ICON Transportation Driver Pat Rule Named TRALA Driver of Year

Alexandria, Virginia, April 15, 2005 - Pat Rule has logged some remarkable numbers: More than 3.74 million miles of accident-free driving during 35 years over the road. For that lifetime performance, Rule has been selected as the Truck Renting and Leasing Association's 2005 Driver of the Year, sponsored by Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company.

The 65-year-old driver for Icon Transportation Company received his award at TRALA's annual meeting farewell dinner on April 8 in Tucson, Arizona. In addition to an all-expenses paid trip to the event for him and his wife, Ellen, Rule received a trophy and a cash prize.

"Pat Rule was chosen 2005 Driver of the Year because of his outstanding driving and safety record," said Peter J. Vroom, president and CEO of TRALA. "He has driven without an accident for 15 years and maintained a perfect driver's log for six consecutive years with Icon."

"This award means a great deal to me," Rule said. "I'm very honored that people would think enough of what I do to nominate me for this award."

In addition to the TRALA award, Rule received an Indiana Motor Truck Association Master Truck Driver Award. He was honored with a 1.5 million Milestone plaque from Icon for his 1.5 million accident-free miles over the past 15 years. Remington, Ind.-based Icon also has established the $1,000 Pat & Ellen Rule Scholarship to be awarded annually to a spouse or child of an Icon employee. And the company held a "Pat Rule Day" on January 17, 2005.

Icon works closely with PACCAR Leasing Company (PacLease) and local PacLease franchise Palmer Leasing Group, which nominated Rule for the TRALA award, on driver training and safety. "They provide safety awards for drivers, help us with training programs and participate in our driver meetings and our annual driver picnic," Transportation Manager Tim Onstott said. "We use PacLease's 25-point safety qualification test for hiring drivers. We are an ISO-certified company and the safety test is an ISO process at our company."

Rule began driving at age 17 in rural Wisconsin, hauling livestock and construction materials. He switched to driving over-the-road in 1971.

At Icon, Rule is the standard by which all drivers are measured. Onstott said Rule has undergone a personality profile to assess how he performs under pressure and his decision-making. "We applied his profile to drivers to see how close we could come to finding more drivers like Pat," Onstott said. "Safe drivers are the backbone of our trucking company and we're doing everything, short of cloning Pat to use as a model driver, to hire and train quality and safe drivers."

This year, 11 drivers will receive certificates of merit for their outstanding service. These drivers with outstanding service are:

• Perry Chappell of Unifi, Inc. of Winston Salem, North Carolina, nominated by Salem NationaLease
• Terry Hemby of Penske Logistics of Nashville, Tennessee, nominated by Penske Logistics
• Peter McConnen of Penske Logistics of Stockton, California, nominated by Penske Logistics
• Ronald McMillion of Cargo Transporters of Claremont, North Carolina, nominated by Catawba Truck Rental
• Larry Rosengarten of Clopay Transportation Company of Russia, Ohio, nominated by Kirk NationaLease
• Jerome Stalder of Clopay Transportation Company of Russia, Ohio, nominated by Kirk NationaLease
• Michael Stowell of Monro Muffler-Brake of Rochester, New York, nominated by DeCarolis Truck Rental
• Steve Simon of Penske Logistics of Rancho Cucamonga, California, nominated by Penske Truck Leasing
• James Wilborn of Penske Logistics of Kansas City, Missouri, nominated by Penske Truck Leasing, and
• Gary Wilson of Hills Pet Nutrition of Mechanicsville, Virginia, nominated by Idealease of Richmond

TRALA, based in Alexandria, Va., is a voluntary, non-profit national trade association, organized in 1978 to provide a unified and focused voice for the truck renting and leasing industry. TRALA's membership includes more than 600 leasing and rental firms and 100 suppliers that make up nearly the entire truck renting and leasing industry. The renting and leasing industry is responsible for approximately 40 percent of all new Class 3 through Class 8 commercial truck registrations.

Bellevue, Wash.-based PACCAR Leasing Company is one of the largest full-service truck rental and leasing systems in North America, with 208 PacLease locations (franchise- and company-owned) throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico. PACCAR Leasing is owned by PACCAR Inc, a worldwide manufacturer of medium- and heavy-duty trucks under the Kenworth, Peterbilt, DAF and Foden nameplates.