Precision, power & pride: South Dakota’s top truckers showcase skills

South Dakota Trucking Association tests abilities of area truck drivers

At first glance, the 46th Annual South Dakota Truck Driving Championships (TDCs) might resemble a friendly local gathering—cheers, handshakes, and families under a blue May sky. But under that camaraderie is one of the most competitive and skill-driven displays in the American trucking industry, where split-second decisions and inch-perfect maneuvers separate champions from contenders.

Held last week at Southeast Technical College in Sioux Falls, this year's TDCs brought together dozens of the state’s most skilled professional drivers, all competing for the coveted title of Grand Champion—an honor claimed this year by Terry Buttemeier of FedEx Freight, Inc. in Sioux Falls.