The Log Book is a weekly rundown of human-interest stories related to the transportation industry. This week: DHL reaches its 2 billion COVID-19 vaccine delivery milestone, United Petroleum names its Driver of the Year and GXO donates over 20,000 pounds of food to families in Europe.
DHL delivers 2 billion COVID-19 vaccines
Global logistics company DHL Group announced it has reached a milestone, delivering 2 billion COVID-19 vaccines to over 175 countries.
The company began delivering vaccines in December 2020, with Mexico being the first country to receive the shipments from DHL.
“Just over a year after we delivered the first vaccine, we continue to seamlessly manage and execute multiple supply chain setups without cold chain interruptions or security incidents,” said Katja Busch, chief commercial officer of DHL Group, on Monday.
“Passing this milestone is based on our successful partnerships with both the private and public sectors. True to our purpose of ‘Connecting People. Improving Lives,’ we provide lifesaving supplies and vaccines to aid the global vaccination campaign,” she continued.
Of those 2 billion vaccines, 394 million have been delivered to the Americas by DHL Express, its airfreight division, and DHL Global Forwarding, its ocean freight division. The main recipients have been Chile, Costa Rica, Panama, El Salvador, Honduras, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Argentina and Guatemala.
In July, DHL Global Forwarding announced it had partnered with the nonprofit organization Crown Agents to successfully deliver 4 million vaccines in countries including Indonesia, Jamaica and Kenya, bringing its vaccine delivery total at the time to 731 million.
United Petroleum names its Driver of the Year
During the company’s annual award celebration in Nashville, Tennessee, last week, United Petroleum Transports (UPT) announced David Ramirez of El Paso, Texas, as its 2021 Professional Driver of the Year.
Founded in 1966, UTP is one of the largest carriers of fuels and chemicals in the Southwest, with service centers in Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Kansas. More than 500 drivers run for the Oklahoma City-based trucking company.
This was Ramirez’s third time as a finalist for the award as customers continuously credit him for his punctuality, work ethic and safety behind the wheel, according to UTP executives who presented him with $25,643 in cash and prizes at the Nashville event.
“David is a great man, and we are so blessed to have him as a part of our professional driver family,” said Greg Price, CEO of UPT, of the 35-year veteran driver who has been with the company 18 years.
GXO’s United in Giving feeds families in Europe
Global logistics and warehousing company GXO Logistics unveiled the results of its annual United in Giving campaign, a program in which employees donate time or funds to food banks across Europe throughout the holiday season.
“GXO’s United In Giving campaign is one of the many reasons why I feel so proud to lead the European team. Employees at more than 70 sites from across Europe came together to donate 10 tons of food, along with hundreds of toys and clothes for local associations,” said Richard Cawston, president of GXO Europe, in a statement to FreightWaves.
Started in 2015 by XPO Logistics, the spinoff global logistics company has worked with nongovernmental organizations including local food banks, refugee centers and the Trussell Trust, to donate meals to over 40,000 families.
Meals go to families in countries throughout Europe including Russia, Romania, Poland, France, Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and Ireland.
Each December, GXO employees are given kits by the company with shopping lists and suggestions for food donations that are commonly in high demand during the holiday season. The company’s engagement ambassadors work together to deliver those donations to food banks and partnership sites, many of which employees continue to donate time and funds to throughout the rest of the year.
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