United States (English)

Six FedEx Drivers Earn Honors at the Kansas Truck Driving Championship

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TOPEKA, Kan. – June 18, 2013 – Six drivers representing FedEx Freight placed among the top finishers at the 2013 Kansas State Truck Driving Championship in Topeka on June 14-15.

  • Topeka-based driver Don Logan won his seventh Kansas state title – this one in the Flatbed class. He also posted the highest score in both the Pre-Trip Inspection and Written Exam portions of the competition. Logan is the reigning 2012 National Grand Champion, the prestigious title bestowed upon the competitor who achieves the highest score among the winners of all nine classes at the National Truck Driving Championships (NTDC). He was also the 2012 National Champion in the Flatbed class, the 2010 National Twins Champion and 2009 National 3-Axle Champion.
  • Jeff Thompson, based in Kansas City, earned his sixth state title with a win in the 3-Axle class.
  • Topeka-based Dan Jones captured the top spot in the Straight Truck class.
  • Dean Harris, based in Kansas City, finished second in the Twins class.
  • Wichita-based drivers Kirk Richardson and Melissa Guthery placed third in the 4-Axle and 5-Axle Sleeper classes, respectively.

Logan, Thompson and Jones will go on to compete at the American Trucking Associations’ 2013 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 Kansas state championship demonstrates the dedication to safety of our entire team.”

The Kansas 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.