Waste Pro backs safety commitment with cash awards

Longwood, Florida-based Waste Pro USA Inc. projects it will award more than $1.1 million in Safety Awards to its drivers and other employees in 2024.

The company started the year with 12 Florida employees earning awards in the month of January: three drivers from Waste Pro’s Sanford Division; a driver and helper (truck crew member) from Jacksonville; and six drivers and a helper from the Waste Pro Tallahassee division, bringing the total awarded in January to $110,000.

“It is an honor to recognize these drivers and their commitment to keeping our communities safe,” says Romeo Vellutini, vice president of safety and risk at Waste Pro.

A total of $800,000 was awarded last year to drivers and helpers for dedication to safe driving practices while serving the communities in the Southeastern United States.

Since the program’s inception in 2004, more than 930 Waste Pro drivers and helpers have earned the award, with 30 earning it multiple times. The total awarded during that span amounts to more than $8.6 million.

Waste Pro founder and executive board Chair John Jennings established the Safety Award Program to enhance and increase commitment to safety and showcase the importance of keeping safety a daily top priority, according to the company, which says the program “exemplifies the company’s commitment to safety while recognizing the frontline workers for their service and dedication to making safety a priority.”

“Showcasing value and our commitment to our waste pros is more important than ever,” Waste Pro President and CEO Sean Jennings says. “When my father started our Safety Award program, it allowed us a path to reward our hard-working frontline employees who demonstrate the commitment to safety and service that we pride ourselves on offering in the communities we serve.”

To earn a safety award at Waste Pro, an employee must meet safety-specific criteria spanning a three-year period. Eligible drivers receive $10,000, and a similar award of $5,000 is offered to eligible helpers.

Waste Pro serves more than two million residential and 100,000 commercial customers from over 90 operating locations in 10 states.