Con-way's Langenhahn named National Truck Driving Grand Champion.
Press Release Summary:
Jeffrey Langenhahn, Con-way Freight professional truck driver based in Plover, WI, was named 2014 Bendix Grand Champion at 77th annual National Truck Driving Championships. ATA President and CEO Bill Graves applauded all competitors "for their achievements and dedication to safety" and specifically congratulated Langenhahn on his "superior driving skill and commitment to safety." Langenhahn's driving skills and transportation and safety knowledge topped 426 other professional drivers.
Original Press Release:
Con-way Freight's Langenhahn Named National Truck Driving Grand Champion
PITTSBURGH -- Today, Jeffrey Langenhahn, a Con-way Freight professional truck driver based in Plover, Wisc., was named the 2014 Bendix Grand Champion at the 77th annual National Truck Driving Championships.
"The National Truck Driving Championships competitors are the best of the best - the safest, most skilled and most knowledgeable among professional drivers," said ATA President and CEO Bill Graves. "I applaud all the competitors for their achievements and dedication to safety, and congratulate Jeffrey on his Grand Champion award which showcases his superior driving skill and commitment to safety."
To win the coveted title, Langenhahn's driving skills and knowledge of transportation and truck safety information topped those of 426 other professional drivers from all across the United States in the "Super Bowl of Safety" sponsored by American Trucking Associations.
In route to his title, Langenhahn has logged 28 years as a driver, with over 1.9 million miles behind the wheel. Jeffrey began competing in his state truck driving championships in 1997, and this is his fourth trip to the National Truck Driving Championships. He succeeds Gary Harms, a professional truck driver with Walmart Transportation, as the National Grand Champion.
Also today, David Guinn, a professional driver for Publix Super Markets Inc. from Mulberry, Fla. was named 2014 Rookie of the Year after competing in the Five-Axle division and the North Carolina truck driving championship team won honors as the highest scoring state.
The contestants were the state champions in nine truck types from all 50 states. Collectively, they have driven 653,677,080 accident-free miles.
In their respective classes, drivers tested their expertise in the driving skills they use daily. The competition course inside the David L. Lawrence Convention Center challenged their knowledge of safety, equipment and the industry. The skills course tested drivers' ability to judge distances, maneuver tight spaces, reverse, park, and position their vehicle exactly over scales, before barriers or around curves.
Jeffrey also won the individual tank truck driving competition. Joining Langenhahn as champions in their respective classes:
Straight Truck: Brendan Sharp, FedEx Freight (Henderson, Colo.)Â
Three-Axle: Basher Pierce, FedEx Freight (Sophia, N.C.)Â
Four-Axle: James Quarles, Walmart Transportation LLC (Laurens, S.C.)
Five-Axle: Wayne Gootee, Walmart Transportation (Brooklyn, Mich.)Â
Sleeper Berth Class: Matt Awbrey, Walmart Transportation (Franklin, Ga.)Â
Twins: Jeffrey Langenhahn, Con-way Freight (Plover, Wisc.)Â
Flatbed Class:Â Paul Brandon, FedEx Freight (Oxford, Conn.)Â
Tank Truck Class: Christopher Miller, United Petroleum Transportation (Cowetta, Okla.)Â
Step Van: Christopher Shaw, FedEx Express (Albuquerque, N.M.)
*Editors: A full list of winners is below and high-resolution photos from the competition are available.
ATA's Truck Driving Championships include top professional truck drivers from around the nation competing at state and regional levels to make it to the national competition in Pittsburgh Aug. 13-16. The NTDC annually attracts over 2,500 cheering friends, family, colleagues and spectators.
American Trucking Associationsis the largest national trade association for the trucking industry. Through a federation of 50 affiliated state trucking associations and industry-related conferences and councils, ATA is the voice of the industry America depends on most to move our nation's freight. Follow ATA on Twitter or on Facebook. Trucking Moves America Forward
2014 National Truck Driving Championship Winners:
Grand Champion: Jeffrey Langenhahn, Con-way Freight Â
National Rookie of the Year: David Guinn, Publix Super Markets, Inc.Â
State Team Trophy: North CarolinaÂ
Vehicle Condition Award:Â Jeffrey Payne, ReddawayÂ
Neill Darmstadter Professional Excellence Award:Â Jeffrey Payne, ReddawayÂ
Life-Time Volunteer Award:Sam Gillette
National Champions:
Straight Truck ClassÂ
First Place: Brendan Sharp, FedEx Freight (Henderson, Colo.)Â
Second Place: Rene Molinary, FedEx Express (Coral Springs, Fla.)Â
Third Place: Guy Frederickson, FedEx Ground (Kaukauna, Wisc.)
3-Axle ClassÂ
First Place: Basher Pierce, FedEx Freight, (Sophia, N.C.)Â
Second Place: Edward Pennington, FedEx Freight (Jacksonville, Fla.)Â
Third Place: Joseph Hicks, Con-way Freight (Johnston, R.I.)
4-Axle ClassÂ
First Place: James Quarles, Walmart Transportation LLC (Laurens, S.C.)Â
Second Place: Roy Garcia, Peninsula Truck Lines, Inc. (Otis Orchards, Wash.)Â
Third Place: Edward Carlson, FedEx Freight (Portland, Ore.)
5-Axle ClassÂ
First Place: Wayne Gootee, Walmart Transportation (Brooklyn, Mich.)
Second Place: William Hill, Old Dominion Freight Line (Marsing, Idaho)
Third Place: Richard Hill, Walmart Transportation (Conway, N.H.)
Flatbed ClassÂ
First Place:Â Paul Brandon, FedEx Freight (Oxford, Conn.)Â
Second Place: Brian Walker, UPS Freight (Randleman, N.C.)Â
Third Place: Randall Stromlund, UPS Freight (Sparks, Nev.)
Tank Truck ClassÂ
First Place: Christopher Miller, United Petroleum Transports (Cowetta, Okla.)Â
Second Place: Gary Nickell, The Boeing Company (Fox Island, Wash.)Â
Third Place: James Kroschel, US Foods (Maplewood, Minn.)
Twins ClassÂ
First Place: Jeffrey Langenhahn, Con-way Freight (Plover, Wisc.)Â
Second Place: David Martinez, H-E-B (Natalia, Texas)Â
Third Place: Jeffrey Payne, Reddaway (Cedar City, Utah)
Sleeper Berth ClassÂ
First Place: Matt Awbrey, Walmart Transportation LLC (Franklin, Ga.)Â
Second Place: Ralph Garcia, ABF Freight System Inc. (Albuquerque, N.M.)Â
Third Place: Steve Elliston, Walmart Transportation, LLC (Sparta, Mich.)
Step VanÂ
First Place: Christopher Shaw, FedEx Express (Albuquerque, N.M.)Â
Second Place: Thomas Reinold, FedEx Express (Sutton, Mass.)Â
Third Place: Nick Frazier, FedEx Ground (Granby, Mo.)
CONTACT: Elisabeth Barna, ebarna@trucking.org, (202) 420-8972
