FedEx to Send Record 74 Drivers to National Truck Driving Championships; Competitors Epitomize FedEx Commitment to Safety
A record 74 drivers from 38 states representing the FedEx Corp. (NYSE:FDX) operating companies will compete in the National Truck Driving Championships (NTDC) in New Orleans Aug. 15-19.
Each FedEx driver earned the right to compete in the NTDC by capturing first-place honors in state-level truck driving championships. The American Trucking Associations (ATA) sponsors the NTDC, designed to recognize industry leadership in safety and to promote professionalism among truck drivers.
“At FedEx, our commitment to service extends beyond delivering every shipment on time. Our entire team of 76,000-plus drivers, couriers and contractors is also dedicated to safely sharing the road with other motorists and to keeping safety the highest priority in everything they do,” said Frederick W. Smith, chairman, president and chief executive officer, FedEx Corp. “The accomplishments of these 74 state trucking driving champions exemplify the superior professionalism and dedication found at FedEx.”
The FedEx state champions, who have nearly 1,300 years of professional driving experience among them, have safely driven more than 68 million miles collectively during their careers — enough to circle the globe approximately 8,500 times. Thirty of the FedEx competitors have driven for 20 years or more, and 31 of them have each accumulated at least one million miles of safe driving.
At the NTDC, the FedEx drivers will compete against nearly 400 others for national titles in eight different classes of vehicles and for the National Grand Champion title. The drivers accumulate points by demonstrating their driving skills and knowledge of the industry through a written exam, personal interview, pre-trip inspection and field test.
The 2006 FedEx National Truck Driving Championship team includes: Driver State Domicile Special Awards ———————————————————————- 3-Axle Class Tony Allen NC Greensboro Dewell Barnard GA Atlanta David Behrer NH Londonderry Reese Butler MT Billings Brian Clark IN Indianapolis Tim Cohen CT Hartford Rookie of the Year Bobby Cross DE Bridgeville Tom Dake WI Green Bay Pat Delp NM Albuquerque Rookie of the Year Jim Emerine OH Toledo Grand Champion Mike Gwin AR Texarkana David Fountain VT Williston Milton Hebert LA Lafayette Best Pre-Trip Inspection Ryan Kelley IA Mason City Grand Champion Everett Macmaster ME Portland Joe Mangiaracino MO St. Clair Mark McLean NY Newburgh Grand Champion Ron Pease UT Salt Lake City Grand Champion Randy Reed OK Tulsa Dan Shamrell OR Portland Best Pre-Trip Inspection Jeff Thompson KS Kansas City Grand Champion 4-Axle Class Richard Bailey MI Warren Dan Bruch NM Albuquerque Robert Hargrove OK Tulsa Les Paine WA Seattle Ray Ramsey CT Hartford Brian Walton CO Denver John Willinger KY Louisville 5-Axle Class Ron Ackerland ND Fargo Roland Bolduc CT Windsor Locks Grand Champion Mike Clark OK Tulsa Cody Dangel UT Salt Lake City Paul Frisby CO Denver Toby Kort NE North Platte Best Written Exam Dan Ledbetter NV Reno Mark Leino MN Duluth
5-Axle Sleeper Class Jim Hall TX Austin Tim James TN Memphis Flatbed Class Fred Jones MD Baltimore Rookie of the Year John Smith MS Tupelo Troy Swenson SD Watertown Straight Truck Class Matt Alberts NC Greensboro Carroll Bean VT Burlington Angelo Bernal NM Farmington Travis Boardman DE Bridgeville Andy Bryant TN Kingsport Mark Dietsche OR Salem Grand Champion James Fisher MI Toledo Brent Glasenapp WI Milwaukee Chuck Jensen UT Salt Lake City Bernard Llave CA San Diego Chris Morgan LA Baton Rouge Grand Champion Nick Nunley TX Lubbock Best Pre-Trip Inspection Bill Pudney MN Minneapolis Porter Robinson MO Brookfield Sergio Romero NV Las Vegas Rookie of the Year Niel Smith IL Chicago Summit Jeff Steele CO Denver Scott Watts AK Anchorage Grand Champion Tank Truck Class Tim Banasiak IL Peru Tim Danehy CT Stratford Jere Rions SD Sioux Falls Rookie of the Year Twins Class Jim Butler MT Billings Grand Champion Randy Byrd MS Jackson Brian Gardner IA Des Moines Joe Jackson CT Hartford John Janousek ND Fargo Darrell Kimbrell AL Birmingham Jerry Lambert OR Portland Don Logan KS Topeka Rookie of the Year Charlie Lovato NM Farmington Pat McGovern CO Denver Omar Talavera NV Las Vegas Manuel Trevino TX Harlingen
In 2005, FedEx sent a record 68 driving professionals from 35 states to compete in the national safety skills competition. A FedEx Freight driver captured the National Champion title in the Twins class, and four other FedEx drivers earned top-three finishes in their respective vehicle classes.
In addition to industry-wide recognition, FedEx drivers who compete in and win at the national championships are eligible for a variety of awards through the FedEx safe driving initiative, The Chairman’s Challenge. This program provides the corporation with an opportunity to further reward drivers for their commitment to safety.
About FedEx
FedEx Corp. (NYSE:FDX) provides customers and businesses worldwide with a broad portfolio of transportation, e-commerce and business services. With annual revenues of $32 billion, the company offers integrated business applications through operating companies competing collectively and managed collaboratively, under the respected FedEx brand. Consistently ranked among the world’s most admired and trusted employers, FedEx inspires its more than 260,000 employees and contractors to remain “absolutely, positively” focused on safety, the highest ethical and professional standards and the needs of their customers and communities. For more information, visit fedex.com.
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