From Spain's World Cup victory to the NBA Finals, where the Knicks staged a historic comeback, this summer has been packed with competition. The latest chapter unfolded in Pittsburgh earlier this month, where drivers from across the country put pedal to the metal at the National Truck Driving Championships (NTDC), an event colloquially known as the "Super Bowl of trucking." The competition, hosted by the American Trucking Associations (ATA), dates back to 1937, when it began as the National Truck Roadeo, making it one of the longest-running safety programs in the freight industry.

This year's competition drew 429 drivers from 49 states who have logged a combined total of nearly 775 million safe driving miles over their careers—equivalent to more than 31,000 circles around the earth. Drivers representing 55 companies, from small mom-and-pop operations to Fortune 500 giants like Walmart, FedEx, XPO, and UPS, vied in tests showcasing their driving, turning, and parking skills. Trucks move the vast majority of the nation's freight by weight, so the companies backing the event have a direct operational stake in the safe-driving habits it rewards.

"The entire motivation of this program is to make them better on the road and to continue to drive safe," said Jacob Pierce, executive director of the American Trucking Associations' Safety Management Council. "It creates a company culture where everybody buys into 'every day is a safe day.'"

Why Safety, Not Speed, Wins

In 2024, large trucks accounted for nearly one in ten (9%) of all vehicles involved in fatal crashes, according to a National Safety Council study. With 11 billion tons of freight moved by truck in 2024, the stakes of getting safety right extend far beyond the competition floor. Maneuvering a vehicle that weighs thousands of pounds demands extra caution: a loaded tractor-trailer requires 20% to 40% more stopping distance than a car, according to data analyzed by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Large trucks were involved in 5,218 fatal crashes in 2024, up 30% over the past decade, according to National Safety Council data.

Eric Ramsdell, a Walmart tank truck driver who took first place in his division, said the championship reflects a responsibility that follows drivers onto the road. "Every day we have to understand we have people's lives at stake, equipment, our safe mileage record," he told Fortune. The skills course, he added, puts competitors under pressure much like real-world driving but requires them to "focus and maneuver safely around and do the pre-trip in a safe manner."

Companies eager to participate in the "Super Bowl of trucking" must prove their drivers have what it takes for the open road—and are not afraid to hit the brakes when needed. To qualify, drivers must win a top placement at their state competition, maintain a clean, preventable accident-free safety record for the previous year, and meet full-time driving requirements with their company. Being "accident-free" is not as simple as avoiding a major crash: even incidents like hitting a curb and slicing a tire can disqualify a driver.

Pierce told Fortune he has seen drivers attend their state competition "20-plus times and have yet to make it to nationals, but they keep coming back because they want their chance."

When Inches Matter More Than Speed

Most competitions reward a mix of timing and speed, but at the NTDC, it is all about precision—and not hitting a giant yellow duck.

The three-day competition began with a written exam testing drivers' road knowledge and safety awareness. Next came a pre-trip inspection in which drivers had to identify planted safety risks they could face in real life. Decoys ranged from major issues like an unsecured load to easy-to-overlook details such as a crack in the passenger-side frame, a missing wiper blade, or a loose lug nut.

Competitors also faced an obstacle course lined with cones and bright yellow plastic ducks. To demonstrate their precision, drivers made turns as close as possible to the 3.5-inch-tall ducks. With safety-assistance technology such as backup cameras covered up, drivers had to rely on instinct and skill.

"We have to cover all that up because that would make it too easy for them," Pierce said. "We are purists when it comes to driving a truck."

The Last Truckers Standing

By day three, FedEx, Walmart, and UPS dominated the leaderboards. FedEx had 18 finalists across two company divisions, Walmart had nine, and UPS had five, while smaller freight and shipping company XPO had three. After a grueling obstacle course featuring tight turns, tight parking reverses, and quick, controlled stops, winners were selected in each of the nine classes, divided by truck size—from flatbeds to three-, four-, and five-axle vehicles.

Walmart driver Richard Prescott took first place in the flatbed division. For Prescott, a first-time national winner who has spent the last 45 years in the trucking industry, simply reaching Pittsburgh was the result of years of close calls and incremental progress. "That process is extremely hard to get through," Prescott told Fortune. "You have to do baby steps." When Walmart was announced as the flatbed winner, he initially thought the trophy belonged to a teammate. "My boss… grabs me from behind, and I told him Mark won, and he says, 'No, you did,'" Prescott said. "It's still sinking in."

Miguel Corral, who competed for UPS in the four-axle division, took home the grand champion title—the competition's top honor, traditionally marked by the coveted grand champion's belt buckle. Corral told Fortune he is a nine-time NTDC competitor, and while there are always "nerves" when he competes, the event "feels like a family reunion." He said he approaches the pre-trip inspection much as he does before a normal shift: "I inspect my equipment every day, making sure to be thorough and complete each time."

On the obstacle course, drivers are tested on accuracy rather than speed, which Corral said reflects the reality of the job. "Speed doesn't prevent accidents, accuracy does," he said. "You want to take your time and be safe."

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com (https://fortune.com/2026/08/29/super-bowl-truck-driving-national-championships-fedex-walmart-ups-drivers-safety/).