TINLEY PARK, Ill. – June 9, 2014 – Ten drivers representing FedEx Corporation (NYSE: FDX) operating companies placed among the top finishers at the 2014 Illinois State Truck Driving Championship in Tinley Park on June 6-7.
- Jimmy Wilson, a driver for FedEx Freight based in Effingham, captured his first state title in the Step Van class.
- Fellow Effingham-based FedEx Freight driver Shay Gibson placed second in the Straight Truck class.
- Bartolo Montecinos of Tribe Transport, Inc. domiciled out of the FedEx Ground station in Carol Stream and Nenko Topalov of Nando Express Inc. domiciled out of the FedEx Ground hub in Chicago finished second in the Twins and 5-Axle Sleeper classes, respectively.
- FedEx Freight drivers Joe Carson (Effingham) and Nelson Anderson (Elmhurst) posted second- and third-place finishes, respectively, in the Flatbed class.
- Steve Vercande of Akmans Express Inc. and David Leong of CJC Distributors, Inc., both domiciled out of the FedEx Ground station in Carol Stream, completed the sweep in the Step Van class with their second- and third-place finishes, respectively.
- FedEx Freight drivers Robert Wenman (Bolingbook) and Bill Strode (Effingham) placed third in the 5-Axle and Tank Truck classes, respectively.
Wilson will go on to compete at the American Trucking Associations’ 2014 National Truck Driving Championships (NTDC), known as the “Super Bowl of Safety,” Aug. 12-16 in Pittsburgh. In addition, each state winner will be recognized by FedEx as part of its safe driving initiative, The Chairman’s Challenge.
“Our team is dedicated to staying safe on the road,” said Frederick W. Smith, chairman, president and CEO, FedEx Corp. “The accomplishment of these participants at the Illinois state championship demonstrates the professionalism and dedication to safety found throughout the entire FedEx organization.”
The Illinois 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 2013, 132 driving professionals from 46 states representing FedEx Freight, FedEx Ground, FedEx Express and FedEx SupplyChain 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. Three FedEx drivers captured National Champion titles in the Flatbed, 3-Axle and Step Van classes. Nine other FedEx drivers earned top-three finishes in their respective vehicle classes.
About FedEx
FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) provides customers and businesses worldwide with a broad portfolio of transportation, e-commerce and business services. With annual revenues of $45 billion, the company offers integrated business applications through operating companies competing collectively and managed collaboratively, under the respected FedEx brand. Consistently ranked among the world’s most admired and trusted employers, FedEx inspires its more than 300,000 team members to remain “absolutely, positively” focused on safety, the highest ethical and professional standards and the needs of their customers and communities. For more information, visit news.fedex.com.