When safety is achieved, everyone wins.
427 drivers from 50 states competed this summer at the 2019 National Truck Driving Championships (NTDC) for the title of Grand Champion. This year’s winner was Scott Woodrome, a professional truck driver for FedEx Freight from Ohio, who was crowned Grand Champion for the second year in a row!
Winning the title of Grand Champion for two consecutive years is no easy feat: only one other driver has done it and that was 20 years ago. Throughout his 26-year career driving, Scott has driven more than 1.9 million safe miles. Scott told the news that his driving performance is a result of “constant practice, meticulous attention to detail and seriousness about his profession.”
During an interview with TMAF, Scott said he was proud and excited to take part in NTDC, the industry’s celebration of safety. Scott said, “NTDC is a great time to be with fellow drivers that care about safety.” He described winning the Championships as a “wonderful and overwhelming” experience.
Scott also discussed his personal commitment to safety, which is prioritized by drivers throughout FedEx and the entire industry. FedEx’s slogan is “Safety Above All,” and Scott said that is the slogan is “Not just something we say, but that we believe in. From management down to associates, safety comes first. When you apply those qualities, you will come out on the safe end. When safety is achieved, everyone wins.”
Another professional driver for FedEx, John Sanderson from Oregon, won the title of Rookie of the Year. This is the fifth consecutive year that a FedEx driver won the title.
NTDC, which is hosted annually by the American Trucking Associations, is known as the “Super Bowl of Safety,” because only the best drivers with the strongest safety records can compete. To qualify for the competition, drivers must have accumulated accident-free miles for at least one year prior to the competitions. Drivers compete in nine different classes of vehicles as well as for the title of national Grand Champion.
You can watch the 2019 award ceremony here:
