45 Drivers Advance to Championship Finals at 2026 NTDC

Forty-five professional truck drivers have advanced to the championship finals at the 2026 National Truck Driving and Step Van Driving Championships in Pittsburgh.

The field is set for the final round of the 2026 National Truck Driving and Step Van Driving Championships (NTDC), with 45 professional drivers advancing to compete for one of trucking’s highest honors.

Hosted by the American Trucking Associations (ATA) at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh, this year’s championships brought together 429 competitors representing 49 states and 55 trucking companies. According to the ATA, the drivers competing in this year’s event have accumulated a combined 775 million accident-free miles throughout their careers, reflecting decades of safe driving and professionalism.

NTDC Chairman Heath Arnold congratulated all competitors, noting that qualifying for the national championships requires extensive preparation, dedication and an unwavering commitment to safety. He also praised the finalists for earning the opportunity to compete for national titles after several days of competition.

Nine Classes Will Crown National Champions

The championships recognize drivers across nine vehicle classes, with the top five competitors in each division advancing to Friday’s finals. Competitors earned their place through a combination of written testing, vehicle inspection and driving course performance, with one driver ultimately being named the Bendix Grand Champion during the evening awards banquet.

Step Van

Ceth Christensen, United Parcel Service Inc. (Illinois)
Robert Ledoux, Federal Express Corp. (Massachusetts)
Logan Stacho, Federal Express Corp. (Ohio)
Rafael Jusfredo, Federal Express Corp. (Vermont)
Gregory Long, Federal Express Corp. (Virginia)

Straight Truck

Robert Cochran, Federal Express Corp. (Maine)
Robert Stokes, PITT OHIO (Maryland)
David May, XPO (New York)
Michael Bills, Federal Express Corp. (North Carolina)
Lynn Wilson, Walmart Transportation LLC (Utah)

Three-Axle

Chuck Pearson, ABF Freight System Inc. (Georgia)
Jeffrey Halford, XPO (Idaho)
Todd Loreman, Walmart Transportation LLC (Louisiana)
John Jadrossich, FedEx Freight (New York)
Chris Poynor, XPO (Washington)

Four-Axle

Miguel Corral, United Parcel Service Inc. (Illinois)
Stephen Johnson, FedEx Freight (Mississippi)
Todd Gimpel, FedEx Freight (Nebraska)
David Comings, FedEx Freight (North Dakota)
Bryan Krol, The Martin-Brower Company LLC (Pennsylvania)

Five-Axle

Adam Heim, FedEx Freight (Idaho)
Robert Bramwell, ABF Freight System Inc. (Missouri)
Daniel Bruch, FedEx Freight (New Mexico)
Andres Garcia, FedEx Freight (Texas)
Matthew Boenisch, FedEx Freight (Wisconsin)

Flatbed

Richard Prescott, Walmart Transportation LLC (California)
Karl Wilkerson, United Parcel Service Inc. (Illinois)
Darius Uible, United Parcel Service Inc. (Kentucky)
Mark Collins, Walmart Transportation LLC (Louisiana)
Kenneth Rageth, FedEx Freight (Wyoming)

Tank Truck

Eric Ramsdell, Walmart Transportation LLC (Arizona)
James Dixon, A. Duie Pyle Inc. (Connecticut)
Steven Elliston, Walmart Transportation LLC (Georgia)
Allen McNeely, ABF Freight System Inc. (North Carolina)
Paul Waite, A. Duie Pyle Inc. (Pennsylvania)

Twins

Gary Mars, Walmart Transportation LLC (Arkansas)
Vladyslav Piatkovskyi, FedEx Freight (Maryland)
Jeffrey Reed, United Parcel Service Inc. (New Mexico)
Mark McLean, FedEx Freight (New York)
Ronald Ramon, H-E-B Grocery Co. (Texas)

Sleeper Berth

Patrick Condon, Walmart Transportation LLC (Florida)
Ron Marker, Walmart Transportation LLC (Indiana)
Erik McFarland, Fareway Stores Inc. (Iowa)
Terry Covey, FedEx Freight (Kansas)
Matthew Fletcher, The Martin-Brower Company LLC (Pennsylvania)

Grand Champion to Be Announced Friday Evening

Class champions and the overall Bendix Grand Champion will be announced during Friday evening’s awards banquet, bringing another National Truck Driving Championships to a close.

Since its inception in 1937, the NTDC has celebrated the safest and most skilled professional truck drivers in the country while promoting accident-free driving throughout the trucking industry. For many competitors, qualifying for the national championships represents years of safe driving, outstanding performance, and a commitment to excellence behind the wheel.