Duane Dornath, of Fort Dodge, is the recipient of the 2020 Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance International Driver Excellence Award.

Dornath is a professional driver for Western Express, Inc. Dornath has been with the company for more than 40 years.

He’s safely driven more than 4 million miles without incident.

“There are so many quality drivers out there and to be considered among them is an honor,” Dornath said. “This prestigious award is the highlight of my trucking career.”

CVSA recognizes the exceptional careers of professional commercial motor vehicle drivers and their commitment to public safety through its driver excellence award.

Nominees must have at least 25 cumulative years of crash-free driving in a commercial motor vehicle with a clean driving record for the past three years, no felony convictions, no safety-related driving suspensions in the past three years and no driver violations in the past three years, excluding form and manner violations.

“We are so impressed by Duane Dornath’s many years of safe driving, his commitment to fostering and encouraging other drivers in his fleet, his community service and volunteer work and his focus on faith and family,” said CVSA President Sgt. John Samis with the Delaware State Police. “Dornath said it was an honor to receive this award but we’re the ones who feel honored to be able to acknowledge such an exceptional driver for his efforts.”

Daniel Patterson, director of safety for Western Express, said Dornath “is the perfect example of what a professional driver should strive to be.”

Patterson added, “It is not often, in any industry, where you meet someone who is not only great at performing their job, but also positive in influence on both the industry and the community.”