Florida Truck Driving Championships hitting the beach at Daytona

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The Florida Trucking Association (FTA) will host the 2024 Florida Truck Driving Championships (TDC) June 14-15 at the Ocean Center in Daytona Beach.

The family-friendly event will feature more than 300 of the top professional commercial motor vehicle drivers in the state, showcasing their safe driving skills and knowledge of the industry as they compete for the title of Grand Champion.

“The Florida Truck Driving Championships offer a platform to recognize and honor the best professional truck drivers in our state. Their dedication to professionalism and, most importantly, safety, make them ambassadors of our industry,” said Alix Miller, president and CEO of FTA. “These drivers are the backbone of our nation’s economy, and this annual event showcases their impressive abilities and unwavering dedication to performing their duties with safety and efficiency.”

Each year, the top drivers are selected from their respective companies to compete in the Florida TDC.

This year, qualifying drivers are from companies such as UPS, FedEx, Amazon, Publix, Walmart, Sysco, Oakley and Florida Rock and Tank Lines.

Drivers compete in different classes, including straight, tank, sleeper, twins, 3-to-5-axle, auto transport, flatbed and step van, with all scores going toward the Grand Champion final rankings.

Drivers will begin with a written regulatory exam, then compete in a pre-trip inspection and conclude by driving the skills course.

The Florida TDC is the qualifier to the National Truck Driving Championships hosted by American Trucking Associations, which will take place Aug. 21-24 in Indianapolis.

The event is free, and the public is encouraged to attend to learn more about the trucking industry and watch some of the best professional truck drivers show off their skills.

John Worthen

Born in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, and raised in East Texas, John Worthen returned to his home state to attend college in 1998 and decided to make his life in The Natural State. Worthen is a 20-year veteran of the journalism industry and has covered just about every topic there is. He has a passion for writing and telling stories. He has worked as a beat reporter and bureau chief for a statewide newspaper and as managing editor of a regional newspaper in Arkansas. Additionally, Worthen has been a prolific freelance journalist for two decades, and has been published in several travel magazines and on travel websites.