Liner Notes

What does it take to host a pair of State TDCs at the same location for the first time? We asked this question and many more during our recent conversation with Louis Campion, the President & CEO of the Maryland Motor Truck Association. As you’ll hear, Louis and his MMTA Team always have the State TDCs circled on their calendars. In 2025, that day was Saturday, June 7. And this year, Maryland answered the call and filled a need when the MMTA agreed to host competitors from Delaware, overseeing that state’s TDCs. One theme that absolutely shines through in this interview is the fact that Louis and his entire MMTA Team truly value the time they get to spend with drivers and their families through the work they do on the State TDCs every year.

The post MMTA President & CEO Louis Campion Looks Back At Maryland & Delaware TDCs appeared first on PodWheels.

How do you win three State TDC Grand Championships in a row? That’s the question we asked Kentucky’s John Willinger a few weeks after he took home the top trophy in the Bluegrass State for a third straight year. A proud member of Team FedEx, John will be making his 15th trip to the Nationals when he arrives in Minneapolis this August. We talked with John about his success in the state championships, what it means to be a part of the TDC program and what he’s looking forward to experiencing at NTDC 2025.

The post Celebrating The Grand Championship 3-Peat of Kentucky’s John Willinger appeared first on PodWheels.

For the decision makers at trucking and logistics companies, the freight market we are experiencing in 2025 requires the ability to be nimble while still staying true to your strengths as a company. And, as we hear in this episode of the Grawe Pod, today’s market environment also demands a sense of discipline within your fundamentals that incorporates both optimism and realism when evaluating opportunities and executing strategies that fit your operation.

Grawe Group Founder and CEO Doug Grawe discusses the current challenges in the trucking market and understanding the ripple effects of operational decisions with Gary Randall, an operations expert who serves as an Executive Business Partner with the Grawe Group. This in-depth conversation explores the many challenges that exist in today’s market, which is still trying to recover from a prolonged freight recession. Doug and Gary examine the significance of accountability in leadership, playing with the hand the market deals you and finding ways to best leverage the opportunities available to your company. They also discuss the value of leveraging data as well as the importance of fostering a culture of honesty and emotional intelligence within the various departments and teams at your company.

The post Optimism And Realism: Navigating The Current Challenges Within The Trucking Market appeared first on PodWheels.

Over the past 25 years or so, Dan Istre had become a fixture at the Idaho TDC and a regular presence at NTDC, with 23 State TDCs and seven national appearances prior to 2025. Dan was one of the stalwarts on the Yellow Freight Team, but he had to find a new ride following that company’s closure. In addition, Dan had to qualify for the competition once again with his new carrier, XPO. It was a test of perseverance for Dan to get back the state TDC for a 24th time and to qualify for his 8th NTDC trip.

As you’ll hear in this episode of the podcast, the continued hard work, dedication to safety and overall patience with the transition process all paid off for Dan when the Idaho TDC took place this Spring. Dan was ready for the challenge in Twins, winning the vehicle class, and then hearing his name called as the state’s Grand Champion.  We invite you to hear Dan share his thoughts on his journey back to NTDC with Eugene Mulero, Senior Reporter from Transport Topics.

The post Dan Istre’s Journey Back To NTDC Made Sweeter By Idaho Grand Championship appeared first on PodWheels.

Reliance Partners Safety Impact Team Members Mark Barlar and Daniel Vega return to the podcast to continue the discussion on the guidance related to the decision by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance to make English language proficiency an out-of-service violation. In this episode of the podcast, Mark and Daniel will be responding to questions submitted by the audience members who attended the Safety Matters Webinar that Reliance held not long after the Federal Motor Carrier Administration announced plans to begin ramping up enforcement of English language proficiency requirements for CDL and non-CDL drivers following an executive order from President Trump.

Jackson Alexander, one of the leading agents at Reliance, also joins the conversation to provide valuable perspective as the panel works through a collection of great questions that were prompted by the upcoming changes and the webinar presentation by the Reliance Partners team. Thom Albrecht, the Chief Revenue Officer for Reliance Partners, is your host and moderator for an important discussion that will be of interest to stakeholders across the supply chain. Trucking Matters is a production of Reliance Partners in collaboration with PodWheels. To learn more about Reliance Partners, please visit ReliancePartners.com.

The post Answering Important Questions On Updates To ELP Enforcement appeared first on PodWheels.

For 2025 Nevada TDC Grand Champion Tim Stanga, the journey back to the NTDC took a little more than a decade and included a move to Las Vegas. The last time Tim was part of the Nationals field was in 2014 when he qualified as part of Team Arizona as a state champion. Tim put himself in contention for the gold of the Silver State’s Grand Championship by first winning the 4-Axle Vehicle Class State Title. In this episode, Tim shares his recent memories on his day at the Nevada TDC with Transport Topics Senior Reporter Eugene Mulero.

