United States (English)

Twelve FedEx Drivers Earn Honors at the Oregon Truck Driving Championship

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PORTLAND, Ore. – July 2, 2013 – Twelve drivers representing FedEx Corporation (NYSE: FDX) operating companies placed among the top finishers at the 2013 Oregon State Truck Driving Championship in Portland on June 29.

  • Jerry Lambert, a driver for FedEx Freight in Portland, captured his sixth state title with his win in the Twins class.
  • Fellow Portland-based FedEx Freight driver Ted Carlson earned his third state title by winning the 4-Axle class. Carlson is an America’s Road Team Captain for the American Trucking Associations (ATA).
  • Jason Morier, a driver for FedEx Freight in Salem, won the Step Van class.
  • Portland-based FedEx Freight drivers Dan Shamrell and Lalo Fernandez finished second in the 3-Axle and 4-Axle classes, respectively.
  • Chris Outen, a driver for FedEx Freight based in Portland, and Adis Zolja, a driver for G NW Express Inc. based at the FedEx Ground hub in Portland, completed the sweep in the Twins class with their second- and third-place finishes, respectively. Outen finished second in the Twins class at the 2012 National Truck Driving Championships (NTDC).
  • Don (Mac) Hall, a driver for Black Dog Trucking Incorporated based at the FedEx Ground station in Portland, and Ryan Dalke, owner of Ryan Trucking, Inc. based at the FedEx Ground station in Medford, placed second and third in the Step Van class, respectively. Hall also received the highest score among all first-time competitors.
  • FedEx Freight drivers Brandon Coonrod (Portland) and Chris Ware (Medford) finished second and third, respectively, in the Straight Truck class.
  • Fellow FedEx Freight driver Curtis Davis (Portland) took third in the 5-Axle class.

Lambert, Carlson and Morier 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 Oregon state championship demonstrates the dedication to safety of our entire team.”

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 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.