A driver for FedEx Freight won the grand championship title of the Arizona Trucking Association's annual Truck Driving Competition, whcih was held April 13 at Tempe Diablo Stadium. A total of 169 drivers competed.
The top honors went to:
- Grand Champion: David Coffel, FedEx Express
- Best Skills/Driving Course Score: Chase Peterson, Shamrock Foods Co.
- Best Pre-Trip Inspection: David Coffel, FedEx Express
- Rookie of the Year (David Messmer Award): Michael Bass, Senergy Petroleum
Class Winners by category include:
STEP VAN/PACKAGE CAR
1: Juan Rodriguez Torres – FedEx Ground
2: Adrian Nunez – United Parcel Service
3: Justin Stone – United Parcel Service
STRAIGHT TRUCK
1: David A Zdanek – FedEx Freight
2: Rodney Pence – FedEx Freight
3: Gregory N. Ziegler – XPO Logistics, Inc.
3 AXLE
1: Chase Peterson – Shamrock Foods Co
2: Luis Lopez – FedEx Freight
3: Christopher Finn – XPO Logistics, Inc.
4 AXLE
1: David Coffel – FedEx Express
2: Marc Anthony Ahumada – Shamrock Foods Co
3: Reynaldo Murrieta – FedEx Freight
5 AXLE TRACTOR TRAILER
1: Nathan Voss – United Parcel Service
2: John M. Housley Jr. – Freeport Transportation, Inc.
3: Ruben Ibarra – Shamrock Foods Co
FLATBEDS
1: Ina Daly – XPO Logistics, Inc
.2: John C. Housley – Freeport Transportation, Inc.
3: Malique Washington – Swift Transportation Co. of AZ
TANKERS
1: Steven Garner – Shamrock Foods Co.
2: Robert Cound – Walmart Supply Chain
3: Michael Bass – Senergy Petroleum
5 AXLE SLEEPER
1: Greg Ryan – Walmart Supply Chain
2: Nathaniel Prutsman – Walmart Supply Chain
3: Paul Winterich – United Parcel Service
TRACTOR TRAILER – TWINS
1: Mike Alpine – ABF Freight System
2: Mohammed Khan – FedEx Freight
3: Issac Cano – XPO Logistics, Inc.
The winners in each category advances to represent Arizona at the National Truck Driving Championships in Indianapolis Aug. 21-24, competing against 430 top drivers from across the country.
The competiton included three parts:
- Written Exam: Drivers were tested on their knowledge of industry standards, first aid, wellness, injury prevention, and safety protocols.
- Pre-Trip Inspection: Competitors showcased their understanding of truck equipment.
- Skills/Driving Test: Drivers navigated through six realistic driving scenarios, testing their maneuvering skills.
