Mark Beene started his professional driving career in 1990 and for the past 20 years has been safely transporting the nation’s defense-generated waste
Office of Environmental Management
July 2, 2019
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CARLSBAD, N.M. – Mark Beene started his professional driving career in 1990 and for the past 20 years has been safely transporting the nation’s defense-generated transuranic (TRU) waste to EM’s Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP), logging more than a million total miles, the majority while transporting TRU waste to WIPP.
Beene began his career at WIPP in 1999 with CAST Specialty Transportation, the company contracted to transport all TRU waste shipments to WIPP.
“This is a big accomplishment, and we are very proud of Mark,” said Randahl Mills, CAST Carlsbad terminal manager. “The men and women that make up the WIPP driving team are truly the best. They are second to none.”
Beene started with CAST shortly after WIPP became operational. Since that time, he has logged more than 635,000 safe miles for the project and continues to add to that total.
“I really enjoy what I do,” Beene said. “The men and women I work with are an exceptional group of people. We all take great pride in what we do.”
Beene has seen many interesting things over the years as a professional driver, but one stands out in his mind. In August 2004, a dense fog set on Interstate 80 in Wyoming. Beene and his driving partner at the time, who has since retired, were transporting a shipment of TRU waste to WIPP.
“The fog appeared once we topped the hill and started down the other side,” Beene recalled. “I slowed way down because visibility was not very good.”
Not long after, they approached a large accident on the interstate due to the fog. Quick thinking and years of experience helped prevent the WIPP shipment from becoming part of what was later determined to be a 36-car pileup. Beene steered the WIPP shipment well off the roadway onto the shoulder to avoid the accident.
“I just wanted to do my best to ensure the safety of my partner and me, the shipment, and others in the area,” he said.
Beene and his partner then began helping others get out of their vehicles, some of which were on fire.
“I just did what anyone else would have done, especially any of the WIPP drivers,” he said. “We are trained to handle serious situations.”
WIPP drivers are some of the most highly trained in the commercial driving industry. They must meet extensive driving and background requirements before being considered for employment. Once employed, they receive specific training as it relates to transporting TRU waste from generator sites across the country. This includes everything from package securement devices and use of radiation detection equipment to emergency management. Drivers receive close to 200 hours of training before transporting their first shipments of TRU waste.
WIPP drivers have safely transported 12,500 shipments of TRU waste, totaling over 14.9 million safe loaded miles.