GREENWICH, Conn., July 25, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — XPO (NYSE: XPO), a leading provider of freight transportation in North America, today announced its team of finalists for this year’s National Truck Driving Championships (NTDC) from August 21 to 24 in Indianapolis.
The annual NTDC, hosted by the American Trucking Associations, is a contest of precision driving skills and industry knowledge. Known as the “Super Bowl of Safety,” NTDC celebrates the nation’s most accomplished drivers while underscoring the importance of safety in the freight industry.
Mario Harik, chief executive officer of XPO, said, “XPO’s continued success at the National Truck Driving Championships is a testament to our unwavering commitment to safety, reliability and world-class service for our customers. Congratulations to all of our drivers who qualified for the national finals and to everyone who competed in their state competitions. We’re proud of your skill, professionalism and hard work and look forward to cheering on Team XPO in Indianapolis.”
XPO’s NTDC finalists hail from 16 states. Each qualified for nationals by winning their state truck driving championships. Every finalist also has had an accident-free driving record for at least one year.
XPO’s 2024 competitors include “Rookie of the Year” state champion Darrell Anderson from South Dakota and trailblazer Ina Daly from Arizona, who in 2013 was the first woman to be named a national NTDC Grand Champion. Daly returns this year for her 17th national finals.
Four of XPO’s finalists were named Grand Champions of their state competitions, scoring the highest total score among competitors in nine equipment categories. XPO’s four state Grand Champions are:
- Ernie Budlowski (Connecticut): A 27-year veteran of XPO who has driven more than 2 million accident-free miles, Ernie Budlowski heads to the NTDC for the 12th time and will be competing in the tank truck class.
- Rich Sweeney (Massachusetts): 2019 national Grand Champion Rich Sweeney returns for his 15th appearance at the NTDC, where he will compete in the tank truck class.
- Wilbert Vano (New Jersey): Wilbert is a five-time state champion and the 2022 national Grand Champion in the 3-axle class. He returns for his 13th trip to the NTDC.
- Larry Gorby (West Virginia): Three-time state Grand Champion Larry Gorby, who has driven more than 1 million accident-free miles, returns to the NTDC this year to compete in the 4-axle vehicle division.
XPO’s 2024 NTDC Finalists:
| State | Driver | Vehicle Class |
| Arizona | Ina Daly | Flatbed |
| California | Alfonso Saavedra | 3-Axle |
| Connecticut | Derrick Caro | Straight Truck |
| Connecticut | Ernie Budlowski | Tank Truck |
| Connecticut | Tony Orfitelli | 3-Axle |
| Georgia | Tim Vogt | Tank Truck |
| Idaho | Ben Scholes | 3-Axle |
| Idaho | Kolton Schultz | 5-Axle |
| Indiana | Phil Glover | Twins |
| Massachusetts | Rich Sweeney | Tank Truck |
| Missouri | Russell Scheer | 3-Axle |
| Nevada | Brandon Hardy | 5-Axle |
| New Jersey | Wilbert Vano | 3-Axle |
| Rhode Island | Joe Hicks | 4-Axle |
| Rhode Island | Ray Nightingale | Twins |
| South Dakota | Darrell Anderson | 3-Axle |
| Utah | Judd Adams | Straight Truck |
| Vermont | Lenny Trifaro | 4-Axle |
| West Virginia | Larry Gorby | 4-Axle |
| West Virginia | Mike Roberts | 3-Axle |
| Wyoming | Aaron Hutson | 4-Axle |
| Wyoming | Heath Holstein | 5-Axle |
About XPO
XPO, Inc. (NYSE: XPO) is a leader in asset-based less-than-truckload (LTL) freight transportation in North America. The company’s customer-focused organization efficiently moves 18 billion pounds of freight per year, enabled by its proprietary technology. XPO serves approximately 52,000 customers with 610 locations and 39,000 employees in North America and Europe, with headquarters in Greenwich, Conn., USA. Visit xpo.com for more information, and connect with XPO on LinkedIn, Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube.
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