FedEx Freight’s Reed to be Honored at MCE
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During the four days of competition at the National Truck Driving Championships, there is opportunity for qualifiers to find comfort outside the spotlight. The event’s bright lights, loud acoustics and festive atmosphere can be distracting for a few drivers.
At the best-of-the-best contest in late August, Jackie Reed, an affable Mississippi-based driver with FedEx Freight, avoided some of the typical distractions associated with the tournament’s pageantry. Reed, this year’s Bendix Grand Champion trophy winner, opted to focus on a singular task: winning. The self-described hyper-competitive individual became the 29th man to capture the top prize at the annual “Super Bowl of Safety.”
It has been said that there is an art to flying under the radar.
American Trucking Associations will recognize Reed’s monumental accomplishment at this month’s Management Conference & Exhibition. ATA’s fall event is scheduled for Oct. 12-16 in Nashville, Tenn. The conference features industry executives and government officials.
Getting to Know You
Name: Jackie Reed
Age: 55
From: Hattiesburg, Miss.
Company: FedEx Freight
Vehicle: Tank Truck
Accolades: NTDC grand champion (2024), national tank truck champion (2024), Mississippi grand champion (2022)
Years as a commercial driver: 34
Favorite food: Mexican (fajitas)
Last movie you watched: “Top Gun: Maverick”
Sports hero: Former NFL quarterback Troy Aikman
What song did you accidentally learn the lyrics to: “Dear Mr. Fantasy” by Traffic
All-time favorite vacation: Destin, Fla.
Something people don’t know about you: “I like to farm.”
Speaking with Transport Topics about a month after his victory run in Indianapolis, the nation’s top precision truck driver reflected on the moment: “I feel great; very, very proud — just overwhelmed with all the people reaching out to me … and people just talking and the pictures that are sent to me. And it’s a dream come true. And I never expected it to happen this year. You know what I mean, I don’t think you could ever expect it, but it’s been really overwhelming some of the stuff that has come through. ... It’s been great.”
During the weeks leading up to the national tournament, Reed explained he devoted countless hours practicing at facilities in the Magnolia State. The long hours were devoted to perfecting his command of the vehicle as well as his comprehension of rules and regulations about an industry he’s been a part of for more than three decades.
This NTDC marked his first time advancing to the final round. The top five performers from the contest’s nine vehicle classes advanced to the last day of competition. Reflecting on having been one of the 45 finalists, Reed said, “That’s an amazing part for me because there are so many — all the drivers up there are just so meticulous and are just excellent drivers. I’m just glad to be a part of it.”
He continued, “And to be able to win something like that means so much. The standard is so high in the competition, and I think that’s the reason it means so much to win something like that. And I am proud to be in that group, I will tell you the truth.”
The NTDC grand champion prize debuted in 1987 — half a century after the tournament’s commencement in Louisville, Ky. When asked what it feels like being crowned the 29th grand champion in the tournament’s history, Reed said, “It is the trophy that everybody strives for all year long. And that’s what makes it so amazing to me and makes me so proud that I was able to pull that off.”
What a great time! Thanks to everyone who made it happen, and congratulations to all the winners! https://t.co/55T6F2FlsQ — Bendix (@Bendix_CVS) August 27, 2024
Reed remembers little about the immediate moments soon after the grand champion trophy found its way into his arms at the NTDC awards gala. When he was named the event’s big winner on Aug. 24, Reed waved and shook hands with peers and friends. Nervousness is an impossible emotion to shake off during NTDC’s four days in this age of elite competition.
“It has just been overwhelming with everything about it ... and I could not believe it,” Reed further emphasized. At NTDC, he also earned the first-place trophy in the tanker vehicle class.
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“It was a very good night for me. … It has been really a true blessing,” he continued.
Reed now has been telling everybody what inspired his winning performance. Inspiration can possibly be found everywhere you turn, and Reed found it in his wife, Lisa’s, guidance.
“My wife right before I got on an airplane to go to nationals — she was not able to attend — and I was leaving the apartment at 3:30 in the morning to go get on an airplane. And she has a way of trying to get the most out of me — you know, she’s my biggest fan — and she said, ‘Now don’t go up there and embarrass me with your driving.’ And I laughed and she laughed. And then she said, ‘And you don’t have to bring me a souvenir back if you can bring a trophy back.’ ”
Reed returned home with not one, but two trophies.
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