It’s no secret that truck driving in Alaska is an incredible challenge, and that’s putting it lightly. Between the long hours, wildlife, unpredictable weather, and treacherous terrain, a skilled truck driver must have the experience to navigate Alaska roads safely.
The Alaska State Truck Driving Championship showcases the best drivers in our state. These drivers navigate obstacles that require them to hone in on the experience they’ve built over their driving career. The competition was held on June 4th of this year, and Carlile’s drivers showed strongly as usual.
What Are the Truck Driving Championships?
The National Truck Driving Championships, or NTDC, is a competition hosted annually by the American Trucking Associations. The competition is a long-standing staple of American trucking culture, starting back in 1937 as the National Truck Rodeo.
The first round of the NTDC is a series of state-level competitions that span all 50 states in the U.S. The winners of each of these state competitions face off in the penultimate national level competition to find the authentic American champion of trucking.
The Alaskan competition is always an event of particular interest because of the skills necessary for driving a truck in what we like to call the “last frontier.” Every competitor in this event is a true master at their craft, so it’s rewarding to see so many of Carlile’s drivers taking home a win.
What Does It Take to Win the Truck Driving Championships?
Participants face various challenges in assessing their truck driving skills. These challenges include a written examination, a pre-trip inspection test, and finally, a skills test.
The skills test is the most visible and challenging part of the competition. It requires drivers to complete a series of maneuvers designed to simulate real-world driving scenarios. These include parallel parking, backing up to a dock, and weaving through traffic cones.
The competition features nine vehicle categories, ranging from step vans to five-axle big rigs.
It takes intense focus and split-second timing to complete these maneuvers perfectly, and the difference between victory and defeat is often just a few inches. It takes the best drivers to come out on top.
Safety is the cornerstone of Carlile’s success – for customers, employees, and their families. To participate, contestants must remain accident-free throughout the year.
Carlile’s Proud Legacy of Winners
Being an Alaskan truck driver takes pride, integrity, and grit. Add in tenacity, and you have a winning combination.
We place the utmost importance on driver safety and skill. We ensure our drivers are equipped with the experience, knowledge, and skill sets necessary to regularly navigate some of the most treacherous roads in the country. That commitment pays off in dividends, both in Carlile’s record of safety and at the State Truck Driving Championships, year after year.
This year we are proud to celebrate our legend, Brad Hinke, for first place in the four-axle category and overall grand champion, as well as Bill Krenz, the winner of the tank truck division. Carlile wins when our drivers win.