FedEx Driver Wins Second National Truck Driving Championship

Representing Connecticut at the 85th National Truck Driving Championships in Indianapolis, Roland Bolduc took home top honors for the second time in five years.

Bolduc was named Bendix Grand Champion for earning the highest overall marks in the national truck driving safety competition. A professional from FedEx Express, he went up against 400 of the country’s most skilled truckers to earn the blue ribbon.

“Congratulations to Roland and the great team at FedEx for being crowned Bendix Grand Champion,” American Trucking Associations President and CEO Chris Spear reportedly said. “It has been a long road for these drivers to get here, and to emerge as the best of a truly elite group is a tremendous honor. Roland’s commitment to safety and professionalism is an example of what this industry and this event are truly about.”

Having won the national title in 2017, Bolduc has amassed over 2.5 million safe driving miles during his more than 40-year truck driving career. He was also named an America’s Road Team Captain in 2000.

“I feel fantastic. I’m just almost overwhelmed with emotion. It’s unbelievable. I never thought this was mine,” Bolduc reportedly said. “I was looking at other drivers and expecting them to be winning this award. So, it was just, such a shock, such a shock.”

Other category winners and finalists include the following.

Three-Axle Division

1. Wilbert Vano, XPO Logistics Inc. (New Jersey)
2. Chris Poynor, XPO Logistics Inc. (Washington)
3. Brian Walker, TForce Freight (North Carolina)

Four-Axle Division

1. Martin McMahon, RIST Transport (New York)
2. Miguel Corral, UPS (Illinois)
3. David Rohman, FedEx Express (North Carolina)

Five-Axle Division

1. David Guinn, Publix Super Markets Inc. (Florida)
2. Timothy Banasiak, UPS (Illinois)
3. Alphonso Lewis, Yellow (Alabama)

Flatbed Division

1. Eric Ramsdell, Walmart Transportation LLC (Arizona)
2. Raymond Waage, FedEx Freight (New York)
3. Kenneth Rageth, FedEx Freight (Wyoming)

Sleeper Berth Division

1. Roland Bolduc, FedEx Express (Connecticut)
2. Eric Courville, FedEx Freight (Louisiana)
3. Charles White, Walmart Transportation LLC (Indiana)

Straight Truck Division

1. Christopher Shaw, FedEx Express (New Mexico)
2. Michael Bills, FedEx Express (North Carolina)
3. Jesse Benkert, FedEx Ground (Kentucky)

Tank Truck Division

1. Michael Flippin, FedEx Freight (Colorado)
2. Heladio Fernandez, FedEx Freight (Oregon)
3. Dennis Shirar, Walmart Transportation LLC (Indiana)

Twins Division

1. Damien Hebert, XPO Logistics Inc. (Louisiana)
2. Leslie Smyth, FedEx Freight (Florida)
3. Jeffrey Langenhahn, XPO Logistics Inc. (Wisconsin)

Step Van Division

1. Gregory Long, FedEx Express (Maryland)
2. Ceth Christensen, UPS (Illinois)
3. Jerome De La Cruz, FedEx Express (Alaska)

Tyler Tollefson, from FedEx Freight, was named 2022 Rookie of the Year at the event. Rookie drivers are first-timers at the state level who demonstrate the skills to advance to the national championship. This year’s field included 22 rookie drivers.

The great state of North Carolina earned the National Truck Driving Championship Team award, with five truckers making the finals. New York and Connecticut finished second and third, respectively. Michelle Wells, of the South Dakota Trucking Association, received the Sam Gillette Volunteer of the Year Award and Anthony Spero was honored with the Neil Darmstadter Professional Excellence Award.

Sources:

https://www.ttnews.com/articles/roland-bolduc-captures-ntdc-crown-second-time

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/roland-bolduc-crowned-grand-champion-at-85th-national-truck-driving-championships-301609453.html