Mack Trucks Inc. again will sponsor a Driving Skills Safety Challenge during the WasteExpo 2009 show. The competition — which will be held in the Silver lot No. 4 next to the Renaissance Hotel outside the Las Vegas Convention Center — runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Tuesday, June 9, and from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Wednesday, June 10.
The competition is open to any driver at least 18 years of age with a valid commercial driver’s license who shows proof of operator training, and is registered for the show. This year’s event will include individual and team competitions (two operators per team).
Contestants will operate their choice of Mack TerraPro Low Entry and Cabover models in a closed course set up to simulate actual refuse conditions. Operators must complete a pre-operation safety check and successfully navigate the skills course; each individual will have one attempt. Scoring will be based on accuracy and adherence to safety procedures; specific scoring rules will be provided at the event. Complete rules for the competition can be found at www.macktrucks.com/default.aspxpageid=2218.
First-, second- and third-place overall event winners will be announced at 4 p.m. Wednesday, June 10, during the Environmental Research and Education Foundation’s (EREF) Auction. Mack will give away more than $15,000 in prizes during the two-day competition. In addition to trophies, the following prizes will be awarded to the top three finishers in the individual competition, as well as to each operator in the top three two-person teams:
First place: $500 gift certificate, a GPS navigation display, watch and sunglasses;
Second place: $300 gift certificate and a Mack Citizen Eco-Drive watch; and
Third place: $100 gift certificate and a chrome Mack Bulldog.
All contestants will receive a Mack hat, money clip, duffel bag and a thermos with case. “Refuse industry drivers make a critical contribution to safety every day as they travel crowded urban streets or make thousands of pickups on neighborhood roads,” says Michael Reardon, vice president of marketing for Mack, based in Lehigh Valley, Pa. “It takes real skill and awareness to be safe and productive in this type of operation. Mack designed this competition to highlight the professionalism of refuse truck drivers.”
