FORT SMITH, Ark., July 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- ABF Freight System, Inc.®, is sending 16 championship drivers from 10 states to the 73rd National Truck Driving Championships, August 3-8, 2010, in Columbus, Ohio. By winning state truck driving championships and by maintaining an accident-free driving record for the previous 12 months, professional drivers earn the right to compete in the National Championships.
Among the competitors representing ABF are six repeat winners from 2009, three former National Champion Drivers and four 2010 state driving Grand Champions.
Name State Category Awards and Recognition Garry Holliman Arkansas Three Axle Grand Champion National Champion 2006, Tony Spero* Connecticut Sleeper 2009 Timothy Melody Idaho Twins Christopher Blandford Kentucky Twins National Champion 1994, John Hazlett* New Jersey Tank Truck 2000, 2007 Highest Written Score 2010 Michael Contreras* New Mexico Flatbed Ralph Garcia* New Mexico Sleeper Steve Limas New Mexico Five Axle Straight Kirk Weis New Mexico Truck Grand Champion Rosey Jarzenski Ohio Sleeper National Champion 1995 Straight Richard Bachman Pennsylvania Truck Grand Champion Peter Root Vermont Three Axle John Dill Wyoming Twins Highest Interview Score Highest Pre-Trip Score Gary Mason* Wyoming Five Axle Highest Written Score Straight Roger Phillips Wyoming Truck Andrew Walston* Wyoming Four Axle Highest Driving Score Grand Champion An asterisk (*) denotes repeat winners from 2009.
Team Championship trophies were also awarded to the ABF driving teams in Arkansas, New Mexico and Wyoming.
"ABF is extremely proud of our drivers who have earned the privilege to compete in this year's National Truck Driving Championships. These 16 drivers are just a small sampling of the ABF professional drivers who on a daily basis safely deliver and protect the goods entrusted to us, bringing unmatched value-added logistics solutions to our customers," said Sam Cates, ABF safety and security director. "The reputation ABF enjoys as a trusted supply-chain partner and an industry leader in safety will be well represented with this group."
Known informally as the "Super Bowl of Safety," the annual event is sponsored by the Safety and Loss Prevention Management Council of the American Trucking Associations to promote driving safety among the nation's three million professional truck drivers. Competitive divisions include straight truck, three-axle, four-axle, five-axle, tank truck, flatbed, five-axle sleeper, twins and step van. The comprehensive competitions include written examinations, pre-trip inspection and a demonstration of braking, parking, backing and maneuvering skills.
Established in 1923, ABF® is best-in-class for safety, security, technology and freight-handling. InformationWeek, CIO, InfoWorld, and BtoB magazines have cited ABF's strategic use of information technology as exemplary. ABF is a five-time winner of the American Trucking Associations President's Trophy for Safety and the only five-time winner of the Excellence in Security Award. ABF is the only carrier to earn both the Excellence in Claims/Loss Prevention Award and the Excellence in Security Award in the same year, which ABF accomplished twice.
ABF provides guaranteed service for expedited or time-definite shipments via its TimeKeeper® service. Regional shipments are handled via the carrier's RPM® Network, providing next-day and second-day shipping. The ABF system stretches throughout North America, with local service centers serving all 50 states, Canada, Mexico, Guam and Puerto Rico. Globally, the carrier serves 250 ports in more than 130 countries.
ABF is the largest subsidiary of Arkansas Best Corporation . Mr. Russ Aikman, director of marketing & Contact: public relations Telephone: (479) 785-8913 Websites: http://www.abf.com/ http://www.timekeeper.com/ http://www.freightvalue.com/ http://www.upack.com/
ABF Freight System, Inc.
CONTACT: Mr. Russ Aikman, director of marketing & public relations of
ABF Freight System, Inc., +1-479-785-8913
Web Site: http://www.abfs.com/
