TROUTDALE, Ore. – June 11, 2012 – Nine drivers representing FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) operating companies placed among the top finishers at the 2012 Oregon State Truck Driving Championship in Troutdale on June 9.
- Jim Rud, a driver for FedEx Freight based in Portland, finished first in the Straight Truck class for the second straight year. He also earned the Grand Champion title for achieving the highest score among the winners of all classes.
- Dan Shamrell, also a driver for FedEx Freight based in Portland, won his twelfth state title with his win in the 3-Axle class.
- Portland-based FedEx Freight driver Chris Outen took home his fourth consecutive Oregon state title with a win in the 4-Axle class.
- Nick Paradiso, a driver for Tiebreaker, Inc. based at the FedEx Ground station in Portland, won his fourth state title in the Step Van class.
- Ted Carlson and Jerry Lambert, both drivers for FedEx Freight in Portland, took home the second-place trophies for the 5-Axle and Twins class, respectively.
- Kailen Bronson, owner of Bronspac, Inc. based at the FedEx Ground station in Portland, finished second in the Step Van class.
- FedEx Express driver Jonathan Holman (Salem) finished third in the Step Van class.
- Randy Crafts, a driver for FedEx Freight in Medford, placed third in Twins.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Brandon Coonrod (FedEx Freight, Portland) posted a five-way tie for Best Pre-Trip Inspection score.
Rud, Shamrell, Outen and Paradiso 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 Oregon championship is a testament to their commitment to safety excellence.”
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 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.
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