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Inside the Dump Truck Game with Malcolm Smith | A Trucking Podcast
What if failure was just your training ground for success in trucking? In this episode of Miles and Mentors: A Trucking Podcast, Malcolm Smith, founder and CEO of the National Dump Truck Association, breaks down the business side of dump trucking, one of the industry's most misunderstood sectors.
A former PE teacher turned trucking mentor, Malcolm shares how a failed 18-wheeler venture led him to build a national community for dump truck professionals. From securing your first load to navigating fuel cards, business credit, and tech disruption, Malcolm offers tactical advice for operators ready to get serious about profits and scale. “Failure isn’t a stop sign. It’s a lesson.”
Episode Highlights: 00:00:00 – Introducing Malcolm Smith of the National Dump Truck Association 00:01:03 – Why dump trucking is a “secret society” with real potential 00:03:00 – From educator to entrepreneur: Malcolm’s journey into logistics 00:04:46 – Failing forward: lessons from his first trucking business 00:06:09 – How one mentor changed everything 00:07:23 – Rethinking failure with the video game mindset 00:08:52 – The birth of the National Dump Truck Association 00:10:06 – What new operators get wrong and how to fix it 00:13:09 – Dump trucking vs. OTR: the business model shift 00:15:17 – Payment pitfalls and how to protect your cash 00:16:30 – Why knowing your numbers is non-negotiable 00:19:24 – Factoring, fuel cards, and funding smart growth 00:24:36 – When and how to scale your fleet 00:27:04 – Subcontracting as a smarter path to expansion 00:30:15 – Tech is here. Adapt or get left behind 00:34:21 – Building industry awareness and mentorship 00:36:49 – Where dump trucking is headed in 2025
🎙 About Our Guest: Malcolm Smith is the founder and CEO of the National Dump Truck Association (https://tndta.org), the first nationwide organization dedicated to supporting dump truck professionals with education, resources, and advocacy.
Connect with Malcolm: 🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/malcolm-smith-7a886453/ 🌐 Website: https://thendta.org/ 📺 YouTube: https://youtube.com/@nationaldumptruckassociation 📷 Instagram: https://instagram.com/nationaldumptruckassociation
Follow Miles and Mentors: A Trucking Podcast 🌐 Website: https://milesandmentorspodcast.com 📘 Facebook: https://facebook.com/milesandmentors 🔗 LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/miles-and-mentors-podcast 📢 Like and subscribe for more real-world trucking mentorship!
🎤 Want to be a guest? Email us: [email protected]
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By Alex PowersWhat if failure was just your training ground for success in trucking? In this episode of Miles and Mentors: A Trucking Podcast, Malcolm Smith, founder and CEO of the National Dump Truck Association, breaks down the business side of dump trucking, one of the industry's most misunderstood sectors.
A former PE teacher turned trucking mentor, Malcolm shares how a failed 18-wheeler venture led him to build a national community for dump truck professionals. From securing your first load to navigating fuel cards, business credit, and tech disruption, Malcolm offers tactical advice for operators ready to get serious about profits and scale. “Failure isn’t a stop sign. It’s a lesson.”
Episode Highlights: 00:00:00 – Introducing Malcolm Smith of the National Dump Truck Association 00:01:03 – Why dump trucking is a “secret society” with real potential 00:03:00 – From educator to entrepreneur: Malcolm’s journey into logistics 00:04:46 – Failing forward: lessons from his first trucking business 00:06:09 – How one mentor changed everything 00:07:23 – Rethinking failure with the video game mindset 00:08:52 – The birth of the National Dump Truck Association 00:10:06 – What new operators get wrong and how to fix it 00:13:09 – Dump trucking vs. OTR: the business model shift 00:15:17 – Payment pitfalls and how to protect your cash 00:16:30 – Why knowing your numbers is non-negotiable 00:19:24 – Factoring, fuel cards, and funding smart growth 00:24:36 – When and how to scale your fleet 00:27:04 – Subcontracting as a smarter path to expansion 00:30:15 – Tech is here. Adapt or get left behind 00:34:21 – Building industry awareness and mentorship 00:36:49 – Where dump trucking is headed in 2025
🎙 About Our Guest: Malcolm Smith is the founder and CEO of the National Dump Truck Association (https://tndta.org), the first nationwide organization dedicated to supporting dump truck professionals with education, resources, and advocacy.
Connect with Malcolm: 🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/malcolm-smith-7a886453/ 🌐 Website: https://thendta.org/ 📺 YouTube: https://youtube.com/@nationaldumptruckassociation 📷 Instagram: https://instagram.com/nationaldumptruckassociation
Follow Miles and Mentors: A Trucking Podcast 🌐 Website: https://milesandmentorspodcast.com 📘 Facebook: https://facebook.com/milesandmentors 🔗 LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/miles-and-mentors-podcast 📢 Like and subscribe for more real-world trucking mentorship!
🎤 Want to be a guest? Email us: [email protected]