Meet YRC Freight professional city driver, Wade Wagemann, recently chosen by the South Dakota Safety Management Council as the July 2019 Driver of the Month. He now qualifies to be in the running for the 2019 SDTA Driver of the Year.
Wagemann, the 2019 South Dakota 5-Axle Champion, competed for the 13th time at the South Dakota Truck Driving Championships on May 18, 2019 at the Southeast Technical Institute in Sioux Falls.
Wade Wagemann was South Dakota’s 2018 Twin Trailers champion and Grand Champion. He also tied in the best pre-trip course category.
(2018 Twin Trailers: Wade Wagemann, YRC Freight city driver; domicile: Watertown, SD)
Recently, on Monday, June 17, 2019, Wade was driving near The American News newspaper when he noticed a toddler wandering around in the street. He stopped and coaxed the child off the street. Naturally frightened, the child wouldn’t answer Wade’s questions, but he was willing to stay with him. Wade asked the child where his mother was but did not receive an answer. He called the police and waited until officers arrived. The police were able to safely return the child to his home, and all was well, thanks to the intervention of YRC Freight city driver Wade Wagemann.
A safety champion, Wade Wagemann has driven over 2.3 million accident-free miles. He has been driving in the trucking industry for 27 years and for YRC Freight for the last 16 years. After 13 years of competing at the South Dakota TDC, he has been a Grand Champion three times—in 2018 (Twins class), in 2014 (3-Axle class), and in 2007 (Twins class). He competes to see how he stacks up against other drivers and to learn more about the industry and its new rules and regulations.
He has four children, Amanda (23 years old), Wade Jr. (19 years old), Shanae (18 years old), and Vanessa (15 years old).
Wade Wagemann lives in Aberdeen, South Dakota. When not driving or competing, Wade enjoys attending auctions and farming.
He became a driver to support his family and to have a meaningful career.