TOPEKA, Kan. – June 18, 2012 – Eight drivers representing FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) operating companies placed among the top finishers at the 2012 Kansas State Truck Driving Championship in Topeka on June 15.
- Topeka-based FedEx Freight driver Don Logan won his sixth Kansas state title – this one in the Flatbed class.
- Jeff Thompson, a driver for FedEx Freight based in Kansas City, earned his fifth state title with a win in the 5-Axle Sleeper class.
- FedEx Freight driver Jason Taylor (Wichita) captured the top spot in the 3-Axle class and also posted the highest score in the Pre-Trip Inspection portion of the competition.
- Daniel Stapleton, a driver for Q.I.C. Corp. domiciled at the FedEx Ground station in Lenexa, won the Straight Truck class.
- FedEx Freight driver Jan Keith (Great Bend) finished second in the Flatbed class.
- FedEx Freight drivers Dean Harris (Kansas City) and Jay Miller (Wichita) posted third-place finishes in the 5-Axle and Tank Truck classes, respectively.
- Mike Gilstrap, owner of Fine Line Transportation, Inc. domiciled at the FedEx Ground station in Coffeyville, took third place in the 5-Axle Sleeper class.
In addition, the drivers representing FedEx Freight won the team trophy.
Logan, Thompson, Taylor and Stapleton will go on to compete at the American Trucking Associations’ 2012 National Truck Driving Championships (NTDC), known as the “Super Bowl of Safety,” August 7-11 in Minneapolis, Minn. In addition, each state winner will be recognized by FedEx as part of its safe driving initiative, The Chairman’s Challenge.
“The entire team of drivers representing FedEx is dedicated to safety. It is an integral part of everything they do,” said Frederick W. Smith, chairman, president and CEO, FedEx Corp. “The performance of these participants at the Kansas championship is a testament to their commitment to safety excellence.”
The Kansas State Truck Driving Championship is an opportunity for professional truck drivers to demonstrate their driving skills and safety expertise. The event includes a difficult driving skills test, pre-trip inspection and written examination covering vehicle operation and knowledge of federal safety regulations.
In 2011, 115 driving professionals from 45 states representing FedEx Freight, FedEx Ground, FedEx Express, and FedEx Custom Critical qualified to compete at the National Truck Driving Championships by winning their respective state’s competition and driving accident-free for at least one year. One FedEx competitor captured the National Champion title in the Step Van class. In addition, FedEx drivers earned nine additional top-three finishes in their respective vehicle classes.