8/19/2011
Paul Phillips, a Con-way Freight professional truck driver from Coarsegold, Calif. was named the 2011 Bendix National Truck Driving Championships Grand Champion. Paul’s driving skills and knowledge of transportation and truck safety information topped those of 428 other professional drivers from all across the United States in the National Truck Driving Championships, held in Orlando, Fla. The 74th annual “Super Bowl of Safety” is sponsored by the American Trucking Associations.
In route to his title, Paul has logged 35 years as a professional truck driver, with over 1.6 million miles behind the wheel. Paul began competing in his state truck driving championships in 2004, and this year he made his second trip to the National Truck Driving Championships.
The contestants were the state champions in nine truck types from all 50 states. Collectively, they have driven 595,155,665 accident-free miles.
Paul also won the individual straight truck driving competition. Joining Paul as champions in their respective classes:
Straight Truck: CA – Paul Phillips, Con-way Freight, Coarsegold, Calif.
Three-Axle: PA – John Hazlett, ABF Freight System, Inc., Philadelphia, Pa.
Four-Axle: KS – Gary Harms, Walmart Transportation LLC, Olathe, Kan.
Five-Axle: GA – Hershel Evans, Holland, Bremen, Ga.
Flatbed: OR – Edward Hawkins, Leavitt’s Freight Service, Springfield, Ore.
Tank Truck: PA – Leo Flack, A. Duie Pyle, Inc., West Chester, Pa.
Twins: UT – Jeffrey W. Payne, Reddaway, Cedar City, Utah
Sleeper Berth: OR – Joshua Carr, Walmart Transportation LLC, McCall, Idaho
Step Van: TN – James Sheehan, FedEx Ground, Hendersonville, Tenn.
Paul Phillips succeeds Carl Krites, a professional truck driver also with Con-way Freight from Wapakoneta, Ohio, as the National Grand Champion.
Michael Andrews, a driver for HEB from Valley Mills, Texas, was named the 2011 National Rookie of the Year after competing in the Three-Axle division.
For complete results please visit the American Trucking Association’s website at www.truckline.com
