At its annual safety conference banquet, the Minnesota Trucking Association (MTA) named Milt Lowe, professional truck driver for Citi-Cargo & Storage in Eagan, as Minnesota 2013 Truck Driver of the Year.  Lowe has been driving commercially for 45 years and has driven more than 3.5 million miles.  “What makes Milt so remarkable is that he has driven all those miles and all those hours without a single moving violation and without any accidents or freight claims,” said Kathy Berglof, director of safety for Citi-Cargo. “For the last 23 years he has worked for us, he has driven in the inner-city, starting at 5 or 6 a.m. in the morning, in traffic all day, backing into docks, loading and unloading two or three trailers every day. He is careful, meticulous, conscientious and respected by his customers. At Citi-Cargo, he is known and loved.” When asked about safe driving tips, Lowe responded, “Drive defensively. Always watch the other drivers ahead, beside and behind you.” For more than 50 years, the Minnesota Trucking Association has recognized the industry’s safest professional commercial drivers through its Driver of the Year program.  The winning driver is selected by a team of judges including Dan Drexler, division administrator at the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, Captain Matt Sokol from the Minnesota State Patrol, and Ward Briggs, director, Office of Motor Carrier Services, Minnesota Department of Transportation. “The winning driver is chosen on the basis of an outstanding driving record, work record, and contributions to the community and industry and highway safety,” said John Hausladen, MTA president. About MTA:  The Minnesota Trucking Association is a non-profit trade association representing over 720 member-trucking companies and allied firms from across the state. The membership reflects the diversity of the Minnesota trucking industry, including less-than-truckload, truckload, bulk, agricultural, heavy specialized and private trucking operations. Contact: John Hausladen, MTA President /CEO, [email protected], cell 651-295-5672 Ginger Sisco, Sisco Public Relations, Inc, [email protected], 763-544-0629, 612-581-4272 SOURCE Minnesota Trucking Association