MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — The American Trucking Associations (ATA) is crowing its winners for the 2025 National Truck Driving Championships.
David Comings, a professional driver with FedEx Freight from North Dakota, is being celebrated as the Bendix Grand Champion at the 2025 National Truck Driving & Step Van Championships.
“Congratulations to David on his extraordinary achievement,” said Chris Spear, president, CEO, ATA. “Over the course of three decades and 3.1 million accident-free miles, David has proven his driving prowess and commitment to safety. This week, David put on a master class of precision and professionalism that define NTDC, emerging from an elite field of highly skilled competitors. Here in Minneapolis, the best of the best of the nation’s truck drivers showed the world what our industry is all about. Each one is a champion in his or her own right, leading with safety and setting the bar high.”
National Truck Driving & Step Van Championships
ATA’s National Truck Driving & Step Van Championships took place from August 20-23 in Minneapolis, bringing together 425 drivers representing 56 companies from 49 states with a combined total of nearly 756 million accident-free miles.
Drivers competed in a variety of events designed to measure their driving prowess, industry knowledge and dedication to safety. Comings took home the Bendix Grand Champion award, as well as first place in the 5-axle vehicle class.
David Comings
Comings has been a professional driver for nearly 30 years, accumulating 3.1 million safe driving miles. He has competed three times in the North Dakota Motor Carriers Association state trucking championships and three times in the National Truck Driving Championships. In 2022 and 2023, he took first place in North Dakota’s 4-axle category. Last year, he took first place in North Dakota’s 5-axle category.
“For nearly nine decades, NTDC has been an inspiring exhibition of passion and skill, and this year was no exception,” said Dennis Dellinger, ATA chairman and president, CEO of Cargo Transporters Inc. “On behalf of all ATA members, I extend heartfelt congratulations to David—and to all of this year’s champions—for an incredible performance at the NTDC. I also want to thank the countless volunteers who make the truck driving championships so special, from the state-level competitions all the way to the crowning of the Grand Champion
Other Honorees
ATA also honored Jeffrey Reed, a professional driver with UPS from New Mexico, with the 2025 Rookie of the Year Award, and the State of Colorado was crowned the team champion for having the highest collective score.
Leroy Williams, Sr., of XPO with the Neill Darmstadter Professional Excellence Award. Linda Nodland was chosen as the Sam Gillette Lifetime Volunteer Award recipient.
Dana Guthrie is an award-winning journalist who has been featured in multiple newspapers, books and magazines across the globe. She is currently based in the Atlanta, Georgia, area.
