--- title: "Trucker Awarded $20,000 for Hauling a Massive Amount of Nuclear Waste" description: "The US government [might not know]() where to store its spent nuclear waste, but that sure hasn't stopped it from sending it all across the country." date: "2026-03-15" modified: "2026-03-15" authors: - name: "Joe Wilkins" job_title: "Correspondent" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/jwilkins" url: "https://futurism.com/science-energy/trucker-nuclear-waste" categories: - "Energy" - "Nuclear Fusion" - "Renewable Energy" - "Science & Energy" --- # Trucker Awarded $20,000 for Hauling a Massive Amount of Nuclear Waste ![A large semi-truck with a black cab and a silver trailer is shown against a vibrant background. The truck is highlighted with a glowing green outline, and the background features a pink grid pattern. The truck is positioned at an angle, facing slightly to the left.]() *Illustration by Tag Hartman-Simkins / Futurism. Source: Getty Images* The US government [might not know]() where to store its spent nuclear waste, but that sure hasn't stopped it from sending it all across the country. One of the truckers involved in carting the hazardous materials on behalf of Uncle Sam is Tommy Cash, who was recently named one of five Professional Drivers of the Year at the Truckload Carriers Association's annual convention in Orlando, Florida. While there's no doubt Cash is a fine driver regardless of what he's hauling, it's his safety record with radioactive slag that really stands out. According [to trucking publication *CDL Life*](), Cash has clocked more than 3.5 million safe miles over his 43 year career, over half of which came as a waste shipment driver for a federal contract firm. In logistics, "safe miles" are [performance metrics]() some companies use to track consecutive miles driven without accidents, injuries, or cargo damage. (To put Cash's accomplishment in context, despite employing about 14,000 drivers, Walmart just had its first driver ever reach [5 million safe miles]() back in 2020.) Cash lives up to his name, too: on top of the bragging rights, the hazardous waste driver was awarded a $20,000 prize. Throughout his career, the majority of Cash's hauls have been made up of "debris, residues, soil, and other items contaminated with radioactive elements — largely plutonium — that have atomic numbers greater than uranium," reads a [US Department of Energy memo]() on the driver. While it's not known exactly how much nuclear junk Cash has hauled throughout his career, we can estimate based on nuclear waste restrictions that he's shepherded tens of thousands of 55-gallon drums, and easily millions of gallons of radiated sludge. Regardless of the exact number, it's clear the award was richly deserved. **More on nuclear waste:** *[Worker Falls Into Nuclear Reactor]()* ## Author At Futurism, I focus on the intersection of technology and power — examining the economics, history, and politics behind today’s dystopian headlines. As a writer, I’m interested in topics ranging from AI’s impact on labor to startups nobody asked for. My prior work includes bylines in Jacobin, Verso, and Blue Labyrinths. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Forbes, The Guardian, MIT Technology Review, Time, The Nation, Mother Jones, The Verge, and Wired. I grew up in Michigan, attending Central Michigan University as well as Ball State University, where I earned a master of music. I now live in Brooklyn with my girlfriend and our cat Ziti. On weekends, you can find me hunched over a cold pint arguing geopolitics with the other transplants. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()