Reddaway professional drivers and safety superstars Jeff Payne, John VanBuren and Dan Istre are competing this week at the 2014 National Truck Driving Championships (NTDC) held in Pittsburgh, Pa. Drivers must finish first in their respective classes at their state professional driver competitions to qualify to compete at the NTDC.
Jeff Payne placed first in the Twin Trailers class at the Utah State Truck Driving Championships; John VanBuren placed first in the Straight Truck category at the Oregon State Truck Driving Championships; and Dan Istre won first in the Sleeper class at the Idaho State Truck Driving Championships.
Reddaway professional driver Jeff Payne has been in the transportation industry for 29 years and has spent the past 21 years driving for Reddaway. This year’s triumph marks a record-setting thirteenth win at the Utah State Truck Driving Championships. He was named Utah State Grand Champion in 2003 and 2011. Jeff has also achieved the milestone of safely driving for twenty years without an accident. In addition, he was the Utah State Driver of the month in 2002. Jeff currently operates as a pickup and delivery driver out of the Reddaway St. George, Utah service center. In 2003 and 2011, he earned nationwide first place safe driving awards at the National Truck Driving Championships in the Twin Trailers category. Jeff, a true safety professional, states: “I compete to improve my knowledge of the industry and improve my safety skills on the road.”
This is the second year in a row that John VanBuren has taken top honors in the Straight Truck category in the state of Oregon. He has been competing in truck driving competitions for the past eleven years and has won four first place trophies (2003, 2005, 2010, 2013) in the state of Oregon prior to this year’s win. John has been in the transportation industry for 25 years and has spent 23 years driving for Reddaway. He operates as a pickup and delivery driver out of the Reddaway Medford, Oregon service center. John enjoys comparing his safe driving skills and experience against other professional drivers.
Dan Istre has been driving professionally for 36 years and has spent the past 21 years driving for Reddaway. He first started competing in state truck driving competitions in 1999. This year, he will have competed in four NTDC competitions after winning Idaho state driving championships in 1999, 2002, 2009 and 2014. Dan was Idaho Driver of the Year in 2010. He currently operates as a linehaul driver out of the Reddaway Boise, Idaho service center. Safety is important to Dan. He strives to “keep our roads as accident-free as possible” while sharing safety information with the public.
“The National Truck Driving Championships is the premier stage for truck safety in the country, reserved for only the very best professional drivers in the nation,” said T.J. O’Connor, president of Reddaway. “Our three safety professionals are at the top of their field, and we are extremely proud to have them on our team. It is world-class, safety-committed drivers like Jeff, John and Dan that make Reddaway the reliable industry-leader it is today. Congratulations to these three champions and best of luck in Pittsburgh.”
In order to qualify for these events, drivers must remain accident-free the entire year prior to competition. Competitions consist of a driven portion, pre-trip inspection, and a written exam on subjects such as laws, regulations and vehicle maintenance.
