As a
2.5-Million-Mile Safe Driving Achiever who has never been involved in an incident,
Robert Rudyk believes strongly that safety is a priority and a key factor to a
successful business.
Rob
started his career at Bison Transport as an owner-operator in 1996. In 2011, he
took on the role of in-cab instructor, and in 2013, he became a full-time
instructor following a two-year stint as a volunteer. Over the years, Rob has
demonstrated an ability to influence health and safety policies and practices.
He has also played a key role in establishing a strong safety culture at Bison
Transport.
His dedication
to safety is top-notch, as observed in his daily interactions with employees
and his involvement in workplace safety and health. Apart from his direct
involvement in the New Driver Safety Orientation and Driver Finishing Program,
he was a two-term member of the Joint Health and Safety Committee (JHSC) from
2012 to 2016. During his time as a JHSC member, Rob actively participated in
workplace inspections, hazard identification, development of control measures
and safe work procedures. He is an active participant in the development of
safety training videos for the organization. In 2014, he received an Industrial
Excellence Award from the Manitoba Trucking Association.
Safety Should Become a Habit
Asked
to describe his philosophy regarding health and safety, he says, “As a
professional driver, you are responsible for your safety and the safety of
others on the road. I ensure drivers understand what safety as a professional
driver means, and teach the importance of safe driving to enable them to get
home safely. I have seen a lot of incidents and devastation on the road, and I
teach that to all drivers. Safety should become a habit even after achieving a
safe milestone.”
The
advice he gives to his students is to always be patient and take the time
needed to complete a task. He is often quoted as saying, “Always be
professional in all you do.” He strongly advocates for employees to use the organization’s
right to decide (RTD) policy. “Bison views safety as a key part of their
process with the RTD policy. And, of course, this makes it easy to integrate that
philosophy into training.”
Changing Perspectives
In
order to succinctly capture his stance on the importance of safety, he tells
the story of an incident that changed his perspective on safety. “Before my
time at Bison Transport, I was driving with another company and witnessed an incident
where a truck driver hit a car head-on, resulting in the death of the truck
driver and the driver of the other vehicle.” Being at the scene of the incident
before the emergency crew arrived was an eye opener, he said.
Rob is
currently writing a book on safety in the transportation industry for new
drivers.
