Tony Spero Named Grand Champion of Connecticut Truck Driving Championship
They’re calling him the grand champion of Connecticut truckers.
Tony Spero, of Stratford-based ABF Freight, drove home with the top award in the Motor Transport Association of Connecticut’s Truck Driving Championship. According to an MTAC press release, “the Grand Champion is the driver who has the highest combined score from the written exam, pre-trip vehicle inspection and skills course in the competition.”
The annual event, which involves some of the safest truck drivers in the state, was held June 11 at FedEx Freight in Windsor Locks.
“MTAC congratulates Tony Spero on the hard work and dedication that led to this accomplishment,” MTAC President Joe Sculley said in a statement. “He has earned this award in previous years as well. The fact that he was the top driver at the competition again this year shows how seriously he takes safety and compliance with government regulations.”
ABF Freight is a subsidiary of ArcBest Corp. which ranks No. 12 on the Transport Topics Top 100 list of the largest U.S. and Canadian for-hire carriers.
Spero competed in the five-axle tractor flat-bed trailer class. His combined score was higher than drivers in all other classes, which included step van, three-axle, four-axle, five-axle tractor-trailer, five-axle sleeper tractor-trailer, five-axle tractor tank-trailer, straight truck, and twin trailers.
He also won an award for the highest score in the pre-trip vehicle inspection portion of the competition. He correctly identified all of the defects that were planted on the truck that was used in that part of the event.
Spero will now head to the National Truck Driving Championship to compete in the Flatbed class. He has previously been the National Grand Champion in the flatbed class. This year’s event will be held from August 10-13 in Indianapolis. Joining Spero will be the drivers with the top combined scores (written exam, pre-trip inspection, skills course) from each of the other classes from the Connecticut competition.
In 2007, Spero became a member of the American Trucking Associations America’s Road Team, an elite group of drivers who have driven millions of miles safely and serve as trucking ambassadors for two years.
“Connecticut is going to be well-represented at the national competition in Indianapolis. Merely earning the right to go to nationals is a great accomplishment. MTAC is rooting for the Connecticut representatives,” Sculley said.
