Episodes

We have a father-son story to share with you in this edition of the podcast. Eugene Mulero, Senior Reporter for Transport Topics, brings us his interviews with the father-son duo of Nate and Andrew Lewis. Nate, who is a past National Champion, has been a member of the NTDC Organizing Committee for a number of years, while Andrew is fresh off a second-place finish competing in his first State Truck Driving Championships in his home state of Maine. As Eugene notes during the episode, Andrew’s entr...

In this edition of the podcast, we hear the onsite interviews from the road trip that Eugene Mulero made as part of his coverage for Transport Topics of the NTDC state qualifying rounds. Eugene traveled to Windsor Locks, Connecticut, to be a part of the New England Truck Driving Championships. We will hear interviews from the Grand Champions who were crowned for the states of Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Eugene also had an opportunity to talk via a FaceTime connection with Brian...

We’re turning back the pages of the state truck driving championships to a result happened earlier this year when David Coffel brought home the grand champion’s title at the Arizona Trucking Association’s State Championships. Eugene Mulero, Senior Reporter from Transport Topics, spent some time chatting with David on his return to the NTDC. In 2023, David was one of the standouts in Columbus earning a National Championship trophy in the Straight Truck Class. As you will hear in Eugene’s intervie...

In this episode of the podcast, the state of Georgia is on our mind and in focus as we highlight the Grand Championship claimed by Chris Moore. As you will hear, it was at an early age that Chris gained an appreciation for trucking and the skills it takes to compete on both the state and national levels. Chris’ Dad, Ben, is a 14-time state champion in the annual Georgia event, and Ben has also taken home two national championships while competing at the NTDC. A trainer for Wal-Mart, Chris is wor...

As we close out May and begin the final countdown to NTDC 2024, we will spend some time talking with Dan Shamrell from Oregon and Tim Blair from Tennessee. In addition to being members of the FedEx Team who have earned a spot in this year’s Nationals in Indianapolis, Dan and Tim have both shown the power that the pre-trip phase in the competition can have on your score. As you’ll hear, Dan, in winning the Grand Champion’s title in Oregon, is making his 18th trip to the NTDC. Meanwhile, Tim is no...

In this episode of the podcast, we are delivering a “Virginia Special,” as we’ll have onsite interviews conducted by Eugene Mulero, Senior Reporter from Transport Topics. You’ll hear Eugene’s conversation with David Price, who ran the table at the competition to win the Grand Champion’s title from Virginia. David was part of the FedEx Team that excelled at the Virginia TDC. Among the other onsite interviews gathered during his time onsite at the Virginia TDC, Eugene also spends time with a group...

Larry Gorby from West Virginia and Ina Daly from Arizona are in the spotlight during another mega-edition of our NTDC Podcast, which was recorded on May 8. You will hear Eugene Mulero, Senior Reporter from Transport Topics and co-author of “From Roadeo To TDC,” look back at the state TDCs that have taken place between mid-April and this episode’s recording date. We will bring you Eugene’s interview with Larry, who couldn’t believe his name was called as the Grand Champion of West Virginia. We wi...

In this supersized edition of the podcast, you will hear an interview with the 2024 Grand Champion from Nevada, Matt Hart. Podcast co-host Eugene Mulero, a Senior Reporter with Transport Topics, talks with Matt about earning the top prize in the Silver State, and Eugene also discusses the stunning news that Gragg Wilson, the 2023 NTDC Grand Champion, finished second in the Nevada state qualifier. This means Wilson will not be able to defend his championship this year in Indianapolis. You’ll also...

Recorded on April 3, the second episode of 2024 edition of our NTDC series takes you inside this year’s first state championship, which was held in Louisiana, and we also discuss the approaches the past two National Grand Champions are taking to prepare for their respective state driving competitions. You will hear interviews conducted by Eugene Mulero, a Senior Reporter with Transport Topics, as he talks with defending National Grand Champion Gragg Wilson and Roland Bolduc, the 2023 National Gr...

PodWheels Powered By RadioNemo is thrilled to once again rev up our podcast series dedicated to the National Truck Driving & National Step Van Driving Championships. We plan to have at least one episode per month leading up to NTDC 2024 this August in Indianapolis. Eugene Mulero, Senior Reporter for Transport Topics, will join us for the series. As you will hear, Eugene, who co-authored the book “From Roadeo To TDC” chronicling the history of the event, holds a great admiration for the skill and...

As we bring our coverage of NTDC 2023 to a conclusion, we asked Eugene Mulero to give us his final thoughts on this year’s national championships. A Senior Reporter with Transport Topics, Eugene is also the co-author of a book covering the 86-year history of the NTDC. In this episode, Eugene takes us inside Gragg Wilson’s first trip the national finals. As you’ll hear, it was quite a journey that would eventually deliver Wilson his first national title in the tanker class and the honor of becomi...

In the second segment of our three-part series with Transport Topics Senior Reporter Eugene Mulero, we discuss the incredible accomplishments and dedication to professional excellence by the competitors who were a part of the National Truck Driving and National Step Van Driving Championships. With this episode, we place a particular focus on Ina Daly, who earned the event’s Professional Excellence Award, and Roland Bolduc, a two-time past Grand Champion who won the 2023 National Championship in ...

