Pittsburgh, PA (July 20th, 2015) - Two drivers representing PITT OHIO placed among the top finishers at the 2015 State Truck Driving Championships in Ohio and West Virginia and will represent the company at the National competition in St. Louis, Missouri August 11-15. A total of 20 PITT OHIO drivers competed at the state championships throughout Ohio, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. Six PITT OHIO drivers earned first, second and third place trophies in their respective state competitions, with one, Eric Schimming, earning the Grand Champion award in Ohio.

Ohio State Championships

• Eric Schimming, from the company’s Toledo terminal, earned the first place finish in the 5-Axle Class Competition and earned the Overall Grand Champion Award for scoring the highest among all drivers in the State. This will be Eric’s first appearance at the National Competition.
• Michael Jackson, from the company’s Columbus terminal, finished in second place in the 5-Axle Class Competition.

Maryland State Championships

• Michael Miltenberger, from the company’s Cumberland terminal, finished in third place in the 5-Axle Competition.

West Virginia Championships

• Nick Backes, from the company’s Charleston terminal, earned the first place finish in the Tanker Class. This will be Nick’s second appearance at the National Competition.
• Charles Randolph, from the company’s Charleston terminal, finished in third place in the Straight Truck Class Competition.
• Craig Payton, from the company’s Charleston terminal, earned a third place finish in the 4-Axle Class Competition.

The Truck Driving Championships is an opportunity for professional truck drivers to demonstrate their driving skills and safety expertise. The event includes a difficult driving-skills challenge, pre-trip inspection and written examination covering vehicle operation and knowledge of federal safety regulations.

Manager of Training & Development, Dean Yockey, said, "We work with our drivers every day on safety compliance and to instill a sense of pride in being one of the safest fleets in America. Our commitment to safety is second to none. I congratulate all of the drivers who competed at the state level and wish Eric and Nick the best of luck at Nationals in August."

For more information, please contact