A safe day on the road doesn’t just protect a driver—it protects their coworkers, our customers, and every community we serve. That’s why at CITY Laundering Co, we’ve been intentional about turning driver safety into something we talk about, celebrate, and improve together—not just something we react to after something goes wrong.
“We are truly excited to introduce the Traveling Tires Award, created to encourage safety across all locations and recognize those who consistently give their best,” the CITY HR team shared. “We know that not every month is a home run, but we want to celebrate those who go the extra mile to protect themselves and others, ensuring that everyone returns home safely at the end of the day.”
A monthly competition built around one goal: getting everyone home safely
In 2025, we were pleased to announce the launch of a monthly team safe driving competition—created as an employee safety initiative and a clear driver safety goal across our locations. It’s a friendly depot-versus-depot challenge designed to encourage consistent safe driving habits while spotlighting the teams who do it best.
Each month, depots compete for the Traveling Tires Award—a traveling trophy that stays at the winning location for the entire month—plus recognition in CITY’s monthly newsletter.
And because safety is the standard (not just a score), there’s one non-negotiable rule: Any location with an at-fault accident is disqualified for that month.
How we measure safe driving (and what “winning” really means)
To keep the competition fair and consistent, performance is evaluated using Samsara device data, focused on the behaviors that matter most on the road, including:
• Adherence to speed limits
• Maintaining a safe following distance
• Obeying traffic laws
The CITY location with the highest average Samsara score each month—and no at-fault accidents—earns the Traveling Tires Award.
This isn’t about “perfect driving” once in a while. It’s about building habits that hold up on busy routes, in changing weather, with tight schedules, and in real-world traffic.
What’s improved since launching the Traveling Tires program
The biggest impact of the Traveling Tires Award isn’t the trophy—it’s the momentum.
Since launching this initiative, we’ve seen meaningful improvements in how safety shows up day-to-day across CITY:
• More consistent driver awareness: Drivers know what good looks like, and they’re focused on the details that prevent incidents.
• Stronger coaching culture: Samsara insights help leaders coach proactively, not reactively—turning near-misses into learning moments.
• Team accountability (in a positive way): Because results are team-based, locations rally around each other—reinforcing safe habits as a shared responsibility.
• Recognition that fuels pride: Celebrating safe performance publicly builds morale and reminds everyone that safe work is skilled work.
It’s also helped align our driver safety goal with something tangible: every month is a fresh chance to win—by doing the right things, the right way, every day.
Celebrating our 2025 winners
We’re excited to recognize the locations that have set the pace and raised the bar this year.
January: Estherville Location
February: Polk City, IA
March: Polk City, IA
April: Polk City, IA
May: Cedar Rapids, IA
June: Faribault, MN
July: CITY First Aid
August: Polk City, IA
September: Polk City, IA
October: Oelwein, IA
November: Cedar Rapids, IA
December: Polk City, IA
A special shoutout to CITY’s CDL drivers
While the Traveling Tires Award highlights monthly CITY service depot teams, we also want to recognize a group that quietly delivers excellence all year long: CITY’s CDL drivers. With two plants supporting our network, these CDL professionals are responsible for safely transporting product to and from the plants and delivering to each service center—work that keeps the entire operation moving.
And the results speak for themselves. It goes without saying, but CITY’s CDL drivers consistently maintain a 99% (or higher) driving average for the entire year. If CDL drivers were included in the Traveling Tires competition, they’d claim the title every month—because the group we have is that steady, that disciplined, and that committed to doing things the right way.
Leading that team is a CITY veteran with 35 years of service, Rick Mast. When asked about his Samsara score, Rick said, “I am very focused on maintaining my Samsara score to be 100. The main part of my job is to drive safe. I don’t get paid based on how fast I can get the job done. I get paid based on how I can get the product to each depot in an efficient but safe manner. My goal is always a perfect 100% Samsara score.”
The bigger picture: Safety is a skill
At CITY, safety is a core value—not a slogan on a wall. The Traveling Tires Award helps us keep that value visible and active across every location, every month.
It’s proof that when we combine clear expectations, real-time coaching, and positive recognition, safety becomes something teams compete for—in the best way.
Because at the end of the day, the win isn’t the trophy. The win is everyone getting home.
Remember: safety is a skill, don’t learn by accident.