Back row left to right: Clint Anderson, Christopher Flippin, Mario Gonzales, Jr., Juan Carrillo and Olamide Olayiwola
A driver for FedEx Ground was named grand champion of the recent Texas State Truck Driving Championship competition.
In addition to winning the grand champion title, Matthew Logan Montandon also won the Step Van portion of the competition.
The 2024 State Truck Driving Championship and Technician of the Year Contest were held at Texas State Technical College in Waco. Regional winners from Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston, and San Antonio competed in the state championships. The first-place winner in each class will now advance to represent Texas at the American Trucking Associations' (ATA) National Truck Driving Championship in Indianapolis Aug. 21-24.
Truck Driving Championship Class Winners include:
- Flatbed: Ruben Cortez, HEB
- Step Van: Matthew Logan Montandon, FedEx Ground
- Sleeper Berth: Juan Carrillo, FedEx Ground
- Straight Truck: Clint Anderson, FedEx Express
- Tank Truck: Randolph Gamez, HEB
- Twin Trailers: Christopher Flippin, FedEx Freight
- 5-Axle Van: Andres Garcia, FedEx Freight
- 4-Axle Van: Mario Gonzales, Jr., HEB
- 3-Axle Van: Olamide Olayiwola, FedEx Freight
"These competitions showcase the elite driving abilities and technical expertise required to operate and maintain commercial trucks safely on our highways," said John D. Esparza, President and CEO of TXTA. "We're proud to honor these outstanding professionals who keep our economy moving every day."
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The 2024 Technician of the Year Contest winner was also named after a two-day competition evaluating the written and technical skills of truck technicians from across the state. The firdst place winner will go on to the ATA's Technology & Maintenance Council's National Technician Skills Competition in Raleigh, North Carolina and represent Texas.
Technician of the Year results include:
- 1st Place: Corey Tegeler, Old Dominion Freight Lines
- 2nd Place: Willie Bean II, Love’s Travel Stops
- 3rd Place: Rudy Laguna, HEB
- 4th Place: Chris Gerrald, Top Guys Diesel
- 5th Place: Brandon McNeill, Old Dominion Freight Lines
The Technician of the Year Contest was presented by the TXTA Fleet Maintenance Council and sponsored by Eaton Cummins Automated Transmission Technologies and Yokohama Tire Corp. The Truck Driving Championships were organized by the TXTA Safety Management Council, local Safety Councils, and Fleet Maintenance Council to promote safety and professionalism in the trucking industry.
