Employees of Statesboro’s post office received awards last week for two uncommon achievements.

For the award that took longer to earn, four local letter carriers each have driven more than 1 million miles without an accident. These accomplished drivers are city route carrier Jon Martin, who has been delivering the mail safely for 37 years; rural route carrier Clarence “Skeebo” Moore, with almost 36 years; city carrier Montie DeLoach, going on 34 years; and city carrier Mike Helmley, who a supervisor said has been on the job 30 years.

Presenting the plaques and pins, U.S. Postal Service District Manager Charley Miller noted that he started out as a carrier.

‘A lot of driving’

“A million miles. That’s a lot of driving, a lot of years. …” Miller said. “It exemplifies your commitment and your dedication, and frankly it makes us all safer on the road, and you should be proud of it.”

Although he took a different path after eight years and never came close to a million miles, Miller said he knows the challenges carriers face on the streets and roads, such as children out of school in the summer, mud, rain and other weather, pets and of course, other drivers.

“It’s quite a challenge, and to be able to do that and stay focused and show a lifetime or career of consistency is something that should be commended,” Miller said.

The Statesboro office employs eight regular and three substitute city carriers, plus 20 regular and 17 substitute rural carriers. City carriers drive Postal Service vehicles and wear uniforms. Rural carriers drive their own vehicles and dress more casually.

As a rural carrier, of course, Moore drives more dirt roads than the city carriers, who average more stops for each mile traveled.

But the million-mile safety mark is uncommon for either rural or city, said Statesboro Postmaster Mike Thompson.

“Not many reach that, no,” Thompson said. “It’s very, very prestigious.”

Martin, who oversees the Postal Service’s Gulf Atlantic District, which encompasses northern Florida, about half of Georgia and a sliver of South Carolina, was accompanied by district Post Office Operations Manager Denise Holguin, who is also Savannah’s postmaster, and district Marketing Manager Lucious Sumlar.

Satisfied customers

Martin also presented a Retail Customer Experience award, bestowed collectively on the Statesboro office’s window clerks. The award represents 20 covert evaluations, spanning about two years, in which the office received 100 percent ratings for customer service.

A company contracted by the Postal Service employs “mystery shoppers” who take their place in line, visit the front counter, ask for various mail services or products, and then complete a checklist.

The Statesboro office’s window clerks include Deborah Ned, Kimberly Heath, Christianna Davis, Sara Owens, Eddie Wesby, Frank Ruffin, Melanie Loyd, Clare Ursillo, Lindsey Todd and Gail Britt. Some are full-time clerks. Others serve as clerks part-time but have other post office duties.

The Statesboro post office has received Retail Customer Experience awards in the past. After receiving an award for 10 perfect visits, the office received a score of about 90 and started over a couple of years ago, Thompson said.

But now it actually has 21 consecutive perfect scores, having received another since this award was earned.

“I’m very proud of them,” Thompson said. “At times Statesboro is a really busy office, and one of the things they look for is how long you wait in line, and if you have to wait more than five minutes you don’t get a hundred.”

Of 650 post offices in the Gulf Atlantic District, about 40 have records of 20 perfect visits or more, Miller said. The district, he said, has six of the top 10 post offices in the nation in the customer experience ratings. Those six have 40 or more consecutive perfect scores.

Al Hackle may be reached at (912) 489-9458.