Great Falls resident Rob Brown will be representing the state of Montana at the National Truck Driving Championships in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, next week.
In June, the state Truck Driving Competition was held in Helena.
At the competition, there are several vehicle classes to compete in and first place finishers move on to the national competition.
Rob Brown has been a truck driver for the past 13 years. For the past 6 years, he has been competing at the state level.
To be eligible for the state competition, drivers must have been accident-free for the entire year before the competition.
Rob will be representing FedEx and his employer JNL Brown Trucking Corp. which provides services to FedEx Ground. He finished first place in the step-van division, where he had to complete a written exam, pre-trip exam and a driving obstacle course.
The written exam tests his knowledge of rules and regulations. The pre-trip vehicle inspection goes through brake tests and other mechanical issues, that driver must do before taking off for the day. The driving course tests their ability to judge distances, maneuver tight spaces, reverse, park and position their vehicle over scales, before barriers and around curves.
“There’s a lot of mental preparation into it,” Rob said. “There’s a lot of studying involved. It will be a learning experience, definitely. Just honing your skills as a truck driver, making you the best you can be, going out on the road and being as safe as possible.”
Rob will compete against approximately 50 other truck drivers in his respective Step-Van division.
He is one of 176 competitors representing FedEx at the annual event.
