PORTLAND, Ore. – June 18, 2014 – Nine drivers representing FedEx Corporation (NYSE: FDX) operating companies placed among the top finishers at the 2014 Oregon State Truck Driving Championship in Portland on June 14.
- Dan Shamrell, a driver for FedEx Freight based in Portland, captured his thirteenth state title with his win in the 3-Axle class. He also took home the Grand Champion title for achieving the highest score among the winners of all classes.
- Fellow Portland-based FedEx Freight driver Chris Outen earned his fifth state title with a win in the Twins class. Outen finished second in the 4-Axle class at the 2012 National Truck Driving Championships (NTDC).
- Ted Carlson, also based in Portland for FedEx Freight, attained his fourth state title by winning the 4-Axle class for the second straight year. Carlson is an America’s Road Team Captain for the American Trucking Associations (ATA).
- Ryan Dalke, of Ryan Trucking, Inc. domiciled out of the FedEx Ground station in Medford, earned his second state title by winning the Step Van class.
- FedEx Freight driver Curt Davis (Portland) posted first in the 5-Axle class.
- Fellow FedEx Freight drivers Brandon Coonrod (Portland) and Randall Crafts (Medford) finished second in the Straight Truck and Twins classes, respectively.
- Nick Paradiso, of Black Dog Trucking Incorporated domiciled out of the FedEx Ground station in Portland, and Ron Bridges, of Bean Incorporated domiciled out of the FedEx Ground station in Salem, completed the sweep in the Step Van class with their second- and third-place finishes, respectively.
Shamrell, Outen, Carlson, Dalke and Davis will go on to compete at the American Trucking Associations’ 2014 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 Oregon state championship demonstrates the professionalism and dedication to safety found throughout the entire FedEx organization.”
The Oregon 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 news.fedex.com.