Kevin Asbury of FedEx Freight Named Grand Champion

Point Pleasant, WV-resident and professional truck driver Kevin Asbury was named Grand Champion of the West Virginia Trucking Association’s 58th Annual Truck Driving Championship, held Saturday, June 15 in Charleston, association representatives announced.

Asbury, a driver for FedEx Freight, took the top honor after competing in a variety of skill and safety tests.  While he won his class in 2003 and competed at the National Truck Driving Championship, this is the first time he has won the Grand Champion Award.

Jan Vineyard, President of the association, said, “The purpose of the Truck Driving Championship is to give trucking professionals the opportunity to test their driving and safety skills against their West Virginia peers. The competition mirrors what professional truck drivers must do day-in and day-out to maintain safety records unmatched by any other segment of the driving public.”

Read more: Kevin Asbury of FedEx Freight Named Grand Champion

Over 50 Drivers to compete in Truck Driving Championship on Saturday

Professional West Virginia tractor-trailer operators will test their driving skills and knowledge of the trucking industry during the West Virginia Trucking Association’s annual Truck Driving Championship, to be held from 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 15 at the Charleston Civic Center. 

Read more: WV Trucking Professionals to Test Skills in Driving Competition at Civic Center Saturday

From MetroNews
Weigh stations across the nation are extra busy. We’re in the middle of the annual 72-Hour Road Check. It’s a nationwide program where commercial vehicles are inspected while they’re transporting their loads.

The state Public Service Commission Transportation Enforcement Division is conducting the inspections here in West Virginia. Enforcement Officer Matthew Epling said all big rigs must exit the interstate at specified weigh stations.

Read more: Big Rigs Checked for Safety on West Virginia Interstates

Below is a statement from the National Transportation Safety Board released today regarding the public signing of H.B. 2108, enacting primary enforcement for West Virginia’s safety belt use law.  

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that from 1975 through 2011, seat belts have saved more than 292,471 lives nationwide. We know that comprehensive laws combined with education and strong enforcement have been shown to increase seat belt use. According to the 2012 National Occupant Protection Use Survey, the average belt use was 90 percent in states authorizing primary enforcement; it was 78 percent in states authorizing only secondary enforcement.

This new law will make a big difference in the lives of West Virginians and I commend Governor Tomblin, State Senator Corey Palumbo, Delegate Barbara Fleischauer and Delegate Tim Miley as well as the tireless highway safety advocates, including Jan Vineyard, President of West Virginia Trucking Association, for putting transportation safety first.