CARLSBAD, N.M. - The EM Carlsbad Field Office requires two drivers or a team transport a transuranic (TRU) waste shipment to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP), ensuring the truck is never left unattended unless it’s at a secured location.
One of those teams is comprised of two highly skilled drivers: Stan and Linda Taylor.
Stan began his commercial driving career over 35 years ago. Linda began hers 20 years ago, and they have been driving together since. The married couple has logged more than 5 million miles in commercial vehicles, neither receiving a moving citation in the past 30 years.
WIPP receives defense-generated TRU waste shipments from DOE facilities across the U.S. Once a loaded shipment departs the point-of-origin facility, drivers only stop for food and fuel en route to WIPP in southeast New Mexico. This requires drivers to take turns sleeping and driving.
“We have spent the last 20 years no more than four feet apart," Stan said. “You have to trust and believe in your driving partner. I trust mine".
A satellite tracks all WIPP shipments. The tractors have numerous safety features, such as lane departure alerts.
“The training we receive before ever transporting waste is very in-depth and beneficial," Linda said. “The safety of the WIPP shipments is second to none."
Source: U.S. Dept. of Energy, Office of Environmental Management
