From Farm Roads to Florida: David Treadway’s Safety Mission

Growing up in New Jersey, Treadway had different aspirations. “I wanted to be a NASCAR mechanic. That’s why I took the advanced classes in high school at vocational school.” But life steered him toward heavy equipment: “It didn’t work out. I was more geared to fixing big heavy equipment from working on the farm, and it just escalated into trucking.”

His introduction to commercial driving happened by accident while working at a family friend’s trucking repair center. Asked to move a truck, he admitted he didn’t know how to drive one. “He said, ‘Well, there’s one out in the yard, go learn.’ It was a truck with no floor, no seat—you could see the ground—and there were three pedals. I said, ‘What’s that third pedal for?’ It was a clutch pedal.” 

That makeshift lesson launched a 43-year career as a driver. “I took my first load from New Jersey to New York, and that was the beginning of the end. It went from New York to Ohio, Ohio to Kentucky, and I picked up a brand-new tractor in Kentucky and never looked back.” 

After joining Tropical Shipping nine years ago, Treadway didn’t content himself with just driving. When the company needed certified instructors for B-train operations—pulling dual 40-foot containers—he stepped up. Management sent him to Orlando to become a state-certified instructor, though he admits, “I really don’t know how it started, to be honest with you.” 

The result has been transformational. Treadway’s 96-hour Doubles Training program now certifies Tropical drivers in-house, generating $2.5 million in annual savings. But his impact goes far beyond economics. 

“I don’t want anybody to struggle, but I’m not gonna say ‘OK, yeah, he can do it’ when he’s really not ready for it,” Treadway explains. His comprehensive program includes two days of classroom instruction covering regulations and professional standards, followed by intensive hands-on training. 

His standards are uncompromising: “I will not just let anybody go out on the road. I want to know that when I come home at night and go to sleep, they’re not going to kill anybody on the road, and I’m going to see them the next day.” 

Treadway’s safety mindset extends beyond work. “Safety, safety, safety. You don’t want to lose fingers, hands, arms, or bodies. You don’t want to lose your life.” This philosophy governs his interactions with his daughter, who owns a salon nearby. 

“I’m more of the maintenance guy over there. I go over and check the place out and make sure everything’s done safely—plugs, cords, water on the floor, wet floors. You need your wet floor signs. You need a mop.” 

Even recreational activities become safety lessons. When they go boating or fishing, Treadway constantly reminds her: “Don’t run on the deck, please, because you’re going to slip. You’re going to fall, one of those dogs will trip you up, and you’re going to fall in the pool.” 

When Tropical implemented new technology to assist drivers with pre-trip inspections, Treadway helped roll it out. The system uses tags throughout vehicles to ensure comprehensive pre-trip inspections, giving drivers 15 minutes to complete thorough checks. 

However, he insists on thoroughness beyond the basic checklist: “Just because it says tires doesn’t mean ‘Yep, I got 10 tires.’ You got to check tread, make sure nothing’s between the two tires on the drives, make sure there’s no blemishes, no cuts, no tears.” 

One of Treadway’s most significant challenges involves correcting the unsafe practices of experienced drivers. He recalls one driver who habitually jumped down from his truck: “The first day I saw him do it, I said, ‘What are you doing? You can’t do this. That is extremely unsafe. You’re gonna slip and fall. You’re gonna break your back, your leg, an arm, your neck.'” 

His message to all trainees is clear: “The first thing you guys have to know when you come here is whatever you learned outside of the company, forget it. I got a whole new set of rules, a whole new set of safety procedures you have to follow.” 

Treadway’s approach reflects hard-won wisdom from decades on the road. “I’ve been driving a truck for over 40 years, and I have not seen it all. I have not done it all. There’s something new every day.” His personal mantra remains simple: “Stay safe. Go home. See your family. Come back to work the next day.” 

For Treadway, receiving recognition validates an approach that prioritizes people over productivity. His work ensures that safety becomes more than compliance—it becomes a mindset that drivers carry with them long after training ends. In an industry where shortcuts can have deadly consequences, Treadway represents the power of patient, persistent teaching combined with unwavering standards.