A tanker driver for XPO Logistics won the grand championship at this year's Arizona Trucking Association Truck Driving Championship, which was held April 1 at Tempe Diablo Stadium.
In addition to taking home the competition's top honor, Ina Daly won the tanker category.
Additional high honors included:
- Best Skills/Driving Course Score: Luis Tellezduarte, FedEx Freight
- Best Pre-Trip Inspection: Robert Cound, Walmart Supply Chain
- David Messmer Rookie of the Year Award: Marc Anthony Ahumada, Shamrock Foods Co
The results of the day's various categories included:
Step Van/Package car: 1: Robert Carchedi – FedEx Express 2: Luis Antonio Mireles M – FedEx Ground 3: Humberto Gonzalez – United Parcel Services (UPS)
Straight Truck:1: David Coffel – FedEx Express 2: David A Zdanek – FedEx Freight 3: Gregory N. Ziegler – XPO Logistics Freight
3 Axle: 1: Christopher Finn – XPO Logistics Freight 2: Chase Peterson – Shamrock Foods Co 3: Sergio Rivas – Shamrock Foods Co
4 Axle:1: Marc Anthony Ahumada – Shamrock Foods Co 2: Reynaldo Murrieta – FedEx Freight 3: Luis Tellezduarte – FedEx Freight
5 Axle Tractor-Trailer: 1: Terry L. Bartels – United Parcel Service (UPS) 2: Wesley Bauer – Walmart Supply Chain 3: Sergio Cruz – Shamrock Foods Co
Flatbed: 1: Eric Ramsdell – Walmart Supply Chain 2: Steven E. Gardner II – Shamrock Foods Co 3: John C. Housley – Freeport Transportation
Tanker: 1: Ina Daly – XPO Logistics Freight 2: Robert Cound – Walmart Supply Chain 3: Valente Diaz – Shamrock Foods Co
5 Axle Sleeper: 1: Greg Ryan – Walmart Supply Chain 2: Mario Urias – FedEx Ground 3: Luis A. Blancas – Swift Transportation
Tractor-Trailer Twins: 1: Mike Alpine ABF Freight System 2: Mohammed Khan – FedEx Freight 3: Ramon Estavillo – Shamrock Foods Co
Over 160 drivers participated in this year‘s event, many of whom have millions of miles of accident-free driving.
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Participants were tested in three different areas:
- A written exam that tests drivers’ knowledge of the industry, first aid, health, wellness, injury prevention, fire safety, general safety, and security;
- A pre-trip inspection, which tests competitors on their knowledge of the equipment; and
- A skills/driving test, which consists of six objectives that test their ability to maneuver the vehicle in simulations of everyday driving conditions.
The top finishers will represent Arizona at the National Truck Driving Championship in Columbus, Ohio Aug. 16-19.
Sponsors of the competition included:
- Commercial Metals Company
- F|Staff
- FedEx Corporation
- Great West Casualty Co., Inc.
- Knight Transportation, Inc.
- One Distribution LLC
- PrePass Safety Alliance
- Shamrock Foods Co.
- Transtar Insurance Brokers, Inc.
- Walmart Supply Chain
- WSP, Inc.
