Trucking Industry Crowns 2026 National Truck Driving Champion

Pittsburgh, PA – Today, the American Trucking Associations proclaimed Miguel Corral, a professional driver with UPS, the Bendix Grand Champion at the 2026 National Truck Driving & Step Van Championships.  

Corral, who resides in Indiana and secured his berth to nationals at the Illinois State Truck Driving Championship, emerged victorious from a field of 429 elite competitors representing trucking companies of every size from across the country.  Competitors qualified for the national championship after advancing through rigorous state truck driving championships.  

“Miguel’s performance reflects a simple truth: safe roads begin with highly trained, highly qualified professional drivers,” said American Trucking Associations President & CEO Chris Spear.  “The National Truck Driving Championships celebrate the very best among them, and this year's champion has earned a place among the industry's finest.  We congratulate Miguel on this extraordinary accomplishment and thank all of this year's competitors for setting an example of professionalism and safety for the entire nation.”

ATA’s National Truck Driving & Step Van Championships took place from August 11-14 in Pittsburgh.  The competitors—who hold a combined total of nearly 775 million accident-free miles accumulated during their careers—hailed from 49 states and represented 55 motor carriers.  Over the past four days, the drivers competed in a variety of events designed to measure their driving prowess, industry knowledge, and dedication to safety.  

FMCSA Administrator Derek Barrs attended the event and joined ATA in recognizing the competitors whose dedication to safe driving has made the National Truck Driving Championships the premier showcase of professional excellence in trucking.

“Congratulations to this year’s winners, and to all the professional drivers who worked hard to earn their spot here," said Derek D. Barrs, Administrator, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.  “The skill, focus, and commitment to safety we see in these championships are a great reminder of what professional drivers do every day to keep our roads safe and our supply chain moving. FMCSA is proud to recognize these champions and grateful to all the drivers out there who put safety first, mile after mile.”

In addition to taking home the Bendix Grand Champion award, Corral placed first in the 4-axle vehicle class.  Corral is a veteran of the National Truck Driving Championships, clinching first place in the twins division in 2018 and second place in the 4-axle division in 2022.  A resident of Crown Point, Indiana, he has more than 1.4 million safe driving miles under his belt in a career spanning almost three decades.

“For nearly 90 years, the National Truck Driving Championships have showcased the professionalism, skill, and dedication that define America’s trucking workforce, and this year’s competition once again raised the bar,” said Greg Hodgen, Chairman of American Trucking Associations and CEO of Groendyke Transport, Inc.  “Congratulations to Miguel on earning the title of 2026 Bendix Grand Champion and to all of this year’s competitors and champions who demonstrated an unwavering commitment to safety and excellence.  I also extend my gratitude to the volunteers, organizers, and state associations whose hard work and dedication make this extraordinary event possible every year.”

At tonight’s closing ceremonies, ATA honored Todd Loreman of Louisiana, a professional driver for Walmart Transportation, with the 2026 Rookie of the Year Award, and the State of Illinois was crowned the team champion for having the highest collective score.

The National Truck Driving Championships are made possible by dozens of NTDC committee members and volunteers who judge the course, serve as liaisons to the drivers, conduct course walk-throughs, and perform other key tasks.  As such, ATA and ATA's Safety Management Council honor one volunteer.  This year's Sam Gillette Volunteer of the Year Award was presented to Melissa Johnson.

In addition, Jeff Davis of Kansas, a professional driver with Walmart Transportation, was recognized with the Neil Darmstadter Professional Excellence Award as the competitor “who most exemplifies all the best attributes of a professional truck driver.”
 

This year’s event included driving competitions across nine vehicle classes, vehicle inspection and a written exam.  A full list of award winners is below.

3-Axle:

1. Chris Poynor, XPO, Washington
2. Todd Loreman, Walmart Transportation LLC, Louisiana
3. Jeffrey Halford, XPO, Idaho

4-Axle:

1. Miguel Corral, United Parcel Service Inc, Illinois
2. Bryan Krol, The Martin-Brower Company LLC, Pennsylvania
3. David Comings, FedEx Freight, North Dakota

5-Axle:

1. Andres Garcia, FedEx Freight, Texas
2. Adam Heim, FedEx Freight, Idaho
3. Matthew Boenisch, FedEx Freight, Wisconsin

Flatbed:

1. Richard Prescott, Walmart Transportation LLC, California
2. Kenneth Rageth, FedEx Freight, Wyoming
3. Karl Wilkerson, United Parcel Service Inc, Illinois

Sleeper:

1. Terry Covey, FedEx Freight, Kansas
2. Erik McFarland, Fareway Stores Inc, Iowa
3. Patrick Condon, Walmart Transportation LLC, Florida

Straight Truck:

1. Robert Cochran, Federal Express Corporation, Maine
2. David May, XPO, New York
3. Lynn Wilson, Walmart Transportation LLC, Utah

Tank Truck:

1. Eric Ramsdell, Walmart Transportation LLC, Arizona
2. Allen McNeely, ABF Freight System Inc, North Carolina
3. James Dixon, A. Duie Pyle Inc, Connecticut

Twins:

1. Ronald Ramon, H-E-B Grocery Co. Texas
2. Vladyslav Piatkovskyi, FedEx Freight, Maryland
3. Gary Mars, Walmart Transportation LLC, Arkansas

Step Van:

1. Robert Ledoux, Federal Express Corporation, Massachusetts
2. Logan Stacho, Federal Express Corporation, Ohio
3. Ceth Christensen, United Parcel Service Inc, Illinois

Vehicle Condition Award: 

• Edward Hill, FedEx Freight, Delaware

Written Exam:

• David Comings, FedEx Freight, North Dakota 
• Todd Gimpel, FedEx Freight, Nebraska 

State Team Award: 

• Illinois