{"id":2137,"date":"2021-03-26T16:01:33","date_gmt":"2021-03-26T16:01:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hiremaster.com\/trucking-news\/?p=2137"},"modified":"2021-03-26T16:01:34","modified_gmt":"2021-03-26T16:01:34","slug":"while-many-park-alabama-planning-a-tdc","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hiremaster.com\/trucking-news\/other-news\/2021\/03\/26\/while-many-park-alabama-planning-a-tdc\/2137\/","title":{"rendered":"While Many Park, Alabama Planning a TDC"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By Al Muskewitz<\/strong>

The National Truck Driving Championship may be canceled for the second year in a row, but by popular demand the Alabama Trucking Association is determined to get back on the course.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe have full intention of pulling one off even with all the obstacles we\u2019re facing right now,\u201d ATA vice president of safety and compliance Tim Frazier told Wright Media. \u201cThis year the nationals are canceled and a lot of states have canceled, but I\u2019ve had several phone calls from drivers who are regular long-time participants and they\u2019re gnashing at the teeth wanting to do a TDC.

\u201cI told them guys just hang on, if it all comes together, we\u2019re going to make it happen. If we can get enough players, we\u2019re going.\u201d

The tentative date is May 28 in the traditional setting of the Oak Mountain Amphitheater and Pelham Civic Complex parking lot. More than 100 drivers participated when it was last held in 2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Mark Knight, the 2018 Alabama Grand Champion, checks his mirrors under the watchful eye of an inspector during the 2019 Alabama Truck Driving Championships.<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The American Trucking Associations canceled this year\u2019s NTDC for the second year in a row in February due to continued restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic; it had been scheduled for Aug. 11-14 in Minneapolis. It will resume in Indianapolis in 2022.

Because some of the state\u2019s major carriers who typically send large contingents to the TDC are still under travel restrictions and won\u2019t be able to participate, the Alabama field made be smaller than usual. By the same token it may open opportunities for smaller carriers to take home some hardware.

\u201cThe only thing that will hold us back would be a lack of participation,\u201d Frazier said. \u201cWe\u2019ll see what kind of response we\u2019ll get. If we can get about 30-35 drivers to participate, it\u2019ll be considerably smaller than usual, but we\u2019ll go ahead and pull it off.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of those long-time competitors, 2018 Alabama Grand Champion Mark Knight of AAA Cooper Transportation, isn\u2019t sure he\u2019ll be able to participate this year for scheduling reasons, but he is glad the opportunity exists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLast year, of course, was very disappointing; it was the first time in 18 years I have not competed in a single competition and normally I do two to three a year,\u201d Knight said. \u201cI think it\u2019s great that Alabama is competing. Like most people I\u2019m ready to get back to normal.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The competition will follow all the rules of the NTDC. Drivers will be judged on their pre-trip inspection, knowledge on a written test and, of course, negotiating the six-station skills course.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Organizers are still working on the course design, but it promises to be as challenging as usual.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve kicked some thoughts and ideas around,\u201d Frazier said. \u201cWe\u2019ll see probably some of the same old obstacles but we\u2019re going to try to slip a couple of new ones in there.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Al Muskewitz is Editor of Wright Media. He can be reached at musky@wrightmediacorp.com.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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