2024 National Truck and Step Van Driving Championships 

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Over 500 attendees gathered at the 2024 National Truck and Step Van Championships to watch some of the finest professional drivers in the nation compete for the title of Grand Champion.  

 

This year’s Championships, held from August 21-24 in Indianapolis, IN, included over 400 of America’s top drivers showcasing their skills, precision, and safety knowledge across a series of challenging events.  

 

From navigating complex obstacle courses to demonstrating their expertise in pre-trip inspections, these drivers exemplified the dedication and professionalism that are the hallmarks of the trucking industry.  

 

Whether you were not able to attend this year or just want to relive the highlights of the week, keep reading to find out the winners, events, and a little history of the National Truck and Step Van Championships.  

 

Grand Champion, Rookie of the Year, and More! 

Each year, the best of the best of America’s CDL drivers come together to compete in rigorous driving competitions spanning nine vehicle classes, along with vehicle inspection tests and a written exam.  

 

These events highlight the drivers’ talent, speed, and adaptability, but also highlight their commitment to safety and industry standards.  

 

Every competitor must first qualify at a state level championship, competing in one of the nine classes of competition. In addition to winning at the state level, each contender must have been accident free for a year, inspiring safe driving practices among the tens of thousands of drivers vying for a spot annually.   

 

In fact, this year’s 422 competitors had a combined total of nearly 685 million accident-free miles.  

 

This Year’s Award Winners  

In addition to First, Second and Third Place titles for each vehicle class, drivers competed for the Professional Excellence Award, the Vehicle Condition Award, the Rookie of the Year Award, and the most coveted title: the Grand Champion award. 

 

After an impressive performance in every event, he competed in, the American Trucking Association crowned Jackie Reed, a professional driver with FedEx Freight from Mississippi, the 2024 Bendix Grand Champion.  

 

Reed, who has been a professional driver for 34 years and has over 3 million safe driving miles to his name, also came in first place in the tank truck vehicle class.  

 

The rest of the 2024 National Truck and Step Van Driving Championships winners are below:  

 

Vehicle Condition Award:  

  • James Quarles, Walmart Transportation, LLC, South Carolina 

 

Rookie of the Year Award: 

  • Todd Gimpel, FedEx Freight, Nebraska  

 

Step Van:  

  1. Matthew Montandon, FedEx, Texas 
  2. Scott Wickstrom, FedEx, Maine 
  3. Travis Hutchinson, FedEx, Oregon 

 

Straight Truck:  

  1. James Kohr, FedEx, New York 
  2. Christopher Shaw, FedEx, New Mexico 
  3. Corey Mitchell, FedEx Freight, Louisiana 

 

3-Axle: 

  1. David Mogler, FedEx Freight, Colorado 
  2. Ritch Fundell, FedEx Freight, Illinois 
  3. Daniel Shamrell, FedEx Freight, Oregon 

 

4-Axle:  

  1. Joseph Hicks, XPO, Rhode Island 
  2. Dustin Scholle, United Parcel Service, Inc., Illinois 
  3. Paul Swan, FedEx Freight, Colorado 

 

5-Axle:  

  1. Brandon Hardy, XPO, Nevada 
  2. Eric Courville, FedEx Freight, Louisiana 
  3. Nick Gaudette, FedEx Freight, Colorado 

 

Flatbed:  

  1. Ruben Cortez, H-E-B Grocery Co., Texas 
  2. Larry Rhein, FedEx Freight, Arkansas 
  3. Martin McMahon, RIST Transport, New York 

 

Tank Truck:  

  1. Jackie Reed, FedEx Freight, Mississippi 
  2. Glen Kirk, Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc., Indiana 
  3. Terry Covey, FedEx Freight, Kansas 

 

Twins: 

  1. Connor Dent, FedEx Freight, Wisconsin 
  2. Michael Flippin, FedEx Freight, Colorado 
  3. Jeffrey Cochran, FedEx Freight, Arkansas 

 

Sleeper Berth: 

  1. Gregory Ryan, Walmart Transportation, LLC, Arizona 
  2. Andrew Girdley, Walmart Transportation, LLC, Missouri 
  3. James Dixon, A. Duie Pyle, Inc., Connecticut 

 

Written Exam: 

  1. Ritch Fundell, FedEx Freight, Illinois 
  2. Jason Damron, Convoy Systems, LLC, Kansas 

 

State Team Award:  

  1. Colorado 
  2. Illinois 
  3. New York 

 

A Long History of Rodeo  

Originally called the National Truck Rodeo, the Championships have been held since 1937. The first competition came just four years after the founding of the American Trucking Association in 1933.  

  

There have been many memorable moments over the years, and an extensive list of talented drivers who have competed, won, and logged millions of safe driving miles. Over the years, the National Truck and Step Van Driving Championships have provided an opportunity for countless truckers with diverse backgrounds and experience to display the skills, patience, and bravery necessary to succeed in this field.  

 

 

 

 

For more information on current events and trends in the trucking industry, be sure to visit our Truck Driver Blog and connect with us on social media.  

 

For drivers interested in next year’s National Championships, head to the ATA’s website.