UPS (NYSE:UPS) today announced 130 elite drivers from California are among 1,235 newly inducted worldwide into the Circle of Honor, an honorary organization for UPS drivers who have achieved 25 or more years of accident-free driving.

California boasts 534 active Circle of Honor drivers with a combined 14,996 years of accident-free driving. Peter Pavlian of Yucaipa is California's senior safe driver, with 41 years of accident-free driving under his belt. There are 9,537 total UPS drivers in California.

Globally, 5,842 active UPS drivers are members of the Circle of Honor. Collectively they've racked up 161,746 years and more than 5.3 billion safe miles during their careers, or the equivalent of circling the earth more than 212,000 times.

The number of new inductees represents the largest increase in new members in a single year in the company's history.

"I'm very proud of these men and women," said Gerald Mattes, president, UPS West Region. "To go at least a quarter century without an accident is a testament to the pride they take in their work and to the training they receive. My thanks go to all of them for the countless lives they've saved."

Globally, the most seasoned UPS Circle of Honor driver is Ron Sowder of UPS's Ohio Valley District, with 50 years of driving without an accident. Thomas Camp of the Great Lakes District is next in line with 49 years of safe driving. Twenty-seven others have logged at least 40 years without an accident.

UPS's 102,000 drivers are among the safest on the roads, logging more than 3 billion miles a year and averaging less than one accident for every million miles driven.

UPS invested $175 million in 2011 on safety training and employs its own comprehensive driving course called "Space and Visibility." All UPS drivers are taught safe driving methods beginning on the first day of classroom training through the company's defensive driving platform. The training continues throughout their careers.

Founded in 1907, UPS has a rich history of safety and training. The company issued its first driver handbook in 1917 and began recognizing safe drivers in 1923. In 1928, UPS recognized its first five-year safe driver, Ray McCue, with UPS founder Jim Casey presenting him a gold and platinum watch. UPS formally established the Circle of Honor in 1955.

More information on UPS's commitment to safety is available at http://www.pressroom.ups.com/safety.

UPS (NYSE:UPS) is a global leader in logistics, offering a broad range of solutions including the transportation of packages and freight; the facilitation of international trade, and the deployment of advanced technology to more efficiently manage the world of business. Headquartered in Atlanta, UPS serves more than 220 countries and territories worldwide. The company can be found on the Web at UPS.com and its corporate blog can be found at blog.ups.com. To get UPS news direct, visit pressroom.ups.com/RSS.

** NOTE: The following pages list local drivers by hometown and UPS center. If you're interested in interviewing or riding along with a local driver, please contact Dan McMackin at 404-828-4188 or dmcmackin@ups.com.

Following is a list of California drivers inducted this year to the Circle of Honor.

