For more than 21 years of service in Potsdam, New York, John Michaud has worn many hats. His career as a driver has included servicing residential routes, training new hires, and hauling materials as a tractor-trailer driver, but one thing that you will not find on his record is a safety incident. As a seasoned industry professional, his ability to put safety first has earned him the highest recognition for workplace safety after being accident-free since his initial hire in 2001.
“Everyone at Casella works together as a team to get the job done, serve our customers, and make sure that everyone gets home safe,” said Michaud. “You really have to pay attention when you’re on the road. Things can go wrong fast, and as drivers, it is our duty to stay alert and be able to think ahead.”
Michaud attributes his spotless record to years of proper training and his ability to gain industry knowledge through on-the-job experiences continuously. In addition to his driving responsibilities, he also serves as his division’s lead tractor-trailer trainer, working
with new hires and drivers of all skill levels to emphasize the importance of safe driving practices.
“He is the reason why Casella wrote our Core Values, in my opinion,” said Division Manager Doug Fry. “I couldn’t say enough about him. Honestly, we are trying to figure out a way to keep him for another 20 years.”
Outside of the workplace, Michaud serves as a volunteer firefighter at the Norfolk, New York Fire Department and was recently recognized for 25 years of service. His passion for the community he serves moves beyond his role as a driver and is demonstrated in the service-first mindset he displays daily.
"For me, whether as a Casella driver or my 25 years as a volunteer firefighter, the goal has always been the same, returning to my family each evening and ensuring those around me do the same,” said Michaud. “The support team at Casella has been instrumental in helping me achieve this goal."
His words were modest when asked what advice Michaud would give to new drivers to inspire them to follow a similar career path. “Safety first. If you never have that first accident, you never have to worry about the next one. As a driver trainer, I always emphasize the importance of prioritizing safe driving to my trainees. After all, what truly distinguishes a driver is not speed, but safety.”
Casella Waste Systems, Inc., headquartered in Rutland, Vermont, is one of the largest recyclers and most experienced fully integrated resource management companies in the Eastern United States. Founded in 1975 as a single truck collection service, Casella has grown its operations to provide solid waste collection and disposal, transfer, recycling, and organics services to more than one million residential, commercial, municipal, institutional, and industrial customers and provides professional resource management services to over 10,000 customer locations in more than 40 states.
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