Over the last few years, Darius Uible of UPS has become a familiar presence at the National Truck Driving and National Step Van Driving Championships. As the man behind the camera with the UPS Media Team at NTDC, Darius has gained a unique perspective and position of respect while covering his UPS teammates. As a competitor at the Kentucky State TDC for the past several years, Darius has dreamed of joining his teammates at the NTDCs as a State Champion.

In this episode of the podcast, Darius talks to us about how he broke through in 2026 to become a State Champion in the Flatbed division in the Kentucky TDC, while posting the best score on the driving course — even after coming up with a zero on the first two problems. As he shares with PodWheels Executive Producer Greg Thompson, achieving the realization of what had been a seemingly unreachable dream was no easy feat. John Willinger, Kentucky’s State TDC Grand Champion during the previous three years, was once again a part of the division where Darius was competing.

As you’ll hear, Darius channeled the lessons of the past and utilized the additional training by caring teammates over the past couple of years, breaking through to join the NTDC field on the road to Pittsburgh. It’s a fun and inspiring conversation that captures the spirit of the NTDC program and what can happen when dreams and hard work come together.

FRIEND OF THE PODCAST SPONSOR:  The Lutzie 43 Foundation is our Friend of the Podcast for this episode of the NTDC 2026 Series. Founded to honor the legacy of Philip Lutzenkirchen, the Lutzie 43 Foundation is dedicated to make sure that the tragedy that took his life would never have to be repeated. Philip was a standout athlete, a beloved teammate, and a man of tremendous character. Today, the foundation that carries his name is working to change the driving culture across the Southeast and beyond by tackling distracted driving, impaired driving, and unsafe habits behind the wheel. To learn more about the Lutzie 43 Foundation and how you can use 43 Key Seconds to run through an important safety checklist before starting your vehicle, visit Lutzie43.org.

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