Local mail carrier receives 鈥楳illion Miler鈥� safety award
Letter carrier Albert Cursi on Friday joined a distinct group that only 2.5% of United States Postal Service employees have been a part of.
At the post office in Washington, Cursi received the 鈥淢illion Miler Award,鈥� which is given to carriers with either a million recorded miles of driving or 30 years of driving without an accident. Cursi has worked for the post office for more than 30 years.
Officials with the post office presented Cursi with a plaque and a jacket Friday morning to commemorate the achievement. Two dozen of his coworkers also received awards for safe driving.
Cursi, of Richeyville, called the moment 鈥渙verwhelming.鈥�
鈥淚鈥檓 glad. It鈥檚 been a great job, it鈥檚 been a great career. I got one more year, then I鈥檓 retiring,鈥� Cursi said.
Prior to Cursi receiving the award, Billie-Jo Takach, postmaster at the Washington post office, called it a 鈥渉uge honor鈥� to become a million miler.
鈥淓very day that we walk in here, we鈥檙e making a choice to be safe, to be courteous, to be a defensive driver, to be conscientious on everything that we are doing,鈥� Takach said. 鈥淎nd I appreciate everything that you guys do on a daily basis in making the right choices to work safely.鈥�
Curtis Williams, the manager of post office operations in Fayette and Westmoreland counties, used to work in the Washington post office and was a supervisor in 1999 and 2000. He called it a 鈥減rivilege and an honor鈥� to be part of Cursi鈥檚 celebration.
鈥淚 remember when Al first got here,鈥� Williams said. 鈥淢illion miles is a huge accomplishment. It doesn鈥檛 happen every day.鈥�
For Cursi, staying safe on the road is about always being aware that other drivers may not be paying attention.
鈥淚 think to myself, 鈥榃hat鈥檚 the other person going to do?鈥� You really don鈥檛 know where they鈥檙e going. They鈥檙e on their phone, they鈥檙e eating cereal while they鈥檙e driving, and putting makeup on. Let them go first. Let them get out of the way, and then you can go on your way.鈥