Doing right things right.
This has been the foundation of success for Old Dominion Freight Line since we began in 1934. From our founding with one truck and one route to today where we operate more than 250 service centers and have more than 24,000 employees, doing the right thing is simply how we do business. This is how we operate our Company, how we work with our customers, how we support our OD Family of employees, and how we live in the communities that so generously support us.
We also believe that doing right things right is good for business. Our intense focus on safety and security, our commitment to our employees and our communities, and our investments in improving our environmental footprint are not only the right things to do - they also provide opportunities to enhance our business and create greater value for our stakeholders.
Establishing a safe and secure work environment is paramount at OD. Our S.H.I.E.L.D. program focuses on injury prevention and emphasizes a Company initiative to be safe in all aspects of business. We are proud that OD has been recognized by various organizations for our commitment to safety.
Creating a safe and collaborative working environment with training and advancement opportunities helps us maintain our "OD Family Spirit." We are pleased to provide our employees with competitive wage and benefit programs, while also offering personal development programs to prepare OD for the future. These programs include dock to driver training through our in-house driver training program and our OD management trainee program.
Engaging in our communities is a cornerstone of our Company's success. Sharing the "OD Family Spirit," which is built on selflessness and a commitment to helping others, has created a culture that we believe differentiates us from our competitors. We are committed to supporting those in need, as reflected in our commitment to important causes like the American Red Cross, USO, Toys for Tots, The Salvation Army and United Way.
Investing regularly in technology, including route planning systems to help minimize miles traveled, helps reduce the environmental impact of our fleet. Due to our significant fleet investment, we operate one of the youngest fleets in our industry. By utilizing a newer fleet of tractors and investing in custom specifications in our tractors and trailers, we improve fuel efficiency and lower emissions. We also maintain driver metrics for monitoring driving behavior to help coach fuel-efficient driving, and our drivers receive “behind the wheel” training on modern and efficient driving methods such as progressive shifting, vehicle speeds and idle time reduction. In addition, in 2021 we ordered some electric equipment to evaluate operational performance. These are just a few of the innovative investments that we believe are making us better stewards of the resources that we utilize, and in 2021 we were proud recipients of the Environmental Protection Agency SmartWay® Excellence Award for the seventh consecutive year.
Although we have consistently improved our long-term efficiency standards through our continuous investment cycle, we believe there is room for further improvement. We will continue to strengthen processes and procedures that enhance our ability to assess and manage our energy usage and alternatives, waste levels, emissions, and carbon footprint for our entire Company. You can find our inaugural 2020 Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Report under the “Corporate Responsibility” tab of our investor website. The 2020 ESG Report includes data from 2018 to 2020 and utilizes the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) Road Transportation Sustainability Accounting Standard.
OD's commitment to safe and sustainable business practices is ongoing and our goal is continuous improvement. We're committed to serving our communities and being good neighbors while considering how we can improve for the future. OD's commitment to Helping the World Keep Promises® extends beyond our service offerings. Our Board of Directors and our OD Family of employees are here to keep promises of good stewardship to all our stakeholders.
Greg C. Gantt
President and Chief Executive Officer
