6/14/2013
The 46th Annual TDC’s were held in Joplin Missouri on June 7&8th. Jennifer Mason, Director of Client Relations at Roberts Perryman was a judge.
The two-day event, sponsored by the Association’s Council of Safety Supervisors, evaluated 161 drivers on their knowledge of the industry, first aid, safety and security, and required federal vehicle inspections. The participants then competed on a point-value-assessed driving skills course of six obstacles completed under actual everyday conditions. In their respective classes, drivers tested their expertise in the driving skills they use daily. The skills course tested drivers’ ability to judge distances, maneuver tight spaces, park, and position their vehicle exactly over scales, before barriers or around curves.
Over 560 on-lookers at the Awards Banquet Saturday evening saw Michael Meyer of Fenton, MO, receive the prestigious “Grand Champion” title as Missouri’s best of the best. Mike, a driver for FedEx Express of Earth City, MO achieved this recognition by outscoring all other competitors in all three elements of skill and knowledge.
Mr. Meyer was also awarded the top driver in the Three Axle Class in the annual safe driving competition. He will be joined by eight other class winners as the Missouri Championships Team travels to Salt Lake City, Utah to compete against other state teams in the American Trucking Association’s National Truck Driving Championships August 20 – August 24, 2013. During the competition the Missouri Team will compete against 450 other professionals vying for selection as the nation’s top professional truck drivers.
First, second and third place winners in all nine classes of competition as well as the top “Rookie” and the driver with the best Pre-Trip Inspection were honored at the Awards Banquet Saturday evening.
Winners and runners-up in the classes of competition are listed below with the driver’s hometown, and employer company.
Straight Truck Class
1st – Michael Millaway, St. Louis, MO- UPS Freight, St. Louis, MO
2nd – David Wiechers, Lees Summit, MO – ABF Freight System, Kansas City, MO
3rd – Bruce Diener, Byrnes Mill, MO – YRC Freight, St. Louis, MO
Three Axle Class
1st – Michael Meyer, Fenton, MO – FedEx Express, Earth City, MO
2nd – Russell Scheer, Nevada, MO – Con-way Freight, Nevada, MO
3rd – Robert Bramwell, Centerview, MO – ABF Freight System, Sedalia, MO
Four Axle Class
1st – Jerome Lobo, Springfield, MO – Prime, Inc., Springfield, MO
2nd – Mark McBeath, Raymore, MO – Walmart Transportation, Harrisonville, MO
3rd – Donald Cook, Gobles, MI – Prime, Inc., Springfield, MO
Five Axle Van Class
1st – William Stanford, Kennesaw, GA – Prime, Inc., Springfield, MO
2nd – Remy Braun, Mt. Vernon, MO – D & D Sexton, Carthage, MO
3rd – Joseph Hartsell, Collinsville, IL – UPS Freight, St. Louis, MO
Tank Truck Class
1st – Harold Augustine, Crane, MO – Solar Transport Company, Springfield, MO
2nd – Michael Hausner, OFallon, MO – FedEx Freight, St. Charles, MO
3rd – Thomas Miller, Bunker Hill, IL – Prime, Inc., Springfield, MO
Flatbed Class
1st – Duane Grimme, Satsuma, FL – Prime, Inc., Springfield, MO
2nd – Andrew Hunt, Willard, MO – FedEx Freight, Springfield, MO
3rd – Craig Stewart, Houston, MO – Walmart Transportation, St. James, MO
Sleeper Berth Class
1st – Torrie McCosh, Rose Hill, KS – Con-way Truckload, Joplin, MO
2nd – Victor Martinez, Highland, TX – Con-way Truckload, Joplin, MO
3rd – Wyatt Hooper, Republic, MO – Con-way Freight, Marshfield, MO
Twin Trailers Class
1st – Jason Budd, Clever, MO – FedEx Freight, Springfield, MO
2nd – Glenn Jennings, Mexico, MO – Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc., Columbia, MO
3rd – Regnald Ansbach, Kansas City, MO – ABF Freight System, Inc., Kansas City, MO
Step Van Class
1st – Steven Campbell, Webb City, MO – FedEx Ground, Joplin, MO
2nd – Jason Labart, Kansas City, MO – FedEx Express, Kansas City, MO
3rd – Nick Frazier, Granby, MO – FedEx Ground, Joplin, MO
Jerome Lobo of Springfield, MO, a driver for Prime, Inc. out of Springfield, MO, was named “Rookie of the Year” for his outstanding well-rounded performance as a first-time contestant.
Torrie McCosh, Rose Hill, KS of Con-way Truckload, Joplin, MO received the Richard
Myers Excellence Award.
The “Pre-Trip Inspection” award for the highest score in assuring that a vehicle is in safe and efficient operating condition before leaving on a trip went to Albert Arriola of Fabens, TX, a driver for Con-way Truckload in Joplin, MO.
The “Team Championship” went to Con-way Truckload, based in Joplin, MO, for having the highest average team score in the competition.
The keynote speaker for the evening was Major Dale Schmidt, Missouri State Highway Patrol.