FedEx Freight driver wins national truck driving championships

The Trucker News Services

8/14/2012

MINNEAPOLIS — Don Logan, a FedEx Freight professional truck driver from Topeka, Kan., was named the 2012 National Truck Driving Championships Grand Champion in competition here.

Logan’s driving skills and knowledge of transportation and truck safety information topped those of 425 other professional drivers from all across the U.S. in the National Truck Driving Championships here Aug. 8-10.

The 75th annual “Super Bowl of Safety” is sponsored by the American Trucking Associations.

In route to his title, Logan has logged 25 years as a professional truck driver with over 2.1 million miles behind the wheel.

He began competing in his state truck driving championships in 2006, and this year he made his sixth trip to the National Truck Driving Championships.

This is the third win for Logan at the national level, placing first in the three-axle class in 2009 and in the twins class in 2010.  He holds six state titles.

The contestants were the state champions in nine truck types from all 50 states. Collectively, they have driven 604,122,031 accident-free miles.

In their respective classes, drivers tested their expertise in the driving skills they use daily.

The competition course inside the Minneapolis Convention Center challenged the driver’s knowledge of safety, equipment and the industry.

The skills course tested drivers’ ability to judge distances, maneuver tight spaces, reverse, park, and position their vehicle exactly over scales, before barriers or around curves.

“The National Truck Driving Championships competitors are the best of the best – the safest, most skilled and most knowledgeable among professional drivers,” said ATA President and CEO Bill Graves.  “I applaud all the competitors for their achievements and dedication to safety, and congratulate Don Logan on his Grand Champion award which showcases his superior driving skill and commitment to safety.”

Logan also won the individual flatbed truck driving competition.

Joining Logan as champions in their respective classes:

Straight Truck:  Pennsylvania — Robert Dolan, Con-way Freight, Allentown, Pa.

Three-Axle: Massachusetts — Roland Bolduc, FedEx Express, Windsor, Conn.

Four-Axle: Nebraska — Scott Stroup, YRC Freight, Omaha, Neb.

Five-Axle: Idaho — Michael Grogan, Con-way Freight, Boise, Idaho

Flatbed:  Kansas — Donald Logan, FedEx Freight, Topeka, Kan.

Tank Truck:  Kentucky — Brent Quire, Con-way Freight, Louisville, Ky.

Twins: Alabama — Michael Umphrey, Con-way Freight, Decatur, Ala.

Sleeper Berth:  Pennsylvania — Leo Flack, A. Duie Pyle, Inc., West Chester, Pa.

Step Van:  Edward Gertz, FedEx Express, Londonderry, N.H.

Logan succeeds Paul Phillips, a professional truck driver with Con-way Freight from Coarsegold, Calif., as the National Grand Champion.

Robert Sutton, a driver for ABF Freight System, Inc. from Boise, Idaho, was named the 2012 National Rookie of the Year after competing in the Three-Axle division.

The Pennsylvania state truck driving championship team won honors as the highest scoring state team, followed by Washington and Georgia respectively.

This marks the 15th time Pennsylvania has won the state trophy, the first dating back to 1956.

Logan also won the Vehicle Condition Award, one of the longest running NTDC awards.  The Vehicle Condition Award recognizes the contestant who has proven – during this competition – that he or she has a thorough understanding of equipment, an extraordinary ability to inspect and evaluate a truck’s condition, and unequivocal commitment to safety. 

Denis Litalien, a driver for Clifford W. Perham Inc. from Wells, Maine, was awarded the Neill Darmstadter Professional Excellence Award.  Litalien participated in the Five-Axle competition.

Marking his 20th year as a volunteer at the state level and 14 years at the national level, Jack Taylor was awarded the Life-Time Volunteer Award.  Truck Writers was the sponsor of the Life-Time Volunteer Award.

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Following is a complete list of 2012 National Truck Driving Championship winners.

Straight Truck Class: 1. Pennsylvania —Robert Dolan, Con-way Freight, Allentown, Pa.; 2. New Jersey — Michael Scripko, Con-way Freight, Hamilton, N.J.; 3. Alabama —Scott Ward, Con-way Freight, Decatur, Ala.

Three-Axle Class: 1. Massachusetts – Roland Bolduc, FedEx Express, Windsor, Conn.;

2. New York — Gerald Thompson, Con-way Freight, Tonawanda, N.Y.;  3. New Hampshire — Wayne McClellan, Con-way Freight, Manchester, N.H.

Four-Axle Class: 1. Nebraska — Scott Stroup, YRC Freight, Omaha, Neb.; 2. Oregon — Christopher Outen, FedEx Freight, Portland, Ore.; 3. Pennsylvania — Kevin Miskiewicz, YRC Freight, Line Lexington, Pa.

Five-Axle Class: 1. Idaho — Michael Grogran, Con-way Freight, Boise, Idaho;

2. California — Richard Camarda, ABF Freight System, Inc., Sacramento, Calif.;

3. Washington — Gary Herrygers, The Boeing Company, Renton, Wash.

Flatbed Class: 1. Kansas — Donald Logan, FedEx Freight, Topeka, Kan.; 2. Maine — Kevin Duran, Hannaford Trucking Co., Portland, Maine; 3. West Virginia — Kenneth Grimmett, Con-way Freight, Belle, W.Va.

Tank Truck Class: 1. Kentucky — Brent Quire, Con-way Freight, Louisville, Ky.;

2. Mississippi — Jason Matte, FedEx Freight, Richland, Miss.; 3. Washington —Victor Skoglund, FedEx Freight, Everett, Wash.

Twins Class: 1. Alabama — Michael Umphrey, Con-way Freight, Decatur, Ala.;

2. New York — Mark McLean, FedEx Freight, Montgomery, N.Y.; 3. North Carolina — Leonard Coelman, FedEx Freight, Greensboro, N.C.

Sleeper Berth Class: 1. Pennsylvania — Leo Flack, A. Duie Pyle, Inc., Westchester, Pa.;

2. Louisiana — Pat Rudesill, FedEx Ground, Hammond, La.; 3. Washington — Roy Carcia, Peninsula Truck Lines, Spokane, Wash.

Step Van: 1. New Hampshire — Edward Gertz, FedEx Express, Londonderry, N.H.; 2. — Sean Saxon, FedEx Ground, Tempe, Ariz.; 3. North Carolina — Michael Bills, FedEx Express, Durham, N.C.

The Trucker staff can be reached for comment at editor@thetrucker.com.

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