“People have told me I might have a chance, but the competition is so fierce that you never know if you’re going to make it until your name is called,” says Jackie Reed, a tanker driver for FedEx Freight in Mississippi. (John Sommers II for Transport Topics)
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INDIANAPOLIS – Like many of the finalists in the 87th annual National Truck Driving Championships and National Step Van Driving Championships, Jackie Reed was decidedly modest about his chances of winning a national title.
But when he drove a tanker truck through the tournament’s notoriously complicated final course on August 24, Reed dazzled in the arena, refusing to let fatigue or distractions get the better of him. After a grueling week of competition, the FedEx Freight driver from Mississippi delivered a stellar performance and left the Indiana Convention Center as the best of the best at the “Super Bowl of Safety.”
In front of a packed JW Marriott ballroom, Reed expressed his gratitude for the famed Bendix Grand Champion Award, making him the 29th man to win the NTDC’s blue ribbon since the award was introduced in 1987. Roland Bolduc of FedEx of Connecticut, the only former Grand Champion competing this week, did not make the finals runoff.
“I’m overwhelmed,” he said. “People have told me I might have a chance, but the competition is so tough and you never know until your name is called.”
National Truck Driving Championships 2024
WHO: Winners from nine categories at the state level who made it to the national competition where a Grand Champion is crowned
What: Participants are assessed based on a written test, a pre-trip inspection and their driving skills.
When: 21-24 August
Where: Indianapolis
Photo gallery: NTDC 2024 in pictures
Banquet Gallery: Highlights of an evening full of awards ceremonies
En route to the Grand Champion blue riband, Reed, who was competing in the national championships for the third time, also claimed the tanker class title. In the finals, he was part of a class of nearly two dozen FedEx drivers competing for a national trophy.
Regarding his entry into the final round of the competition, he said: “This is a huge thing. … (I’m) excited; just overwhelmed, really.” Specifically regarding the course of the final round, he said: “It was good. It was hard … But it was fun.”
He also emphasized that participating in the national championships was a great experience.
The road to success required hours of studying the required facts for NTDC drivers as well as conducting comprehensive pre-drives throughout the year. He credits his 30+ years of professional experience to his competitive mentality. In 2022, Reed became the Magnolia State Grand Champion in the 3-axle class. He had qualified for the state championships in the 3-axle class in 2019. Two years ago, he told TT that when he grew up, he would race for the mailbox with his brothers and challenge himself in other endeavors as well to sharpen his competitive spirit.
Outgoing Chair Patti Gillette delivered the keynote address at the NTDC 2024 Awards Banquet on August 4 in Indianapolis. (John Sommers II for Transportation Issues)
Second place after Reed in the tanker class went to Glen Kirk from Indiana with Old Dominion Freight Line and Terry Covey from Kansas.
Matthew Montandon of Texas took home gold in the van class with FedEx in his first appearance at the national championships. “It’s a great feeling,” he said. “I don’t really know how to describe it.”
Colorado drivers won the team trophy. The Centennial State team was led by Paul Swan of FedEx Freight, who competed in the 4-axle. “It’s the best of the best,” he said. “I finally made it here, so I’m happy about it.”
The team trophy is awarded to the state that achieves the highest average score. Last year, the Connecticut Trucking Association won the NTDC state award for the first time. The vehicle condition award went to James Quarles of Walmart of South Carolina, who competed in the truck class. Rookie of the Year honors went to Todd Gimpel of FedEx Freight of Nebraska, who competed in the double trailer class.
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David Wiechers of ABF Freight was awarded the Sam Gillette Lifetime Volunteer Award for his 11 years of service to NTDC. “We’re the ones who come first, and we stay until the lights go out,” he said, describing his volunteer work. “We have an experienced crew here… and they do a wonderful job.”
Chris Spear, President and CEO of the American Trucking Associations, welcomed the participants before the final round of the tournament.
“This is family. … celebrate your accomplishments,” he told the group. “You made it to the show – never forget that – and I’ll see you all here next year.”
Former ATA Chairman Kevin Burch added, “They are all professional men and women who move America’s goods on time and safely. Every year (NTDC) shows the enthusiasm of the support team, their families, the moms and dads. It’s really nice to see the excitement in their eyes.”
To qualify for the national championships, drivers must win a vehicle class at a national tournament and drive without an accident for a year.
Neill Darmstadt Award
XPO’s Richard Sweeney, the Massachusetts Grand Champion, was named the winner of the Neill Darmstadter Professional Excellence Award. The annual honoree’s professional pedigree is one of the event’s highest honors. Sweeney explained that the “Super Bowl of Safety” is an opportunity for him to meet with other safety soldiers from across the industry, or as he put it, “to see all the participants again, all the friends you’ve made over the years. And once a year, it’s like coming home.”
This week marked his 15th appearance on the national stage, and earlier this year Sweeney tried to capture the essence of what it means to return to the event.
“Hard work, dedication,” he said. “I’m not just doing this from state to nationals… This is a year-round endeavor.”
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