Van Operators Karl Panko and Jose Espinal Represent United Van Lines’ East Region

Hilldrup’s award-winning Van Operators represented the East Region, now for the second month in a row! Karl Panko was named United Van Lines’ Van Operator of the Month Winner and Jose Espinal secured the Runner-Up spot, both for the East Region in March 2025.

Karl has been driving for Hilldrup since 2003 and his commitment to customer service, safety and quality while on the road has earned him this top accolade. Karl supports customers throughout the U.S. with his fiancé, Pam Ridge, sharing, “We are a team, and she deserves as much credit as I do.”

Jose has been recognized similarly for his impressive stats related to Van Operator performance. Jose was Hilldrup’s 2021 Van Operator of the Year and has been honored by United numerous times as a Winner and Runner-Up Van Operator of the Month, including in February 2023 and most recently in February 2025. Jose is therefore a repeat Runner-Up Van Operator of the Month for two consecutive months!

There are hundreds of Van Operators who make up the United Van Lines’ system. Having a Winner and Runner-Up represent our organization consecutively is a testament to the commitment to excellence that our professional Van Operators uphold.

To qualify for Van Operator of the Month, a Van Operator must meet or exceed a range of statistical criteria that encompasses the Van Operator’s performance.

Specifically, the Van Operator must:

1. Be qualified in the UniGroup system, the parent company of United Van Lines, for the previous 12 months;
2. Log more than 25,000 miles in the previous 12 months;
3. Must be a 1-Rated van operator at time of selection;
4. Earn a Safety Performance Rating (SPR) rating of at least 10,000;
5. Have no more than 6.0 total points in VTOP, or Van Operator Total Performance, as part of an online system that keeps track of Van Operators SPR points and overall rating and
6. Have zero Compliance, Safety and Accountability (CSA) points in last 12 months and less than 30 CSA points for past two years.

Congratulations to Karl and Jose on their respective accolades!

Jordan McDaniel Author

Jordan McDaniel Hinkebein is Hilldrup’s Sr. Director of Internal Communications and Special Projects where she manages communication strategies and community partnerships. A fourth-generation leader and UVA alum, Jordan oversees the Hilldrup Move-Up Fund and Hilldrup's Moved to Action initiatives.