MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – June 11, 2012 – Five drivers representing FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) operating companies placed among the top finishers at the 2012 Minnesota State Truck Driving Championship in Minneapolis on June 8-9.
- Joe Kappers, a driver for Hynes Trucking Inc. based at the FedEx Ground station in St. Paul, captured the top spot in the Step Van class for the second time in three years.
- FedEx Freight drivers Shawn Smith (Minneapolis) and Paul Butkowski (St. Cloud) posted second-place finishes in the 4-Axle and 3-Axle classes, respectively. Butkowski also posted the highest score on the written exam.
- Milton Brandt, a driver for My Big Corp., based at the FedEx Ground station in St. Paul, finished second in the Step Van class.
- FedEx Express driver Chris Rapsch (White Bear Lake) finished third in the Step Van class.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 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 Minnesota championship is a testament to their commitment to safety excellence.”
The Minnesota 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.