NTDC Spotlight: Roland Bolduc
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In recent years at the National Truck Driving Championships, winning has become synonymous with Roland Bolduc.
A Connecticut-based FedEx driver, Bolduc has spent most of his career involved in state and national trucking tournaments, recording dozens of accolades along the way.
He has perfected preparing for the national contest through year-round training and consistently reviewing industry rules and regulations. He co-created, with XPO’s Richard Sweeney, a training style at their Roadeo Research and Development Facility that enhanced the way New England colleagues approach competition. In other words: We need to talk about Roland.
From last year’s national title in the 5-axle sleeper berth class, to his two national grand champion trophies (2017 in Orlando, Fla.,; 2022 in Indianapolis), Bolduc seems to consistently find a path to examine the depths of his talents and surpass fellow elite drivers.
2024 National Truck Driving Championships
Who: Winners from nine categories at the state level who have advanced to the national competition, where a Grand Champion will be crowned
What: Contestants are judged on a written exam, pre-trip inspection and driving skills
When: Aug. 21-24
Where: Indianapolis
In June he won his state’s twin trailer division to secure his 19th trip to the nationals. His preternatural competitive spirit ranges from beast mode to transcendence. Transport Topics recently connected with Bolduc for a wide-ranging conversation.
“Always excited to get a call for first place; always. It never gets old. And, right away, I focused to the nationals,” he said about securing another state title this summer. “It makes me focus more on the three things that I need to focus on. Because you’re not going against these people. I say they’re going to be in my class.… But it’s me against the course. It’s me against whoever wrote that written exam. It’s me against whoever placed all the defects on that truck.”
Pointing to how the “Super Bowl of Safety’s” written exam and pre-trip vehicle inspection, or back room, complement the driving assignment, he went on, “You’re never against another driver. You’re against the course. You’re against the problems. But I know how good they do the course and how good they do the problems. So it’s stepping up my game to do better on the three.”
Roland Bolduc was all smiles after winning the 2017 NTDC grand championship in Orlando, Fla. … (John Sommers II for Transport Topics)
As a veteran competitor — Bolduc is in his early 60s — he emphasized an appreciation for the tournament’s complexities and unpredictability. He admittedly recognized the requisite discipline to continue to perform at an elite level. Qualifying for nationals is never taken for granted. Several of his contemporaries, for instance, have come up short from qualifying. Bolduc embraces his love for the national precision-driving tournament, since it has become the incidental venue for him to showcase his many talents.
“I’ve come across people that have told me, ‘I don’t know why you’re drawing out the course and writing things down. You know, you can stop now because I’m going to beat you.’ And I’ve had that said to me a couple of times. And I’ve told them, ‘You beat me, I’ll buy you a beer. If I beat you, you buy me a beer.’ And, you know, that’s the only thing I can say. On any given day you can get beat. I try my best not to be on that given day,” he said, without any self-effacement.
… and again in Indianapolis in 2022. (John Sommers II for Transport Topics)
At the 87th annual NTDC in August, he will join more than 400 state champions from around the country vying for a national title in their respective vehicle class. Bolduc is in a unique position.
Since 1987, twenty-eight drivers have taken home the blue ribbon trophy at this “Super Bowl of Safety.” Bolduc is the only member of that prestigious club to find himself still competing on the national stage. Winning another best-in-show trophy would put him in the company of Minnesota’s Raymond Simon as the only drivers to be named three-time NTDC grand champions. In fairness to Bolduc, he has positioned himself immaculately within reach of the venerable distinction.
“I’ve always thought, if I’m in the finals, I gotta give it hell. I got to do the best I can. No time to relax,” Bolduc explained. Remarking on NTDC’s scoring system on the course — 50s are perfect — he added: “Leave your zeros behind when you go to the nationals.”
Roland Bolduc took notes as he walked the course at the 2023 NTDC in Columbus, Ohio. (John Sommers II for Transport Topics)
For Bolduc to succeed, everything must come together: The training, self-discipline and focus. NTDC is a stage for talented drivers to display a mastery of the craft.
“Belt buckles and grand champion rings — all it does is draw more attention that [competitors] want to knock you off that podium. And that’s where I’m sitting: on the podium,” he said. “They want to knock you off. So you got to be on your game even more.”
Every state qualifier arrives at nationals with dreams. It is their precision-driving cathedral. Simply put: welcome to the big leagues.
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