Eight Wyoming professional truck drivers were named champions in their class at the conclusion of the 2024 Wyoming Truck Driving Championships held June 8, 2024, at the Wyoming Department of Transportation in Cheyenne, Wyoming.
Presenting their trophies and awards were Jim Morgan, WTA Council of Safety Supervisors Chairman, Casper and Gragg Wilson, America’s Road Team Captain, American Trucking Associations.
ABF Freight driver, A.J. Kelly, Cheyenne, received the L.E. Meredith Award for Highest Overall Score for the fifth time.
There was a tie for high individual score for the written exam, which was awarded to Simon Navarro, Old Dominion Freight Line, Cheyenne and Timothy Vanfossen FedEx Freight, Rock Springs; high individual score for the personal interview was awarded to Aaron Hutson, XPO, Carpenter; Guy Cook, Walmart Transportation, Cheyenne, achieved the high individual score in the pre-trip inspection competition; the Kim Fife Memorial Award for the high individual score for driving skills was awarded to Aaron Hutson, XPO, Carpenter; Guy Cook, Walmart Transportation, Cheyenne, was awarded the 2024 Rookie of the Year honor.
First place winners were Jedediah Boyd, FedEx Freight, Green River, Straight Truck Class; A.J. Kelly, ABF Freight, Cheyenne, 3-Axle Tractor-Semitrailer Class; Aaron Hutson, XPO, Carpenter, 4-Axle Tractor-Semitrailer Class; Heath Holstein, XPO, Cheyenne, 5-Axle Tractor-Semitrailer Class; Myron Means, Old Dominion Freight Line, Cheyenne, 5-Axle Flatbed Class; Kevin Cyr, Walmart Transportation, Brush, Colorado, 5-Axle Tank Truck Class; Marquis Adkisson, Walmart Transportation, Cheyenne, Sleeper Berth Class; and Timothy Vanfossen, FedEx Freight, Rock Springs, Twin Trailer Class.
Second place winners were Shane Gochenour, FedEx Freight, Cheyenne, Straight Truck Class; Thomas Rohr, United Parcel Service, Casper, 3-Axle Tractor-Semitrailer Class; Jose Castillo, Old Dominion Freight Line, Cheyenne, 4-Axle Tractor-Semitrailer Class; Guy Cook, Walmart Transportation, Cheyenne, 5-Axle Tractor-Semitrailer Class; Derek Gorrell, FedEx Freight, Fort Bridger, 5-Axle Tank Truck Class and Tyler Donaghue, XPO, Wellington, Colorado, Twin Trailer Class.
Third place winners were Kevin Varner, Walmart Transportation, Torrington, Straight Truck Class; Ben Taylor, Old Dominion Freight Line, Green River, 3-Axle Tractor-Semitrailer Class; Josh Smith, Walmart Transportation, Casper, 4-Axle Tractor-Semitrailer Class and Eddie Beehler, Cowboy State Trucking, Opal, Twin Trailer Class.
The team from XPO, consisting of Tyler Donaghue, Heath Holstein and Aaron Hutson won the Team Trophy.
Twenty-seven professional drivers participated in one day of intense competition that included a written exam, personal interview and pre-trip inspection exercises, along with the driving competition. To be eligible to enter the competition, which is sponsored by the Wyoming Trucking Association, Inc.’s Council of Safety Supervisors, drivers must be accident-free and employed by the same company for one year before the competition.
First place winners will compete in the National Truck Driving Championships in Indianapolis, Indiana, August 21-24, 2024. For more information, contact WTA at 307-234-1579.
(Photos of drivers are available, please contact the WTA office at wta@wytruck.org with “Request TDC photo” on the subject line).
