#winning in Rogers 2016 Arkansas Trucking Championship recap By ATR Staff Attendees of last year’s Arkansas
Trucking Championship may recall a full banquet hall, loud with cheers and chants, during the event’s final award ceremony Saturday night when ATA chairman Butch Rice predicted that the 2016 championship would be so big we’d have to tear down the walls, a’ la Reagan’s 1987 command to Mr. Gorbachev, just to hold all the champi- ons and their families. Rice must have had a crystal ball. With the biggest attendance in
Arkansas history, the 2016 Arkansas Trucking Championship presented by the Arkansas Trucking Association at the John Q. Hammons Convention Center in Rogers, Ark. on July 14-16 was no disappointment.
One hundred fifty-seven (157)
drivers and 52 technicians showed up to prove themselves worthy of the title “Grand Champion.” As in the past, the champion-
ship was three days of celebrating the professional skills required to keep roadways safe. Thursday’s activities included a Technician Training Fair and the Commercial Vehicle Inspection Competition for Arkansas Highway Police. And on Friday, the drivers and techs filled the halls and competition lot for the pre-trip inspections, techni- cian test stations and a challenging written exam for both groups. New to the event this year was a vendor show- case with 8 exhibitors showing off the latest industry programs and products. Activity peaked on Saturday when everyone cheered on competitors for the driving skills contest and the drivers’ awards.
Technician runner up champion Eric Rusk shows off his many wins (top scores in five competition stations)
Truck Driving Grand Champion Gary Mars, Walmart Transportation, with his trophies
Competitors in both the trucking
and technician competition represented 25 companies, with some companies sending dozens of competitors and oth- ers sending only one or two. Many of the men and women that competed earned their place on their company’s team by participating in local courses and tests. To qualify, the truck driving competitors must hold an accident-free record of at least 12 months prior to the
Truck Technician Grand
Champion Aaron Martin (right) of Truck Centers of Arkansas with his 2016 Arkansas Truck Technician Grand Champion prizes donated by Reliance Supply with representative Jonathan Carryl.
40 Issue 4 2016 | ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT
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