Rumpke Recycling Driver Wins National Award for Safe Driving Record

ST. BERNARD, OHIO ---April 14, 2014 – A Rumpke Recycling Driver has been named the Driver of the Year by the National Waste and Recycling Association.

David Sasser, who joined Rumpke in 1995, was chosen for this prestigious honor for his commitment to safe driving. He has achieved nearly 19 years — his entire tenure with Rumpke — without a strike on his driving record. 

“When I first started, my goal was to finish my route as fast as possible; but nearly 20 years later, my goal has become to work as fast as I can safely,” Sasser said.  “At the end of the day, my most important job is to come home to my family.”

Sasser is the first recycling driver to ever win the award. 

“Recycling collection is a tough job,” said Gene Hillard, Rumpke Recycling operations manager. “Our drivers log a lot of miles and a lot of hours behind the wheel. David, on average, drives 100 miles each day and makes on average 700 stops every day.  Factoring all of that in, his driving record is very impressive. But David doesn’t just stand out because of his exceptional driving record.  His commitment to customer service is also noteworthy. He takes great pride in providing our customers with reliable weekly service.”

Sasser will be recognized by the Waste and Recycling Association later this month during the industry’s Waste Expo in Atlanta.

Sasser is a 1990 graduate of Princeton High School. He attended Sinclair College in Dayton. He currently resides in Hanover Township with his wife Erin and twin 16-year-old daughters, Taylor and Tori, who he hopes mimic his safe driving habits.

The National Waste and Recycling Association is the trade association representing for-profit waste and recycling companies in North America. Each year, the Association selects the safest and most outstanding drivers to the industry.  Nearly 100 drivers were nominated by their respective companies for the honor and a total of nine awards were distributed based on fleet size.  Rumpke is classified as a "Regional Carrier" with a fleet between 251 and 2,000. For the second year in a row, Rumpke claimed all three Driver of the Year awards for Regional Carriers nationwide.