At the Truckload Carriers Association’s Independent Contractor Division Annual Meeting, held last week in conjunction with the Great American Truck Show in Dallas, TCA President Chris Burruss and Chairman Kevin Burch announced the opening of TCA’s annual truck driver contests: Company Equipment Driver of the Year and TCA Owner-Operator of the Year.
Preliminary applications for both contests now are being accepted until Sept. 18. Drivers who are invited to continue to the second round of the contests must complete their final applications by Oct. 30. Winners will be announced at TCA’s Annual Convention, set for Feb. 28-March 3, 2010, at the Wynn Las Vegas Resort in Las Vegas, Nev.
The overall goal of the Company Equipment and TCA Owner-Operator of the Year contests is to recognize and pay tribute to the drivers who provide reliable and safe truck transportation in moving North America’s goods. Several finalists will be chosen for each contest, from which the top three winners – including the grand prize winner – will be selected.
To be considered for the company equipment contest, potential drivers must be nominated by the TCA-member motor carrier that they drive for and have been employed by for at least three years. Candidates must have at least one million consecutive accident-free miles and will be judged on their performance records, ability to operate in a safe manner on the public highways, efforts to enhance the public image of the trucking industry, and positive contributions to the community.
Drivers and/or driver teams who own their own truck(s) and have been contracted to a TCA-member trucking company for at least three years may enter the owner-operator contest. The applicants can nominate themselves, or be nominated by a spouse or by the trucking company they are leased to. Like the company drivers, the owner-operators must have at least one million consecutive accident-free miles and will be judged on their ability to operate in a safe manner on the public highways and efforts to enhance the public image of the trucking industry. However, they also will be evaluated on their ability to run a successful business.
For a complete listing of contest rules and application information, go to www.truckload.org/drivercontests.
