By Eugene Mulero

PodWheels Chief Correspondent

MINNEAPOLIS — In sports, there are moments marked by a team’s dominance. Then, there are those eras when a team is simply dynastic. Think the New York Yankees of Yogi Berra; USC during the Cheryl Miller years. Bill Russell’s Celtics. The Patriots with Tom Brady. 

By every metric imaginable, FedEx is displaying dynasty-esque qualities at the National Truck Driving Championships. 

Just look at the scoreboard. Last month marked the second consecutive year FedEx won the overall best-in-show at NTDC and took home top honors in the National Step Van Driving Championships. 

North Dakota’s David Comings competing in five-axle is 2025’s grand champion. Last year it was Mississippi’s Jackie Reed. Both drive for FedEx. Logan Montandon from Texas repeated as the nation’s step van virtuoso. 

In addition to owning the leaderboard, the guys in purple dominated in almost every category. 

Team FedEx was right there with the five-axle grand champion and step van winners. Four other vehicle classes were won by FedEx (Straight Truck: Mark Carver, FedEx Freight, Missouri; 3-Axle: Daniel Shamrell, FedEx Freight, Oregon; 4-Axle: Stephen Johnson, FedEx Freight, Mississippi; Flatbed: Edward Hill, FedEx Freight, Delaware). 

When FedEx didn’t win the vehicle class, the drivers were right in the mix. Two-time grand champion (2017, 2022) Roland Bolduc, Second Place, 5-Axle; Andy Bryant, Second Place, Straight Truck; Todd Flippin, Second Place, Sleeper Berth; Matt Futral, Second Place, Step Van; Adam Heim, Second Place, Flatbed; Gary Luster, Second Place, 3-Axle; Dave Mogler, Second Place, Twins; Kenny Rageth Jr., Third Place, Flatbed; and John Willinger, Third Place, 5-Axle. 

If you’re keeping score: FedEx swept five-axle and flatbed. 

But wait, there’s more: The crew from Colorado, most of whom are FedEx’ers, won the tournament’s state category (Nik Dodig, Todd Flippin, Dave Mogler, Josh Mogler, Tyler Rogers, Paul Swan and Nick Gaudette). 

The pre-trip honors: FedEx’s Gaudette achieved perfection in the vehicle condition discipline. 

The top score on the NTDC written exam: The 2025 grand champion—Comings. 

So, the backroom at NTDC: FedEx. Six out of nine vehicle classes: FedEx. Team award: FedEx. Grand champion: FedEx. 

American Trucking Associations acknowledged the new grand champion’s exploits: “Over the course of three decades and 3.1 million accident-free miles, David has proven his driving prowess and commitment to safety,” said ATA President & CEO Chris Spear in a statement soon after NTDC’s conclusion on Aug. 23.

“This week,” Spear continued, “David put on a master class of precision and professionalism that define NTDC, emerging from an elite field of highly skilled competitors.”

The Purple Promise had been ramping up their NTDC prep program for more than a decade. To borrow from this column’s headline, simply put, we’re living in the FedEx era. “At FedEx, Safety Above All guides everything we do,” said John A. Smith, chief operating officer, U.S. & Canada.

“I’m proud of our team’s outstanding performance at this year’s National Truck Driving Championships. Their dedication to safety and outstanding service is clear in every mile they drive.”

In the post-COVID years, there is no doubt FedEx has become the team to beat.