Recharge Yourself and Your Operation at The Work Truck Show® 2009

FARMINGTON HILLS, MI (Nov. 17, 2008) ‘ It’s possible to get so wrapped up in the daily tasks of running a fleet or doing a job that you start to stagnate. Revitalize yourself and your operation at The Work Truck Show® 2009 and 45th Annual National Truck Equipment Association (NTEA) Convention. With four days of educational and technical training programs designed specifically for truck fleet managers, equipment buyers and maintenance personnel across industries, The Work Truck Show offers multiple opportunities to break out of ‘business as usual.”

The Work Truck Show 2009, North America’s largest work truck event, is held in conjunction with the 45th Annual NTEA Convention at the McCormick Place West Building in Chicago, IL, March 4–6, 2009. The Convention and educational sessions kick off March 3.

Concurrent Educational Sessions            

There are nearly 40 concurrent educational sessions held outside of show floor hours Tuesday, March 3 through Thursday, March 5. Courses cover a range of topics, from technical training to business improvement. The following sessions are of particular interest to anyone who uses work trucks:

·         The Economics of Hybrids in Your Fleet

·         Designing and Specifying Your Next Work Truck: Body and Equipment Design

·         Designing and Specifying Your Next Work Truck: Matching the Chassis to the Body for Optimizing Productivity and Fuel Efficiency

·         How Much Does That New Truck Really Weigh ‘ Controlling the Weight of Multi-Stage Vehicles

·         Truck Equipment Market Overview, Trends & Outlook

·         The Ins and Outs of Federal Excise Tax

·         Trailer Towing Specification Factors for Class 1-4 Trucks

·         Generators and Inverters: Addressing Your 21st Century Electrical Needs

·         Driving Results by Engaging Employees: SRC & The Great Game of Business

·         Driving Results by Engaging Employees: Improving Sales in a Difficult Economy

·         Technology as a Differentiator for Parts & Service.

Plus, 12 of the world’s leading chassis manufacturers will present updates on their new models, including hybrid and alternative fuel work trucks. Chassis updates are scheduled from Dodge, Ford Commercial Truck, Freightliner Custom Chassis, Freightliner Trucks, General Motors Fleet and Commercial Operations, Hino Trucks/Toyota Motor Sales USA, Inc., International Truck, Isuzu Commercial Truck of America, Inc., Kenworth Truck Company, Mack Trucks, Inc., Mitsubishi Fuso Truck of America, Inc. and Peterbilt Motors Company.

 ‘The Work Truck Show Educational Content Committee and NTEA staff have spent the last year developing a full slate of educational sessions to educate and inspire our attendees,” says Spencer Hinson, committee chairman and president of Lodi Equipment (West Sacramento, CA). ‘We’re confident that everyone who invests the time to attend even a portion of the educational conference will come away with new ideas they can put to work right away to improve their operations.”

With so many industry-specific sessions occurring simultaneously, schedule conflicts are inevitable. To enable attendees to access concurrent educational sessions they missed or would like to see again, the NTEA is offering recordings of the sessions on CD-ROM and online. Everyone who registers for the Complete Event or Conference & Trade Show package will automatically receive a free copy of the CD-ROM by mail, as well as full access to session content online via password. The recordings will also be available for $199 to NTEA members and $249 to nonmembers.

Training Theater Sessions

Short, informative takes on business practices and business operations are offered Wednesday, March 4 and Thursday, March 5 in the training theater conveniently located on the show floor. Sessions are free and open to all show attendees.

Special Sessions        

With the fluctuating cost of fuel, increased environmental concerns and new emissions regulations, hybrid and alternative fuel trucks are of increasing interest to many fleets. The Green Truck Summit, sponsored by International Truck, provides up-to-date information on hybrid and alternative fuel options for work trucks. It includes four general courses and 15 breakout sessions led by industry and academic experts. Topics include technology deployment, fuel utilization, fleet integration and the cost justification of purchasing hybrids. This Special Session is held on Tuesday, March 3, from 9:00am’4:30pm. A ticket is required.

One of the major challenges facing the industry in the coming year is working with chassis that meet 2010 emission regulations. The Special Session ‘Upfitting Equipment on 2010 Emission-compliant Truck Chassis” brings together experts from Daimler Trucks North America, Dodge, Ford Commercial Truck, General Motors Fleet and Commercial Operations, Hino Trucks and International Truck to review changes made to their chassis to meet 2010 emission requirements. The session runs from 8:30am’12:00pm on Tuesday, March 3. A ticket is required.

The Fleet Management Symposium will teach fleet management professionals methods to drastically improve fleet and shop productivity while reducing costs. The Symposium is led by fleet management consultant Kelly Walker, president of Kelly Walker Associates (Dallas, TX). Advance registration is required. Symposium registration includes entry into The Work Truck Show 2009 and all concurrent educational sessions. The Symposium runs from 8:30am’4:30pm on Tuesday, March 3.

Produced annually by the NTEA, The Work Truck Show showcases more than 500,000 square feet of Class 1’8 vocational trucks and equipment. It brings together thousands of work truck professionals, including fleet managers, equipment buyers, maintenance personnel, manufacturers, distributors and dealers.

For a complete schedule including session descriptions, interactive floor plan, event registration, housing, and more, visit www.ntea.com or call 1-800-441-NTEA (6832).