GREENWICH, Conn. , July 10, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- XPO (: XPO), a leading provider of freight transportation in North America, today announced that 41 of its drivers will represent the company at this year’s National Truck Driving Championships (NTDC), known as the "Super Bowl of Safety.” Each of the drivers earned finalist status by winning first place in a state-level competition and will compete for a national title from August 16 to 19 in Columbus, Ohio.
The NTDC is the foremost U.S. showcase of precision truck driving skills and safety knowledge. All of XPO’s NTDC finalists have held perfect safety records for at least one year and the majority have achieved one million miles or more of accident-free driving — a feat that typically takes an XPO driver nine years to achieve, on average.
Mario Harik, chief executive officer of XPO, said, "I’m proud that our NTDC finalists are attracting national attention to the caliber of XPO’s 13,000 drivers and our high standards for safety, freight handling and customer service. Congratulations to each of our 41 competitors, including our six state Grand Champions. We’ll be rooting for you in Columbus.”
XPO’s NTDC finalists hail from 24 states and represent the company’s largest number of nationalcompetitors in eight years. The six state Grand Champions on the team range from XPO’s youngest finalist to legendary names on the NTDC circuit nationwide. They are:
- Ina Daly (Arizona): 2023 is Ina’s 16th competition as a national finalist representing Arizona and the 10th anniversary of her groundbreaking NTDC win as the first woman to be named a national Grand Champion.
- Robert Dean (Washington): A 20-year veteran of XPO, Robert heads to the NTDC for the fifth time. He trains alongside Chris Poynor, his cousin and fellow XPO driver and a national runner-up in 2022.
- Brandon Hardy (Nevada): Earning his ninth trip to the NTDC national competition, Brandon is a go-to mentor on the XPO driver team and a motivated safety ambassador who is constantly honing his skills.
- Joe Hicks (Rhode Island): Joe is a legend in Rhode Island truck driving competitions. He returns to the NTDC national event after successfully defending his state’s Grand Champion title for the fifth time.
- Lorenso Ramos (New Jersey): Lorenso was named New Jersey Grand Champion for the first time this year, receiving a stellar score for his driving skills, as well as the best written test score and best pre-trip inspection ranking.
- Kolton Schutlz (Idaho): At age 27, Kolton is the youngest finalist on XPO’s team for the second straight year. He follows in the footsteps of his father Clint, an XPO customer service representative and former truck driver who previously competed nationally.
About XPO
XPO (: XPO) is one of the largest providers of asset-based less-than-truckload (LTL) transportation in North America, with proprietary technology that moves goods efficiently through its network. Together with its business in Europe, XPO serves approximately 48,000 customers with 558 locations and 38,000 employees. The company is headquartered in Greenwich, Conn., USA. Visit xpo.com for more information, and connect with XPO on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube.
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