Skilled Professional Drivers Representing 37 States Will Compete in Pittsburgh Aug. 18-22
SAN MATEO, CA -- (Marketwire) -- 07/27/09 -- Con-way Inc. (NYSE: CNW) today announced that
it will send 89 drivers -- one-third more than ever before -- to the 72nd
annual American Trucking Associations (ATA) National Truck Driving
Championships in Pittsburgh Aug. 18-22. A total of 88 Con-way Freight
drivers and one Con-way Truckload driver will participate, after qualifying
by winning first place in any of nine equipment classes in state
competition. Last year, 67 Con-way Freight driver sales representatives
took part in the event.
At the nationals, judges evaluate drivers on their skills and knowledge of
safe driving through written examinations, equipment safety inspection
testing and formal driving tests. Since the first national championships in
1937, 11 Con-way Freight drivers have taken National Champion titles in
their equipment classes, including 2006 National Grand Champion Dale Duncan
of Chula Vista, Calif. In 2008, 16 of the company's drivers finished in the
top 10. Jeff Halford of Boise, Idaho, scored highest, completing the
competition at second in the 4-Axle division.
"Con-way Freight's driver sales representatives represent the highest
levels of skill, safety and professionalism in the industry and we are
fortunate to have them as the face of Con-way Freight at our customers'
facilities, on the highways and in our service centers," said Bob
Petrancosta, vice president of safety, Con-way Freight. "Their
unprecedented success in this year's state driving championships is even
further evidence of their talent and dedication, and I wish them the best
of luck in Pittsburgh next month."
Con-way Freight U.S. competition highlights:
-- 1,054 drivers participated in 48 state-level competitions
-- 88 took State Champion honors in 37 states, the most in Con-way
Freight's 26-year history
-- 84 won second place and another 84 won third place
-- 12 won State Grand Champion titles for highest point total in their
state's competition
-- Nine state teams took trophies for top collective performances in
Idaho, Kentucky, Nevada, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont,
Virginia and West Virginia
In this year's Canadian provincial competitions, three Con-way Freight
driver sales representatives won first place in their equipment classes.
Brian Hrabarchuk of Manitoba and Shawn Pietracupa of Ontario were
Provincial Champions in the 3-Axle division, while Roger Mailloux of
Ontario took first place in the Step Van division introduced in state and
provincial championships this year. Canada's 2009 national competition has
been cancelled due to economic conditions.
Additionally, Con-way Truckload driver Billy Pritchett won first place in
the 5-Axle Sleeper division at the 2009 Missouri Truck Driving
Championships June 5-6. He will represent the company at the U.S. nationals
in Pittsburgh Aug. 18-22.
ATA will award the National Champion in each equipment class a check for
$1,000, as well as a plaque and gold belt buckle. The organization honors
the event's overall Grand Champion with a plaque and commemorative diamond
ring, as well as industry-wide recognition as "The Best Truck Driver in
America."
Since 1999, Con-way Freight has recognized each of its equipment class
National Champions with a new Ford F-150 pickup truck, along with the use
of a customized commercial tractor displaying the driver's name and
championship title. The company also awards any of its drivers named Grand
Champion a $7,500 prize.
The following U.S. Con-way Freight drivers will participate in the national
competition:
Name Class City State
Shawn Skellett Tankers Birmingham AL
Danny Fuller Tankers Jonesboro AR
Jerry Baker 3-Axle Flagstaff AZ
Dale Duncan 5-Axle San Diego CA
Marcos Lozoya Tankers Sacramento CA
Javier Saucedo Straight Truck Los Angeles CA
Steven Turner Twins Los Angeles CA
Jason Kuehne Twins Fort Collins CO
Tony Carter 5-Axle Flatbed Jacksonville FL
