United States (English)

Five FedEx Drivers Earn Honors at the Utah Truck Driving Championship

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SALT LAKE CITY – June 11, 2013 – Five drivers representing FedEx Corporation (NYSE: FDX) operating companies placed among the top finishers at the 2013 Utah State Truck Driving Championship in Salt Lake City on June 7-8.

  • Dan Brophy, owner of D&E Delivery Services, Inc. based at the FedEx Ground station in Provo, captured first place in the Step Van class.
  • Salt Lake City-based Ron Pease, a driver for FedEx Freight, and Steve Clark, a driver for Ugarte Trucking, Inc. based at the FedEx Ground station, finished second and third, respectively, in the 3-Axle class. Clark also posted a perfect score on the written exam portion of the competition.
  • Kent Pierson, owner of Mbongo, Inc. based at the FedEx Home Delivery station in Salt Lake City, and Ronald Haskell, a driver for Klien P&D Inc. based at the FedEx Ground station in Logan, completed the sweep in the Step Van class with their second- and third-place finishes, respectively.

Brophy will go on to compete at the American Trucking Associations’ 2013 National Truck Driving Championships (NTDC), known as the “Super Bowl of Safety,” August 20-24 in Salt Lake City. In addition, each state winner will be recognized by FedEx as part of its safe driving initiative, The Chairman’s Challenge.

“Our company is represented by professional drivers who not only strive daily to ensure shipments are delivered on time, but also that they remain safe on the road. It’s a fundamental priority in our company,” said Frederick W. Smith, chairman, president and CEO, FedEx Corp. “The performance of these participants at the Utah state championship demonstrates the dedication to safety of our entire team.”

The Utah 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 challenge, pre-trip inspection and written examination covering vehicle operation and knowledge of federal safety regulations.

In 2012, 137 driving professionals from 46 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 Grand Champion title. In addition, FedEx drivers captured National Champion titles in the Flatbed, 3-Axle and Step Van classes. Eight other FedEx drivers earned top-three finishes in their respective vehicle classes.