For professional drivers, the National Truck Driving Championships (NTDC) is one of the industry's most elite competitions. Hosted annually by the American Trucking Associations, the event brings together the United States' most skilled drivers to compete in a written exam, vehicle inspection and a challenging driving course designed to test precision, expertise and commitment to safety.
Safety excellence earns top honors
UPS driver Miguel Corral of Illinois led the way, earning first place in the 4-Axle Class and the competition’s highest honor: 2026 Grand Champion. The award recognizes the top overall driver across all vehicle classes and is one of the most prestigious distinctions in professional driving.
Miguel's achievement reflects the dedication, training and safety-first mindset that UPS drivers bring to the road every day. 👏
"After driving for 26 years and competing for 14 years, I can't help but think of all the long hours and preparation that got me there,” Miguel said. “Looking at the trophy, it makes me think of all the support I received from my friends and family … I feel blessed."
Several other UPS drivers also delivered standout performances at this year's championships:
- 🥉 Ceth Christensen (Illinois) – 3rd Place, Step Van Category
- 🥉 Karl Wilkerson (Illinois) – 3rd Place, Flatbed Category
- ⭐ Jeff Reed (New Mexico) – Top 5, Twins Category
- ⭐ Darius Uible (Kentucky) – Top 5, Flatbed Category
Congratulations to these UPSers for continuing to showcase our company's world-class safety culture.🎉
هل تعلم؟ في شركة UPS، ليس هناك أهم من سلامة ورفاهية موظفينا والمجتمعات التي نخدمها. We provide employees with industry-leading training to keep them and other drivers safe.
- We've invested more than 35 million hours and over $2 billion since 2021 to help UPSers work safely.
- Nearly 10,000 UPS drivers worldwide have driven for our company for 25 years or longer without an accident.
- Across the U.S., UPS has more than 2,400 Comprehensive Health & Safety Process committees, bringing together hourly employees and management to identify risks, improve work processes and strengthen safety performance.
- UPS Integrad graduates more than 13,000 UPSers a year. Developed with MIT, Virginia Tech and the Institute for the Future, our one-of-a-kind training program uses virtual reality, classroom instruction and a replica city to prepare drivers for real-world safety decisions.