ORLANDO (CORRECTED) -- The American Trucking Associations’ board of directors on Tuesday voted to make the National Truck Driving Championships more inclusive by allowing non-ATA members of state trucking associations to compete in the annual safety competition. The decision was made during the group’s Management Conference and Exhibition in Orlando, Fla.

“We’ve long billed this event as the ‘Super Bowl of Safety,’ so it is fitting that as college football moves to a more inclusive playoff system, we at ATA give more competitors a chance to test their mettle and compete for a championship,” said ATA president and CEO Bill Graves.

“State association executives are proud of their members, particularly those that choose to compete in state truck driving championships,” said Anne Lynch, executive director of the Massachusetts Trucking Association and current Trucking Association Executives Council chairman. “By making the national competition more inclusive, we’ll see even more competitors and we’ll be able to truly find the industry’s best drivers.”

ATA's National Truck Driving Championships and National Step Van Driving Championships are held annually, with the winner being named the National Truck Driving Championships Grand Champion. In 2014, NTDC will be held Aug. 12-16 in Pittsburgh, Pa.

Corrected 10/27 to change dates as provided by ATA.