CHARLESTON, W.V. – June 25, 2012 – Nine drivers representing FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) operating companies placed among the top finishers at the 2012 West Virginia State Truck Driving Championship in Charleston on June 23.
- Jamey Priddy, a driver for FedEx Freight domiciled in Charleston, won his second state title after finishing first in the Straight Truck class.
- FedEx Freight drivers Kevin Asbury (Charleston), Jerry Pugh (Parkersburg) and Vince May (Huntington) posted second-place finishes in the 3-Axle, Flatbed and Twins classes, respectively. Pugh also earned the Best Pre-Trip Inspection award.
- FedEx Express drivers David Fryfogle (Parkersburg) and Chad Taylor (Morgantown) finished second and third in the Step Van class, respectively.
- Mike Underwood (Parkersburg), Tom Edens (Charleston) and Eric Johnson (Parkersburg) – all drivers for FedEx Freight – posted third-place finishes in the 4-Axle, Twins and 5-Axle classes, respectively. Johnson was also awarded the Rookie of the Year honor.
In addition, Underwood, Pugh, Johnson, May and Huntington-based FedEx Freight drivers William Adkins, Greg Brooks and Arthur Thompson were recognized with Outstanding Driver awards.
Priddy 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 West Virginia championship is a testament to their commitment to safety excellence.”
The West Virginia 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.