Truck Topics
Mid-America Trucking Show Week
By Jeff Jensen, Editor
Mar 19, 2007 - 10:14:00 AM

The Mid-America Trucking Show (MATS) will be held this week on March 22-24, 2007 and the event's organizers are predicting that this 36th edition of the show will be the largest Mid-America ever, even larger than the record-breaking show in 2006.  Last year's event featured over 1,000 exhibitors with an attendance of over 75,000 visitors, so look for a great Mid-America for this year.

Some of the 2007 MATS highlights include

-Paul K. Young Memorial Truck Beauty Championship 
The Truck Beauty Championship is named in honor of the founder of The Mid-America Trucking Show, Paul K. Young. Now in its 18th year, this "Stars & Stripes Event" features more than 100 show trucks competing in more than 20 classes to determine who will win the coveted best of show.

-Mid-America's Internet & Technology Center
Mid-America's Internet & Technology Center will be held in the West Wing of the Kentucky Exposition Center.  The Center showcases the most innovative technology available to the trucking industry in one centralized location, including:

-Advanced internet systems
-Internet load posting
-Global positioning and freight tracking software.
-Personal computers and laptops.
-In-cab and handheld CE devices.
-Truck and engine maintenance systems.
-Technology seminars.
-Prizes, give-a-ways and more

-Kenworth Truck Company presents "Big & Rich" In Concert

And, of course...

Mid-America's Expediter Experience!

With over 10,000 square feet of pure expediting in the West Wing of the Kentucky Expo Center, the "Expediter Experience" will showcase everything expedited, including carriers, truck dealers and vendors along with...a special surprise!
 
Lawrence McCord of Expediters Online.com, the Expediter Experience, says, "This is our second year of presenting the Expediter Experience to the Mid America audience and this year, we've got a special treat for all of the expediter attendees!  In response to public demand, we partnered with Speedco Quick Lube Services and other selected vendors to bring to the expedited freight world the wildest expedited truck ever - the Speedco Supertruck!"

McCord goes on to say that there's more to the surprise:  "We didn't just have the truck built for show, we'll be giving it away in the Speedco Supertruck Driveaway Sweepstakes!"

The truck McCord is speaking of is a Class 8 Mack Vision from Indiana Truck Sales and is equipped with an Alumi-Bunk van body.  It has been extensively modified, customized and painted by the sheet metal wizards from the Chrome Shop Mafia of "Trick My Truck" fame.

This custom expediter will make its world debut as the centerpiece of the Expediter Experience display where attendees can marvel over this one-of-a-kind example of the Chrome Shop Mafia's genius. 

After the show, the truck will embark on a tour of selected locations before pulling into the Expedite Expo in July.  At the close of that event, the Supertruck will be awarded to a lucky contestant in a special Speedco/Expo drawing.

The Speedco Supertruck Driveaway Sweepstakes - at the Expediter Experience!

Micki McIntyre is the Coordinator of the Expediter Experience and she says, "The Expediter Experience will allow attendees the opportunity to visit with the various expedited exhibitors in a convenient, central location for more efficient use of their time at the show."

"Because of that centralized location, many of the attendees use the area as a gathering place, to see old friends from the road and to get together before touring the exhibits."
 
She continues,  "Not only do we have the unveiling of the Speedco Supertruck, but in addition to our carrier and dealer exhibitors, we'll have two days of Expediter Workshops, too.  This show will have something for everyone!"

Expediter Workshops
There will be presentations of the very popular, multi-media Expediter Workshop on Thursday, March 22 and Friday, March 23.
 
Presented in a friendly, informal setting, these free seminars are a premier source of information about the expedited trucking opportunity presented by industry experts.

2007 "Expediter Experience" Workshops Schedule 
Room W10 - West Wing 
 
Thursday, March 22. 2007

 2:00pm
"What is Expediting? Expedite Trucking Essentials."
John Mueller
Director of Safety
Premium Transportation Logistics, LLC
 
3:00pm
"The Road Map to Buying & Financing Your Truck"
John Lalonde
Expedite Truck Specialist
Fyda Freightliner
Columbus, OH 
 

Friday, March 24, 2007

1:00pm
"Your Expedite Career Path"
Kyle Ochs
General Manager
Expedite Solutions, LLC
Indianapolis, IN 
 
2:00pm
"Trends in Purchasing Your Expedite Trucks"
Jon Mosier
Expedite Truck Specialist
Freightliner of Knoxville
Knoxville, TN 
 
3:00pm
"Expedite Trucks and a Behind-the-Scene Look at Maintenance"
Heath Wood
General Manager
Middle Georgia Freightliner-Isuzu
 
Expedited Carriers
The industry's top-line carriers will be well-represented at the Expediter Experience.  Helpful, knowledgeable recruiters will assist owner-operators and drivers looking for career advancement opportunities.

