Daily Competition Updates

Get to know Aaron

• Appearances at NTDC: 1
• Hobbies: Working on tractors and camping.
• Inspiration: “My wife. She’s always persistent, never gives up and inspires me to do the same.”

Get to know Alfonso

• Appearances at NTDC: 8
• Safe Driving Tips: “Avoid distractions and always pay attention to where you’re going and what you’re doing.”  
• Favorite Part of NTDC: “The first year I competed, I was named ‘rookie of the year’ at the state competition. It changed my whole view of the trucking industry because you really had to study the book and familiarize yourself with regulations. From that point on, I started competing every year.”

Get to know Ben

• Appearances at NTDC: 1
• Hobbies: Landscaping, spending time with his wife and three children.
• Safe Driving Tips: “Pre-trip inspections are key. I try to look at everything.”

Get to know Brandon

• Appearances at NTDC: 10
• Safe Driving Tips: Start every day with the right attitude, drive defensively and avoid distractions.
• Career Motivation: “I’m in an industry that provides an essential service, and being a truck driver makes me feel like a productive member of society.”

Get to know Darrell

• Appearances at NTDC: 1
• Hobbies: Working on cars and fishing.
• Career Motivation: “Truck driving is something my family has always done. I really enjoy it.”

Get to know Ernie

• Appearances at NTDC: 13
• Hobbies: Spending time on his boat, especially to fish.
• Inspiration: “My dad. He told me the dos and don'ts of life, and they’ve worked out well for me.”

Get to know Heath

• Appearances at NTDC: 2
• Safe Driving Tips: Focus on your surroundings and avoid distractions.
• Career Motivation: “Truck driving runs in my family. My grandfather and father were drivers, and my brother drives too.”

Get to know Ina

• Appearances at NTDC: 17
• Hobbies: Camping and spending time on her farm with her horses.
• Favorite Part of NTDC: “I love the camaraderie. I want to be the best driver that I can be, so this gives me an opportunity to meet people, hone my skills and learn new things.”

Get to know Joe

• Appearances at NTDC: 10
• Career Motivation: “I love to drive, but it’s also a good career. It pays enough to support my family.”
• Favorite Part of NTDC: “The people. It’s like a reunion every year.”

Get to know Judd

• Appearances at NTDC: 8
• Safety Philosophy: “Safety has to be at the forefront of everything you do. You not only have to focus on yourself, but on your equipment and the things around you.”
• Favorite Part of NTDC: “Through competing at NTDC, I’ve become good friends with [fellow XPO finalists] Ina Daly of Arizona and Brandon Hardy of Nevada. You forge those friendships and it’s kind of like your extended family.”

Get to know Kolton

• Appearances at NTDC: 3
• Hobbies: Coaching little league football and spending time with his family.
• Career Motivation: “I like the freedom of truck driving and the camaraderie between drivers. That’s something you don’t see very much in the adult working world.”

Get to know Larry

• Appearances at NTDC: 6
• Hobbies: Camping, grilling, spending time at the beach.
• Career Motivation: “I love being on the go and I love driving. I don't want to be still. My grandpa drove a school bus and then a city bus when I was a kid - and once I heard an air horn, I knew I needed one someday.”

Get to know Lenny

• Appearances at NTDC: 8
• Safety Philosophy: “Safety is our number one concern, above and beyond anything else. I want to make it home each day, and safety leads the charge.”

Get to know Phil

• Appearances at NTDC: 2
• Hobbies: Kayak fishing for smallmouth bass.
• Favorite Part of TDCs: “Meeting new people, not just from XPO, but other companies. When we all come together, it’s like family and friends.”

Get to know Ray

• Appearances at NTDC: 1
• Safety Philosophy: “Safety is number one. I want everyone to get home to their families.”
• Inspiration: “My dad. He's a hard worker. He never gave up on his family; he never gave up on his job. He pushed forward and kept going.”

Get to know Rich

• Appearances at NTDC: 15
• Hobbies: Adding to his collection of 700 diecast trucks, playing softball and volleyball, coaching basketball.
• Favorite Part of NTDC: “You see such awesome people. It’s like a homecoming every year.”

Get to know Russell

• Appearances at NTDC: 1
• Safety Philosophy: “Develop – and keep – good habits.”
• Favorite Part of TDCs: “I’ve met and have made really good friends through the competitions.”

Get to know Tim

• Appearances at NTDC: 5
• Hobbies: Flying planes, driving his motorcycle, spending time with his family at the beach and by the pool.
• Favorite Part of NTDC: “I take a lot of pride in what I do and try to be the best I can be every day. Having the opportunity to showcase that and compete against other people with the same mindset is a motivation to participate in the state TDCs and NTDC. I also love the camaraderie. I love talking to people from all over the country that are doing the same job I do.”

Get to know Tony

• Appearances at NTDC: 4
• Career Motivation: “Around the time I was 8, my dad showed the movie Smokey and the Bandit. It left such an impression on me. You don’t know it at that moment, but I thought truck driving was the coolest thing in the world.”
• Inspiration: “My father passed when I was a teenager, so my father-in-law has been my dad longer than my father was able to. He’s done so much for me and my wife. He’s changed who I am as a person.”

Get to know Wilbert

• Appearances at NTDC: 13
• Safety Philosophy: “Avoid distracted driving and anticipate what other drivers are going to do.”
• Inspiration: “My father.”