.
  • Their employer must be an active member of the chapter for a minimum of 2 years and be a current member in good standing.
  • Must be free of any preventable motor vehicle incidents for the last 3 years.
  • No Preventable freight damage claims or personal injury to passengers for 3 years.
  • A minimum of 2, and a maximum of 4, letters of support are required.

Additional consideration will be given for the following criteria:

  • Special consideration will be given for demonstrable mentorship amongst their driver community, either formally or informally.
  • Verifiable acknowledgements of excellent customer service and relations.
  • Additional consideration will be given to verification of driver safety metrics (telematics).
  • Additional consideration will be given for verification of any training and/or certifications.
  • Additional consideration will be given for involvement in community service and or volunteer work, including company safety committees.
  • Special consideration will be given upon verification of unusual courtesy extended to other road users, high personal integrity, as well as recent and relevant acts of bravery arising out of highway occurrences within the award period.

Note: Letters of Support may come from employer, customers, vendors, drivers, colleagues and co-workers.

Deadline: All nominations must be submitted no later than June 30th, 2026. 

Announcements: Recipients of the Driver of the Year will be announced at the September Chapter meetings.

Regional Safety Professional of the Year Nomination Criteria

Click to review the nomination criteria for the FSC Regional Safety Professional of the Year:

The nominated individual must meet the following criteria:

  • Must be an active member of the chapter for a minimum of 2 years*
  • Nominee and/or employer must be members in good standing.
  • Must have a minimum of 2 years in a Safety role**, and be currently active in a Safety role.
  • The individual should have demonstrated outstanding service to the chapter, the transportation industry, their community or their employer. (Examples may include involvement in community service and/or volunteer work including company safety committees and/or collision review committees).
  • Must be free of any no preventable motor vehicle incidents for the last 2 years.
  • A minimum of 2, and a maximum of 4, letters of support must be provided.

Additional Supporting Criteria:

  • Verifiable evidence of rapport with drivers, outstanding training session/techniques, implementing new safety initiative, or means of effectively communicating safety messages to drivers.
  • Self-improvement such as acquiring designations or training certificates.
  • A nominee’s years of experience will be taken into consideration. Nominee must have demonstrated outstanding service to their chapter, Transportation Industry and or their community in the promotion of transportation safety.

Note: Supporting documents may come from employer, customers, vendors, drivers, colleagues and co-workers.

Deadline: All nominations must be submitted no later than June 30th, 2026. 

Announcements: Recipients of the Safety Professional of the Year will be announced at the September Chapter meetings. 

* Exceptions and considerations may be made for this requirement and will be reviewed by the JEC on a case-by-case basis.

**Safety Role refers to the presence of personnel physically onsite, actively monitoring and ensuring safety measures are being followed in real-time. This could involve overseeing operations, assessing hazards, providing direct guidance, or responding to emergencies. Essentially, it means having a person physically present to observe and manage safety risks rather than relying solely on remote monitoring or theoretical protocols.

Nomination Forms

FSC Regional Driver of the Year Nomination Form

FSC Regional Safety Professional of the Year Nomination Form

FSC Provincial Awards: Sponsored by TruckRight

Annually the FSC regional award winners are eligible for the FSC Provincial Awards sponsored by TruckRight. Awarded annually at the Fleet Safety Council Annual Conference, both a driver and safety professional are recognized as the Provincial winners. The winner of each award receives a trophy, leather jacket and $2500!

Process: The FSC Joint Executive Committee votes on a single Provincial winner for each category from the recipients of the annual regional award winners. These regional winners are acknowledged, and the Provincial Winners are announced during the Annual Fleet Safety Council Conference Networking Event.

Media:

IHSA Awards

Don’t miss your chance to nominate a deserving individual for one of the following IHSA awards:

The Ken Hellawell Transportation Safety Award: Ken Hellawell was a true ambassador in the Canadian trucking community. He was a pillar and a pioneer of promoting truck safety. Back in 1964 a small group of safety managers and stakeholders met to form the genesis of the Transportation Safety Association and the Fleet Safety Council that carries on to this day. Ken enjoyed a storied career as a commercial vehicle operator, driver trainer and successful truck safety consultant. He was an innovator with respect to transportation development and was a fixture in truck driving championships as competitor, sponsor, and president of the championships.

Ken was passionate about truck safety, worked with numerous carriers and was mentor to countless drivers, driver trainers and safety managers on whom all, he left an everlasting impact with respect to transportation safety.

The Ken Hellawell Transportation Safety Award was established to recognize contributions made by an individual or group that is active or retired from the Ontario Transportation industry and exhibits extraordinary leadership, initiative, creativity, and innovation towards the advancement of health and safety. The Ken Hellawell Transportation Safety Award is presented annually to a qualified individual or group who have diligently served the cause of transportation health and safety through services, contributions, inventions, procedures, or in any manner considered by the judging committee as being worthy of recognition.

Click here for full criteria and the nomination form.

Maria (Filice) Mason Award of Excellence: Maria (Filice) Mason started her career in the construction sector as a residential framer. She became passionate about occupational health and safety and devoted her career to preventing workplace injuries and fatalities. She obtained her Construction Health and Safety Officer (CHSO) certificate, Canadian Registered Safety Professional (CRSP) designation, and completed the Occupational Health and Safety Program at Metropolitan Toronto University (formerly Ryerson).

Maria contributed to the prevention of injuries and illnesses in various sectors through her own health and safety consulting firm, and would return to and help grow the family construction business. Despite significant health issues from a young age and the demands of raising a family, Maria remained passionately committed to occupational health and safety throughout her life. In January of 2022, at the age of 46, she passed away to cancer.

The Maria (Filice) Mason Memorial Award of Excellence is presented annually to a woman for outstanding contribution and dedication to occupational health and safety in the construction, electrical utility, or transportation sectors. The recipient of the Maria (Filice) Mason Award of Excellence will have demonstrated a passionate commitment to the prevention of workplace injuries and fatalities and exemplified the spirit of courage and passion throughout their career.

Click here for full criteria and the nomination form.