“On The Road Again” is a recurring column by Lloyd Howell. Howell is an a Alabama and American Road Team Captian and professional truck driver with three decades of experience.

As a professional truck driver and an ambassador for the trucking industry, the Alabama Truck Driving Championship is a day marked on my calendar every year. 

One day each June, nearly 100 truck drivers from around Alabama meet to celebrate the technical skills and experience of the best our industry has to offer. These are men and women who earned the right to compete in this state competition – and, if you win your class, you can go on to compete at the American Trucking Associations’ National Truck Driving & National Step Van Driving Championships held each summer. An honor I have had the privilege of attending.

After practicing in my off-time all year, I qualified to represent my company, TCW, at this year’s TDC. On the day of the event, I arrived early, which allowed me to watch the top professional drivers and get a feel for the competition. The drivers who represent our state have millions of accident-free driving miles over their careers and must be accident-free for an entire year to compete. 

There’s a bond in knowing that the other competitors worked just as hard as you did to get here, and you can sense the respect drivers have for each other.

There’s a bond in knowing that the other competitors worked just as hard as you did to get here, and you can sense the respect drivers have for each other. This is more than a gathering to compete; it’s also our chance to reunite, make new friends and most importantly, start the playful trash talk with my fellow drivers. And for me, the best part of the competition is getting to know the other drivers and all the great people who work so hard to make this event special. 

Additionally, I am always amazed and grateful for all of the people who make this happen and show their support for Alabama’s professional drivers. The dedicated staff of the Alabama Trucking Association, the volunteers, and our driving heroes. There is no way this event happens without them and their passion and dedication to be the best. 

Then, there are the dozen or so troopers from the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency who came to judge the competition. It’s an honor knowing they are here to support us.

What Does it Take?

The first thing it takes to get here is the most important aspect of a driver, safety! I, as well as the other competitors, must have a clean, accident-free driving record for the full year between TDC dates. For me, staying accident-free comes down to patience. It’s something I practice every day. I have learned that there is only so much that’s in my control, and I work to master those things. It’s more than a dedication to the industry and making the TDC for me; it’s about being safe, making sure that everyone makes it home safely.

The Challenges

The written test reminds me a lot of the history final you had in high school – a lot of information to memorize. This year’s test was by far the most difficult I’ve seen since I’ve been competing. I have read the book and taken many practice tests. I think the best advice for the test is to read the questions carefully and take your time.

On to the Pre-Trip, I always practice closer to the event, with a set time. My goal is to add more and more areas of the equipment and establish a pattern within the time allotted. And whoever took the radiator cap, that was a good one! I heard a few drivers say that one got them.

Out on the course, the word of the day was “tight.” The TDC organizers work really hard to match the national course, which are known to be very tight courses because they are usually held in indoor arenas. In my own training throughout the year, I am mindful of that.

Training is a journey that begins months before the event itself. I start my workday a little early so I can go a little early to run mock courses at my terminal, practice turns, especially steer tire turns, and front stops.

Training is a journey that begins months before the event itself. I start my workday a little early so I can go a little early to run mock courses at my terminal, practice turns, especially steer tire turns, and front stops. It all looks so easy on paper or on a practice run, but once you’re in the cab and out on the actual course, you soon realize that this requires all of your concentration and skill. I’ve often said that the skills course challenges your mind. You have to calm your nerves and be intentional in everything you do – and on top of that, you’re competing against the clock.

This year, I placed sixth out of 11 drivers in the 5-axle Class. While not my best result, it was undoubtedly the most challenging category. I had the privilege of competing alongside the best in the field, including the competition’s Grand Champion, Kyle Avery of Publix. Still, I wouldn’t trade the experience for anything. I am proud to represent my company and Alabama’s trucking industry.

Next Year’s Challenge

I am already in the mindset for next year, be accident-free first, then return. Speaking to a lot of drivers, we all said the same thing. Next year is about redemption. For me and many others, there are a lot of “what ifs” and “missed by this much” when discussing our day at the competition. Do the mistakes and missed opportunities drive us crazy? Sure, they do for a little while, but then it is time to refocus for next year.

Looking ahead, I am issuing a challenge to everyone in our state to find safe, dedicated professional drivers to sign up for the 2027 Alabama TDC next year. Let’s work on making the event an even bigger success, because I can tell you from experience that it’s extremely important to us drivers, and we appreciate the opportunity to show the industry what we can do.

Read full coverage of this year’s Alabama TDC here.