FedEx’s Rudesill Wins Grand Champion in 3-axle
In the U.S. this spring and summer, thousands of commercial drivers will pursue a chance to test their precision skills at competitions hosted by every state.
Last weekend, Louisiana kicked off this annual trucking tradition in which winners in nine vehicle classes advance to the National Truck Driving Championships and National Step Van Driving Championships. The Pelican State’s winner were:
- Step van: Nicholas Burgess (Walmart)
- Straight truck: Leroy Williams (XPO)
- 3-axle: Chad Rudesill (FedEx)
- 4-axle: Larry Peltier (Martin Brower)
- 5-axle: Eric Courville (FedEx)
- Tank truck: Curtis McMellon (XPO)
- Flatbed: Mark Collins (Walmart)
- Sleeper: Patrick Bonvillian (Old Dominion Freight Line)
- Twin trailer: Wilbur Sansom (FedEx)
Rudesill took home the state’s grand champion trophy. We will bring you an interview this month examining his road to victory. Next on the state calendar is Idaho’s truck driving championships, scheduled for April 4-5.
Road to NTDC Podcast
New in our podcast series is an interview with NTDC organizing committee lifetime member Rick Cates. The “Senator,” as he is known, shared insight and perspective about this super bowl of trucking safety during his more than five-decade affiliation with the event. He reflected on his meeting with then-Sen. Mike Braun (R-Ind.), currently governor of Indiana. Braun delivered keynote remarks at last year’s NTDC in the Hoosier State. As he put it, “The governor told me, he said that he was amazed at the professionalism and how good these drivers negotiated around the course and so forth.”
Background about the podcast episode noted: “Cates was given the honorific title of ‘Senator’ by his NTDC friends and colleagues because of the respect they have for his dedication to the NTDC and the trucking industry. As part of Eugene’s interview with Rick, you’ll hear how NTDC’s ‘Senator’ had the opportunity to give an actual sitting member of the U.S. Senate an up-close tour of the driving course in Indianapolis last year.”
The 2025 National Truck Driving Championships and National Step Van Driving Championships will be held in Minneapolis Aug. 20-23.
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