Don Lacy’s distinguished career working with the professional drivers at Prime Inc dates back 25 years. His illustrious career dates back another 25 years before he joined Prime, to when he was vice president, president, and director of safety at several other companies before finding his calling at Prime Inc.
During his impressive tenure at Prime, Mr. Lacy was at the forefront of several safety and communications initiatives, including the induction of the “Prime University” training center. Every professional driver who has worked with Lacy can vouch for his tireless advocacy of driver safety, as evidenced by the number of safety-related committees on which Mr. Lacy served. That list includes:
- Professional Truck Driving Institute
- Truckload Carriers Association Safety Group, Safety & Security Division, and Independent Contractor Division
- American Trucking Association Council of Safety Supervisors
- Commercial Motor Vehicle Section National Safety Council
- Oklahoma Motor Carriers
- Missouri Bus & Truck Association
In addition to his membership on these committees, Mr. Lacy has also spoken at numerous transportation industry events, served as an expert American Transportation Research Institute panel member, and developed over 30 individual professional driver safety programs. As these programs have been implemented, fleet injuries have continued to decline. For example, of the 3,096 professional drivers handling more than 2,500 trucks, only 175 fleet injuries were reported in 2008. Thanks in large part to Mr. Lacy’s hard work and dedication that number dropped to just 140 in 2012, despite the fleet continuing to grow in size.
One of Mr. Lacy’s most recent accolades was the 2011 Claire C. Casey Safety Professional of the Year Award he received from the Truckload Carriers Association. Other past awards he received include the 2010 Fleet Safety Improvement Award from the Truckload Carriers Association and the 1978 Safety Man of the Year from the Missouri Bus and Truck Association.
We’re sad to say good-bye to Mr. Lacy, who is retiring on April 1. Mr. Lacy has been associated with several management teams [in the last 50 years]. He confidently states that,
“Prime has been the best by far.” When asked about his reasoning for retiring at the height of his 50-year career, Mr. Lacy stated, “It has been a great ride, but I am ready to hang it up.”
If you want to benefit from the excellent culture of safety Mr. Lacy has established at Prime Inc., please visit our website to learn more about becoming a professional driver with our company. Then be sure to connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.
