The California Trucking Association (CTA) has named Ernie Hericks of Mountain Valley Express as 2009 Southern California Driver of the Year. This program is intended to identify and honor drivers who have displayed a high degree of excellence during their driving career. Hericks was selected from hundreds of applicants as a result of his dedication and hard work throughout his 47 years as a commercial driver.

"Ernie has provided us with dedication and hard work throughout the last 15 years as a Mountain Valley Express employee," says Scott Blevins, President of Mountain Valley Express. "He is not only an excellent representative of Mountain Valley Express but also of the entire trucking industry."

The CTA selection committee reviews the applications of hundreds of driving professionals to identify and honor those who have displayed a high degree of excellence during their driving career. Selection criteria includes a driver's continuous dedication to safety, respect for the rules of the road, participation in truck driving championships and company safety programs.

Mr. Hericks was honored during the California trucking industry's premier event celebrating drivers on Saturday, November 7, 2009 at the Pacific Palms Resort in Industry Hills, CA. In attendance for the evening with Ernie was his daughter Sharon, with representatives from Mountain Valley Express Alex and Joan Hellick, Bob and Coleen Baker, Scott and Deena Blevins and Art Valdez.

CTA promotes trucking safety in working directly with individual trucking companies and by lobbying state and federal governments for truck-safety measures. The association supports truck driver drug testing and extensive truck safety training requirements, as part of overall trucking regulatory reform.

Mountain Valley Express Co., Inc. provides premier trucking transportation and dedicated logistics solutions to a broad base of customers across the western United States. With over 33 years of shipping experience, the company focuses on regional and interregional less-than-truckload (LTL) services.