Founded 1997 · Tampa, Florida
Our Story
RDK Truck Sales was built on a simple conviction: that customers in the refuse equipment industry deserve better — better trucks, better prices, and the kind of experienced service that only comes from a lifetime in the business.
We Build Partnerships, Not Just Customers.
40+
Years Industry
Experience
Family
Family Owned
& Operated
Privately
Privately Owned
Since 1997
Tampa
Proud to Call
Florida Home
The Person Behind RDK
Meet Our Founder
RDK Truck Sales is a family business built by Richard Kemner — driven by a lifetime of hands-on industry experience and a commitment to doing right by every customer who walks through the door.
Richard Kemner
Founder & President
Richard Kemner started working in the heavy-duty truck and refuse equipment industry when he was 17 years old. His career arc reads like the industry itself: he began in the tire shop, moved into the truck shop, ran shops of his own, transitioned into sales, and eventually served as general manager over both service and sales operations — learning every corner of the business from the ground up.
Along the way, Richard sat on advisory councils with major OEM manufacturers and remains deeply involved in the products being built today. He brings that hands-on, in-the-field experience back to manufacturers to help them build simple, reliable refuse bodies that hold up to real-world duty cycles.
By the time he founded RDK on June 17, 1997, Richard had spent his entire working life learning what customers actually needed — and, too often, weren't getting. RDK was his answer to that gap, built on that hands-on experience and a focus on partnerships. He wanted to build a company where the people selling and servicing refuse trucks were the most experienced in the industry, not just on the lot.
Where It Started
Tampa, FL 33605 Est. June 17, 1997
Where We Came From
Built From The Ground Up
RDK Truck Sales opened its doors in Tampa, Florida on June 17, 1997. It was the culmination of Richard Kemner's entire career — more than 40+ years working in heavy-duty trucks and reconditioned refuse equipment, starting from the ground floor at age 17.
The name says it all: R for Richard, K for Kemner. It's a family business, and that has always been fundamental to how RDK operates. Richard built the company because he believed the industry needed a dealer who actually knew the product, stood behind it, and treated customers the way they deserved to be treated.
"RDK Truck Sales is the result of decades of experience in the business — because customers deserve the sales and service they deserve at the best prices."
— Company founding philosophy
What started as a Tampa-area refuse truck dealer has grown steadily since 1997 — built on partnerships and long-term customers rather than short-term hype. Today RDK serves customers locally, nationally, and internationally with new and used refuse equipment, financing, rentals, leasing, parts, and full-service repair.
Privately Owned, Steady Since 1997
Built For Customers. Not Investors.
RDK is one of the very few refuse truck dealers still privately owned — not sold off to a giant PE firm, a Wall Street group, or an investor roll-up. That ownership structure isn’t a footnote; it shapes every decision we make.
It means we can focus on the customer in front of us instead of quarterly investor targets. It means our priorities are reliability, long-term relationships, and steady growth — the same priorities that built this company since 1997.
Steady Growth Since 1997
Built on partnerships and long-term customers, not hype cycles. The same family, the same standards, the same shop — just bigger and better at what we do.
Still Privately Owned
Not sold to PE firms, Wall Street groups, or investor roll-ups. No board, no quarterly earnings pressure, no out-of-state ownership making decisions about your truck.
Customers Come First. Period.
When ownership stays in the family, the customer stays at the center. That’s why we say it — and mean it: we build partnerships, not just customers.
Our Mission
The Best People. The Best Prices. The Best Service.
RDK strives to be the best company of its kind by employing some of the most highly skilled and experienced people in the refuse equipment industry — people who maintain the high standards on which this company was founded in 1997. That standard hasn't changed since.
Expert Staff
Every member of the team brings real, hands-on experience in refuse equipment — not just salesmanship.
Fair Pricing
Competitive prices on new, used, and reconditioned equipment — with transparent deals you can trust.
Customer First
Earning your trust — just as we earned the trust of every customer who came before you.
Full Service
Sales, financing, leasing, rentals, parts, and service — everything your fleet needs, under one roof.
How We Got Here
RDK Through The Years
From a Tampa start-up in 1997 to a nationally and internationally recognized refuse truck dealer, here's how RDK got built.
1997
Founding
RDK Opens Its Doors
Richard Kemner officially opens RDK Truck Sales on June 17, 1997, in Tampa, Florida. He brings decades of hands-on experience in heavy-duty trucks and reconditioned refuse equipment. The company is built on the conviction that customers deserve better pricing, better product knowledge, and better service than they were getting anywhere else.
FoundingEarly 2000s
Growth
Establishing A Regional Reputation
RDK grows from a local Tampa dealer into a recognized name across the Florida refuse equipment market. Customers in Tampa, Brandon, Clearwater, and Lakeland begin turning to RDK for both new and used trucks — and for the deep expertise the team brings to every transaction. A full parts and service department is built out to support the growing customer base.
