FedEx Freight driver from North Dakota wins driving skills competition

The American Trucking Associations Saturday, Aug. 23, proclaimed David Comings, a professional driver with FedEx Freight from North Dakota, the Bendix Grand Champion at the 2025 National Truck Driving & Step Van Championships.

ATA’s National Truck Driving & Step Van Championships took place from Aug. 20-23 in Minneapolis, bringing together 425 drivers representing 56 companies from 49 states with a combined total of nearly 756 million accident-free miles.
 
During the contest, drivers competed in a variety of events designed to measure their driving prowess, industry knowledge and dedication to safety.  Comings took home the Bendix Grand Champion award, as well as first place in the 5-axle vehicle class.

Comings has been a professional driver for nearly 30 years, accumulating 3.1 million safe driving miles. He has competed three times in the North Dakota Motor Carriers Association state trucking championships and three times in the National Truck Driving Championships.  In 2022 and 2023, he took first place in North Dakota’s 4-axle category.  Last year, he took first place in North Dakota’s 5-axle category.
 
“Congratulations to David on his extraordinary achievement,” said American Trucking Associations President & CEO Chris Spear.CCThis week, David put on a master class of precision and professionalism that define NTDC, emerging from an elite field of highly skilled competitors.”

At the event’s closing ceremonies, ATA honored Jeffrey Reed, a professional driver with UPS from New Mexico, with the 2025 Rookie of the Year Award, and the State of Colorado was crowned the team champion for having the highest collective score.
 
ATA also honored Leroy Williams, Sr., of XPO with the Neill Darmstadter Professional Excellence Award.  Linda Nodland was chosen as the Sam Gillette Lifetime Volunteer Award recipient.