This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2010, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
For 14 years, John Patea of Con-way Freight has driven his tractor-trailer 2 million miles through rain and snow storms, high winds and stop-and-go traffic without so much as a fender bender.
It is an accomplishment few drivers can claim.
"The biggest mistake a lot of drivers make is, when they get into their cars they are only thinking about their own agendas — getting to the store or their meeting on time," Patea said. "They lose their focus."
And staying focused, Patea said, has helped him avoid quite a few accidents over the years. "When you're driving, it is often a lot like a guessing game as you try to anticipate what the drivers around you are going to do."
David Creer, executive director of the Utah Trucking Association, said driving 2 million miles without an accident is a huge accomplishment. "Were he playing baseball, he'd definitely be in the major leagues."
For Con-way Freight's 26-year history, only 100 of its drivers have been accident free for 2 million miles, which is the equivalent of someone having piloted a truck around the world 80 times. Con-way currently has 14,000 drivers.
Patea joined Con-way Freight as a dock worker in 1987 and subsequently attended the company's driving school. In 1994, he was one of 13 drivers who moved from Southern California to Utah when Con-way opened a terminal in Salt Lake City.
Con-way Freight, based in Ann Arbor, Mich., is a "less-than-truckload carrier" that operates by consolidating freight from different customers before putting its trucks and trailers on the road.
Patea's daily route takes him from Salt Lake City to Wamsutter, Wyo., where he meets a driver from Con-way's terminal in Denver, switches trailers, and heads back home. It is a round trip of more than 500 miles.
For trucking companies in general, who goes behind the wheels of their trucks is of critical importance, Creer said.
"Drivers are the people that the public sees on a regular basis. And even though people always hear on the news when a semi overturns, the reality is there are a lot of very safe truck drivers on our roads," he said.
Patea has been married to his wife, June, for 28 years and just laughs when asked what his wife thinks of his driving.
"She probably would say I was an OK driver," he said. "But since I drive for a living, when we're together I usually let her take care of it."
How far is 2 million miles?
4.2 trips to the moon and back.
80 trips around the Earth.
3,250 trips from Salt Lake City to St. George and back.
28,500 round trips between Salt Lake and Park City.