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

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...

NTDC’s Safety Example Valued By Yellow CEO Darren Hawkins

Darren Hawkins, CEO of Yellow and Vice Chairman of ATA, talks about having 13 Yellow drivers in Indianapolis at the National Truck Driving and National Step Van Driving Championships. He tells Jimmy Mac, host of Dave Nemo Weekends, why the competition’s emphasis on...

Father & Son: Byron & Bob Bramwell Deliver Smiles At NTDC 2022

Byron and Bob Bramwell are a father and son who have made trucking a family tradition. At NTDC 2022, they are giving back to the industry by serving as volunteers at the event. During their visit with Jimmy Mac, we are reminded that the NTDCs place a focus on the top...

Veteran Driver Ina Daly Shares Her Experiences At NTDC

Ina Daly is another veteran at this year's National Truck Driving and National Step Van Driving Championships in Indianapolis. During his conversation with Ina, Jimmy Mac takes Ina back to her experience during her first year at the competition. Looking back, Ina...

Past Grand Champion Wayne Crowder Takes Us Inside The NTDC

Wayne Crowder, a FedEx Freight driver from Kenucky, talks to Jimmy Mac about what it takes to win at the nationals. Wayne is an America’s Road Team Captain who has claimed three national championships during his days as an NTDC competitor. Wayne is also the only...

Meet Gina Jones, America’s Road Team Captain & Woman In Motion

Gina Jones, an America’s Road Team Captain tells Jimmy Mac, host of Dave Nemo Weekends, what it’s like becoming a track driver a little later in life and what it is like driving with her husband. Spoiler alert, giving each other space is one of the keys. Gina also...

The Long Road Back & Return Of The Championships

On the opening day of the National Truck Driving & National Step Van Driving Championships, we got a look at the road course that will put the driving skills of the competitors to the test. We also got a chance to talk to Jason Wing of Red Classic and Rodney Myers...

Preview: NTDC 2022, ATA’s Super Bowl Of Safety Aug. 16-19

The National Truck Driving and National Step Van Driving Championships will be taking place in Indianapolis August 16-19. The Dave Nemo Show and PodWheels Powered By RadioNemo will be onsite at NTDC 2022. As we prepare for the event that NTDC host the American...