May 27, 2022

Million Mile Driver Spotlight #3

In 2015, PGT Trucking established the Premier Professional Fleet to honor our most elite drivers. These drivers meet our highest performance and safety standards and always maintain an exemplary record. Drivers in our Premier Professional Fleet receive a new truck with the Premier Professional logo, specialized apparel, a recognition plaque and a new pay package. In order to maintain their Premier Professional status, drivers must uphold superior performance levels in safety, revenue, miles per gallon, idle time and compliance, safety and accountability (CSA) scores at all times. We currently have 25 drivers in our Premier Professional Fleet, and these drivers truly are the best of the best at PGT.
Few drivers have the distinguished honor of driving a million miles safely AND being a Premier Professional, but our next Million Mile Driver spotlight, Clifford Heaton, does!

Meet Clifford Heaton
Clifford Heaton started at PGT Trucking as a Company Driver in January 2010, and his professional goal has always been to provide for his family. Cliff and his wife, Donna, have three children and five grandchildren. As an Air Force veteran, Cliff brings discipline and true professionalism to PGT. Cliff takes pride in his job, his performance and his truck, and he knows that he represents PGT in everything he does.
For Cliff, the biggest challenge of being on the road is missing family functions back home, especially the weeknight soccer games, cheerleading competitions and routine activities like dinner and homework. Cliff has learned to truly focus on the time he does spend at home.
“You’re going to miss some games, so enjoy the ones you do make,” says Cliff. “Make the most of the time you are home.”
Cliff knows there’s a balance to driving his truck and managing his home life, and at PGT, he has never had an issue getting home when needed. If there’s a certain event or emergency, Cliff’s Fleet Manager has “bent over backward” at times to make sure Cliff can get home in time.
Cliff states, “PGT has been 100% accommodating in those situations.”
While Cliff’s goal has always been to provide for his family, Cliff has enjoyed his driving career as well. When he first started driving, he loved seeing new parts of the country, and now that he has a more standard route, Cliff appreciates the repetition and discipline that flatbed provides him. He has no plans to stop now.
“Why change something if you’re good at it?” jokes Cliff.
Cliff knows the challenges to drive a million miles safely, especially while maintaining the high standards of our Premier Professional Fleet. His advice for new drivers is to ask questions, always! Eventually a driver will get a new load, something they’ve never seen before, and it’s better to say something or ask for help rather than risk an accident. Cliff believes that drivers should use everything at their disposal, including their Fleet Manager and Safety/Risk teams, and get a second opinion if needed.
“If you’re not comfortable, stop the process,” says Cliff. “Call your Fleet Manager and get Safety/Risk involved. It’s better to let them handle it and know you’re doing the job right.”
Cliff is proud to reach such an impressive milestone, and he hopes he can hit two million safe miles before retiring someday. Ultimately, Cliff’s goals remains the same: “Continue to make it home to my family and provide for them.”
Thank you to Cliff and all of our Premier Professionals for a job well done!,/div>
Drive with Us
Like Cliff, family is at the heart of everything we do. PGT offers flexible home time benefits and vacation packages, and we will devise a schedule that works best for you and your family. There is no one-size-fits-all plan. We know that each situation is unique, and we respect your individual needs.
Making it home to your family is important, and that’s why PGT is committed to safety. All of our drivers go through a training and orientation program, and once they’re on the road, they have 24/7/365 access to our training and safety teams. We also provide routine coaching to ensure our drivers are safe on the road. At PGT, “Safety is Everyone’s Job – All the Time,” and by focusing on safety, we know that our drivers, employees and fellow motorists will all get home to their families.
Come drive for the company that values your family and treats you like a part of their family – join PGT!