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UPS driver honored for 25 years without accident

Contributed photo Donald Divens

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By Beth Sears, Contributing Writer 10:29 AM Friday, February 25, 2011

Donald Divens has driven the same UPS route for 27 years.

During that time, he’s gotten to know the people in the Casstown and Alcony area, watched their children grow up and learned what driveways are difficult to negotiate during snowy weather.

He’s also achieved a notable safety record.

The Piqua man was recently inducted into the Circle of Honor, an honorary organization for UPS drivers who have achieved 25 or more years of accident-free driving.

During the last year, 61 Ohio drivers received that honor.

The other northern Miami Valley area UPS driver inducted into the Circle of Honor was Kenneth Larger of Piqua.

Divens, 56, began working for UPS almost 39 years ago while he was still attending Piqua High School.

The 1973 PHS graduate said he worked at UPS in Piqua part-time after his junior year and continued working there through his senior year.

For his first five years with UPS, he worked part-time and loaded the trucks. Then he became a driver, often filling in for drivers who were on vacation. After seven years as a driver, he received his first regular route in downtown Troy. He later delivered in the Sidney area.

For the past 27 years, he’s delivered in the Casstown and Alcony areas.

Each day, he travels about 110 miles to deliver to a mix of business, residential and rural areas. During the years, he’s become close with residents.

“You have little conversations with people when you deliver,” he said. “It’s kind of like family.”

For instance, when one person told Divens that he was having cataract surgery, Divens made sure to ask the man about it when he made his next delivery.

Even after all of these years, Divens said that he’s learning about the people along his route.

All of this information comes in handy during his work. For instance, if a driveway is impassable because of snow, Divens often knows one of his customer’s relatives who can receive the package.

As a driver, Divens can work 10-hour days in all types of weather.

“I like the people. I like the work,” he said. “The weather doesn’t bother me.”

If given the choice between working in the winter or on a hot, humid August day, he said he’d choose the winter day.

“People along the route will say they can tell how cold it is by what I’m wearing,” he said.

When I talked with him, the temperatures were expected to be in the high 20s. He said he probably wouldn’t wear a coat, hat or gloves that day.

“If I have my hat and gloves on, it’s really cold,” he said.

Because of his recent honor, Divens has added another part to his UPS uniform. His shirt now sports a Circle of Honor badge — and that’s something that few UPS drivers have.

Do you know of someone who should be featured in Hereabouts? Send an e-mail to Beth Sears at sears@erinet.com or call her at (937) 448-0101.

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