Eugene Mulero, Senior Reporter for Transport Topics, joins us for Part 1 of our NTDC Rewind as we look back on the memorable moments and performances during the 2023 National Truck Driving & National Step Van Driving Championships. In this episode, we spend some time discussing Tony Spero, a two-time national champion from Connecticut who is retiring from trucking later this year. As you’ll hear, a conversation with Tony’s family served as an inspiration for Eugene to co-author a book that chron...

As we round the corner toward the final episodes of our NTDC 2023 Series, we wanted to provide our listeners with an episode that takes you inside Championship Saturday, which includes the traditional Walk Of Champions. In this segment, you’ll hear from some of the participants as they prepared for the start of the event’s parade make the Walk Of Champions. Another high point of Championship Saturday’s opening hours were the powerful remarks delivered from the podium by Dan Van Alstine, the Chai...

Roland Bolduc and Tony Spero have become living legends with their repeated appearances in the National Truck Driving and National Step Van Driving Championships. Both these veteran professional drivers have collected a truckload of state championships en route to each winning multiple national titles over their careers. Roland is a two-time winner of the National Grand Championship, and Tony has earned the event’s Professional Excellence Award. At NTDC 2023, Roland claimed another national cham...

Prior to NTDC 2023, Gragg Wilson, a veteran driver from UPS, had made 13 trips to the National Championships as a state champion from Nevada. But, in all those runs to the NTDC, Gragg had never made it beyond the preliminary round of the national competition. NTDC 2023 became a memorable breakout year for Gragg. First, he heard his name called as a finalist in the Tanker Division. Gragg’s initial experience and performance in the championship round placed him in the ultimate position among all t...

Barry Kraemer knows that all the miles he covers each week as a a professional driver would be much tougher to navigate without the support of his family. Winning his first National Championship this year at NTDC 2023, Barry was thrilled to be able to celebrate his achievement with his family members who made the trip to Columbus. During this interview that took place in the days following the conclusion of NTDC 2023, Barry talks about his wife, their four children and what it means to have thei...

Lisa Steed has a unique perspective when it comes to the road and the opportunities that you can find behind the wheel. After spending a decade as a State Trooper in Utah, Lisa took her career in a new direction when she discovered an opportunity to start a Step Van business where she and her business partner could serve as contract service providers for FedEx Ground in the Salt Lake area. In 2023, Lisa won the Step Van division at the Utah State Trucking Championships, earning a trip to the Nat...

Ina Daly is a true pioneer in the trucking industry, hitting the road over 40 years ago at a time when few women were behind the wheel. Ina excelled in her job, striving for the highest levels of professional excellence as she compiled decade-upon-decade of safe driving. Ina has become a fixture at the Arizona State Truck Driving Championships, with 16 state titles that made Ina a regular at the National Championships. Ina, who has also served as a Captain on America’s Road Team, became the firs...

Mike Barnes is a 34-year veteran professional driver who has been competing through the state of Arkansas to reach the NTDCs for the past few years. Following a third-place finish in his classification this year at the Arkansas Truck Driving Championships, Mike decided to make the trip to NTDC 2023 as spectator and he brought his notebook, looking for tips that will help him break through to reach the national competition in 2024. As you’ll hear, Mike holds a great admiration for all the state c...

Ron Round and Ken Duncan have made multiple trips to the National Truck Driving and National Step Van Driving Championships, earning State Championships in their respective classifications in the state of Maine. For NTDC 2023, Ron and Ken returned to the national stage in Columbus having joined the newest class of Captains for America’s Road Team. As you’ll hear in this episode, Ron and Ken have built a friendship over the years that has is rooted in the mutual respect they hold for what each ha...

2023 marks 50 years in the trucking industry for Kevin Burch, and one the highlights of this golden anniversary year for Kevin happened at NTDC 2023. On the final day of the competition, Kevin part of the ATA’s dignitary group that shook the hands of the 419 state champions as they were announced on stage. As you’ll hear in this episode, each handshake and those moments with the entire NTDC field were priceless for Kevin, a former Chairman of both the ATA and TCA who is now the Co-Chairman of Tr...

Last year, Antoine Sadler posted the high score on the NTDC 2022 driving course with a 220. At NTDC 2023, Antoine focused his dedication to excellence to champion the important work of Truckers Against Trafficking (TAT). Antoine, who is a member of the Board of Directors with TAT, served as an information resource at the TAT trailer. Antoine was just yards away from this year’s road course inside the Columbus Convention Center. Fellow Wal-Mart driver Rickey Oliver, a perennial state champion fro...

Mindy Rathjens had worked hard through the years to break through the highly competitive field in her home state of Iowa, always seeking to reach the National Championships. In 2023, Mindy not only won the state championship in her classification, but she also claimed the title of Grand Champion for Iowa. In this episode, Mindy discusses her career and what she experienced with her first trip to the NTDC. The post Iowa Grand Champ Mindy Rathjens Savored Her First Trip To The NTDC appeared first...