Driver of theMonth SEPTEMBER 2012


JEREMY THUMANN Sysco Lincoln by nance harris Executive Editor


“I’d be bored out of my skull stuck in a


building,” says route driver Jeremy Tumann. Ten he realizes his interviewer is stuck in a building. “No offense,” he adds with an apologetic grin. Tumann has a quick wit and a dry sense of


humor that would win over almost anyone, even on a bad day. He agrees that there’s a lot more to a food service distribution job than driving, although safe driving is certainly a priority. Still, Tumann says, “It’s not just straight driving. Driving is incidental to the job in a way. You interact with lots of different customers. Simple things mean a lot to them. If stuff doesn’t make it on the truck, you call and have it sent. If you fall behind because of inclement weather or a breakdown, you need to keep customers aware of what’s going on so they can plan their day. Customers learn that they can rely on you.” From Tumann’s vantage point, the driving part


Thumann


of his job is easy because “people are predictable. You can easily tell when driving is not a person’s priority, when they’re talking on their cell phones, texting, whatever. Te difficulty is the ‘God’ factor—deer, bad weather and so on. You can anticipate human error, but not always the factors beyond your control.” He says the most important thing is to pay attention at all times. “Tis is a good livelihood and I don’t want to jeopardize it by not paying attention,” he says. He’s served on the company’s safety committee


for several years. Te committee reviews accidents and workplace injuries and recommends cost- effective ways to prevent similar incidents in the future. He is also a driver-trainer—a role model for new associates since Tumann has never had a preventable accident. “He always operates in a safe, efficient manner,” says his safety director, Jesse Keebler. “He does a good pre- and post-trip


inspection to verify the safety of his truck on the road. He always looks ahead so he is prepared for any obstacle that comes along.” Tumann says he enjoys a challenge and the


opportunity to try different things to test himself, whether at work or not. “If there’s a way to do it, I will find it,” he says. A recent challenge at work has been the shift from customer orders picked by the stop to orders picked by the pallet. Tumann explains that picking by the pallet is much more efficient, but it also requires a lot more attention to detail when you might have product for 10 stops on one pallet. He says he “pretends” to be a mechanic in his


spare time, but mostly enjoys socializing with friends and family, cooking, lots of music, an occasional movie and all kinds of “outdoorsy stuff— hunting, fishing, camping and spending time at the lake.” He says he’d like to try car racing someday. “I love the idea of racing,” he exclaims.“Te smell of burning rubber and alcohol!” But then he’d also like to spend time in the mountains hiking and just appreciating what’s around him. Tumann, who grew up in Seward, got his


start as a driver in Hastings. He drove a small truck for Uniservice. It was mostly local in the beginning. Ten some out-of-town routes opened up and Tumann found himself taking off in the middle of the night and roaming around the region. He landed at Sysco Lincoln 13 years ago, a job he says is “conducive to having a social life” which he appreciates. It also allows him to be home often with his wife, Nicole, and their three children, Addison, Zack and Jenna. He says the kids amuse him to no end. “Tey’re funny and smart,” he observes. Hmmm. As the saying goes: Tose apples didn’t


fall far from the tree. nt


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NEBRASKA TRUCKER — ISSUE 5, 2012 — www.nebtrucking.com


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