WINDSOR, Conn. - You could say there’s a family connection behind professional truck driving champion Roland Bolduc’s close to four decades on the road.
“I was born and raised in the trucking industry. My family actually owns a trucking company in East Hartford, Connecticut trucking, cranes, storage,” Bolduc, a FedEx Express professional truck driver, said. “They do it all and I was the last of 7 kids, and I wanted bigger and better so.”
Bolduc started working for FedEx Express in 1984. He began competing in the National Truck Driving Championships 12 years later.
He’s won a national title and 16 state championships, and when we asked him what’s allowed him to be successful behind the wheel of his four-axle van, he said it’s all about safety.
“Number one, first and foremost, you got to drive safe every single day,” said Bolduc. “This is a safety event. If you have an accident, you’re not allowed to compete. If you scratch the vehicle, you’re not allowed to compete, and if you’re out more than 30 days, you’re not allowed to compete due to an injury or any other reason, even COVID.”
COVID-19 canceled recent competitions.
On Saturday, Bolduc returned to practice at the parking lot he called his “Rodeo Research and Development Facility” for the first time in three years.
In the competitions, drivers like Bolduc work through a course completing drills simulating real-life situations like driving and parking their vehicles safely.
“In this competition, you want to see how close you can get,” said Bolduc. “If you can get within six inches of a problem sometimes they’re as tight as 3 inches, if you can get that tight you’re gonna score a higher score.”
His preparation includes working with fellow truck driving champion and friend Karen Tierney
Bolduc said he loves competing and, most importantly, practicing safety means he gets home to his family every night.
“That’s first and foremost. You’re driving a vehicle that can weigh up to 80,000 pounds,” said Bolduc. “They don’t stop on a dime, and safety, you really do have to keep a safety bubble around your vehicle at all times. Know who's behind you, know who's alongside you, and know who’s in front of you.”
Bolduc will be putting his experience back in action at the Massachusetts state championships on June 5 in Shrewsbury.