YRC Worldwide announced Monday, July 30, that 79 of its professional drivers for three subsidiaries — Roadway, Yellow Transportation and YRC Regional Transportation — qualified to compete at the National Truck Driving Championships to be held Tuesday-Saturday, Aug. 21-25, at the Minneapolis Convention Center in Minneapolis.
The first-place winners of the state truck driving championships qualify for the American Trucking Associations’ national championships. To participate in state competitions, drivers must be accident-free for one year, their primary job has to be driving, and they have to be employed with their present employer for at least a year.
The drivers will compete against nearly 400 others for national titles in eight different classes of vehicles for the National Grand Champion title. The drivers accumulate points by demonstrating their driving skill and knowledge of the trucking industry through a series of tests. The drivers are given a written examination, personal interview, pre-trip inspection test and a field test.
Roadway
Roadway announced 38 of its drivers will compete at the championships. “These professional drivers excel in highway safety,” says Terry Gilbert, president of Akron, Ohio-based Roadway. “Through their safety performance, each of them contributes to the well-being of their fellow motorists and improves the value Roadway brings to the marketplace. We are proud to have this team represent Roadway, and wish them all the best at the national championships.”
Roadway drivers Jim Baber, Nick Caiola, Jeff Mefford, Jerry Penley, Mickey Rafeal, Dennis Sheehan and Vic Wheeler earned state grand champion honors. State rookie of the year honors went to Cory Bare, Steven Kislia and Mitch Stegner. For a full list of qualifying Roadway drivers, go to www.roadway.com/about/ntdc/2007.
Yellow Transportation
Yellow Transportation announced that 28 of its professional drivers qualified to compete at the championships. “We congratulate all 28 of our state champions and the high standards of performance, safety and professionalism they demonstrate,” says Maynard Skarka, president of Overland Park, Kan.-based Yellow. “We wish all our drivers the best at the national competition.”
Yellow’s state Grand Champions are David H. Hall, Tom Osiecki and Joe Schroeder. For a full list of Yellow qualifiers, go to www.myyellow.com.
YRC Regional
YRC Regional Transportation announced that 13 of its professional drivers qualified to compete at the championships. “We are extremely proud of our 13 drivers that have proven their skill and commitment to safety at their state championships,” says Jim Staley, president and chief executive officer of Akron-based YRC Regional. “We wish them all the best in the national competition.”
YRC Regional’s state grand champions are Thane Barden and Dino Moore. For a full list of qualifying YRC Regional drivers, go to www.yrcreg.com.
