William Adkins of FedEx Freight Named Grand Champion
Last Saturday, the West Virginia Trucking Association held their 59th Annual Truck Driving Championship in Charleston, WV. 33 drivers from around the State competed in the championship with William Adkins of the Kenova, WV terminal being named Grand Champion.
Adkins, a driver for FedEx Freight, took the top honor after competing in a variety of skill and safety tests. While he won his class in 2011 and competed at the National Truck Driving Championship, this is the first time he has won the Grand Champion Award.
Jan Vineyard, President of the association, said, “The purpose of the Truck Driving Championship is to give trucking professionals the opportunity to test their driving and safety skills against their West Virginia peers. The competition mirrors what professional truck drivers must do day-in and day-out to maintain safety records unmatched by any other segment of the driving public.”
In addition to the driving competition, which included 33 professional truck drivers representing 8 West Virginia-based motor freight companies, the association recognized drivers for their 2013 safety accomplishments during an awards banquet Saturday evening.
Vineyard said Paul Norman of Tad, WV, who drives for Pitt Ohio out of the Belle, WV terminal, was honored with the WV Professional Driver of the Year Award. Norman has driven over 2.5 million miles in his 28 year career with no accidents.
John Hodges, who has retired from UPS Freight and is a Hurricane, West Virginia resident, was honored with the State Police Safety Award. Hodges drove for 36 years and 3.6 million miles. He has competed in the WV Trucking Driving Championships many times. He won the Grand Champion Award in 2012.
David “Craig” Warner a driver with UPS Freight and a Nitro, West Virginia resident, earned the West Virginia Public Service Commission Driver of the Year Award. Warner has driven for 35 years and has logged over 3 million miles.
Other winners include:
First Place Straight Truck – James Priddy, FedEx Freight
First Place 3-Axle Tractor Semi-trailer – Kevin Asbury, FedEx Freight
First Place 4-Axle Tractor Semi-trailer – Tim Hodges, UPS Freight
First Place 5-Axle Van – David “Craig” Warner, UPS Freight
First Place Tank Truck – Clarence Jenkins, Jr., UPS Freight
First Place Flatbed – Kenneth Grimmett, Con-way Freight
First Place Twin Trailers – Don Young, FedEx Freight
First Place Sleeper Berth – William Adkins, FedEx Freight
First Place Step Van – Stephen Estep, FedEx Ground
Pre-Trip Inspection Award – James Vincent May, FedEx Freight
Rookie of the Year: Bobby Elliot, FedEx Freight
Team Champion Award: UPS Freight
All first place drivers will compete in the American Trucking Associations’ National Truck Driving Championship – also known as the Super Bowl of Safety – taking place in Pittsburgh, PA, August 12-16, 2014.
