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

ATA’s Elisabeth Barna Reflects On Memorable NTDC 2022

ATA’s Elisabeth Barna Reflects On Memorable NTDC 2022

In our first post-event episode for this podcast series covering the National Truck Driving & National Step Van Driving Championships, Elisabeth Barna from the American Trucking Associations takes some time with us to look back at a very memorable NTDC 2022....

Special Feature: Taking You Inside The NTDC Road Course

On the first day of the competition, PodWheels Executive Producer Greg Thompson had the opportunity to spend some time at NTDC 2022 with four captains from America’s Road Team. While Captain Rhonda Hartman provided Greg with a view of the road course problems the...

Ruan’s Dan Van Alstine Preparing For His Term As ATA Chairman

Dan Van Alstine, the current Vice Chairman of the American Trucking Associations, talked with Greg Thompson on the day of his eight-year-anniversary as President of Ruan. Dan, who will become the Chairman of ATA in October, shares his thoughts on just why this year’s...

Antoine Sadler Shines As A Rookie At NTDC 2022

In this episode, you’ll meet Antoine Sadler who never really expected to be at NTDC 2022 when he responded to a request from his team at Wal-Mart to enter the North Carolina State Championship. Antoine took a no-pressure approach when he went to state, and he claimed...

Jimmy Mac Reflects On Trip To NTDC 2022

Shortly after finishing up two days of onsite broadcasting the Dave Nemo Show from NTDC 2022 in Indianapolis, Jimmy Mac, the host of Dave Nemo Weekends, sat down with Greg Thompson of PodWheels to get Jimmy’s immediate impressions of his first-ever trip to the...

Trucking Is A Family Tradition For Dion Saiz

Dion Saiz from FedEx Express joins Jimmy Mac to discuss what it’s like to represent FedEx as a Road Team Captain for the ATA. Dion got his start 26 years ago following in his father’s footsteps. His now-retired dad was a Road Captain, as well. The two were the first...

Catching Up With Retired Road Team Captain Greg Nauertz

What does a truck driver do upon retiring? If you are Greg Nauertz, an America’s Road Team Captain, you hop in an RV with wife Caroljane and you zip around the country visiting family, attending class reunions and simply enjoy life on the road. Jimmy Mac gets the 411...

IMTA’s Gary Langston Talks Indiana, Trucking & The NTDC

Gary Langston, President and CEO of the Indiana Motor Truck Association, tells Jimmy Mac about how important trucking and the interstate system is to the state of Indiana. Indiana specializes in moving stuff on wheels, but, as Gary shares with Jimmy, the trucking...

ATA President & CEO Chris Spear On Return Of The NTDC

ATA President and CEO Chris Spear joins Jimmy Mac to take a look at why Indianapolis, with the numerous highways that criss-cross through it, but also the plethora of activities going each day, was an ideal choice to host the NTDC event. Chris takes this opportunity...

Ralph Garcia, 42 years On The Road & 22 Trips To NTDC

In this podcast, we hear from one of the most experienced professional drivers who earned the honor of making the trip to the National Truck Driving & National Step Van Championships. With 42 years behind the wheel and now 22 visits to the NTDC in his career...

Steve Fields Values All That NTDC Has To Offer

Beyond the opportunity to compete for national title honors, there are a number of reasons that make the NTDC an event that calls to drivers across the country every year. And while numerous drivers will note the camaraderie, family, community and focus on safety,...

Alphonso Lewis Grateful for Return Of NTDC Event

Jimmy Mac gets an opportunity to catch up with Alphonso Lewis, a veteran driver for Yellow with 30 years of experience. As Jimmy notes, Alphonso has been involved with Wreaths Across America for a number of years. An NTDC Grand Champion in 2007, Alphonso has been to...

NTDC Voice Tina Peterson Always Drawn To Trucking Industry

America’s Road Team Captain Tina Peterson is enjoying the honor of serving as a course announcer at NTDC 2022. In this chat with Jimmy Mac, Tina shares how she discovered the trucking industry at the age of seven while growing up in Wyoming. As a Road Team Captain...

The Brownawells Make NTDC A Family Event

Jimmy Mac is joined by John Brownawell from Yellow Freight Systems, his fiance Cindy Spinella and their son, Raylan. John tells Jimmy that the NTDC weekend is filled with camaraderie and family fun, but it is also one of stress and nervousness because all 50...

Six-Time State Champ Steve Smalley Reflects On NTDC

In this episode, Jimmy Mac visits with industry veteran Steve Smalley, who is volunteering at NTDC 2020. This year, Steve, who has been to many NTDCs over the years as a competitor, is working as an equipment handler at the event. Steve is part of the team making sure...

April Coolidge & How NTDC Helps To Grow The Industry

In her visit with Jimmy Mac, America’s Road Team Captain April Coolidge talks about the career path that brought her to trucking. April is a North Carolina-based professional driver for Walmart who is volunteering at NTDC. Prior to trucking, April was a real estate...

Road Team’s Rhonda Hartman On Her First Visit To NTDC

In this podcast, Jimmy Mac spends some time chatting with Rhonda Hartman. She is a 40-year veteran of the trucking industry, and she is also a Captain on America’s Road Team. Rhonda is an Iowa-based professional driver for Old Dominion Freight Line and she is part of...

Scotty Davis Brings Wealth Of Experience To His Work At NTDC

Scotty Davis is a well-respected veteran of the trucking industry and he is no stranger to the National Truck Driving and National Step Van Driving Championships. Scotty is in charge of the equipment and maintenance at NTDC 2022. In this edition of the podcast, Scotty...

Red Classic’s Jason Wing Discusses His NTDC Leadership Role

Jason Wing is the Vice President of Safety and Transportation Operations at Red Classic and he is Chairman of the National Truck Driving & National Step Van Driving Championships for 2022. Jason shares with Jimmy Mac what he is looking for in a company before he...

Past NTDC Chairman Patti Gillette On The Road To The NTDC

Patti Gillette is a veteran of the NTDC and she talks to Jimmy Mac about the road all the competitors take to be a part of the national championships. Patti is a past NTDC Chairman, and is currently NTDC Vice Chairman and Vice President and COO of the Colorado Motor...

Past Champion Tony Spero Discusses The Value of Practice

Tony Spero, the 2006 NTDC Grand Champion and a driver with ABF Freight out of Connecticut, talks about what it takes to continue to compete at the NTDC. This year, Tony is competing in the Tanker Division in the National Truck Driving and National Step Van Driving...