Professional truck drivers all across the country go the extra mile to make our families, businesses and communities proud. This year, of course, our reliance on truck drivers was all the more profound. For the past few years, we’ve recognized these essential workers through our driver appreciation contest at Petro-Pass^TM sites that we hold in the spring. Every Canadian truck driver deserves our gratitude, but for this year’s $2,000 prize, these four drivers really stood out in their communities.

QUEBEC
Jean-Guy Laflamme
He’s the hero of the wheel.
When Jean-Guy’s daughter nominated him, she talked about his passion, his 30-year accident-free record and all he taught her about trucks. But she was proudest of his commitment to driving so Canadians could have the supplies they needed to stay at home.

ALBERTA
Janet Brown
She drives to save lives.
Janet is passionate about hauling pharmaceuticals. Throughout the pandemic, she put herself at risk to make sure Canadians could get vital medications. Janet says she’s happy to be a quiet support in our healthcare system, but we know she deserves recognition for all she does. Thank you, Janet, for driving for a better world.

ONTARIO
Vijayan Ratnam
His small acts make a difference.
Vijayan is the type of person who directs people as they back out, shunts units when needed, and trains newly licensed drivers during his personal time. Vijayan was nominated because of his safe and reliable driving, but he won because of his willingness to go above and beyond to help others—in big and small ways.

NOVA SCOTIA
Branislav Simic
He hit the ground driving.
When Branislav came to Canada in 2013, he brought his work ethic with him. With a senior mechanic and international trucking background, he trained to learn the Canadian transport industry. After driving all over North America, Branislav started his own company, becoming a job creator, and earned a reputation for safety and reliability.

Many thanks to these four drivers and to all the truck drivers across Canada, working tirelessly to keep Canadians supplied and our economy moving.

~Kate T.