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North Maine Woods Inc. Industrial Road Safety Committee Chair Randy Lagasse presenting the 2023 Safe Trucker of the Year Award to Jeff Jandreau of Fort Kent, Jonathan Haley JD Irving forester on the right.
North Maine Woods is comprised of 3.5 million acres of commercial forestland and waterways – a place where people and nature meet and men and women make their living. The private and industrial owners of these 3.5 million acres are committed to keeping this landscape a working forest with safety in mind.
Landowner representatives on the North Maine Woods (NMW) Industrial Road Safety Committee have taken a proactive role by training and educating road users in keeping main haul roads safe. The committee meets regularly to address safety issues and concerns. In 2022, the committee decided that a Safe Trucker of the Year Award should be given annually to a driver who shows excellence in practice.
Recognizing truckers who prioritize safety in delivering products from the field to the mills sets a great example of what the committee represents. The committee proudly awards Jeff Jandreau the 2023 Safe Trucker of the Year Award. Along with this honor, Jeff is receiving a plaque and a monetary award donated by forest landowners and managers.
Jeff Jandreau has made his living in the North Maine Woods as a trucker for 44 years with a penchant for everyone to come home safe. The committee hopes this award can show all road users that truckers are looking out for everyone’s safety, whether a coworker or an outdoor recreationalist enjoying the great North Maine Woods.
Jeff’s over four decades-long career has involved on- and off-road trucking. The first truck he drove was an International Paystar 5000 off-road; he was 17 years old, fresh out of high school. He was taken aback when he received a call saying he had been chosen to receive the Safe Trucking Award. He mentioned that many of his fellow truckers also deserve this award.
Jeff noted that the North Maine Woods is a working forest that the logging industry shares with the public. He said that as truckers make their way to the mills, they call out mile markers, stating their locations, and listen to their radios to know where the recreational vehicles are—noting that safety is the primary goal for the trucking industry in the NMW.
“I am honored to have earned the respect of those who nominated me. We all work toward the same goal of arriving home to our families each night. What we do is not for the lighthearted. It’s keeping your eyes and head always focused on everything all around you, including securing your load, driving, and making sure the truck that you are operating is mechanically safe.” Jeff told North Maine Woods Inc members. Today, Jeff’s office is a 2020 Western Star for Northland Forest Services, owned by Shawn Lovely. He lives in Fort Kent and is the father to three children: Jessica, Halee, and Kole.