DHL's annual safe-driving championship pits the nation's best couriers head-to-head across written exams, vehicle inspections, city driving, and freeway challenges — real roads, real stakes, real champions.
The DHL Express Courier Rodeo is the world's first long-term driver safety competition of its kind. Unlike traditional one-day closed-course driving events, the Rodeo runs for months on real streets across America — testing couriers where it actually counts.
Launched in 2016, it began with 180 DHL Express couriers from across the United States. By year three, that number had grown to over 820 voluntary participants. The competition is built around DHL's core belief: safe driving isn't a single event — it's an everyday standard.
"A lot of companies stage one-day rodeo events on a closed course, but we view safe driving as an everyday event at DHL. We wanted a program that was sustainable and at the same time exciting for our couriers."
From the first day couriers hit the road to the final championship weekend, the Rodeo runs in four structured phases over approximately five to six months.
Each year, DHL opens voluntary enrollment at locations nationwide. Participating couriers are briefed on the Smith System 5 Keys to Safe Driving and Samsara telematics are activated on their vehicles. The clock starts.
Every trip is measured. GPS-based Samsara devices track harsh braking, acceleration, cornering, speeding, and improper backup maneuvers. Couriers receive real-time feedback and can see how they rank among peers — daily, on the road they already drive.
In mid-summer, months of data are compiled into Safe Driver Scorecards for every participant. The top scorers — typically the top 20 to 30 couriers — earn an invitation to the national final as Rodeo finalists.
Finalists travel to the host city for a multi-day event. They compete in a written exam, vehicle inspection (DVIR), city street driving, and freeway driving — all judged by Smith System experts and DHL's Fleet Management team. One courier is crowned champion.
At the finals, every competitor faces the same four challenges judged by Smith System's safety experts. There's no luck — only skill built over months on real roads.
A 50-question exam covering Smith System principles, DHL safety culture, defensive driving theory, and regulatory knowledge. Couriers who score highest demonstrate that safe driving is a mindset, not just muscle memory.
A systematic pre-trip vehicle inspection using the Driver Vehicle Inspection Report format. Judges evaluate thoroughness, technique, and consistency — the same inspection DHL couriers perform before every single route.
Finalists drive a predetermined city route — real streets, real traffic. Smith System judges score observation habits, space management, intersection behavior, and adherence to the 5 Keys of Safe Driving throughout the route.
A high-speed evaluation on live freeway conditions. Merging behavior, following distance, lane discipline, and speed management are all scored. Samsara in-cab footage provides objective documentation for judges reviewing every maneuver.
Since the very first Rodeo in 2016, Smith System — America's premier driver safety organization — has served as the independent judge and safety framework for the entire competition. These five principles form the foundation every DHL courier is evaluated against.
Look 15 seconds ahead in city driving, 30 seconds on the highway. Anticipate hazards before they become emergencies.
Keep a wide field of view. Identify all potential hazards — ahead, alongside, and behind — simultaneously.
Shift focus every two seconds. Drivers who stare fixate and react late — active eyes react in time.
Always maintain a margin of space — a buffer that gives you time and room to respond without incident.
Use lights, position, horn, and eye contact to ensure other road users are aware of your vehicle at all times.
Smith System has partnered with DHL for every Rodeo since 2016, providing training methodology, independent judges, and competitive scoring. Their DriverDirect® Training platform powers the year-round skills development that prepares competitors for finals weekend.
Read the 8th Annual Rodeo Recap →Since 2020, Samsara fleet telematics have been the backbone of the Rodeo's data layer — tracking every braking event, acceleration, and turn throughout the months-long competition season. During COVID-19, Samsara's in-cab cameras made the first fully virtual Rodeo possible.
Read: How DHL Delivered the Virtual Rodeo →These are the couriers who rose to the top of a field of hundreds — earning the right to be called the nation's safest DHL Express driver. Roger McGowan of Chicago stands alone with four championship wins.
| Year | Edition | Champion | Location | Final City | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 1st Annual | 🏆 Roger McGowan | Chicago (ORD) | Dallas, TX | 180 |
| 2017 | 2nd Annual | 🏆 Jana Heideman | Seattle (BFI) | Dallas, TX | 400+ |
| 2018 | 3rd Annual | 🏆 Carl Timmerman | Philadelphia, PA | St. Charles, IL | 820+ |
| 2019 | 4th Annual | 🏆 TBD | — | Cincinnati, OH (CVG) | — |
| 2020 | 5th Annual | 🏆 Roger McGowan | Chicago (ORD) | Virtual (COVID-19) | ~400 |
| 2021 | 6th Annual | — | — | — | — |
| 2022 | 7th Annual | — | — | — | — |
| 2023 | 8th Annual | 🏆 Roger McGowan (4×) | Chicago (ORD) | Cincinnati, OH (CVG) | — |
2nd place 2023: Nick Amatulli (Long Island) · 3rd place 2023: Sifellah Bachir (Dallas). Source: Smith System Blog
The Rodeo doesn't simulate safety — it measures it, every day, in every condition, on every route. Three technology layers make it possible.
In-vehicle Samsara devices capture a continuous stream of driving data — harsh braking events, rapid acceleration, sharp cornering, speeding thresholds, and improper backup maneuvers. Every second of every route feeds the courier's scorecard. In 2020, Samsara's in-cab cameras enabled the first fully virtual Rodeo finals, with judges reviewing footage remotely to evaluate city and freeway driving.
After months of data collection, DHL's Fleet Management team compiles each courier's entire driving record into a weighted Safe Driver Scorecard. The scorecard accounts for trip frequency, route difficulty, and behavior consistency. The top scorers from across the country earn their invitation to the national championship finals, competing for the title on their record alone.
The Smith System's DriverDirect training platform serves as both training engine and judging standard. All year, couriers are evaluated against the Smith 5 Keys methodology. At the finals, certified Smith System judges use the same framework to score written exams, DVIR inspections, and live driving evaluations — ensuring a consistent, objective standard that anyone who has put in the year's work can meet.
The Courier Rodeo has earned national attention from fleet management and logistics publications since its debut as the industry's first long-term driver safety competition.
The world's first delivery company to hold a long-term driver safety competition, tapping Smith System as its judge. Nine finalists competed in Dallas after 112 days on the road.
More than 820 couriers volunteered for the five-month competition. 29 finalists competed in St. Charles, Illinois. Philadelphia's Carl Timmerman crowned champion.
When COVID-19 hit, DHL didn't cancel — they reinvented. Samsara in-cab cameras enabled the first fully virtual Rodeo finals. Roger McGowan became a two-time champion remotely.
"This is an incredible and important competition each year," said Greg Hewitt, CEO of DHL Express U.S. Nearly 400 couriers competed. Driving scores continued to improve despite record pandemic workloads.
Roger McGowan claimed his fourth championship win. Samsara devices and DriverDirect Training powered the most technically advanced Rodeo to date. Catherine Kawachi praised Smith System's impact.
The first Safe Driving Rodeo puts 180 couriers to the test for 112 workdays. "The Rodeo is a way for us to raise the bar even higher when it comes to safe driving," said Fred Matthews, Senior Manager of Safety.