FedEx driver Chad Rudesill wins Louisiana Truck Driving Championships

The 2025 Louisiana Truck Driving Championships, presented by the Louisiana Motor Truck Asoociation Foundation, was held this past weekend The two-day competition was held at the L’Auberge Baton Rouge and a specially made driving course across River Road from the L’Auberge’s main facilities.  

This year’s competition saw 80 drivers participate, each completing three tests focused on testing a driver’s knowledge and skills. All competitors were required to provide safe driving records, including a zero-accident report for the year.

Chad Rudesill, who drives for FedEx, was the competition’s grand champion. He also won the three-axel van division.

Darrin Lemoine, who drives for Walmart, was the rookie of the year winner.

The team trophy was won by XPO.

FedEx Freight’s Corey Mitchell won the mechanic’s award.

Winners of the LMTA competition include:

Step Van

1st Place                       Nicholas Burgess                      Walmart

2nd Place                      Michael Brian                            FedEx

3rd Place                       Mario Powell                             FedEx

Straight Truck

1st Place                       Leroy Williams                          XPO

2nd Place                      Darrin Lemoine                         Walmart

3rd Place                       Corey Mitchell                           FedEx

3 Axle Van

1st Place                       Chad Rudesill                           FedEx

2nd Place                      David Jowers                            Old Dominion Freight Line

3rd Place                       Damien Hebert                         XPO

4 Axle Van

1st Place                       Larry Peltier                              Martin Brower

2nd Place                      Wallace Simien                         Walmart

3rd Place                       Shelton Winn                            Old Dominion Freight Line

5 Axle Van

1st Place                       Eric Courville                             FedEx

2nd Place                      Christopher Colomb                  Walmart

3rd Place                       John McLean                            Walmart

5 Axle Tank Truck

1st Place                       Curtis McMellon                        XPO

2nd Place                      Johnnie Long                            Walmart

3rd Place                       Patrick Rudesill                         FedEx

5 Axle Flatbed

1st Place                       Mark Collins                              Walmart

2nd Place                      Joseph Vital                              FedEx

3rd Place                       Warren Little                             FedEx

5 Axle Sleeper Cab

1st Place                       Patrick Bonvillian                      Old Dominion Freight Line

2nd Place                      Malcolm Taylor                         FedEx

3rd Place                       Joseph Guidry                          Walmart

Twin Truck

1st Place                       Wilbur Sansom                         FedEx

2nd Place                      Eddie Bonnet                            Old Dominion Freight Line

3rd Place                       Michael Greene                        Ergon Trucking

All first-place winners will represent the LMTA Foundation and the State of Louisiana in the 2025 American Trucking Association (ATA) National Truck Driving Championships in Minneapolis, Aug. 20 – 23.

The drivers competed in three categories:

1. The written examination is an hour-long test that measures competitors’ knowledge of the trucking industry, safe driving rules, first aid, and firefighting.
2. The pre-trip inspection tests the driver’s ability to thoroughly investigate the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMSCA) pre-trip inspection. Each driver is tasked with finding defects planted on a test vehicle within a limited time.
3. The field test course sees contestants drive a vehicle through the specially designed course with problems designed to simulate conditions they may encounter during the everyday operation of a truck.