2026 Truck Driving Championships

Description

The 2026 Louisiana Truck Driving Championships will take place Friday, June 19 – Saturday, June 20, 2026 at the Cajundome in Lafayette, Louisiana. Testing, pretrip, the course and the awards banquet will all be held on the Cajundome's campus.

To compete in the Louisiana Truck Driving Championships, drivers must meet specific eligibility standards designed to ensure fairness, professionalism, and safety. All contestants must certify the following:

• Must have been continuously employed by their current employer for the 12 months prior to this year’s TDC
• Must have actively performed regular truck or step van driving duties during those 12 months
• Cannot have been away from regular driving duties for more than a total of 30 calendar days in the past 12 months
• Cannot have had a preventable fleet motor vehicle accident in the past 12 months. (For accidents deemed as preventable, please see the NTDC guidelines. If you feel your driver meets these guidelines, please email our staff - lmta@lmta.la for confirmation.)
• Must hold the proper CDL (or DL for Step Van) with required endorsements for the class entered
• Cannot have served on a State Truck Driving Championships Committee in the past 12 months
• Cannot compete in a class recently won at the state level or competed in at Nationals within the restricted time period outlined in TDC rules
• Cannot receive pay, bonus, or other compensation for practice time

Please read the full Driver Entry and Release Form for complete rules, eligibility requirements, and submission instructions before registering.

Registration for Competitors is now open! 

This annual event brings together the best of Louisiana’s trucking professionals for two days of skill, safety, and camaraderie. In addition to the driving competition, we will also present the Louisiana Safety Awards, including:

• 2026 Fleet Safety Awards
• 2026 Safety Professional of the Year
• 2026 Truck Driver of the Year

TDC Competitor Registration:  

There is a $50.00 registration fee per each competitor. This is to be remitted online at the time of registration. All drivers must complete registration by end of business, Friday May 1, 2026 to compete. Competitors "Facts for Drivers" books, which the written exam is based on, will not be mailed out until after driver registration is completed.

To complete registration, companies must upload and submit all requested driver and manager information, forms, MVR, and CDL copies. All requested information must be uploaded and entered before the system will let you submit the registration. You CAN NOT partially submit an applicant.

REGISTRATION ITEMS: 

1. Driver's Information
2. Completed Driver Registration Form (DOWNLOAD HERE) - Please upload separately 
3. Copy of Driver's CDL - Please upload separately
4. Copy of the Driver's current MVR (Must be within the past 30 days) - Please upload separately
5. Manager's name and contact information

INSTRUCTIONS:

1.) Download & complete the Driver Registration Form and copies of the driver's CDL & MVR (from within the past 30 days). We HIGHLY ADVISE companies to collect all required information before submitting a driver. The system will not allow partial submission. 

2.) Select the number of drivers your company plans to enter under "Individual Registration." The system will then load a list with your number of requested drivers. 

2.) Enter each driver's information in the "Attendees" section. (Please Note: There is a "search" button next to the name field. More than likely, your driver WILL NOT match with a record in our system, which is fine - please submit all requested fields.) 

3.) Upload the completed Driver Registration Form (DOWNLOAD HERE)

4.) Upload a copy of the Driver's CDL - AS A SEPARATE FILE

5.) Upload a copy of a current (dated within the past 30 days) MVR - AS A SEPARATE FILE. The LMTA can run MVRs for a small fee. If you are in need of an MVR, please contact burton@lmta.la.

6.) Enter the driver's Safety Manager or Employer Manager's name and contact information. 

7.) Enter the number of total banquet tickets needed by the individual, including guests, for the awards ceremony.

Planning & New Venue Walkthrough:

2026 TDC Planning Cajundome Walkthrough – March 6, 2026 - 11:00 am

SMC members, LMTA members, and members of the public interested in helping plan and execute the 2026 Truck Driving Championships are invited to join us for an on-site walkthrough of the Cajundome on March 6, 2026.

