Foodservice’s finest
drivers haul in honors
at IFDA championship
Sep 20, 2010 10:44 AM
Drivers from Ben E Keith Foods, Performance Foodservice, and McLane Foodservice Distribution were recognized for their exceptional performance at a banquet after competition in the 2010 Food Industry Truck Driving Championship.
The competition, held by the International Foodservice Distributors Association (IFDA), took place September 10-12 in Orlando FL. Winners were announced September 12 at an awards banquet sponsored by Penske Truck Leasing. To compete in the event, drivers had to win a company or local competition. Contestants came from across the United States and from as far away as Hawaii and Canada.
Testing the skills and knowledge of food industry drivers, this safety event included three categories: Straight Truck, 3-Axle, and 5-Axle. Combined, the drivers in the competition represented more than 66 million accident-free miles. One of the third-place winners has racked up 3.3 million accident-free miles after 40 years of service in the industry.
The three-part competition includes a written examination measuring driver knowledge of safety and operating procedures, a vehicle inspection to uncover five planted equipment defects or safety hazards that could affect vehicle readiness, and a driving course competition where drivers are evaluated on their ability to handle a series of six course problems simulating everyday conditions. Winners were:
Straight Truck
•1st Place—John Duggin, Ben E Keith Foods–Little Rock (AR) Division. Duggin has been with Ben E. Keith Foods for 17 years and has 14 years of accident-free driving for a total of 450,000 miles.
•2nd Place—Scott Wheeler, City Wholesale Grocery Co, Birmingham AL. Wheeler has been with City Wholesale Grocery for 10 years and has 10 years of accident-free driving for a total of 1,200,000 accident-free miles.
•3rd Place—David Johnson, Kraft Foods–New England Region, Slatersville RI. Johnson has worked for Kraft Foods for 27 years and has 27 years of accident-free driving, totaling 750,000 accident-free miles.
3-Axle (28-Foot Tractor/Trailer)
•1st Place—Scott Michaud, Performance Foodservice, Springfield MA. Michaud has been with Performance Foodservice for 18 years and has 12 years of accident-free driving for a total of 499,200 accident-free miles.
•2nd Place—Danny Duke, Shamrock Foods–Colorado Division, Commerce City CO. Duke has been with Shamrock Foods for four years and has 18 years of accident-free driving for a total of 720,000 accident-free miles.
•3rd Place—Donnie Guthrie, The Martin Brower Co LLC, Dickson TN. Guthrie has been with Martin Brower for 13 years and has 20 years of accident-free driving for a total of 1,000,000 accident-free miles.
5-Axle (48-Foot Tractor/Trailer)
•1st Place—Dennis Stelk, McLane Foodservice Distribution, Denver CO. Stelk has been with McLane Foodservice for 21 years and has 21 years of accident-free driving for a total of 2,150,000 accident-free miles.
•2nd Place—Don Ballock, McLane Foodservice Distributors, Shawnee KS. Ballock has been with McLane Foodservice for 16 years and has 16 years of accident-free driving for a total of 1,060,000 accident-free miles.
•3rd Place—Tom Turner of The Martin Brower Co LLC, Atlanta GA. Turner has been with Martin Brower for 40 years and has 40 years of accident-free driving for a total of 3,300,000 accident-free miles.
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