National Truck Driving Championships
Podcast
Earning the name “the Super Bowl of Safety,” 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 2024 will be Indianapolis. 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
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...
Colorado’s Nate McCarty Looks Back AT TDC Competitions & His Career Journey
In this episode, Nate McCarty talks with Jimmy Mac of the Dave Nemo Show about his career journey that has been highlighted by serving in the military and excelling in the trucking industry. This year, Nate’s dedication to safety helped him win the Straight Truck...
Ron Round: A Model of Consistency In The Super Bowl Of Safety
Ron Round, a veteran driver with 36 years of experience who continues to be inspired by the NTDC, joins Jimmy Mac from the Dave Nemo Show to talk about his career in trucking and his involvement in the Super Bowl of Safety. From watching his first precision driving...
Celebrating A Trucking Icon: Ralph Garcia’s Journey and Retirement Plans
In this episode, Jimmy Mac from the Dave Nemo Show puts the spotlight on Ralph Garcia, a revered member of the truck driving community and a long-time contributor to the industry. Ralph shares his experiences from his early days in trucking, his involvement with...
Wayne Crowder Reflects On His Rookie-Rookie Grand Championship In 2004
It’s been exactly 20 years since Wayne Crowder became the one (and still only) person to win the National Grand Championship as a “rookie-rookie.” In this conversation with Jimmy Mac of the Dave Nemo Show, Wayne shares his remarkable journey in the truck driving...
ATA’s Chris Spear On NTDC’s Role In Celebrating The Importance of Safety
During his visit with Jimmy Mac of the Dave Nemo Show, ATA President and CEO Chris Spear offers the highest praise for the National Championships and the standard of safety excellence the NTDC competitors have set for the trucking industry. As you’ll hear, Chris...
Getting To Know First-Year Road Team Captains Bernie Wanyo and Mike Whitehead
The trip to be a part of NTDC 2024 stood as another highlight for both Bernie Wanyo and Mike Whitehead. Earlier this year, Bernie and Mike, along with 22 other top professional drivers, were named to serve as Captains on America’s Road Team. In this chat with Jimmy...
Bob & Byron Bramwell: Celebrating A Father-Son Legacy At NTDC
During this interview by Jimmy Mac of the Dave Nemo Show, we catch up with Bob and Byron Bramwell, whose family traditions speak to not only the career opportunities that trucking provides, but to the dedication to safety and service that stand at the heart of the...
Kirk Weiss Looks Back On His Start In Trucking, The Importance of Safety & Staying Fit on the Road
Kirk Weiss of ABF Freight discusses his journey to find the trucking industry with Jimmy Mac of the Dave Nemo Show. As Kirk shares with us, his trucking career began after being laid off from a factory job. Kirk was pleasantly surprised by being allowed to practice...
Catching Up With Herschel Evans, A True Knight of the Road
At NTDC 2024, Herschel Evans got an opportunity to look back on what has been an amazing career in the trucking industry. A two-time National Champion at NTDC, Herschel’s many great works both inside and outside the industry, including organizing an annual precision...
2023 Grand Champ Gragg Wilson Looks Back At An Eventful Year
Gragg Wilson opened NTDC 2024 with a speech to all of this year’s competitors that reminded the field of 400-plus professional drivers just how special a journey they made to Indianapolis. In this conversation with Jimmy Mac of the Dave Nemo Show, Gragg looks back at...
First-Time Visit To NTDC Is Memorable For Dennis Dellinger
NTDC 2024 marked the first time that Dennis Dellinger had made the trip to watch the national competition. Serving as First Vice Chairman of the American Trucking Associations, Dennis had the opportunity to welcome the 400-plus competitors on the opening day of NTDC...
Meet Ritch Fundell: From Dock Worker to Champion Driver
In this episode, we get to know Ritch Fundell, who earned National Runner-Up honors in the Three-Axle Division during NTDC 2024. Ritch is now in his 26th year as a professional behind the wheel, with 20 of those being a part of the FedEx Freight fleet. Speaking with...
Ina Daly’s Trailblazing Journey in Trucking
With this episode, we catch up with Ina Daly, the only woman to win a National Championship in the history of the NTDC. At this year’s competition, Ina was once again a standout, reaching the finals in the Flatbed Division. Jimmy Mac of the Dave Nemo leads Ina on a...
Mic’d Up: Roland Bolduc Leads Fun Q&A Session With Grand Champion Group
One of the true highlights of NTDC 2024 took place just off the driving course during the competition’s third day when the organizing committee brought together nine of the NTDC Legends who have won the title of Grand Champion. Our NTDC Podcast was on hand as some of...
NTDC Competitors Hit The Driving Course: An Inside Look
As the competitors from five of the driving classifications hit the driving course, our podcast team of PodWheels Executive Producer Greg Thompson and Transport Topics Senior Reporter Eugene Mulero worked to take our listeners inside the happenings at NTDC 2024....
Day One of NTDC 2024: Going Behind The Scenes In Indianapolis
As we hit the ground in Indianapolis for the NTDC 2024, our podcast was on hand for the orientation and welcome for this year’s field of competitors. In this episode of the podcast, Transport Topics Senior Reporter Eugene Mulero and PodWheels Executive Producer Greg...
NTDC Legend Ray Simon: Looks Back At Record Three Grand Championships
As NTDC 2024 gets underway in Indianapolis, our podcast presents the interview Transport Topics Senior Reporter Eugene Mulero had earlier this year with NTDC Legend Ray Simon, the only competitor in the history of the event to win three National Grand Championships....
Celebrating NTDC 2024 Eve With State Grand Champion Triple Feature
With NTDC 2024 set to open on August 24, our podcast brings you three of the State Grand Champions who will be in Indianapolis representing FedEx. You will hear interviews with Hobie Eirich from Tennessee, Mike Light from Pennsylvania and Matthew Boenisch from...
NTDC 2024 Organizing Committee Chair Patti Gillette Is Ready For Indianapolis
On August 9, our podcast had the privilege of welcoming special guest Patti Gillette, who is the Chairwoman of the NTDC Organizing Committee for the 2024 event. Patti was very generous with her time as we covered a number of topics of interest for the participants who...
The Final Countdown Is Underway To NTDC 2024
Question: Where can you find the reigning National Grand Champion, a history-making National Champion and a Lifetime Member of the NTDC Organizing Committee in one place? The answer is this episode of the NTDC 2024 Podcast. Transport Topics Senior Reporter Eugene...
Going Inside Old Dominion’s State Success In 2024
Old Dominion is one of the handful of companies that has continued to place an increased focus in the past few years on encouraging and supporting drivers in their efforts to compete in state truck driving championships across the country. Over the past three years,...
Connecticut Grand Champion Ernie Budlowski Talks NTDC Team Title Defense
Connecticut’s Ernie Budlowski is in the spotlight as we count down the final days until the start of NTDC 2024 in Indianapolis. Securing his third State Grand Championship earlier this year, Ernie will be making his 13th trip to the national championships when they...
Richard Sweeney Returning To NTDC As Model Of Quiet Consistency & Excellence
Richard Sweeney, the 2024 Grand Champion from the state of Massachusetts, joins the podcast as we enter our final countdown to NTDC 2024. During this episode, you’ll hear how Richard followed in the footsteps of his father to enter the trucking industry. In his...