FedEx Freight drivers Steve Brand, Chris Outen and Tim Taylor have been named to the 2017-18 America’s Road Team, announced by the American Trucking Associations.
The ATA named 20 drivers to America’s Road Team for 2017-18. The group represents a cross-section of the trucking industry and the 3.5 million professional truck drivers operating in the United States.
Domiciled at the Dayton, Ohio, service center, Brand is a road driver. Outen is a city driver domiciled in Portland, Oregon. Taylor is a road driver based in Valdosta, Georgia.
In their role as America’s Road Team captains, the trio of FedEx Freight drivers will champion the trucking industry’s focus on safety and sustainability as well as its impact on commerce to a range of audiences including the motoring public, media, business groups, public officials and their fellow truck drivers.
“We are extremely proud of Steve, Chris and Tim’s accomplishments,” said Michael Ducker, president and CEO of FedEx Freight. “As evidenced by their selection to this prestigious team, all three have a passion for safety and the valuable role trucking plays in our nation’s economy.”
Brand, Outen and Taylor were among the 33 finalists who went through the final round of the America’s Road Team selection process this week. A panel of judges evaluated the finalists on their knowledge of the industry, ability to effectively express their thoughts on transportation issues and their overall safe-driving record.
Brand has recorded 3.5 million accident-free miles during his 27-year career as a professional driver, including 20 years at FedEx Freight. He previously served as a safety team member at his local service center and has taken part in driver forums at FedEx Freight’s offices in Harrison, Arkansas. Brand received the Ohio truck driving championship (TDC) Sportsmanship Award and earned the Ohio Chairman’s Award for posting the highest pre-trip and written scores at last year’s state TDC.
Outen has recorded 1.3 million accident-free miles during his 30-year career with FedEx Freight. He has served as a driver development instructor and spoken to area high school students about distracted and impaired driving. Outen is a seven-time Oregon truck driving champion, including each of the past three years, and has finished second in his driving class at the National Truck Driving Championships (NTDC) twice.
Taylor has driven more than 2 million accident-free miles during his 25-year professional career including 21 years at FedEx Freight. He has served on his service center’s safety team and performed new driver road tests. Taylor has participated in the Georgia TDCs since 2002 and placed in the top three of his driving class in three of the past four years.
Brand, Outen and Taylor are part of a lengthy list of FedEx Freight drivers who have served as America’s Road Team captains since the program began in 1986. The 2015-16 America’s Road Team included FedEx Freight drivers Eric Flick (Dayton, Nevada) and Scott Woodrome (Middletown, Ohio).