The National Truck Driving Championships is a competition of professional truck drivers hosted each year by American Trucking Associations. This competition has a long history – dating back to 1937 when it was known as the National Truck Roadeo.
The NTDC competitors are made up of the winners in eight classes of competition from 50 State Trucking Associations’ Truck Driving Championships, as well as the winners of the auto transporters class at the regional TDCs.
The NTDC and affiliated state TDCs are considered the one of the industry’s largest and most effective safety programs. Known to many as the "Super Bowl of Safety," these annual competitions inspire tens of thousands of drivers to operate accident-free for the right to compete.
During the TDC and NTDC competition, each driver has a chance to demonstrate his or her driving and inspection skills, knowledge and professionalism through a series of tests. The drivers undergo a written examination, personal interview, pre-trip inspection test and finally, the most visible - the skills test.
The Championships are a great incentive for professional truck drivers to operate safely, because they must be accident-free for at least one year prior to the competition. Many of the competitors have millions of accident-free driving miles to their credit.
When asked, professional drivers will tell you that they are drawn to the Championships by the spirit of competition and by the prestige of being named the best of the best. It is described by drivers as being like the Olympics, where they come to win but revel in the camaraderie and excitement. In addition to First, Second and Third Place tiles, drivers vie for the Professional Excellence Award, the Vehicle Condition Award, the Rookie of the Year Award and the ultimate designation – The Grand Champion award.
The "How to Conduct a Company Championships" and "Championships Diagrams," as well as many forms and reports, allow companies to get involved in the program with little startup time or expense. To order, call 1 (800) ATA-LINE, or order online and type "Championships" in the keyword search.
The rules for the championships have evolved since the inception of the program in 1937. Published yearly, the rulebook reflects any changes agreed upon throughout the year by the 20-member Championships Committee. The committee, which dictates almost every aspect of the event, is comprised of high level safety professionals.