Driver of the Quarter: Dana Ryckman

on Tuesday, October 14, 2025 in Awards & Recognition

TMC is proud to announce that Dana Ryckman has been named Driver of the Quarter for the second quarter of 2025.

Each Driver of the Quarter is chosen based on nominations from employees, safe driving record, years of service, and excellence in customer service. Winners are then eligible to become a Wheel Master, TMC’s highest honor for driving excellence.

With more than 15 safe years and over 1.5 million safe miles, Dana has proven himself to be a safe, dependable driver who has become a pillar of one of our dedicated accounts. Read on to learn more about Dana!

Life as a Dedicated Driver

Dana drives for a dedicated account, delivering steel coils to our customer’s facilities throughout the Midwest. Over time, he’s become very familiar with the routes he drives and his delivery locations—and he appreciates the predictability that this gives his days. “You know what amount you’re going to make and what you’re going to pick up,” he says.

He also likes working with a great group of his fellow TMC drivers on the dedicated account, including many with decades of safe driving.

And Dana has certainly proven that he deserves to be part of this group of outstanding drivers. Jeff Bleadorn, his fleet manager, says, “Dana comes to work every day with a positive attitude and has been a valuable team member, always willing to help anyone out. Dana has always been a safe driver, taking safety very seriously, and he secures his loads the correct way every time.”

Operations Manager Kevin Murphy agrees. “Dana comes to work every day with a great work ethic and even better attitude,” he says. “Over the past 15 years and almost 1.6 million safe miles, he still gives it his all with a smile on his face. No matter what comes his way, he takes it in stride and keeps moving forward, doing things the TMC way.”

Dana says that he enjoys working with Jeff and load planner Mike Makovec on a daily basis. “Great guys—I love working with them,” he says of the pair.

Prioritizing Safety

Over his time at TMC, Dana has certainly demonstrated his commitment to safety and proper load securement. He says that “doing the job right—doing it the safe way” is a big part of what has made him successful as a driver.

His advice for new drivers is to always keep safety in mind. “Safety first,” he emphasizes. “Watch the road. Keep an eye out for all the idiots out there—there are a lot. Watch out for the other guy. Does it matter if you get there two minutes early?” he asks. “Get there safe. I don’t want to wreck the truck—plus, what could happen to you?”

Life Off the Road

Dana is a humble man who doesn’t seek out recognition but finds satisfaction in doing his job well. And his response to finding out he had been named Driver of the Quarter shows that: “I said, ‘Why?’” he laughs. “Anyone that knows me knows I’m not big on all that stuff. I’m not a big person for awards, but if it can help other people do their jobs better and keep the company strong, I’m all for it.”

After all his time with TMC, Dana says he still likes driving flatbed and looks forward to more years behind the wheel. “As long as I can keep driving, I’ll keep driving,” he says.

When he’s not out on the road, Dana enjoys spending time with his wife of 47 years, Wilma, and their four children, 13 grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren. Dana notes that Wilma has been a big part of his success as a driver. “I couldn’t do this if not for my wife.” he says.

Congratulations to Dana Ryckman for being named TMC’s Driver of the Quarter for the second quarter of 2025! We appreciate your years of service and dedication.