NTDC Legend Rick Cates Announces Retirement Plans Following NTDC 2026

About this episode

Rick Cates announces his retirement plans after decades of service to the NTDC.

With 55 years of contributions and dedication to NTDC, Rick Cates has become a fountain of knowledge, a go-to person and a true institution with the National Truck Driving and National Step Van Driving Championships. Rick is so well respected within the NTDC Community and across the trucking industry that he has been given the honorary title of “The Senator.” In this episode of the podcast, NTDC Historian Eugene Mulero talks with Rick as he shares the news that, following the conclusion of NTDC 2026 in Pittsburgh, Rick will be retiring from his duties on the NTDC Organizing Committee. Eugene looks back with Rick on his five-plus decades in the trucking industry and his long relationship with NTDC that spans a little bit more than half of the Championships’ 89-year history. Rick reflects on the countless friendships he has built through NTDC and he takes us behind the scenes recalling the role he’s played over the years as part of the group talking to the finalists before the runoff on NTDC’s Championship Morning. 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…

People in this episode

Host: Eugene Mulero

Guest: Rick Cates

Topics covered

• retirement
• trucking industry
• NTDC history
• friendships
• contributions

Keywords

• Rick Cates
• NTDC
• retirement
• trucking
• Eugene Mulero
• Lutzie 43 Foundation
• Pittsburgh

Sponsors

Lutzie 43 Foundation

Mentioned in this episode

Places: Pittsburgh

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