MARYLAND ON THE MOVE Showcasing the skills of the heart of the trucking industry
BY SELENA GRIFFIN Managing Editor
Where were you on June 7, 2014? If you
didn’t stop by the Timonium Fairgrounds to see the 67th Maryland State Truck Driving Championships (TDC) or the 2nd SUPERTECH Maryland competition, you missed out on a thrilling day. These annual events showcase the state’s top truck driv- ers and highlight the skilled fleet mechan- ics that keep trucks on the road. The day is filled with pride and camaraderie, and ele- vates the image of Maryland’s finest in the trucking industry – those professionals behind the wheel and working under the hood.
2014 Maryland State Truck Driving Championships
On the TDC side, Michael Miltenberger
of Pitt Ohio was named Maryland’s 2014 Grand Champion. Mike has been driving a big rig for 26 years, traveling over 1.7 mil-
lion safe miles. Mike competed in the 5-axle van class, which he also won in 2008. After relishing his win six years ago, he was determined to get back on the podi- um again. He has competed in the TDC seven times. “Each year the competition gets tougher and you have to prepare even harder. I take my hat off to all my fellow competitors,” Mike says. When he’s not on the road, Miltenberger enjoys hunting, fishing and riding ATV’s (safely of course!) He is also the Assistant Chief at the Wiley Ford Volunteer Fire Department. For the second year running, Con-Way
Freight took the team trophy. The team award is given to the company with the highest average score per driver, with at least four drivers from the same company needed to qualify as a team. Other winners at the Championships included Joyce McMonigal of FedEx Ground as the Pre- Trip winner for finding the most defects on a truck; and our Rookie of the Year was Christopher Johnson of Rukert Terminals.
Every driver who competed should be
proud as eligibility is no easy feat that should not be taken for granted. Each con- testant must have been accident free for at least the previous year. The winning driv- ers in each class boast a combined record of 244 years and 14 million miles of safe driv- ing. The 100+ competitors enjoy hobbies such as golf, music, drag racing, hunting, fishing, boating, skiing and motorcycling. They are an energetic bunch! Some of the strangest cargo hauled includes blue dye for golf course ponds and rocket launchers for the military. Our group of 1st
place winners
went to Pittsburgh, PA in August and com- pete against more than 400 drivers at the National Truck Driving Championships. Thank you to the many dedicated volun-
teers, sponsors, equipment donations and supporters who help the MMTA Safety Management Council with this renowned event.
➥
Richard Anderson
Team Champion Conway Freight
(L-R) Scorekeepers Keith Grand Champion Michael Miltenberger, Pitt Ohio Express
www.mmtanet.com
and Cindy Marnell, and Mike McDonald, Announcer/emcee Ken Harry
BEHIND THE WHEEL ~ Q3 Fall 2014 19
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