October, 2004
Merchants Driver Finishes Second
in National Competition
IFDA
DALLAS, TX — At the 18th Annual Truck Driving Championship,
9 drivers won top prizes out of a field of 82 individual participants,
an increase of nearly 25 percent in participating drivers compared
to the 2003 event. All drivers had previously won a company or regional
competition to be eligible to compete in this national food industry
event. The competition was held October 15-17 at the Wyndham Anatole
Hotel and the Dallas Reunion Arena in conjunction with the Productivity
Convention & EXPO.
The competition, sponsored by the International Foodservice Distributors
Association (IFDA) and supported by the Food Marketing Institute
(FMI), is held in three classes of trucks including straight trucks,
28-foot tractor/trailers, and 48-foot tractor/trailers. The event
featured food industry drivers from across North America from a
variety of companies including foodservice distributors, wholesale
grocers, self-distributing retailers, and manufacturers. Co-chairs
of the event were David Bunk, Jr., vice president of Operations
at US Foodservice - Manassas, VA, and H. Legrand Miles, vice president
of Operations at W. Lee Flowers & Co., Inc. of Lake City, SC.
“This championship recognizes the role of drivers as a central
part of our business,” said David Bunk during the awards presentation.
“This event is about safety and celebrating the great job
that each of you do in the food industry. It is also an important
opportunity for the food industry to recognize truly exceptional
drivers who make safety a number one priority in operating their
vehicles on our public roads.”
“This year, we had drivers competing from Honolulu to Boston
and from Texas to Ontario,” said Legrand Miles to the awards
banquet attendees. “You represent not only the best drivers
in the food industry, but are also some of the best drivers of any
industry across North America.”
The co-chairs noted that collectively, the drivers in the 2004
competition had nearly 44 million accident free miles and 847 years
of accident free driving.
Winners in the 48-Foot Tractor/Trailer class included:
First Place - Bob Grant of Spartan Stores, Inc.;
Second Place - H. Thomas Pierce of W. Lee Flowers & Co., Inc.;
Third Place - Bruce Thompson of Bozzuto’s, Inc.
Winners in the 28-Foot Tractor/Trailer class included:
First Place - Scott Banton of Nobel/Sysco Transportation;
Second Place - Paul Brockman of Merchants
Foodservice;
Third Place - Jeff Shepherd of US Foodservice, Inc. - Knoxville.
Winners in the Straight Truck class included:
First Place - Shawn Maloney of Sysco Food Services - Minnesota;
Second Place - Michael Light of C.A. Curtze Company;
Third Place - Randy Moore of Kraft Foods Global, Inc. - Nabisco
Division.
The three-part competition included a written examination to measure
driver knowledge of safety and operating procedures, a vehicle inspection
to uncover any equipment defects and safety hazards that could affect
vehicle readiness, and a driving course competition where drivers
are evaluated on their ability to handle a series of course problems
that simulate everyday operating conditions. The highest overall
score in the competition was attained by Shawn Maloney of Sysco
Food Services - Minnesota. All drivers, including the top prize
award winners, were honored at an award’s banquet held October
17, 2004.
First place winners received a $2,000 travel award, $500 cash and
a trophy; second place winners received a $750 cash award and a
trophy, and third place winners received a $500 cash award and a
trophy.
Sponsors of the 2004 Food Industry Truck Driving Championship included
Coca-Cola, CHEP, Great Dane Trailers, J.J. Keller & Associates,
Inc., Lance, Inc., IFDA, M W Supply, Inc., Reunion Arena, Ryder,
Sales Partner Systems, SYSCO Corporation, Thomas M. Williams &
Associates, Inc., UniPro Foodservice, Inc., and Utility Trailer
Manufacturing Co.
The 2005 competition is slated for October 21-23 in Orlando, FL.
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