BENDIX RETURNS AS SPONSOR OF GRAND CHAMPION AWARD AT 2025 ATA NATIONAL TRUCK DRIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS
For 14th Consecutive Year, Company Supports the Industry’s Premier Celebration of Safety, Skill, and Professionalism
AVON, Ohio – (Trailer Technician) – Next week, the nation’s most skilled and safety-focused commercial drivers will gather in Minneapolis, Minnesota, for the 88th installment of the American Trucking Associations (ATA) National Truck Driving Championships (NTDC). These elite professionals will compete for top honors – including the coveted Bendix National Truck Driving Championships Grand Champion Award – during four days of rigorous competition, Aug. 20-23, 2025.
Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC (Bendix) is proud to return for the 14th straight year as sponsor of the Grand Champion Award, which recognizes the overall top driver among the NTDC competitors. Sponsorship of the award reflects Bendix’s ongoing commitment to roadway safety and recognition of the vital role professional drivers play in the transportation industry.
“The NTDC is an inspiring celebration of precision, professionalism, and pride in the craft of driving,” said Nicole Oreskovic, vice president of sales and marketing at Bendix. “We’re proud to support an event that highlights the absolute best of our industry – and even more proud to recognize drivers whose commitment to safety is matched by their skill behind the wheel. We wish all contestants the best of luck.”
The NTDC – originally known as the National Truck Rodeo – has roots dating back to 1937. Each year, the competition brings together winners from state-level championships held across the country, with participants representing all 50 state trucking associations. Drivers compete for First, Second, and Third Place titles, as well as the Professional Excellence Award, the Vehicle Condition Award, and the Rookie of the Year Award – in addition to the highest honor, the Bendix Grand Champion Award. To qualify, drivers must be accident-free for at least 12 months prior to the event. Many competitors have logged multiple millions of safe driving miles.
Drivers will showcase their expertise in a three-part championship event that includes a written exam, a pre-trip inspection, and the ever-popular skills course. Held inside the Minneapolis Convention Center, the competition challenges participants to demonstrate deep knowledge of safety, equipment, and industry standards – alongside the precision and control required behind the wheel. On the driving course, competitors must maneuver, reverse, park, and position their vehicles with accuracy – navigating scales, barriers, and tight curves with confidence and care.
Jackie Reed, a FedEx Freight® driver from Mississippi, was named the 2024 Bendix Grand Champion, emerging from a field of more than 400 competitors. At the time of his win, Reed had logged over 3 million accident-free miles across a nearly 35-year driving career. Bendix looks forward to celebrating this year’s winner – and honoring the dedication, talent, and leadership of all who compete.
About Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC
Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems, a member of Knorr-Bremse, develops and supplies leading-edge active safety technologies, energy management solutions, and air brake charging and control systems and components under the Bendix® brand name for medium- and heavy-duty trucks, tractors, trailers, buses, and other commercial vehicles throughout North America. An industry pioneer, employing more than 4,400 people, Bendix – and its wholly owned subsidiary, R.H. Sheppard Co., Inc. – is driven to deliver the best solutions for improved vehicle safety, performance, and overall operating cost. Contact us at 1-800-AIR-BRAKE (1-800-247-2725) or visit bendix.com. Stay connected and informed through Bendix expert podcasts, blog posts, videos, and other resources at knowledge-dock.com. Follow Bendix on X, formerly known as Twitter, at twitter.com/Bendix_CVS. Log on and learn from the Bendix experts at brake-school.com. And to learn more about career opportunities at Bendix, visit bendix.com/careers.