Pawtucket, RI – Twenty nine professional truck drivers will compete this Saturday, June 1, at the Rhode Island Truck Driving Championship hosted by the Rhode Island Trucking Association and held at New England Tractor Trailer Training School’s Pawtucket campus. Professional drivers who are Rhode Island-based or Rhode Island-licensed drivers who live outside of the state will compete for the right to advance to the American Trucking Associations’ National Truck Driving Championships August 14-17 in Pittsburgh, PA. XPO Logistics’ Joe Hicks, 2018 RITDC Grand Champion, will return to defend his championship against a field that includes two-time Grand Champion Karen Tierney of FedEx Express. Drivers will compete in six truck classes: Step-Van, Straight Truck, 3-Axle Tractor Trailer, 4-Axle T/T 5-Axle T/T and Twin Trailers.

Because drivers must be accident-free for one year prior to competition, the NTDC and state truck driving championships like Rhode Island’s are considered one of the industry’s largest and most effective safety programs. During the competition, each driver has a chance to demonstrate his or her driving and inspection skills, knowledge and professionalism. Competing drivers are judged and scored by their performance in three areas: a written test; pre-trip inspection of the truck administered by the Rhode Island State Police Commercial Enforcement Unit; and, most visibly, a multi-problem driving course that tests each participant’s driving skills.

“Drivers are drawn to the RITDC by the spirit of competition and by the prestige of representing Rhode Island at the national TDC,” notes Chris Maxwell, President of the Rhode Island Trucking Association. “RITA thanks them for their commitment to safety and their willingness to participate.”

The Rhode Island Truck Driving Championship will begin at 9:00am on Saturday and is open to the public. Competition class winners and place rankings will be announced at the RITDC Awards Banquet after the competition.