United States (English)

Ten FedEx Drivers Earn Honors at the North Carolina Truck Driving Championship


SMITHFIELD, N.C. – May 14, 2012 – Ten drivers representing FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) operating companies placed among the top finishers at the 2012 North Carolina State Truck Driving Championship in Smithfield on May 11-12.


  • Michael Bills, a FedEx Express driver domiciled in Durham, won the top spot in the Step Van class for the second straight year.


  • Leonard Coleman, a driver for FedEx Freight based in Greensboro, captured first place in the Twins class.


  • Jimmy Whitley, owner of Whitley Trucking, Inc. domiciled at the FedEx Ground station in Greensboro, took home the first-place trophy in the 5-Axle Sleeper class.


  • Basher Pierce, Jr., a driver for FedEx Freight based in Greensboro, posted second in the 4-Axle class.


  • FedEx Express drivers Paul Caruolo (Durham) and Vincent Lee (Greensboro) finished third in the Straight Truck and Step Van classes, respectively.


  • J.R. Goodson (Charlotte) and Michael Turner (Greensboro), both drivers from FedEx Freight, posted third-place finishes in the Flatbed and 3-Axle classes, respectively.


  • Chris Owens, a driver for Wright Trucking, Inc. domiciled at the FedEx Ground station in Greensboro, finished third in the 5-Axle class.


  • Danny Cartrette, a driver for Whitley Trucking, Inc. domiciled at the FedEx Ground station in Greensboro, posted third in the Twins class. He was also named Rookie of the Year.

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 North Carolina championship is a testament to their commitment to safety excellence.”


The North Carolina 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.