At The Top
A PodWheels Column
In recent years, every aspect of the National Truck Driving Championships, as in everything about it, has been either influenced by Rick Cates or was enhanced by him.
The longtime lifetime member of NTDC’s organizing committee, who has put in more than five decades of involvement with the event, is saying goodbye this August.
When we meet in Pittsburgh for this year’s summer classic, Cates, known affectionately as “The Senator,” will grace the competition’s floors for a final time. The Senator’s contributions are too many tolist. But here’s a brief rundown:
- Instrumental in garnering consistent media coverage;
- Foundational in NTDC’s oral history projects;
- Mentor to dozens of volunteers;
- Influential in course layout and test structures;
- Voice of wisdom during event’s final round;
- Recruiter of fellow organizers, volunteers and competitors;
- Indispensable advocate for all-things trucking safety.
- (the list goes on)
As we kick off the Road to NTDC 2026, we need to formally acknowledge Cates’ longstanding contributions.
The Senator has inspired immense admiration for his commitment and unwavering support for NTDC. Since everything he did was powered by a love for the trucking industry, it made sense he found a home in NTDC.
The safety tournament was forever changed by him for the better.
As for experiencing success at NTDC, The Senator shared the following: “Practice, practice, practice. Practice when you’re driving; use those stop lights, crosswalks, alley docks, when you back into a dock, when you make your right turns and so forth.”
“You look at the grand champions,” he added, “they practice every day while they’re out delivering freight or going over the road.”
We, at PodWheels, formally thank The Senator for his immense insight.
That’s all for this week. Hit us up with updates and/or to say ‘hi” at [email protected]. And remember, “I’ll see you at the top.”
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