A driver from an Allentown trucking firm took first place in the American Trucking Association's 75th Annual Super Bowl of Safety in Minneapolis, Minn.

Robert Dolan of Con-way Freight of Allentown took first place in the Straight Truck Class in the 2012 National Truck Driving Championship.

The Allentown office is one of 500 locations of Con-way, which is headquartered in Minnesota.

Steve Dunn, regional safety manager for Con-way, said company-wide his firm sent 74 drivers to the competition and that Dolan has been a winner at the event before.

“He's an exceptional employee, he really is,” said Dunn. All of the contestants were the state champions in nine truck types from all 50 states. Collectively, they have driven 604,122,031 accident-free miles.

Dunn said requiring that contestants be accident free for a year prior to the event is a good way to promote safe driving.

“It's all about emphasizing the importance of safety. We really promote the event throughout our company,” he said.

The Pennsylvania state truck-driving team was honored as the highest scoring state team.

In their respective classes, drivers tested their expertise through the driving skills they use daily. The competition course inside the Minneapolis Convention Center challenged their knowledge of safety, equipment and the industry.

The skills course tested the drivers' ability to judge distances, maneuver tight spaces, reverse, park and position their vehicle exactly over scales, before barriers and around curves.

"The National Truck Driving Championships competitors are the best of the best – the safest, most skilled and most knowledgeable among professional drivers," said ATA President and CEO Bill Graves.

"I applaud all the competitors for their achievements and dedication to safety, and congratulate Don on his Grand Champion award which showcases his superior driving skill and commitment to safety."