CHARLESTON, W. Va. – June 24, 2014 – Fourteen drivers representing FedEx Corporation (NYSE: FDX) operating companies placed among the top finishers at the 2014 West Virginia State Truck Driving Championship in Charleston on June 21.
- Bill Adkins, a driver for FedEx Freight based in Huntington, attained his second state title with a win in the 5-Axle Sleeper class. He also earned the Grand Champion title for achieving the highest score among the winners of all classes.
- Charleston-based FedEx Freight driver Jamey Priddy won his fourth state title after finishing first in the Straight Truck class.
- Kevin Asbury, also a driver for FedEx Freight based in Charleston, captured his second-straight 3-Axle state title.
- Stephen Estep, of Straight Transportation Services Inc. domiciled out of the FedEx Ground station in Charleston, earned his first title with a win in the Step Van class.
- FedEx Freight driver Don Young (Charleston) won his first title in the Twins class.
- Fellow Charleston-based FedEx Freight drivers Bobby Elliot and Ken Barnett earned second-place finishes in the 3-Axle and 5-Axle classes, respectively. Elliot also earned the Rookie of the Year award.
- Daryl England, a driver for FedEx Freight in Charleston, finished second in the 5-Axle Sleeper class.
- Finishing the sweep in the Twins class were FedEx Freight drivers Vince May (Huntington) and Mark Rogers (Clarksburg), with their second- and third-place finishes, respectively. May also posted the highest score in the Pre-Trip Inspection portion of the competition.
- Chad Taylor, a driver for FedEx Express based in Morgantown, and Gerald Knight, of RKB Inc. domiciled out of the FedEx Home Delivery station in Beckley, completed the sweep in the Step Van class by finishing second and third, respectively.
- Charleston-based FedEx Freight drivers Randy Thomas and John Kacinic took home the second- and third-place trophies, respectively, in the 4-Axle class.
Additionally, Adkins, May and Gregory Brooks, a driver for FedEx Freight in Huntington, were awarded Outstanding Driver Awards by the West Virginia Trucking Association.
Adkins, Priddy, Asbury, Estep and Young will go on to compete at the American Trucking Associations’ 2014 National Truck Driving Championships (NTDC), known as the “Super Bowl of Safety,” Aug. 12-16 in Pittsburgh. In addition, each state winner will be recognized by FedEx as part of its safe driving initiative, The Chairman’s Challenge.
“Our team is dedicated to staying safe on the road,” said Frederick W. Smith, chairman, president and CEO, FedEx Corp. “The accomplishment of these participants at the West Virginia state championship demonstrates the professionalism and dedication to safety found throughout the entire FedEx organization.”
The West Virginia 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 2013, 132 driving professionals from 46 states representing FedEx Freight, FedEx Ground, FedEx Express and FedEx SupplyChain 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. Three FedEx drivers captured National Champion titles in the Flatbed, 3-Axle and Step Van classes. Nine other FedEx drivers earned top-three finishes in their respective vehicle classes.
About FedEx
FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) provides customers and businesses worldwide with a broad portfolio of transportation, e-commerce and business services. With annual revenues of $46 billion, the company offers integrated business applications through operating companies competing collectively and managed collaboratively, under the respected FedEx brand. Consistently ranked among the world’s most admired and trusted employers, FedEx inspires its more than 300,000 team members to remain “absolutely, positively” focused on safety, the highest ethical and professional standards and the needs of their customers and communities. For more information, visit newsroom.fedex.com/newsroom.