Expedited Truck Dealers
The Mid-America Trucking Show has historically been the setting for truck and equipment manufacturers to unveil their newest offerings to the buying public.  The Expediter Experience will follow in that tradition with expedited truck dealer exhibitors debuting their latest products.   Vendors, suppliers and support companies will be exhibiting their products and services as well. 
 
Visitors will be able to see, feel and compare the most innovative expedited trucks on the market as well as discuss equipment needs, spec'ing and financing with expedited truck professionals. Featuring fine makes such as Sterling, Freightliner, Hino, Alumi-Bunk and Bentz Transport Products  it's all at the Expediter Experience.

The Expediter Experience Exhibitors:

*Freightliner of Knoxville
On display: The dealership's best selling truck! Newly re-designed 96” Bentz Sleeper, 330 HP Mercedes Engine, Allison Automatic, 22’ Van Body

*Tri-State Expedited Services
Owner-Operator Recruitment

*Speedco
Heavy truck oil and lube services
The Speedco Supertruck Driveaway Sweepstakes

*Alumi-bunk Corporation
Introducing the RVEX plus.  This custom sleeper provides 120" sleeper comfort with a special "garage" area on the back for motorcycle storage.  Alumi-Bunk will offer a special promotion - buy a truck and get a motorcycle for free!

*CTX
Owner-Operator Recruitment

*Middle Georgia Freightliner

"For over a year now, we have been hard at work designing and building a sleeper unit that incorporates many of our customers' requests," says Heath Wood, Sales Manager of the Macon, GA-based Middle Georgia Freightliner-Isuzu dealership. 

"These innovative sleepers will be manufactured under our direction by a firm that we have been working with for the past few years and our first prototype is ready to be unveiled."

"The "Georgia Classic" is 100" deep by 102" wide and is loaded with features that include an aerodynamic roofline that is pre-set for a roof-mounted air conditioner, a flat, smooth floor entry and a multi-bag air suspension.

The interior is highlighted by luxury appointments such as oak cabinetry, a fold-up bunk with 48" inner spring mattress that turns into a dinette, a compact HVAC system, 18" flat-panel TV, a Porta-Potty, microwave, sink and other features.

Wood invites expedited owner-operators to stop by his booth to see, touch and discover the "Georgia Classic" and give him their ideas and suggestions on how to further improve this unique sleeper. 

*RJR Transportation
Owner-Operator Recruitment

*Chrome Shop Mafia
Meet and greet the truck-building wizards from the hit TV show "Trick My Truck" and customizers of the Speedco Supertruck.

*Nations Express
Owner-Operator Recruitment

*Espar of Michigan
Ray Lawrence of Espar of Michigan says, "The time has come to stop idling for comfort.  Owner-operators must take advantage of the technology available to them."  Lawrence will be exhibiting a complete range of idle-reduction technologies, including:
-Rigmaster Auxiliary Power Units
-Espar Heater systems
-DC Airco
-Tripplite inverters

*TrackerGPS

*Premium Transportation Logistics, LLC
Owner-Operator Recruitment

*Bolt Express
Owner-Operator Recruitment

*Landstar Express America
Owner-Operator Recruitment

*Forum Technology, Inc.

*Express-1
Owner-Operator Recruitment

*Dynamex
Owner-Operator Recruitment

*Diamond Delivery
Owner-Operator Recruitment

*Panther Expedited Services
Owner-Operator Recruitment

*Fed-Ex Custom Critical
Owner-Operator Recruitment

*Rocket Expediting
Owner-Operator Recruitment

*TST Expedited Services
Owner-Operator Recruitment

Micki McIntyre says, "I've been in truck marketing and sales for a number of years and during that time, I have participated in the Mid-America show both as a visitor and as an exhibitor.  Putting the Expediter Experience together has been one of my most fulfilling experiences at the show and we're quite proud of the result."
  
As you can see, there's even more to see and do at the 2007 Mid-America Trucking Show.  Clear your calendar and get to Louisville, Kentucky on March 22-24 to be part of the Expediter Experience!

For online registration, visit he Mid-America Trucking Show Homepage.

For Expediter Workshop online registration, visit the Expediter Workshop Homepage.