Dennis Day 5-Axle Sleeper Norcross GA
John Dillon 5-Axle Flatbed Atlanta GA
Richard Barre Straight Truck Ottumwa IA
Scott Marnin Twins Des Moines IA
Jeffrey Wickwire 4-Axle Cedar Rapids IA
Matthew Clemens Tankers Boise ID
Jeffrey Halford 4-Axle Boise ID
Joshua Jetton 3-Axle Boise ID
James Lowry Step Van Boise ID
Aaron McCormick 4-Axle Indianapolis IN
Thomas Brown Twins La Salle IL
Lee Eastburn 5-Axle Sleeper Quad Cities IL
Gary Risman Straight Truck Salem IL
Joe Trifiletti 4-Axle Wichita KS
Steve Farmer 4-Axle Louisville KY
Brian Laytart Straight Truck Lexington KY
Carl Morrison Tankers Louisville KY
Brandon Souder 5-Axle Flatbed Florence KY
Mike Whitt 5-Axle Sleeper Lexington KY
Marco Becerra Step Van New Orleans LA
Jerry Farmer 4-Axle Shreveport LA
Leroy Williams Straight Truck Baton Rouge LA
Brent Grendell 5-Axle Sleeper Worcester MA
Richard Sweeney 5-Axle Flatbed Springfield MA
Nelson Girard 3-Axle Portland ME
Ronald Looks Straight Truck Cadillac MI
Edward O'Mara 5-Axle Sleeper Detroit MI
Albert Hockett 4-Axle Rolla MO
Wayne Darnell Twins Poplar Bluff MO
Wyatt Hooper 5-Axle Springfield MO
John Phillips Straight Truck Jackson MS
Bryce Campbell 5-Axle Flatbed Missoula MT
Scott Ruth 3-Axle Butte MT
Keith Gendron Straight Truck Bismarck ND
Steven Johnson 3-Axle Fargo ND
Brad Morrow Twins Fargo ND
Jonathon Simonson 5-Axle Sleeper Fargo ND
Bryan Wold Tankers Fargo ND
Wilbert Vano 3-Axle Newark NJ
Keith Zujkowski 5-Axle Sleeper South Plainfield NJ
Tom Fullerton Tankers Albuquerque NM
Gary Sanders 3-Axle Gallup NM
Steve Bardsley Twins Reno NV
Brian Becker Tankers Reno NV
Brandon Hardy 5-Axle Flatbed Las Vegas NV
Robert Zehren 3-Axle Las Vegas NV
Jeffrey Chambrovich 3-Axle Elmsford NY
David Christie 5-Axle Sleeper Buffalo NY
Bob Dolan Straight Truck Allentown PA
Dale Knox Tankers Erie PA
Gary Blanchard Twins Providence RI
Russell Oliveira 3-Axle Providence RI
Jimmy McAlister Twins Greenville SC
Jonathan Morgan Step Van Columbia SC
Ron Gasper 3-Axle Watertown SD
Les Gonsor 5-Axle Watertown SD
David Smith 5-Axle Flatbed Sioux Falls SD
Sam Aker 5-Axle Flatbed Memphis TN
Terry Certain 3-Axle Nashville TN
Steve Heinz 5-Axle Flatbed Knoxville TN
Dale Williams 5-Axle Sleeper Knoxville TN
Oscar Ramos 5-Axle Sleeper Harlingen TX
David Klemme 4-Axle Salt Lake City UT
John Patea Twins Salt Lake City UT
Lynn Wilson 5-Axle Salt Lake City UT
Richard Kinsey 5-Axle Flatbed Winchester VA
Pete Nuckols Straight Truck Wytheville VA
Mike Stickley 4-Axle Winchester VA
David McGranaghan Tankers Burlington VT
Steve Slack Twins St. Johnsbury VT
Bill Glasco 3-Axle Tacoma WA
Chris Poynor Twins Pasco WA
Rick Bernard Step Van Milwaukee WI
Jeffrey Langenhahn Twins Stevens Point WI
Michael Weeks 5-Axle Flatbed Sheboygan WI
Tim Bailey Straight Truck Clarksburg WV
Larry Gorby Twins Charleston WV
Kenneth Grimmett 5-Axle Flatbed Charleston WV
Mike Williams 3-Axle Huntingdon WV
Follow the company on Twitter: http://twitter.com/Con_way_.
Con-way equipment images are available at
www.con-way.com/en/about_con_way/newsroom.
About Con-way Inc.
Con-way Inc. (NYSE: CNW) is a $5 billion freight transportation and
logistics services company headquartered in San Mateo, Calif. A diversified
transportation company, Con-way delivers industry-leading services through
three primary operating companies: Con-way Freight, Con-way Truckload and
Menlo Worldwide Logistics. These operating units provide high-performance,
day-definite less-than-truckload (LTL) and full truckload and intermodal
freight transportation, as well as logistics, warehousing and supply chain
management services and trailer manufacturing. Con-way Inc. and its
subsidiaries operate from more than 500 locations across North America and
in 20 countries. For more information about Con-way, visit www.con-way.com.
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Contacts:
KG Partners
Belinda Donovan/Amber Caouette
(207) 773-0700
bdonovan@kgmoment.com
acaouette@kgmoment.com
Con-way Inc.
Tom Nightingale
(734) 757-1609
nightingale.tom@con-way.com