Growth PhaseMid-2000s
Expansion
National & International Reach
RDK Truck Sales expands well beyond Florida, shipping trucks and equipment to customers across the United States and internationally. The company earns a reputation as a trusted refuse truck dealer nationwide — a reflection of competitive pricing, consistent quality, and relationships built one customer at a time.
National Expansion2010s
Product Expansion
Full Fleet Solutions & Cooperative Purchasing
RDK expands its product and service offerings — adding fleet financing, leasing, rentals, and formal cooperative purchasing contract relationships with programs including the Florida Sheriffs Association, NPPGov, and Sourcewell. This allows government agencies and municipalities to purchase through pre-competed contracts, streamlining procurement for public fleet managers across the state and country.
MilestoneToday
Present Day
Still Growing, Still Family Owned
RDK Truck Sales continues to operate from its Tampa, Florida home base — offering new and used refuse trucks from all major manufacturers including Freightliner, Mack, Peterbilt, Autocar, Battle Motors, and more. With a full service department, parts team, emergency support line, and robust fleet financing options, RDK remains the most comprehensive refuse truck resource in the Southeast — and one of the most trusted in the country.
Present DayThousands Of Trucks Built On Every Major Chassis Brand.
Chassis OEMs We Build On
What Makes RDK Different
The RDK Difference
01
A Lifetime In The Business
Richard Kemner has been working in heavy-duty trucks and refuse equipment since he was 17 years old. That depth of experience isn't something you find at most dealerships — it's built into the DNA of RDK. When you talk to someone here, you're talking to people who have actually turned wrenches, sourced parts, and know this equipment inside and out.
02
Full-Spectrum Service
Most truck dealers sell trucks. RDK does far more: new and used inventory, parts, certified service, emergency support, fleet rentals, leasing, financing, trade-ins, cooperative purchasing contracts, and a knowledge base your team can actually use. We're built to be your long-term fleet partner, not just a one-time transaction.
03
Start-Up & Fleet Specialists
RDK has always had a particular focus on helping start-up waste hauling companies get on the road. We understand what a new operator needs — the right truck, accessible financing, and a dealer who can support them as they grow. That same commitment extends to established fleets looking to upgrade, expand, or replace aging equipment efficiently.
04
Family Business Values
RDK is still the company Richard Kemner started in 1997. That means the values it was built on — honesty, hard work, fair dealing, and genuine customer care — haven't been diluted by corporate ownership or private equity. When you work with RDK, you're working with people who take their reputation personally.
05
Expert Team Across Every Department
RDK strives to employ some of the most highly skilled and experienced people in the refuse equipment industry across sales, finance, parts, and service. The knowledge and experience the team brings is the single most important competitive advantage the company has — and it shows in every customer interaction.
06
International Reach, Local Roots
RDK has grown steadily since 1997 into a trusted refuse truck dealer for customers nationwide and internationally — while remaining anchored in Tampa, Florida. The people who answer the phone are local, the service bay is local, and the accountability is local. Big reach, personal service.
Who We Serve
Partnerships Across Every Kind Of Fleet
From the largest municipal fleets to the smallest start-up haulers, RDK serves a wide range of customers — and we treat every one of them like a partner, not just a transaction. We build partnerships, not just customers.
Municipal & County Fleets
Cities, counties, and public works departments running residential and commercial collection — backed by cooperative purchasing contracts for streamlined procurement.
Military & Federal Facilities
Military bases, federal facilities, and government installations — including NASA and similar government locations — with the documentation, spec, and support those programs require.
Start-Ups & Small Haulers
New operators getting their first truck on the road and small independent companies growing route by route — with financing, leasing, and the kind of hands-on guidance bigger dealers won’t take the time for.
Private Fleets & Established Haulers
Mid-size and established private waste haulers running mixed residential, commercial, roll-off, and grapple routes — partnering with RDK for fleet expansion, replacement cycles, and ongoing support.
Where We Deliver
Mainland U.S. First — International Welcome
Primary Focus
Mainland United States
RDK’s primary focus is the mainland United States. From Tampa we routinely deliver new and used refuse and roll-off trucks to customers in every region of the country — with the parts, service, and financing support to back them up wherever they run.
International Experience
International Customers Welcome
International isn’t a problem — RDK has years of experience serving customers outside the U.S. We can help with export logistics, spec adjustments for local conditions, and ongoing support so the truck keeps running long after it leaves the yard.
Come See What We've Built
Let Us Earn Your Business
RDK Truck Sales has been earning customer trust since 1997 — one truck, one fleet, one relationship at a time. Browse our current inventory, contact the team, or stop by the lot in Tampa. We'll take good care of you.