The American Trucking Associations announced that Mark Dietsche, a FedEx Freight driver based in Salem,Oregon, is the 2003 National Truck Driving Grand Champion.
Dietsche, who also took the individual Straight Truck title, succeeds Yellow Transportation driver James March of Pennsylvania, last year’s Grand Champion.
Dietsche beat out 360 other professional drivers from all across theU.S.in the National Truck Driving Championships, completed this weekend in Columbus,Ohio. ATA sponsors the event, which it calls the “Super Bowl of Safety.”
Contestants were all state champions in nine truck categories. They represented all 50 states. Tests included an alley dock, a rear line stop, a side park, a scales stop, a right turn, a front line stop, and straight line driving through a diminishing clearance.
Other winners by category included:
Auto Transporter: Thomas Snider,Ohio
Five-Axle: Scott Stoudnour, Jevic Transportation,Pennsylvania
Flatbed: Jim Bryan,FedEx Freight,California
Four-Axle: Dale Duncan, Con-Way Western Express,California
Five-Axle Sleeper: Mark Taylor,Wal-Mart,California
Tank Truck: Weldon Runnels,Wal-Mart,Colorado
Three-Axle: Greg Nauertz, Roadway Express,Arizona
Twins: Andy Oder,FedEx Freight,Kentucky
Pennsylvania’s driver delegation won the team trophy for the highest scores and final placements.
Collectively, the 2003 National Truck Driving Championship contestants have driven over 438 million accident-free miles.
In conjunction with the drivers compeititon, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance, the organization of North American commercial vehicle safety inspectors, held its annual North American Inspectors Championship. Jeff Byers of the Colorado State Patrol claimed the Grand Champion honors.
