Driver of the Quarter, Q4 2023: Greg Stehouwer
on Thursday, March 14, 2024
in
Awards & Recognition
Greg Stehouwer has been named Driver of the Quarter for the fourth quarter of 2023. Congratulations to Greg!
A TMC driver since 2010, Greg has achieved 1.1 million safe miles. For the last ten years, he has also been a driver trainer. He has trained more than 65 drivers and was named Trainer of the Year for 2020.
Greg was drawn to TMC because of the strong company culture. “I was looking for a company I could call home and retire from. I loved the company, the set-up, the culture, the family-oriented feel of it,” he says. As a retired Marine, Greg especially appreciated the way TMC honors veterans and their service. “The military focus was big for me. It meant a lot that TMC recognized veterans,” he notes.
When asked why he became a trainer, Greg explains, “I wanted to make sure guys were doing things the right way. I wanted to train guys to be safe drivers and to be trainers themselves.” In keeping with his background as a Marine, Greg thinks of drivers he trains as his squad and continues to keep in touch with them when they are in their own trucks.
With his trainees, Greg constantly reinforces the importance of safety and taking things step by step. “Do things by the book,” he advises new drivers. “Don’t deviate just because you’re in a hurry. Break it down, one step at a time—worry about what you can control.”
Nicholas Seydel, who has been Greg’s fleet manager for nine years, believes that Greg is a great example of the TMC spirit. “Greg is exactly what we want every TMC driver to strive to become,” he says. “He understands what it takes to do this job, and do this job well, across all departments, whether it’s working with the leadership program with the logs department, helping the training department, or educating his trainees on the proper way to communicate with road repair, the shops, and operations. He has more than earned this honor, and I couldn’t be happier for him.”
At home in Grand Junction, Michigan, Greg’s family is a big part of his motivation when he is on the road. His wife Michelle supports his work as a trainer and even provides bed linens for Greg’s trainees while they are in his truck. Greg and Michelle have two daughters, Koren, 24, and Kendra, 19.
As a driver and a trainer, Greg is known for his step-by-step approach, his empathy, and his determination to help other drivers succeed. For all these reasons and more, TMC is proud to recognize Greg as Driver of the Quarter. Congratulations, Greg!
Bonus: Check out this video of Greg talking about why he’s proud to be part of the TMC family.