HARRINGTON, Del. – May 21, 2013 – Ten drivers representing FedEx Corporation (NYSE: FDX) operating companies placed among the top finishers at the 2013 Delaware State Truck Driving Championship in Harrington on May 18.
- FedEx Freight driver Rusty Pederson, based in Wilmington, captured his fourth state title, this year in the 3-Axle class.
- A.J. Phillips, a driver for Service First Trucking Co. Inc. based at the FedEx SupplyChain location in Newark, won the 5-Axle class to earn his fourth state title.
- FedEx Freight driver Billy Tuell earned his second consecutive state title in the Twins class. Tuell is also based in Wilmington.
- Lou Lockard, a driver for FedEx Freight based in Wilmington, finished first in the 4-Axle class.
- Chris Jenkins, a driver for Travis Boardman, Inc. based at the FedEx Ground station in Salisbury, Md., captured the top spot in the Step Van Class.
- Mike Pertain, a driver for Beck Services, Inc. based at the FedEx Home Delivery station in New Castle, posted first in the Straight Truck class.
- Wilmington-based FedEx Freight driver Jose Perez finished second in the Twins class. He also turned in the highest score in the Pre-Trip Inspection portion of the competition.
- Richard Carr, a driver for Travis Boardman, Inc. based at the FedEx Ground station in Salisbury, Md., and Humfredo Brown, also a driver for Beck Services, Inc. based at the FedEx Home Delivery station in New Castle, finished second and third, respectively, in the Step Van class.
- Joe Peterson, a FedEx Express driver based in Philadelphia, Pa., finished third in the 4-Axle class.
Pederson, Phillips, Tuell, Lockard, Jenkins and Pertain 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 Delaware state championship demonstrates the dedication to safety of our entire team.”
The Delaware 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.