Seven months and 45 episodes ago, Jacob Pierce from the American Trucking Associations was the first featured guest on this podcast just three days into the start of the New Year. Now, as we stand less than three weeks away from the start of NTDC 2025, Jacob returns to the show to talk to us about the months-long preparations and what we can expect in Minneapolis when the competition begins on August 20th. For those new to the podcast, Jacob is an Executive Director for ATA overseeing the Safety Management Council and the Transportation Security Council. And when it comes to NTDC, Jacob is the point person on staff at ATA serving as the liaison for the National Truck Driving & National Step Van Driving Championships.

Transport Topics Senior Reporter Eugene Mulero and PodWheels Executive Producer Greg Thompson cover a number of topics with Jacob, including looking back at the State TDC Season and the work that continues to be done behind the scenes by the ATA Team, the NTDC Organizing Committee and the volunteers involved in the event. Jacob also shares some of his memories related to working for more than a decade on the National Championships. As you’ll hear, Jacob has deepest respect and admiration for the professional drivers and everyone who is involved in the annual NTDC program.

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