             
Driver     Hometown     UPS Work Location
Edward Abbott     Tracy     San Ramon
Gordon Abe     Hayward     Oakland
Keith Adolphus     Fullerton     Gardena
Alan Allison     Culver City     Los Angeles
David Altermatt     Anderson     Anderson
Armando Armenta Jr     El Cajon     San Diego
Fred Babinski     Lakewood     Cerritos
Kathleen Carley Bamber     Anaheim     Ontario
Gary Billat     Colfax     Grass Valley
Jon Boyd     Simi Valley     Newbury Park
Robert Brammer     Azusa     Vernon
William Brazina     Cathedral City     Ontario
Lawrence Brewster     Calimesa     Ontario
Manuel Bueno     Riverside     Ontario
David Buetow     Winnetka     Vernon
Santiago Buitrago     San Francisco     South San Francisco
Jess Calderon     Rialto     Baldwin Park
Scott Carne     Angels Camp     Angels Camp
John Carrasco     Ontario     Cerritos
Jimmy Chavez     Norwalk     Cerritos
Alexander Chellew     Pleasant Hill     San Ramon
Edward Cheney     Joshua Tree     Ontario
Susan Clark     Long Beach     Vernon
Donald Cootware Jr     Vista     San Diego
Dennis Corrigan     West Covina     Los Angeles
David Counts     San Ramon     Oakland
Scott Cross     Corona     Ontario
Marvin Cross     Chula Vista     San Diego
Ronald Cunningham     Adelanto     Baldwin Park
Matthew Damico     Patterson     San Pablo
Mike Davis     Lodi     Stockton
John Denison     Palmdale     Sylmar
Arthur Diaz     Fairfield     Richmond
Michael Dodge     Sacramento     West Sacramento
Kevin Dooley     Santa Ana     Anaheim
Ronald Ducoty     Fremont     San Francisco
Norman Dunec     Lake Forest     Anaheim
Michael Dwyer     Chino Hills     Ontario
Tamrat Engeda     San Leandro     South San Francisco
Larry England     Fort Bragg     Fort Bragg
Brian Espinosa     Santa Maria     Sylmar
William Everhart     Long Beach     Anaheim
Michael Faraoni     Fontana     Ontario
Timothy Fife     Whittier     Vernon
Ernie Figueroa     Mission Viejo     Aliso Viejo
Sergio Flores     Chino     Los Angeles
Michael Gambetta     Cloverdale     Ukiah
Kevin Garcia     Fontana     Baldwin Park
John Garcia     Banning     Palm Springs
William Gately     Redwood City     South San Francisco
David Gibbs     Lakewood     Cerritos
Eric Glass     Riverside     Anaheim
Daniel Glenn     Benicia     Concord
Carlos Gonzales     Lompoc     Goleta
William Gorski Jr     Morongo Valley     Ontario
Stan Grebeck     Long Beach     Gardena
Vince Guertin     Corona     Vernon
Carl Harris     Vallejo     Oakland
Richard Harris     Santa Rosa     Santa Rosa
Stephen Harrison     Upland     Ontario
Robert Hedrick     Clovis     Fresno
Nathaniel Hill     Fresno     Fresno
Roy Humphrey     So. San Francisco     South San Francisco
Tycon Hunter     Huntington Beach     Anaheim
Timothy Hurst     Santa Rosa     Santa Rosa
Todd Hyske     Stockton     Stockton
Terry Jackson     Los Angeles     Los Angeles
John James     Livermore     San Ramon
Edward James     Rancho Sta Margarita     Aliso Viejo
Kenneth Jarvis     Tulare     Visalia
Byron Johnston     Redding     Anderson
Harold Jones     Los Angeles     Gardena
Edward Joost     Pacifica     South San Francisco
James Katches     Colfax     West Sacramento
Brenton Kemp     Valencia     Los Angeles
James Kennard     Huntington Beach     Cerritos
Ki Ko     Diamond Bar     Sylmar
Thomas Lowe     Hayward     South San Francisco
Thomas Lozon     Temecula     Romoland
Mark Ludvik     Diamond Bar     Baldwin Park
Andy Mac Nair     Castaic     Sylmar
Joel Magdaleno     San Jose     San Jose
Jose Marquez     Salinas     Monterey
James Mc Millin     San Dimas     Los Angeles
Burt Mendenhall     Santa Rosa     Santa Rosa
John Merizalde     Culver City     Los Angeles
George Munoz     Stockton     Stockton
Eric Mustad     Covina     Baldwin Park
Wilson Nicholas     Anaheim     Anaheim
Henry Paniagua     San Ramon     Oakland
Michael Paravicini     Fort Bragg     Fort Bragg
Joe Pauley     Santa Ynez     Goleta
Lusio Perez Jr     Yucaipa     San Bernardino
Terry Phillips     Vacaville     Suisun City
Warren Pinkston     Santa Nella     Sunnyvale
Tim Pinzon     Santa Maria     Santa Maria
Jimmy Porter     Hickman     Oakland
Robert Prado     West Covina     Baldwin Park
Yogesh Prasad     Foster City     South San Francisco
Lance Ramsey     Visalia     Fresno
Jeffrey Reddick     Encinitas     San Marcos
Ronald Regnier     Antioch     San Pablo
Daniel Roberts     Antelope Acres     Mojave
Richard Robinson     Chico     Chico
Larry Rodgers     Petaluma     Petaluma
John Roenspie     Rocklin     Rocklin
Jeffrey Rude     Carmichael     West Sacramento
Randall Sanders     Mira Loma     Baldwin Park
Walter Skelton     La Canada     Los Angeles
Eric Slettevold     San Lorenzo     Oakland
Ronald Spees     Littlerock     Sylmar
Anthony Stapler     Rancho Cucamonga     Anaheim
Larry Stevens     Oceanside     San Diego
Ricardo Tarin     Temecula     Romoland
Joseph Thomas     Sacramento     West Sacramento
Michael Toon     Lockeford     Stockton
Edward Toro     Danville     Oakland
John Ulam     Clovis     Fresno
Leland Valdez     Morgan Hill     Sunnyvale
Clinton Vance     Rancho Cucamonga     Ontario
Charles Vander Hyde     La Habra     Cerritos
Arnez Vasquez     Carson     Gardena
Stan Vensko     Canyon Country     Van Nuys
Michael White     Moreno Valley     Ontario
Jonathon Williams     Mission Viejo     Aliso Viejo
Drew Wilson     Rohnert Park     Richmond
Steven Woskoski     Fresno     Fresno
Tamara Wright     West Sacramento     West Sacramento
Hoyin Yee     Montebello     Los Angeles
Patrick Yee     Canoga Park     Van Nuys

UPS
Dan McMackin, 404-828-4188