YRC Worldwide Inc. announced today that twenty-one of its professional drivers will compete at the 2019 National Truck Driving Championships (NTDC), the “Superbowl of Safety.” The event, sponsored by the American Trucking Association, runs from August 14-17 at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh, Pa.
The YRC Worldwide team includes sixteen drivers from YRC Freight, two drivers from Holland and three from Reddaway. They will compete against over 430 of the nation’s most elite professional drivers in a variety of safety challenges and competitions. To qualify for NTDC, drivers must first take top honors in class at their respective state competitions, maintain continuous employment with a motor carrier fleet for a period of at least one year, and remain accident-free, regardless of fault, for one year prior to NTDC.
The competition consists of: 1) driver skills challenge; 2) pre-trip inspection; and 3) written exam on subjects such as laws, regulations and vehicle maintenance. Winners are determined based on overall scores at the end of competition. First, second and third-place finishers compete for each class, plus a Professional Excellence award, Vehicle Condition award, Rookie of the Year award, and the ultimate–the Grand Champion award (the competitor with the highest overall score across all classes).
“The National Truck Driving Championships is a highly respected event,” said Darren Hawkins, YRC Worldwide Chief Executive Officer. “Just qualifying for this competition is an exceptional accomplishment. We are very proud of our professional drivers who are safety champions in their respective states. Through dedication, a lot of hard work, and a formidable safety focus, these drivers have established themselves as professionals and some of the very best drivers in the United States. Congratulations and the best of luck at NTDC! I thank each of them, as well as all of our hard-working, safety focused YRC Freight, Holland, Reddaway, and New Penn employees. We are all winners when our roads are traveled by drivers with a strong safety focus.”
The 2019 YRC Worldwide National Truck Driving Championships Team:
| YRC Freight Drivers | State | Class |
| Phil Beck | Texas | Twins |
| Randy Ebinger | Virginia | 4-Axle |
| Mike Erick | Connecticut | Twins |
| Russ James | Montana | Tanker |
| Mike Johnson | New Mexico | 3-Axle |
| Bill Krouse | Minnesota | Flatbed |
| Alphonso Lewis | Alabama | 5-Axle |
| Henry Mahler | Florida | Flatbed |
| Kevin Mailand | Kansas | 3-Axle |
| Neil Nogues | New Hampshire | Straight Truck |
| Kurt Royer | Maryland | 4-Axle |
| Jeff Slaten | Florida | 3-Axle |
| Richard Thatcher | Ohio | 3-Axle |
| Paul Unser | Idaho | Straight Truck |
| Wade Wagemann | South Dakota | 5-Axle |
| Jimmie Wisley | Kansas | 4-Axle |
| Holland Drivers | State | Class |
| Charles Hyatt | Indiana | 5-Axle |
| Mike Tobolic | Michigan | Tanker |
| Reddaway Drivers | State | Class |
| Robert Campos | California | Twins |
| Carlos Montoya | California | 3-Axle |
| Jeff Payne | Utah | Twins |
| Additional Awards Received at State Competitions | ||
| Driver | Company | Award |
| Bill Krouse | YRC Freight | Minnesota Grand Champion |
| Kevin Mailand | YRC Freight | Kansas Grand Champion & |
| Highest Field Test Score | ||
| Kurt Royer | YRC Freight | Maryland Grand Champion |
| Paul Unser | YRC Freight | Idaho Grand Champion |
| Neil Nogues | YRC Freight | New Hampshire First Place Pre-Trip |
| Doug Pohl | YRC Freight | KMCA 40-Year Award |
| Josh Kasinger | Holland | Michigan Rookie of the Year |
| Robert Mitchell | Reddaway | Utah Rookie of the Year |
The National Truck Driving Championships bring elite drivers, the “best of the best,” dedicated safety professionals and their families together for a special week of safety superiority, enhanced knowledge, pride and comradery. Most drivers who attend say that it is one of the highlights of their careers.
Fans and supporters of Holland, Reddaway and YRC Freight professional drivers are invited to follow their NTDC progress on Facebook.
