Tuesday, June 5, 2018

Joplin, Carthage truckers place at Missouri Truck Driving Championships

(From the Missouri Trucking Association)

BRANSON, MO. - On June 1 & 2, 2018, the Missouri Trucking Association held the 51st Annual Missouri Truck Driving Championships at the Branson Convention Center.

The two-day event, sponsored by the Association's Council of Safety Supervisors, evaluated 166 drivers on a written test of their knowledge of the industry; safety and security; first aid; and fire safety. Another segment of testing included hands-on required pre-trip 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 675 on-lookers at the Awards Banquet Saturday evening saw Bruce Brewenof Valles Mines, MO, receive the prestigious "Grand Champion" title as Missouri's best of the best. Bruce, a driver for Hogan Transports, Inc. of Earth City, 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. Brewen was also awarded the top driver in the Four Axle Van Class during the annual safe driving competition. He will be joined by eight other class winners as the Missouri Championships Team travels to Columbus, OH to compete against other state teams in the American Trucking Association's National Truck Driving Championships August 15 - August 18, 2018. 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", the driver with the best Pre-Trip Inspection, the driver with the highest score on the Written Examination and the driver awarded for Professional Excellence were honored at the Awards Banquet Saturday evening.

Winners and runners-up in the classes of competition are listed below with the driver name and employer company.

Straight Truck Class
1st - James Houghton, Gower, MO- FedEx Express, Kansas City, MO.
2nd - Alisha Slaughter, El Paso, TX - CFI, Joplin, MO
3rd - Paul Tyler, Arnold, MO- XPOLogistics, St. Louis, MO

Three Axle Class
1st - Robert Roth, Blackwater, MO- FedEx Freight, Columbia, MO
2nd - Kelley Asher, Republic, MO- FedEx Freight, Springfield, MO
3rd - William Tibbles, Eureka, MO- FedEx Express, Berkeley, MO

Four Axle Class
1st - Bruce Brewen, Valles Mines, MO- Hogan Transports Inc. Bridgeton, MO
2nd - Michel Boyce, Independence, MO- Holland, Holland, MI
3rd -David Wiechers, Lee's Summit, MO- ABF Freight, Kansas City, MO

Five Axle Van Class
1st - Glen Horack, Elkland, MO- Prime Inc. Springfield, MO
2nd -Wayne Pierce, Old Monroe, MO- UPS, St. Louis, MO
3rd - Ben Walker, Carriere, MS- Prime Inc. Springfield, MO

Flatbed Class
1st - Scott Fischer, Medford, OR- Prime Inc. Springfield, MO
2nd - Robert Bramwell, Centerview, MO- ABF Freight, Sedalia, MO
3rd - Remy Braun, Carthage, MO- D & D Sexton, Carthage, MO
Tank Truck Class
1st - Thomas Miller, Bunkee Hill, IL- Prime Inc. Springfield, MO
2nd - Jon Hume, Saint Peters, MO- FedEx Freight, St Charles, MO
3rd - Andrew Hunt, Willard, MO- FedEx Freight, Springfield, MO

Sleeper Berth Class
1st - Roy Romo, Shelton, WA- Prime Inc. Springfield, MO
2nd -Bobby Chilcoat, Moore, OK- CFI, Joplin, MO
3rd - William Chuch, Deland, FL- CFI, Joplin, MO

Twin Trailers Class
1st - Michael Chatterton, Rogersville, MO- FedEx Freight, Springfield, MO
2nd - Steve Fields, Independence, MO- YRC Freight, Kansas City, MO
3rd - Scott Davis, Kearney, MO- ABF Freight, Kansas City, MO

Step Van Class
1st - Grant Garwood, Joplin, MO- FedEx Ground, Joplin, MO
2nd - Donald Alpers, Ava, MO- FedEx Ground, Strafford, MO
3rd - Trisha Cordero, Kansas City, MO- FedEx Express, Kansas City, MO

Roy Romo, of Shelton, WA a driver for Prime Inc. Springfield, MO was named "Rookie of the Year" for his outstanding well-rounded performance as a first-time contestant.

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 Trisha Cordero, of Kansas City, MOFedEx Express, Kansas City, MO.

Shane Duncan, of Seneca, MO a driver for Certified Express Inc., Neosho, MOreceived the Award for Highest Written Examination Score.

The Recipient of the Professional Excellence Award, the driver who most exemplifies the best attributes of a professional truck driver, was Richard O'Brian, of Maryland Heights, MO a driver for FedEx Freight, Harrison, AR.

The "Team Championship" went to FedEx Freight, Inc. based in Harrison, AR for having the highest average team score in the competition.

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