Stan Ferrington of Albert Lea, a professional truck driver for Styer Transportation in Lakeville, was recently named the October 2005 Minnesota Driver of the Month.

Ferrington became a truck driver because of an &8221;accident.&8220; He was working as a gas station attendant and he &8221;accidentally&8220; met a driver named Ralf. Ralf always had the most amazing stories about his life on the road, and Stan found himself looking forward to his visits. &8221;I am still thankful to Ralf because he truly inspired me,&8220; said Stan.

Stan typically travels through the continental United States. He owns and operates a 2001 Freightliner Classic with a recently renovated sleeper (to make things more comfortable for his wife, who rarely misses a run). Stan hauls only dry freight

everything from million dollar loads of equipment to highly hazardous materials.

Why is he a driver of the month? For his professionalism and dedication to safety. To date, Stan has driven over 2 million safe miles and has received numerous company safety awards. He is also a true professional. &8221;While other drivers I know are complaining about the changing rules and regulations, I just smile because driving isn’t my job,&8220; said Ferrington, &8221;it’s my career. I am proud to be a professional driver.&8220; He is a member of the Styer Transportation Accident Review Board and a trained Highway Watch&174; driver.

When he is not driving his truck, Stan keeps busy around the house. He recently built a new garage to put his shop in and keep a roof over his Corvette. He is also an avid fisherman and golfer.

Styer Transportation Co. began operations in 1964. Up until 1985, only a handful of trucks were on the road under the Styer name. Since that time the company has grown to over 95 trucks and is currently growing at a pace of 10-15 percent per year. Styer Transportation is primarily a full truckload carrier of general commodities.