Truck Driver Logs 4.6 Million Crash-Free Miles

Art Stoen was named Minnesota truck driver of the year. And rightfully so! While some people eagerly await retirement, Art retired, then couldn’t wait to get back to work. After a two-year hiatus, he returned to work at Kane Transport.

“I got a little bit bored, you get a little bit bored at home,” Stoen said as he guided a tractor-trailer down Minnesota Highway 52.

Art’s “unretirement” has actually marked a milestone for him. Last week, the 74-year-old deliverer of bio-diesel fuel was named “Driver of the Year” by the Minnesota Trucking Association.

“It was pretty exciting, I didn’t expect to get it,” he said from behind the wheel of his Peterbilt truck.

He shouldn’t have been surprised, though. There aren’t many drivers out there that can say they’ve driven 4.6 million miles without a significant accident. In case you were wondering, 4.6 million miles is equivalent to more than 19 trips to the moon.

“I’m not sure I’ve met someone who’s had four-and-half-million accident-free miles, he’s pretty unique in that respect,” said John Hausladen, president of the Minnesota Trucking Association.

So what kind of advice would Stoen offer other drivers? “Just keep watching all the time, don’t get in a hurry, do the speed limit and you can see way ahead if the lights are braking,” Stoen said.

Art attributes his long tenure to his love for driving.

“I mostly like the scenery, getting out, getting out in the open,” Stoen said.