Welcome 2013!

We hope your New Year is a safe and prosperous one and that all your resolutions come to pass.

If you are looking for something to do in 2013, why not check into entering or assisting in the National Truck Driving Championships this year.

The National Truck Driving Championships is a competition of professional truck drivers hosted each year by American Trucking Associations.  This competition has a long history – dating back to 1937 when it was known as the National Truck Roadeo. The NTDC competitors are made up of the winners in eight classes of competition from 50 State Trucking Associations’ Truck Driving Championships, as well as the winners of the auto transporters class at the regional TDCs.

 The NTDC and affiliated state TDCs are considered one of the industry’s largest and most effective safety programs.  Known to many as the "Super Bowl of Safety," these annual competitions inspire tens of thousands of drivers to operate accident-free for the right to compete. 

The 2013 National Truck Driving Championships will be held in Salt Lake City, UT on August 20-24. The National Truck Driving Championships pits the top qualifiers from each state’s Truck Driving Championships against each other in pursuit of the title of Grand Champion. To qualify, a driver competes in one of eight equipment categories in the state his or her CDL was issued in or the state in which his or her company has corporate domicile.   

The categories are:

Straight Truck
Three-Axle Tractor-Semi trailer
Four-Axle Tractor-Semi trailer Five-Axle Tractor-Semi trailer (Tank)   
Five-Axle Tractor-Semi trailer (Van)
Five-Axle Tractor-Semi trailer (Flatbed)
Five-Axle Tractor (Sleeper Cab) -Semi trailer (Van)
Twin Trailers

To be eligible, a driver must maintain continuous employment with a motor carrier fleet for a period of at least one year and remain accident free, regardless of fault, for one year prior to NTDC. 

Rules and requirements can vary slightly from state to state.  Please contact your local State Trucking Association for their complete regulations. 

And, just as a reminder, National Truck Driver Appreciation Week will be September 15 - 21, 2013.

Latest Forum Topics

Canadian Trucking
How old is your truck?

Trucking Industry Health to Remain Strong through 2013

A new report indicates that truckers' confidence in their employment will likely rise considerably in the years ahead, as the industry is expected to see a significant improvement from an economic perspective.

The study, which was conducted jointly by IHS Global Insight and Martin Labbe Associates on behalf of the American Trucking Associations, revealed that truckers will take on a more prominent role in the transportation industry, thanks to a projected rise in revenue, total freight tonnage and services needed. By 2023, the commercial trucking industry will see freight revenues increase to 81.7 percent from 80.9 percent in 2011. In addition, overall freight tonnage will expand by 21 percent compared to last year, the report noted.

Bob Costello, ATA chief economist, said the analysis confirms the notion that the trucking sector controls most of the freight volume that moves throughout the country and will do so for the foreseeable future.

"The trucking industry continues to dominate the freight transportation industry in terms of both tonnage and revenue, comprising 67% of tonnage and 81% of revenue in 2011," said Costello.

Should the forecast prove to be accurate, more trucking jobs could result to account for the increased demand of trucking services.

Well, the world didn’t end last year and since we promised we’d post the results of the TruckDriver.com Mayan Calendar Survey if we were still around, here they are:

Will the world end in 2012, like the Mayan Calendar predicts?

Yes - 10%
No - 67%
The Mayans were crazy - 23%

We haven’t checked yet (we will!) but we’re going to find out how many of you Naysayers waited until after the 21st to complete the survey.

While we’re checking that, you can check this - the TruckDriver.com New Year Survey.

Until next time, keep on truckin’ and please drive safely.

Happy New Year!

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