Page 44 - ATR 3 2012 web 2

Simply the best

Winners and highlights from the 2012 Arkansas Trucking Championships

By ATR staff
It’s the annual competition for
bragging rights. It determines who has
the best drivers and technicians in the
state. It’s the annual Arkansas Trucking
Championships.
June 7-9, the best technicians and
truck drivers in the state gathered at the
John Q. Hammons Convention Center
in Rogers, Ark. to compete in the 2012
Arkansas Trucking Championship, hosted  The 2012 Arkansas Championship
by the Arkansas Trucking Association. Team (l to r): Bruce aschwege, Walmart
Transportation LLC; garry Holliman, ABF
The three-day event, beginning Freight System, Inc.; Jeff cochran, FedEx
on Thursday, June 7 and concluding Freight; martin shepard, Oakley Trucking,
on Saturday, June 9 was comprised Inc.; darin Jones, Tyson Foods, Inc.;
of a Commercial Vehicle Inspection casey faulkner, FedEx Ground; Richard
Competition for Arkansas Highway graham Wooten, Con-way Freight; scott
ferguson, Transco Lines, Inc. and shane
policemen, Safety Inspectors Challenge, simmons, Con-way Freight
Technician Training Fair, Technician
Championship and Truck Driving
Championship.  Safety officials from member
One hundred and thirty-five (135) companies were invited to compete in
drivers and 44 technicians competed in the Safety Compliance Challenge. This
both written and hands-on competitions. year’s winner was malea Hare of CalArk
“This competition is just a small International, Inc.
gesture to recognize the men and
women who deliver the products we
need every day of the year, and those
who service the vehicles to keep
the trucks running on time,” said
Lane Kidd, president of the Arkansas
Trucking Association.
Within the Technician
Championship, there are two Grand  ATA’s stephanie Verdell
Champions: the Trailer Technician Grand presents Arkansas Truck
Champion and the Truck Technician driving Grand Champion Jeff
Grand Champion. cochran, FedEx Freight, with
a commemorative watch and
This year’s Trailer Technician Grand trophy.
Champion, Scott Cothren, has been  Arkansas highway Police Inspector Buckie
employed by Tyson Foods, Inc. for six Thomas thanks larry Parrish, FedEx Freight, for
years. “Scott is a genuine, creative per- his continued help in organizing the event by
son, an outstanding technician and an awarding him a trooper’s hat.
asset to Tyson Foods,” said Cothren’s
supervisor, Michael Alvey.

44 aRkansas TRucking RePoRT | issue 3 2012