Old Dominion Drivers Earn Top Awards At North Carolina Truck Driving Championships

THOMASVILLE, North Carolina (May 18, 2012) – Two North Carolina drivers for Old Dominion Freight Line Inc. earned top awards at the North Carolina Truck Driving Championships (TDC) held May 11-12.

Tim Whitley, a 15-year veteran who works out of Old Dominion’s Wilson, North Carolina, Service Center, was named state grand champion while Art Quales, who works out of Old Dominion’s Charlotte Service Center, earned first place in the tanker category. They were two of 142 professional truck drivers in the statewide competition.

Whitley and Quales will compete in the National Truck Driving Championships (NTDC) held Aug. 8-11 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

“We always emphasize safety here at Old Dominion, and we take pride in every opportunity to recognize drivers who excel at safety while doing something they love,” said Ken Ludwig, Old Dominion’s vice president of human resources. “Both Tim and Art demonstrated exceptional driving skills at the competition, which we would expect from drivers with safety records as remarkable as theirs.”

Each year, truck drivers who operate accident-free can compete in eight categories at these statewide TDC events. Categories include: twin trailers, five-axle van, four-axle van, three-axle van, straight truck, tanker, flatbed and step van.

Winners from each state are then invited to compete in the NTDC for the chance to be recognized as the national champion.

Whitley, who earned first place in the four-axle category, was a standout throughout the competition, which earned him the state grand champion title. Quales, a 14-year Old Dominion veteran, earned first place in the tanker category with his scores in the competition.

The National Truck Driving Championships (NTDC) and the state-affiliated Truck Driving Championships are considered one of the industry’s largest and most effective safety programs. Known to many as the “Super Bowl of Safety,” these annual competitions inspire drivers to operate accident-free for the chance to compete in their state. The competition dates back to 1937 when it was known as the National Truck Roadeo.

For more information about Old Dominion, visit www.odfl.com or call (800) 432-6335.