KATY, WALLER COUNTY, TX (Covering Katy News) - A Katy truck driver won the National Truck Rodeo for medical transportation drivers over the weekend in Illinois.
The winner, Luis Ignacio Becerra Real, drives a delivery truck for Medline's Katy distribution center. Medline is a healthcare company – a medical supply manufacturer and distributor. Real won first place and $2,500 for parcel van/straight truck driving. Each year, Medline delivers more than 300,000 different types of supplies to medical facilities including hospitals.
"I'm so excited," Becerra said after learning he won. "I love my job, and I would like anyone who comes to work at Medline to feel like part of the family as I do."
The pandemic and supply-chain crisis raised Americans' awareness of truck drivers and their essential roles – and Saturday, Medline celebrated its 1,500-plus drivers of tractor-trailers, straight trucks, and parcel vans with its first-ever National Truck Rodeo.
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Ignacio Leal, center, of Katy, received a $2,500 prize as a winner of Medline’s National Truck Rodeo package truck event Saturday, July 22 in Grayslake, IL outside Chicago.
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Friends and family as well as many drivers turned out for the competition, which also featured food, ice cream, video games and children’s rides as a way to thank drivers for their work.
“Our drivers know the important role we play in health services delivery,” said Jeff Brennan, senior vice president of transportation at MedTrans, the transport fleet of Medline.
Real says each day is different, and he meets interesting people who appreciate his service.
"I meet people who tell me 'good job!' We do our work with passion, energy, and enthusiasm," Real said.
Ten drivers from California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, New York, and Texas competed in the inaugural Medline National Truck Rodeo at a distribution center near the company's Illinois headquarters. All are regional finalists who won earlier competitions that tested skills and safety.
"At the distribution center in Katy, they told me, 'You have to bring back the prize!' I'm happy to represent (Katy) and happy that Medline gave me this opportunity."
A native of Venezuela, Real has been driving a truck for 18 years and joined Medline in 2022. He also serves as a pastor in his community and has three children.
Medline is the largest privately held manufacturer and distributor of medical supplies and equipment in the U.S.
Medline
Saturday’s first-ever National Truck Rodeo had six winners in two categories. In the first category, package and straight trucks the winners were: 1st place, Luis Becerra Leal of Katy, TX; 2nd place, Samuel Garcia of Modesto, CA, 3rd place, Ivan Arroyo, of Chicago, IL. In the second category, tractor trailers, the winners were: 1st place, Arthur “AP” Porn, Hemet, CA; 2nd place, Troy White, McDonough, GA, and 3rd place, Brad Willard, Wadsworth, IL.