ROGERS, Ark. — More than 200 professionals will compete in both written and hands-on competitions that demonstrate their safety knowledge and skill at the 2024 Arkansas Trucking Championship (ATA) this weekend, June 28-29 at the Rogers Convention Center in Rogers, Arkansas.
Regarded as the best of the best, these 37 technicians and 149 truck drivers will gather for the state-wide, two-day competition, hosted by the ATA.
On Thursday, ATA will support Arkansas Highway Police inspectors as they test their skills in the Commercial Vehicle Inspection Competition.
The Technician Championship will begin at 7:30 a.m. on Friday, June 28 and conclude with an awards banquet at 5:30 p.m. The Truck Driving Championship begins on Friday with a written exam and pre-trip inspection and then continues Saturday with the driving skills portion. The Saturday skills test begins at 7:45 a.m. and typically concludes around 2 p.m. It is the biggest event, attracting hundreds of cheering friends, family, colleagues and spectators.
“This annual championship is a celebration of the men and women who provide for their families by providing products for ours. Their skill and commitment to safety is worth cheering for, rolling out the red carpet and handing out trophies to recognize what it takes to move our state and nation forward,” said Shannon Newton, ATA president. “Every day, truck drivers and the technicians who maintain their equipment ensure that communities have what they need to work and play in the Natural State. Whether it’s sunscreen to enjoy a sunny day or medicines when we’re stuck inside feeling under the weather, the products on store shelves arrive through the hard work of trucking industry professionals.”
To qualify for the truck driving championship, contestants must be accident-free for the past year. Winners from each technician and truck driving competition class and the Arkansas Highway Police will advance to a national competition where their knowledge and skill will be tested against their peers from across the country.
Bruce Guthrie is an award-winning journalist who has lived in three states including Arkansas, Missouri and Georgia. During his nearly 20-year career, Bruce has served as managing editor and sports editor for numerous publications. He and his wife, Dana, who is also a journalist, are based in Carrollton, Georgia.
