ST. LOUIS -- Eight van operators have been honored by Mayflower Transit as Van Operators of the Month, announced Steven J. Dawkins, executive vice president of the nationwide van line. The recognition acknowledges exceptional performance in the areas of operational proficiency, cargo claims prevention, customer service and safety.

Winners are selected in each category of Mayflower's transportation business, including household goods and special transportation services. The special transportation services category consists of electronics, trade shows/exhibits/displays, high-value items requiring special handling, and Mayflower's Pinpoint express service. The winners are:

Household Goods

Continental Fleet

Western Region - Jose Maturino, Hidden Valley Moving and Storage, Inc., Escondido, Calif.
Eastern Region – Paul Fife, Fife Moving and Storage, Washington, Penn.

Regional Fleet (more than 50,000 miles)

Western Region - Eugene Pharo, All American Moving Services, Aurora, Colo.
Eastern Region - Robert Pugh, Coastal Moving and Storage, Pensacola, Fla.

Regional Fleet (up to 50,000 miles)

Western Region – Randall Waitt, Pratt Moving and Storage, Inc., Pullman, Wash.
Eastern Region – Walter Simpson, All American Relocation, Inc.

Note: The Continental fleet operates year-round throughout the United States, while Master Lease van operators are utilized on a per-trip basis.

Special Transportation Services

Dedicated – Robert Rutledge, San Diego Van & Storage Company, San Diego, Calif.
Regional – Ronald Rossi, VIP Transport, Inc., Corona, Calif.

Mayflower Transit, with headquarters in suburban St. Louis, is one of the nation's largest household goods movers and maintains a global network of 600 affiliated agencies.