AKRON, Ohio - July 31, 2006 - Roadway proudly announced that 27 of its best and safest professional drivers will compete at the 69th National Truck Driving Championships August 15-19, 2006 at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, LA. The American Trucking Association sponsors the event.
"We are proud of the 27 state champion drivers that have demonstrated their dedication to safety, professionalism and driving skill not only in competition, but every day in their professional lives," said Mike Smid, President and CEO of Roadway. "I'm looking forward to watching these leaders of our industry compete in New Orleans and wish them the best in their quest for the national championship."
To compete, each driver achieved first-place honors in state-level truck driving championships. The competitions include challenging driving skills, maneuvering tests, pre-trip inspections and a written examination covering vehicle operation and federal safety regulations. The Roadway state champions represent the best of the best, including 19 previous winners and three Grand Champions.
This year's state champions from Roadway are:
| Name | Domicile | Class | Special Recognition |
| Alphonso Lewis | Montgomery, AL | 3-Axle | ** |
| Charles Lucas | Meridian, MS | 3-Axle | Grand Champion ** |
| David Messmer | Phoenix, AZ | 3-Axle | Overall Grand Champion & Best Skills/Driving Course Champion |
| Mike Cicalese | Kearny, NJ | 4-Axle | ** |
| Kent Durant | Wichita, KS | 4-Axle | ** |
| Dan Fitzpatrick | Elk Grove Village, IL | 4-Axle | |
| Ronald (Ron) VanBibber | Salt Lake City, UT | 4-Axle | ** |
| Michael Erick | Providence, RI | 5-Axle | ** |
| Wilson Meier | Deer Park, NY | 5-Axle | |
| Richard Seigle | Chicago Hts, IL | 5-Axle | ** |
| John Snawder | Louisville, KY | 5-Axle | Grand Champion ** |
| Bob Baker | Dover, DE | Flatbed | ** |
| Jesse Holt | Chattanooga, TN | Flatbed | ** |
| Nick Caiola | Kearny, NJ | Straight Truck | Pre-Trip Award ** |
| Randy DeVault | Augusta, ME | Straight Truck | ** |
| Jack Larson | Kansas City, KS | Straight Truck | |
| Ben Zadrozny | Waterbury, CT | Straight Truck | Pre Trip Award |
| Regnald Ansbach | Milwaukee, WI | Tanker | ** |
| John Kuiphof | Grand Rapids, MI | Tanker | ** |
| Bill MacDonald | Bellows Falls, VT | Tanker | |
| Glenn Morris | Valdosta, GA | Tanker | |
| Lynn Springer | Portland, OR | Tanker | ** |
| Dale Cook | Lakeland, FL | Twins | ** |
| Keevin Phillips | Trenton, NJ | Twins | ** |
| Mickey Rafeal | Concord, NH | Twins | ** |
| Myron Randall | New Orleans, LA | Twins | ** |
| Ralph Eisenschenk | Saint Cloud, MN | Twins |
3 GRAND CHAMPIONS: Charles Lucas, Dave Messmer, John Snawder
**Previous Winner
For more details on the NTDC and this elite group of drivers, visit http://www.roadway.com/about/ntdc/2006/index.html
