Happy Labor Day Weekend!

We hope you and yours have a safe and restful holiday weekend.

Here is a reminder to help you do just that:

Labor Day weekend is one of the deadliest times for traffic fatalities. The National Safety Council estimates 405 fatalities this Labor Day weekend.

In an effort to keep roadways safe, the NSC offers these safe driving tips for Labor Day weekend travelers:

• Don’t drink and drive. Law officials will be in full force focusing attention on impaired drivers.
• If you do drink, make arrangements for a designated driver or a taxi.
• Wear your seat belt. It is estimated that 148 people may survive collisions this weekend because they will have worn safety belts.
• Enforce a distraction-free zone for drivers. This includes cell phones, gps, etc.
• Ensure children are in properly installed safety seats appropriate for their size.
• Allow plenty of travel time to discourage speeding and frustration.
• Drive alert and exercise extreme caution at all times.

Here is another quick reminder. National Truck Driver Appreciation Week is scheduled for September 11-17. ATA will be joining America’s Road Team and ATA First Vice Chairman Kevin Burch for an event in Dayton, Ohio during the week of NTDAW and encourages motor carriers and suppliers throughout the industry to hold appreciation events for professional truck drivers. Visit the official NTDAW webpage to see the NTDAW toolkit including suggested events, sample op-eds and press releases to generate local appreciation of drivers, and sample state proclamations to make NTDAW a recognized week in each state.

Charles White Named Bendix Grand Champion
2016 National Truck Driving Championships

American Trucking Associations announced Charles White as the Bendix Grand Champion of the 2016 National Truck Driving Championships in Indianapolis.

“After an impressive showing throughout the week, Charles White emerged as the most skilled and knowledgeable truck driver in the country,” said ATA President and CEO Chris Spear. “On behalf of the ATA and the trucking community, I want to congratulate Charles and thank the entire field of competitors for participating in these championships. Your commitment to excellence has made the nation’s highways a safer place for everyone.”

To clinch the prestigious title of 2016 Bendix Grand Champion, White’s driving skills and knowledge of transportation and truck safety surpassed the over 430 other professional truck drivers competing in Indianapolis this week.

White, who also took home the 3-axle class title, lives in nearby Nineveh, Indiana and drives professionally for Walmart Transportation.

ATA also recognized Richard Merich as the 2016 Rookie of the Year. Merich took home the honor after a strong performance in the flatbed division. The team of drivers from South Carolina produced the best collective score, with an average of 278.13, and were honored as the top state delegation.

Professionalism and dedication to the trucking industry were key themes during the National Truck Driving Championships. Charles Woodland was honored during the awards banquet with the Neill Darmstadter Professional Excellence Award and Chris Ignowski, CDS was chosen as the Lifetime Volunteer Award recipient.

ACT 1 served as a premier sponsor of the 2016 National Truck Driving Championships and National Step Van Driving Championships, which took place Aug. 10-13 at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis.

Since 2011, Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems has been the sole sponsor of the Bendix National Truck Driving Championships Grand Champion.

Collectively, this week’s competitors have accumulated more than 600 million safe-driving miles during their careers as professional truck drivers.

Champions from each of the 9 classes and the top state delegation were also announced. Joining Charles White on the list of national champions are:

3-Axle: Charles White, Nineveh, Indiana, Walmart Transportation
4-Axle: Ronald Metternick, Lowell, Michigan, FedEx Freight
5-Axle: Toby Kort, Aurora, Nebraska, FedEx Freight
Flatbed: Jay Love, Davis, South Dakota, FedEx Freight
Sleeper Berth: Larry Breen, Bushnell, Florida, Walmart Transportation
Straight Truck: Charles Randolph, Belle, West Virginia, PITT OHIO
Tank Truck: Jeffrey Langenhahn, Plover, Wisconsin, XPO Logistics
Twins: Chris Poynor, Richland, Washington, XPO Logistics
Step Van: Frank Woods, Shawsville, Virginia, FedEx Express

Other Awards:
Rookie of the Year: Richard Merich, Lochbuie, Colorado, FedEx Freight
Team Champions: South Carolina
Vehicle Condition: William Pudney, Minneapolis, Minnesota, FedEx Freight
Neill Darmstadter Professional Excellence: Charles Woodland, Surprise, Arizona, FedEx Freight
Lifetime Volunteer Award: Chris Ignowski, CDS, FedEx Ground