James “Gragg” Wilson gave what is being called a “flawless” performance at the 2023 National Truck Driving Championships, earning him Bendix Grand Champion honors.
“The National Truck Driving Championships shine a deserving light on these great drivers, the families who support them, and the critical role they play in keeping roadways safe for everybody,” Fred Andersky, of Bendix, reportedly said. “
Held at the Greater Columbus Convention Center from Aug. 16-19, American Trucking Associations (ATA) considers the event the “Super Bowl of Safety.” Wilson’s accomplishment crowns a 37-year career and 2.5 million miles without an accident. The United Parcel Service trucker competed in the Tank Truck category. He’s already notched wins in the Nevada State Championship 13 times, competing in six classes and taking home five Grand Champion trophies.
“Congratulations to Grand Champion Gragg and the rest of the 2023 champions. These drivers devote an enormous amount of time preparing for this competition, and the awards reflect the extraordinary dedication and commitment to safety that they bring to their jobs every day,” Dan Van Alstine, ATA Chairman, and President and COO of Ruan Transportation Management Systems, reportedly said.
After being named 2019 Nevada Driver of the Year, the recent grand champion victory makes Wilson, arguably, one of the safest truck drivers on the American landscape. That’s because earning the Bendix Grand Champion title tasks truckers with posting the highest safety accuracy and knowledge score in a field of 419 state champion competitors.
Myron Means, a Wyoming driver for Old Dominion Freight Line, earned 2023 Rookie of the Year. Other category winners include:
- Step Van: Jerome De La Cruz, FedEx Express, Alaska
- Straight Truck: David Coffel, FedEx Express, Arizona
- 3-Axle: Barry Kraemer, XPO, Wisconsin
- 4-Axle: Martin McMahon, RIST Transport, New York
- 5-Axle: John Greene, FedEx Freight, Connecticut
- Flatbed: Daryl Miller, The Cope Company Salt, Pennsylvania
- Twins: Robert Fair, FedEx Freight, New Hampshire
- Sleeper Berth: Roland Bolduc, FedEx Express, Connecticut
- State Team Award: Connecticut
- Vehicle Condition Award: Timothy Blair, FedEx Freight, 5-Axle, Tennessee
- Highest Written Exam Award: Michael Bills, FedEx Express, North Carolina
- Neill Darmstadter Professional Excellence Award: Ina Daly, XPO Logistics, Arizona
- Lifetime Volunteer Award: Bill Graham
Corporate sponsors included Amazon Freight Partner, Fed Ex, Fed Ex Express, Fed Ex Freight, Fed Ex Ground, ABF Freight, DHL, Old Dominion Freight Line, PrePass, United Parcel Service, WalMart-Transportation, XPO, U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Motor Carrier Administration, and PITT OHIO.
Sources:
https://www.trucking.org/news-insights/ata-crowns-national-truck-driving-champions
https://thebrakereport.com/bendix-crowns-the-top-commercial-truck-driver/
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