June 7, 2022

Million Mile Driver Spotlight #6

Drivers are the foundation of PGT Trucking. Our drivers are true Proud Professionals, and we treat our drivers with respect. They’re not just a number on a truck; our drivers are valued members of our team and part of the PGT family. We believe in providing our drivers with great pay, more home/family time, late model equipment, respect and ongoing support/training. We give our drivers the tools and resources they need to be successful, and with our commitment to safety, our drivers know they will make it home to their families.
Our Million Mile Drivers, Safe Drivers and Premier Professional Fleet set the standard of excellence at PGT. We’re happy to recognize their achievements at our annual celebration event each May, and we thank all of our drivers for a job well done.
Our next driver spotlight features Company Driver Marcelino Rivera, a Premier Professional and new Million Mile Driver this year.

Meet Marcelino Rivera
Marcelino Rivera started driving for PGT in 2007. He works hard and doesn’t shy away from the difficult jobs. In his spare time, Marcelino enjoys writing novels and reading.
“There isn’t a load that Marcelino will refuse, and there isn’t a place in the U.S. that he won’t go,” says Ricardo Fructuoso, Marcelino’s Fleet Manager. “Marcelino is dedicated to succeeding at PGT.”
According to Marcelino, the secret to his success is to take his time and do things the right way from the start without rushing the process.
“If you try to hurry up and finish fast, then you are more likely to make a mistake, and you’ll pay for it later down the road,” states Marcelino.
Marcelino knows that mistakes can be very costly to him, to PGT and to our customers. By taking his time and making sure his loads are properly secured, Marcelino is able to limit his risk of a load shift or accident.
When Marcelino first started driving flatbed, commodity securement was a big challenge. If he picked up a new load with a commodity he never secured before, Marcelino needed to take extra time to determine the proper method before starting the securement process. Of course, Marcelino reached out to his Fleet Manager and Safety/Risk teams when he needed help, which led him to value the relationship he has with his support team.
“I feel at home with PGT simply because people call me by name. I have great relationships with most of the staff at the Laredo terminal. I know that I can tell them exactly what’s on my mind and trust that they will listen,” says Marcelino.
Another challenge that Marcelino faced early in his career was to find the customer and shipper locations. GPS wasn’t readily available, so he had to carefully plan his routes and be extremely aware of his surroundings. Now that Marcelino is more experienced and equipped with newer technology, the biggest difficulty he faces is locating reliable parking spots.
After driving for over fifteen years, reaching one million safe miles and being a member of our Premier Professional fleet, Marcelino has a lot to offer PGT and our new drivers.
“If you want to reach the million mile mark, then I recommend that you do what I do: Take your time and don’t rush anything,” advises Marcelino.
Marcelino’s next goal at PGT will be to join our Certified PRO Trainer team so that he can help new drivers based on his flatbed experience.
Our Certified PRO Trainer program was developed to provide our new driver candidates with the necessary skills and training to be successful at PGT. Our Certified PRO Trainers are given additional training and resources, and each year, they meet for a day of professional growth with dedicated sessions from our Safety, Training, Risk and Operations Departments.
Our Certified PRO Trainers are vital to PGT’s operations, growth and continued development. They are safe drivers, mentors and teachers, and they form lasting relationships with our new drivers, which builds a more cohesive fleet of drivers dedicated to the same goals. Our Certified Pro Trainers are held to a high standard, and we are fortunate to have them on our team.
Congratulations to Marcelino on his accomplishments, and we look forward to his continued growth at PGT!
Join Our Team

Are you interested in learning from an experienced driver like Marcelino? Come join our team, where we practice safety each and every day! We will give you the support and resources you need in order to be successful and make it home to your family safely. Our Safety Managers will coach you into being one of the best and safest drivers on the road, and our Certified PRO Trainers will guide any new student driver into being an experience professional.

We use a percentage pay model to pay our drivers, which can pay 50% more than a mileage pay model. With percentage pay, our drivers know how much they’ll be paid before they pick up the load, and they’re paid more when the freight rates are more, which takes advantage of seasonal upswings and time sensitive deliveries. We also offer great benefits including medical, dental and vision insurance (the same plan our CEO uses), holiday and vacation pay, 401(k) match contribution and more.