Truck Drivers

“I’m not your average truck driver,” Curtis Williams states with assured certainty…and he just may be right. As a 23 year seasoned driver for Associated Grocers, he points out that is the running joke between him and his friends. Noting his well-put-together uniform at the end of his route, and being able to return home every single day—it’s not an average outcome in the profession. Competitive benefits and the ability to be home with his family nightly is a great opportunity, and the career driver does not see himself retiring any time soon. “Being a driver is a tough job, but working for Associated Grocers makes my career so much easier. AG is a great place to work.” Curtis speaks of the details surrounding the job, along with training opportunities, incentives and a safety-driven culture. As he heads west, covering Louisiana areas such as Crowley, New Iberia and Abbeville, Curtis recounts that the updated equipment in his truck makes it a comfortable ride. “Having that type of security is beneficial to what I do every day. So I would say, no I’m not your average truck driver, but that’s because AG is not your average company. I love driving for AG because for us safety comes in a multitude of ways- career, pay and the durability of the truck.

It was the rev of the engine and the possibilities of going someplace new that led Herman Gage Jr. to follow the route of his boyhood passion – driving big trucks. The Port Allen native’s first job was as a truck driver for a heavy hauling company. When that company relocated out of state, Herman began working at AG, and he contends that “It gave him the opportunity to work and interact with people… really good people.” “People who don’t mind asking for what they need, and I don’t mind helping them,” Herman noted. “I help connect the retailers to AG. I’m another link for them.” For 25 years Herman has been a team member of Associated Grocers, and credits constant growth opportunities and safety techniques, as factors of his success. “There are a variety of trucking programs and health initiatives offered here that keeps us informed and up to date with what’s going on. I’m more aware of the industry and am more alert on how to stay healthy on the job.” The long-time driver also credits the reciprocal relationship between him and AG as a factor in his longevity with the company. “I’ve always wanted to drive more than anything, and AG has provided that opportunity by being a trusted company to work for,” Herman said. “Working here is an honest, good living and since my first day on the job in 1990, I learned that I am just as important to them, as they are to me. That is a main reason that I work for AG.”