Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
SILVER LAKE - He'd really rather be on the links at Rozella Ford, but at age 73, Archie Caudill expects to log a few thousand more miles before he retires.
Caudill, a part-time driver for Metzger and Sons Trucking, was recently honored with a Master Truck Driving Award for more than a million miles of accident-free driving by the Indiana Motor Truck Association.
Nominated by the Metzgers, Velma Northcutt, IMTA vice-president, presented the award Thursday.
"I don't drive that far any more," Caudill said, adding that he's hauled through 48 states during a career that began in 1946 when he was a Marine Corps instructor.
Since then he has hauled for North American Van Lines, Pierceton Trucking and, beginning in 1992, for Metzgers.
To qualify for the IMTA award the driver must be nominated by an IMTA-member company; have a clean motor vehicle record for the past three years and achieve either one million accident-free miles or 10 years of accident-free driving; and contribute to the community.
Caudill's community service includes placing flags on military veterans' tombstones on Veterans Day and donating time and materials to renovate the Silver Lake Wesleyan Church. When the Caudill's four sons were young he coached a Little League team or two and served as the Little League association's president.
"Archie is not self-serving and does not like to brag," Metzger and Sons office manager Matt Metzger said. "It is difficult to categorize his community service. His wife, Patricia, said he is always helping neighbors in need, shoveling snow and mowing grass."
Matt figured Caudill has had 1.4 million accident-free miles, running 560,000 with Metzgers.
"I don't deserve anything," Caudill said, self-deprecatingly. "I don't run all the time."
He said his brother, Hershel, of Pierceton, is the guy who deserves honors - for driving 3 million miles accident-free for the last 40 years.
Mike Metzger pulled Caudill out of what he thought was trucking retirement after Caudill had worked 18 years at Zimmer Inc.
"You can't be a good driver unless you've got good equipment," Caudill said. "The Metzgers keep everything in good order."
The Silver Lake resident prefers driving in the western and southern parts of the country because the speed limit for trucks is higher.
Of course, he said with his lips somewhat pulled to one side, he never drives over 55 in Indiana. That's what being a safe driver is all about.
