What is involved in being ready to welcome State Champions from across the country to the National Truck Driving & National Step Van Driving Championships? Our podcast asked that question and discussed a range of topics with Jacob Pierce, the Executive Director of the Safety Management Council & Transportation Security Council of the American Trucking Associations. Jacob also serves as ATA’s liaison to the NTDC National Organizing Committee.

As you will hear over the course of the conversation, we talked with Jacob in mid-July about the preparations for the Nationals and the final items on his checklist. We also discussed Jacob’s appreciation for the accomplishments of those drivers who qualified for NTDC 2026 as well as the thousands of drivers from across the country who set their sights on the Nationals by qualifying for their State TDCs and, in many cases, their company competitions. Jacob notes that participation in the State TDCs is on the rise, speaking to the strong health of the NTDC program that has nearly a 90-year history.

Jacob also takes some time to remind all those making their way to Pittsburgh to take some time to enjoy the experience. While it’s a high-level competition, the NTDCs are an annual celebration of safety where everyone who has made it to Nationals is a champion.

OUR FRIEND OF THE PODCAST SPONSOR: Founded in 2007, the St. Christopher Truckers Relief Fund is the only nationwide nonprofit that provides short-term relief to Class A OTR drivers suffering from an illness or injury that took them out of work within the last 365 days. The St. Christopher Truckers Development and Relief Fund also provides several free prevention health and wellness programs for OTR drivers in an effort to keep them on the road, including nicotine and smoking cessation, diabetes prevention, chronic disease management, at-home cancer screenings, and vaccine vouchers. To learn more about the St. Christopher Truckers Relief Fund and all of the offerings available from SCF, including how you can support their important work to help professional drivers and their families, visit TruckersFund.org.

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