The 'Super Bowl of trucking,' a driver who trained 14 years wins the golden belt buckle | Fortune

A long-tenured truck driver who trained for 14 years won the “golden belt buckle,” part of the trucking industry’s “Super Bowl” competition, held in Pittsburgh earlier this month. This year’s event drew 429 drivers from 49 states, representing 55 companies ranging from small operators to major names like Walmart, FedEx, XPO and UPS. The American Trucking Associations’ Safety Management Council says the purpose is improving safety culture, not speed. The backdrop is serious: large trucks accounted for 9% of vehicles involved in fatal crashes in 2024, and truck fatal crashes reached 5,218, up 30% over the decade. Competitors must qualify via state contests and an accident-free record for the prior year.