In the final section of the podcast, PodWheels Executive Producer Greg Thompson talks with Eugene about the return to the NTDCs of Gragg Wilson, the 2023 National Grand Champion who returns to the NTDC competition following his second-place finish in his vehicle division last year. 

The post Tim Stanga Captures Grand Champion’s Gold In Silver State TDC appeared first on PodWheels.

In this Safety Matters edition of the podcast, we are joined by two members of the Reliance Partners Safety Impact Team to discuss the recent decision by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance to make English language proficiency an out-of-service violation. The guidance from CVSA follows the announcement that the Federal Motor Carrier Administration is ramping up enforcement of English language proficiency requirements for CDL and non-CDL drivers after an executive order from President Trump in late April.

The enforcement of the updated guidance on English language proficiency will no doubt have an impact on CSA driver fitness scores. In the days and weeks following the announcement, the team at Reliance Partners began fielding a lot of questions on the topic and began digging for answers. For this episode of the podcast, you’ll hear expert perspective on the changes from Reliance Safety Impact Team members Mark Barlar and Daniel Vega. You will also hear valuable insights from Jackson Alexander, one of the leading agents at Reliance. Thom Albrecht, who is the Chief Revenue Officer at Reliance Partners, is your host for an informative discussion that provides insights into the potential consequences for drivers and motor carriers as well as recommendations for compliance and training. As you will hear, the panel emphasizes the importance of proactive measures to ensure driver readiness and the potential impact on insurance costs due to ELP violations. Trucking Matters is a production of Reliance Partners in collaboration with PodWheels. To learn more about Reliance Partners, please visit ReliancePartners.com.

The post Exploring The Impact of ELP Enforcement on Safety Compliance appeared first on PodWheels.

For this episode of the series, PodWheels went on the road to attend the Tennessee State TDC Awards Banquet that was held on the first Saturday in May, following the two-day competition. Hosted by the Tennessee Trucking Association, the State TDC Banquet not only honors all the competitors seeking to be a part of NTDC 2025, but the evening is also reserved to spotlight the state’s Driver of the Year. With nearly three million safe driving miles compiled over a career that spans some four decades, Terry Certain of XPO definitely earned his time on stage when he was introduced as the Tennessee Driver of the Year.

A past State Grand Champion who has made multiple trips to the Nationals, it was fitting that Terry had the opportunity to address his fellow professional drivers and their families at the Tennessee TDC Banquet. As you will hear in our interview, Terry not only inspired his son, Joel, to follow in his footsteps as a professional driver, but Joel joined Terry as a competitor at this year’s Tennessee TDC. In addition to our interview with Terry and Joel, you will also hear our conversation with Andy Bryant, who earned the distinction of becoming Tennessee’s Grand Champion for the second time in his career. We also talked with Tim Blair, whose state title in Twins punched his ticket to the NTDCs for the third straight year.  

The post Certain Recognition: TTA TDC Awards Banquet Crowns Champs & Honors Driver of the Year appeared first on PodWheels.

In this edition of the SCF Highway To Hope Podcast, we will introduce you to Courtney Niemann, who recently began serving as the Executive Director of the St. Christopher Truckers Relief Fund. We’lll learn about Courtney’s background prior to joining SCF and we’ll also hear what called her to be a part of SCF’s mission to help professional drivers and their families. This episode also provides SCF the opportunity to honor the 18 years of service by Donna Kennedy as the Executive Director since the organization’s inception. Donna will be joining Courtney as a guest on the show.

SCF Health & Wellness Manager Lindsey Bryan is your host for this edition of the podcast. Lindsey will be joined in the conversation with Courtney and Donna by Greg Thompson, the Executive Producer of PodWheels. To learn more about the programs available from SCF and how you can support the mission of SCF, please visit TruckersFund.org.

The post Getting To Know Courtney Niemann, SCF’s New Executive Director appeared first on PodWheels.

With this episode of the podcast, we are starting a series of features on members of the NTDC Organizing Committee. As we get closer to NTDC 2025 in Minneapolis, we’ll drop in interviews with some of the people who help to make the national championships a reality each year.

To kick off this series, we caught up with Jason Wing, who has been involved with NTDC since 2010. Jason served as the Organizing Committee’s Chairman in 2022, and Jason is most well known for being the author of the “NTDC Oath,” which is a pledge that all the competitors make during the first day of competition reminding them of the rules and courtesies involved with the event. Jason tells us what inspired him to write the first draft of the pledge on the back of a napkin and how it eventually became a tradition at NTDC. Jason also shares how each year’s NTDC has become an important trip for his family, especially for his sons who hold the highest level of respect for professional drivers.

The post NTDC ‘Oath’ Author Jason Wing Dedicated To Safety & Service To Others appeared first on PodWheels.