This working session will focus on preparing for the transition to the indoor venue and ensuring all operational details are addressed ahead of the competition.

We will review:

• Pre-Trip layout
• Equipment setup 
• Hostlering
• Testing areas
• Course logistics and placement
• Audio Visual needs

MEETING LOCATION:
To quickly gather everyone please park in the lot at the corner of Cajundome Blvd and Reinhardt Dr. This is the southside of the dome, closest to the Convention Center. 

We will meet in the breezeway between the Convention Center and the Cajundome. The ticket office is visible from this location.

ADDRESS:
Cajundome
444 Cajundome Blvd
Lafayette, LA 70506

Note: This walkthrough is for planning, not for competitors. Applications for the 2026 championships will open online March 1, 2026.

What’s Changing from Previous Years? 

• The location has moved from Baton Rouge to Lafayette.
• The event will be hosted at the Cajundome (climate-controlled venue) and surrounding buildings on the UL campus. This includes all events from the competition (testing, pretrip and course) as well as the awards banquet.
• Application timelines have shifted from early in the year to the spring - Driver registration will open March 1.

More details coming soon: Driver registration, sponsorship opportunities, and the full schedule will be released in the coming weeks—stay tuned for updates!

We can’t wait to see you in Lafayette for another great competition and to celebrate the outstanding professionals who keep our industry safe.

Fleet Safety Awards

Presented by Great West Casualty Company

The Louisiana Fleet Safety Award recognizes motor carriers operating in Louisiana that demonstrate outstanding safety performance within their service category. Awards are based on accident frequency rates and overall safety programs, highlighting companies that prioritize professionalism, accountability, and a strong safety culture.

Winners are selected by a panel of industry safety professionals and recognized at the Louisiana Truck Driving Championships Awards Banquet. 

• DOWNLOAD FLEET SAFETY AWARDS APPLICATION
• Submit via email to lmta@lmta.la by March 9, 2026.

Safety Professional of the Year

Presented by the LMTA Foundation

The Safety Professional of the Year Award recognizes an individual responsible for leading and supervising safety activities within a truck fleet who demonstrates exceptional commitment to highway and industrial safety.

This award honors professionals of high integrity whose leadership and achievements have made a measurable impact on safety performance and safety culture. The recipient will first be announced at the Truck Driving Championships Awards Banquet and will later be recognized at the LMTA Annual Convention during the Officer Installation Banquet, with complimentary convention registration and hotel accommodations. The recipient will also be featured in Open Road magazine.

• DOWNLOAD SAFETY PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR APPLICATION
• Submit via email to lmta@lmta.la by March 9, 2026.

Truck Driver of the Year

Presented by the LMTA Foundation

The Truck Driver of the Year Award recognizes a professional driver who demonstrates an outstanding record of safe and courteous driving, acts of heroism or highway courtesy, and meaningful contributions to highway safety.

This award honors drivers who exemplify professionalism, responsibility, and pride in their role within the trucking industry. The winner will first be announced at the Truck Driving Championships Awards Banquet and will later be formally recognized at the LMTA Annual Convention during the Officer Installation Banquet in July, with complimentary convention registration and hotel accommodations. The recipient will also be featured on the cover of Open Road magazine with a full feature story.

• DOWNLOAD TRUCK DRIVER OF THE YEAR APPLICATION
• Submit via email to lmta@lmta.la by March 9, 2026.

Hotel & Rooms:

We are excited to announce that our official room block for the Louisiana Truck Driving Championships is now open! The Hilton Garden Inn Lafayette/Cajundome is the closest hotel to the Cajundome, offering unbeatable convenience for your stay.

Rooms are expected to fill quickly, so we strongly encourage you to book as soon as possible.

To reserve, simply use our group code TRUCK:

• Online: Book Your Room Here
• By Phone: Call 337.291.1977 and mention the group code TRUCK

Secure your room today and be right where the action is!