National Truck Driving Championships
Podcast
With a tradition and history that is now approaching nearly 90 years, the National Truck Driving and National Step Van Driving Championships features a collection of the best and most accomplished professional drivers in the country from nine different classifications. To qualify to be a part of the championship, each of the competitors had to win their respective state championship within one of those categories. Plus, they had to also stay accident-free for the past 12 months.
Hosted by the American Trucking Associations and the organization’s Safety Management Council, the home for NTDC 2025 will be Minneapolis. In addition to the competition, the NTDC always features great personal and inspirational stories. PodWheels Powered By RadioNemo is proud to share those stories throughout the state competitions, and we’re thrilled to be onsite for the Nationals in August.
Latest Episodes
NTDC History Time: Looking Back At Two Surprising Grand Championship Runs
As State TDC season begins to heat up and the Road To Minneapolis gets closer, our podcast takes a moment to look back at two of the more surprising championship runs in the past 20 years. Wayne Crowder’s charge to claim the Grand Champion’s title in 2004 was...
Fun, Fundraising & TDC Practice Runs: Looking Back At Safety Drive For A Cure Event
For this episode of the Official Podcast of NTDC 2025, we will be rewinding the clock back to Saturday, March 23rd, when PodWheels Executive Producer Greg Thompson made an onsite visit to the 14th Annual Safety Drive For A Cure, which took place in Atlanta. Led by...
Taking You Inside The NTDC Organizing Committee’s ‘Pre-Trip’ Visit To Minneapolis
Each year, the NTDC Organizing Committee makes a visit to the host site for the National Championships months ahead of the event taking place. This year, the NTDC Organizing Committee circled mid-March as the date to visit the Minneapolis Convention Center to conduct...
Catching Up With Ina Daly, Arizona’s First Lady Of Trucking
Ina Daly has been a fixture at the Arizona Truck Driving Championships for more than 30 years as she heads into this year’s event in the Valley of the Sun. Ina has also served as a consistent presence and a continuing inspiration at the NTDC. Becoming the first woman...
Spotlighting The Volunteers Who Come Together Each Year To Help Bring The NTDC To Life
In this expanded episode of the podcast, we place a spotlight on the work of the volunteers who come together each year from across the country to serve in a variety of capacities. As anyone familiar with NTDC knows, each job and every assignment helps to contribute...
2008 Grand Champion Dennis Shirar Still Enjoys Competing For Chance At Nationals
Dennis Shirar joins us on this edition of the podcast to reflect on his run that claimed the NTDC Grand Champion’s title back in 2008. Dennis looks back at his career in trucking with Eugene Mulero of Transport Topics. As you’ll hear, Eugene and Dennis discuss what...
NTDC Organizing Committee Chair Robert Foskey Is Ready For The Road Ahead
Our guest for this edition of the podcast is Robert Foskey, who is the Chairman of the Organizing Committee for NTDC 2025. As you will hear in his interview with Transport Topics Senior Reporter Eugene Mulero, Foskey brings a wealth of NTDC experience to his...
Inspired By Last Year’s Breakout Performance, Rebecca Heck Looks To Return To The Nationals
After a decade of competing at the state level, Rebecca Heck’s first experience at the NTDCs in 2024 has served as added motivation to work on making it all the way back on the Road To Minneapolis and NTDC 2025. In this edition of the podcast, you’ll hear Rebecca...
Rollin’ With Roland: A Grand Champion Chat With Gragg Wilson
What happens when the NTDC Grand Champion from 2022 sits down to chat with the NTDC Grand Champion for 2023? You’ll be able to hear the answer in this fascinating Rollin’ With Roland episode of the podcast. Two-Time NTDC Grand Champion Roland Bolduc talks with Gragg...
NTDC ‘All-Stars’ Promise To Make 2025 Safety Drive For A Cure Quite Memorable
On March 22nd in Atlanta, the 14th edition of the Safety Drive For A Cure will take place, and Herschel Evans, who is the driving force behind this annual charity event, is our guest on this episode of the podcast. Built around a TDC-style competition, the Safety...
After More Than 50 Years, Rick Cates Remains Dedicated To Serving The NTDC
In this episode of the podcast, we place a well-deserved spotlight on Rick Cates, a Lifetime Member of the NTDC Organizing Committee who has logged more than 50 years of service with the National Truck Driving & National Step Van Driving Championships. As Eugene...
2015 National Champ Brian Singelais Looks Back At His Trucking Career
In a very special Rollin' With Roland segment, our podcast catches up with Brian Singelais, a beloved member of the NTDC family. Two-Time NTDC Grand Champion Roland Bolduc recently had the opportunity to visit with Brian, who looked back on a great career in trucking...
2024 National Title Part Of Fun NTDC Journey For Greg Ryan
In this edition of the podcast, you’ll get to know Greg Ryan as we bring you another segment in our National Champions series from last year’s NTDC in Indianapolis. As you will hear, Greg is the reigning National Champion in the Sleeper Berth Division. Transport...
2024 Darmstadter Award Winner Richard Sweeney Shares Career Reflections With Roland Bolduc
We are thrilled to introduce a new segment on the podcast with our first Rollin’ With Roland feature interview. As you will hear, two-time NTDC Grand Champion Roland Bolduc sits down to have a competitor-to-competitor conversation with Richard Sweeney. A perennial...
