6/5/2016
On June 3 & 4, 2016, the Missouri Trucking Association held the 49th Annual Missouri Truck Driving Championships at Ramada Plaza Hotel and Oasis Convention Center in Springfield, the Official 2016 TDC Headquarters. The two-day event, sponsored by the Association’s Council of Safety Supervisors, evaluated 151 drivers on a written test of their knowledge of the industry; safety and security; first aid, health and personal safety; and fire safety. Another segment of testing included hands-on 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 550 on-lookers at the Awards Banquet Saturday evening saw Glen Horack of Elkland, MO, received the prestigious “Grand Champion” title as Missouri’s best of the best. Glen, a driver for Prime, Inc. of Springfield, MO achieved this recognition by achieving the highest point differential above the average within his class in all three elements of skill and knowledge. Mr. Horack was also awarded the top driver in the Sleeper Berth Class during the annual safe driving competition. He will be joined by eight other class winners asthe Missouri Championships Team travels to Indianapolis, IN to compete against other state teams in the American Trucking Association’s National Truck Driving Championships August 10 – August 13, 2016. During the competition the Missouri Team will compete against 450 other professionals vying for selection as the nation’s top professional truck drivers.