Every year, the NWRA (National Waste and Recycling Association) awards drivers across the nation with the honor of Driver of the Year. This year, Rumpke had 11 finalists throughout the company, including Roll Off Driver/Trainer John Murrell from our Hardin County, Ky. District.

John has worked at Rumpke for 10 years as a roll off driver and was recently promoted to driver trainer. He says the waste and recycling industry is valuable to work in because it is a necessary service and there is always a demand.

When asked about the reasons behind his success, John says that his family has always been his motivation.

“My wife is my everything; she’s my life.”

Smiling, he pulled out his phone and showed me that he saved her phone number under the contact name “Life Wife.”

John’s advice to anyone in (or out) of the business is to listen to what you’re told and always be honest. Making his customers happy is what makes him most proud of his work. John’s role is important to him because he gets to teach others how to do things correctly and set a good example.

When asked what sets him apart from other drivers, he humbly answered, “Nothing sets me apart. I’m no better than anyone else.”

When John is not at work, you can most likely find him with his three grandchildren, and he’s expecting a fourth in December. John enjoys spending quality time with them doing yard work, fishing, playing in the treehouse and of course spoiling them.

Our drivers are the backbone of Rumpke, and we are proud to have a dedicated and hardworking individual like John on our team.