Crete Carrier News
Crete Carrier Team Wins State Competition
The Crete Carrier and Shaffer Trucking Rodeo Teams brought home six trophies from this year's Nebraska Truck Driving Championships (NTDC), including Team Champion and Grand Champion. The competition was held June 12-13 in Grand Island NE.
Dennis Chambers, Crete National Driver, Spartanburg terminal, won Grand Champion with the highest overall score out of 77 competing drivers from trucking companies around the state. Chambers also won first place in the Tank class. This year marked his fifth competing in the NTDC.
Chambers' rewards included two trophies, $300 in prize money, and the "Richard Petty Driving Experience." He will go on to represent Crete Carrier at the National Truck Driving Championships in Pittsburg PA in August.
"Everyone at the Spartanburg Terminal is so proud of Dennis's accomplishments at this year's rodeo. Dennis is a true professional and such a valuable member of the Crete Carrier team. I truly believe these accomplishments couldn't have happened to a nicer person. He deserves all the accolades he receives," said Chris Myers' Spartanburg Fleet Manager.
The Crete team' represented by Chambers, Don Clayton and Pat Quintana, won the first place team trophy. Clayton drives on the National Fleet, Kansas City terminal, and Quintana drives on the National Fleet, Lincoln terminal
The Shaffer team also had plenty of success. Randy McDonald, National Driver, Council Bluffs terminal, and 2007 Grand Champion, won second place in the Tank class. Dave Kuscher, National Driver, Lincoln terminal, won second place in the Three-Axle class; and Rich Boyd, Team Captain and MBA Poultry Shuttle Driver, Council Bluffs terminal, won third place in the Four-Axle class. The Shaffer Team was also represented by John Hanamann, National Driver, Council Bluffs terminal, and Roland Matarazzo, National Driver, Deland terminal.
The drivers were scored using four tests: 1) written examination on the latest federal regulations, 2) pre-trip inspection, 3) personal interview, and 4) driving competition. In order to compete, the selected drivers from each company must have had an accident-free record for the past 12 months.
Boyd, with assistance from Jill Swim and Mike Shafer of the Company Fleets Department, organized two practices held at the Council Bluffs terminal. Boyd has invested his time and efforts over the past few years to provide leadership to the Shaffer team, and most recently to the Crete team. He spent time on his own building and updating fixtures for the practice course.
I'd like to say thank you on behalf of the team to the dispatchers and operations managers who worked with us to get the drivers to the practices and competition. The drivers invest a lot of their own time and effort preparing for the competition, none of which is paid. The efforts of the Operations Department, especially considering current freight conditions, don't go unappreciated," Swim said.
Volunteers for this year's competition included Jill Swim and Mike Shafer of Company Fleets, Greg Turner, Breakdown, and Jodi Jordan, Safety.
Neither Crete nor Shaffer had enjoyed winning the Team Champion trophy since 1997. Both teams were delighted with the results of this year's competition.
Congratulations Rodeo Team members, and best of luck to Dennis Chambers at the National competition!
