Atlas Van Lines honors hard-working van operators during national celebration today 21st annual ROAD Day shows support for company's 3,400 van operators

More than 3,400 of Atlas Van Lines' professional van operators--those workers who pack, load and transport Atlas customers' goods cross-country--will be thanked today by the company for their dedication, hard work and professionalism. The agent-owned company, celebrating its 60th year in business, will pass out gifts and hold prize raffles as part of its 21st annual ROAD Day, which stands for Recognizing Our Atlas Drivers.

For more than two decades, Atlas agencies across the United States and Canada have joined the celebration and acknowledged their van operators by hosting cookouts, picnics, competitions and other events. This year, more than 200 Atlas agents are planning to honor their van operators. In addition, Atlas headquarters sends each van operator a gift-this year, a first aid kit.

"For the past 60 years our van operators have been an integral part of the Atlas team. They have an enormous responsibility to relocate goods safely and efficiently, and they're also the public face of the organization," said Greg Hoover, president and chief operating officer of Atlas Van Lines. "Although we appreciate them year-round, ROAD Day is an opportunity to officially recognize and thank each of them for that commitment."

Nearly half of Atlas' van operators spend 31 or more weeks on the road each year, and 14 percent drive more than 100,000 miles, according to Atlas' annual "King of the Road" survey results, announced in conjunction with the event. The lighthearted survey highlights van operators' favorite highways, fast food restaurants and truck stops and provides insightful information about life on the road. Results can be viewed at www.atlasworldgroup.com/survey.

With the help of sponsors, Atlas purchases additional prizes that are awarded on a luck-of-the-draw basis to van operators. Past prizes have included a vacation package, electronics, gas cards and much more. ROAD Day sponsors include gold-level supporters Kentucky Trailer and Windfall Systems.

Atlas Van Lines is the largest subsidiary of Atlas World Group, an Evansville, Ind.-based company that posted revenues of $943 million in 2007. Atlas World Group companies employ more than 700 people throughout North America. More than 500 Atlas interstate agents in the United States and Canada specialize in corporate employee relocation and in the transportation of high-value items such as electronics, fine art and new fixtures and furniture. Visit www.atlasworldgroup.com for more information on the company and Atlas agents.