Looking Ahead By Flashing Back: Experiencing Championship Saturday Morning
As we begin to look toward the State Truck Driving Championships to begin the first miles on the road to NTDC 2025 in Minneapolis, our podcast thought it would be an ideal time to roll back the clock. This episode will allow us to actually do a rewind to Championship...
Meet National Champ Brandon Hardy: Reigning NTDC Five Axle Title Holder
Our National Champions Series continues on the podcast as we spend time with Brandon Hardy, the reigning NTDC champion in the 5-Axle division. You will hear Eugene Mulero’s in-depth conversation that covers Brandon’s career in trucking and his experiences within...
Consistency and Dedication Guide Joe Hicks’ Journey To NTDC Greatness
Joe Hicks, a proud product of Rhode Island, is in the spotlight for this National Champions edition of the podcast. You will hear Joe talk about his title win in the Four-Axle Division at NTDC 2024 with Eugene Mulero, co-host of the podcast and a Senior Reporter with...
Inspired By His Father, Dave Mogler Has Carried Forward A Legacy Of Safety Excellence
In this National Champions Series Edition of the podcast, we will be spending time with Dave Mogler, who brought home the top trophy in the three-axle division during NTDC 2024. Dave was also the captain of Team Colorado, which earned the State Champion honors at the...
ATA’s Jacob Pierce Ready To Start On The Road To Minneapolis And NTDC 2025
The time has arrived to officially start our podcast journey toward NTDC 2025 and the road to Minneapolis. The first mile of the trip begins with our interview with Jacob Pierce from the American Trucking Associations. Jacob is an Executive Director for ATA overseeing...
Jim Kohr’s Final Straight Truck NTDC Run Delivers A National Title
NTDC Straight Truck title holder Jim Kohr is in the spotlight during this 2024 National Champions edition of the podcast. While Jim is no stranger to the NTDC and the Final Five Run-Off, 2024 marks the first time that Jim claimed a national championship. Ironically,...
Youth Is Served, Inspiration Sparked With Connor Dent’s National Twins Title
Our National Champions Interview Series continues on the podcast as Connor Dent joins us to discuss winning the 2024 NTDC Twins Title at the age of 25. As you will hear, Connor shares his passion for truck driving, his journey to becoming a national champion and his...
Giving Thanks For Our Listeners And Launching Our National Champions Series
As Thanksgiving Day approaches, our podcast takes some time to reflect on the past year and the tremendous support of our listeners. Also, in this episode, you will hear the first segment in our National Champions Series as we begin to feature the nine professional...
Celebrating Grand Champion Jackie Reed & Special Memories of NTDC 2024
In this can’t miss episode, our podcast returns after a brief break to feature the first in-depth interview with Jackie Reed, the Grand Champion of NTDC 2024. Jackie spoke with Transport Topics Senior Reporter Eugene Mulero. The interview featured in this episode took...
Appreciating All Talents Of Drivers & Celebrating Champions Of Safety
This episode of our series spotlights two moving moments from Championship Saturday at NTDC 2024. Once you hear them, you’ll know they are moments that call on us to pause and reflect on the immense talents of professional truck drivers. As the industry and the...
Trucking & Law Enforcement Come Together With NTDC & NAIC Events
One of the many great parts of the National Truck Driving & National Step Van Driving Championships is that the event is held in the same location as the North American Inspectors Challenge (NAIC). Both competitions feature top professionals in their respective...
Convoy Of Hope Shines In First Trip To NTDC
The Convoy Of Hope is familiar with answering the call for assistance. As an organization dedicated to feeding children throughout the world and a specialist in providing help with disaster response, the Convoy Of Hope knows how to get involved and lend a hand. Prior...
Celebrating Carl Krites’ Emotional & Inspirational Visit To NTDC 2024
On Championship Saturday, XPO’s Wilbert Vano was pleasantly surprised when he spotted an old friend walk into the Indianapolis Convention Center as the championship drive-off round was taking place. Fellow XPO driver Carl Krites, who earned the 2010 National Grand...
Road Team Captains Antoine Sadler & Anthony Tirone Share Their Journey and Insights
In this onsite conversation with Jimmy Mac of the Dave Nemo Show, Antoine Sadler and Anthony Tirone share their respective journeys within the trucking industry and the paths that brought them to be selected as America’s Road Team Captains earlier this year. As you...
Going From The Farm To The Highway: The Inspiring Story of Pete Palczynski
Pete Palczynski has dedicated his working life to two of America’s essential industries – farming and trucking. During his visit with Jimmy Mac of the Dave Nemo Show onsite in Indianapolis, Pete discusses his lifelong passion for farming and truck driving. Pete shares...
Empowering The Future: Next Generation In Trucking Association Helping To Pave The Way
Lindsay Trent from the Next Generation In Trucking Association joins Jimmy Mac from the Dave Nemo Show in this onsite segment at NTDC 2024. As you will hear, the conversation highlights NextGen Trucking’s efforts to introduce trucking programs in high schools. In...