FedEx Defends National Trucking Championship; Company Sends Record Number of Drivers to Safety Skills Competition
MEMPHIS, Tenn.--Aug. 1, 20040, 2004--FedEx Corporation is defending its title as National Grand Champion of the National Truck Driving Championships (NTDC). The company is sending a record number of drivers to the 2004 safety skills competition, to be held in Salt Lake City from August 18-21. A total of 62 driving professionals from 35 states will represent FedEx in the competition, an increase from 58 FedEx drivers who participated in 2003. In addition to the Grand Champion award, FedEx drivers took three first place awards in the 2003 NTDC.Drivers earn the honor of competing in the NTDC by being first place winners in state-level truck driving championships. The American Trucking Associations (ATA) sponsors this annual event, designed to recognize industry leadership in safety and to promote professionalism among truck drivers.
"FedEx takes its commitment to trucking safety very seriously. We are proud of the 62 drivers whose superb driving skills won them the opportunity to participate in the 2004 NTDC and the more than 1,000 drivers who earned the right to compete at the state level," said Frederick W. Smith, Chairman, President and CEO, FedEx Corp. "The discipline and focus required to compete in the truck driving championships is reflective of the level of professionalism our 23,000- plus drivers bring to every delivery, every day,"
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.
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 Corp. safe driving awards program, The Chairman's Challenge. This program provides the corporation with an opportunity to further reward drivers for their commitment to safety.
The 2004 FedEx National Truck Driving Championship team:
Driver State Domicile Special Awards ------ ----- -------- -------------- 3-Axle Class Mark Annis OR Medford Grand Champion Randy Anton ND Bismarck Roland Bolduc CT Windsor Locks Grand Champion John Bryant NV Las Vegas Grand Champion Brian Clark IN Indianapolis Ryan Justice TX Beaumont Grand Champion Robert Lee UT Salt Lake City Clifford McConico KS Kansas City Effren Noriega NM Roswell Gary Reimer WI Mauston Rookie of the Year Jeff Wemmer CA Sacramento 4-Axle Class Tom Coley IL Carol Stream Keith Douglass TN Nashville Gregory Hess MD Hagerstown Thomas Jordan MI Romulus Ryan Kelley IA Mason City Grand Champion Martin McDonald AL Montgomery Bruce Schwering IN Indianapolis John Willinger KY Louisville 5-Axle Class Ken Barnett WV Charleston Grand Champion Willie Baylor IN Indianapolis Grand Champion Robert Gaudette NH Londonderry Robert Gilkerson DE Salisbury Chris Goddard VT Williston Toby Kort NE North Platte Grand Champion Michael Nichelson TN Chattanooga Larry Steffensen MN Minneapolis Brooks Washburn NM Albuquerque Gragg Wilson NV Reno 5-Axle Sleeper Class Steve Cochran NH Belmont Sean Wilcox NJ Moonachie Rookie of the Year Flatbed Class Paul Brown FL Orlando Wayne Crowder KY Louisville Rookie of the Year Bud Deforest UT Salt Lake City Chris Donlou CA El Segundo Adam Ochoa ND Fargo Bill Purvis WV Charleston Paul Robichaud NH Londonderry Jay VanKampen IL Chicago Roger Wood IN Fort Wayne Straight Truck Class Gary Findling ID Boise David Fountain VT Williston Harold Leonard NC Greensboro Don Nehring TN Memphis James Priddy WV Charleston Bill Pudney MN Minneapolis Grand Champion Roger Scott ME Bangor Rookie of the Year Bruce Shepherd NV Sparks Scott Watts AK Anchorage Best Pre-Trip Insp. Tank Truck Class Milton Hebert LA Lafayette Michael Maynard ND Bismarck Grand Champion Brad Mertz KY Louisville Mark Nicodemus OH Columbus Twins Class Reese Butler MT Billings Brian Gardner IA Des Moines Ted Hunger CO Denver Chris Mahony UT Salt Lake City Mark McLean NY Newburgh Mike Nardone CT Hartford Mark Post CA Gardena Scott Schantz ND Bismarck Galen Sonnek MN St. Paul
About FedEx
FedEx Corp. provides customers and businesses worldwide with the broadest portfolio of transportation, e-commerce and business services. With annual revenues of $25 billion, the company offers integrated business applications through operating companies competing collectively and managed collaboratively, under the respected FedEx brands. Consistently ranked among the world's most admired and trusted employers, FedEx inspires its more than 240,000 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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