Trucking Industry News

ARLINGTON, Va. — The Technology & Maintenance Council (TMC) will hold its 2009 Annual Meeting and Transportation Technology Exhibition, Feb. 9-12 at the Orange County Convention Center and Rosen Centre Hotel, Orlando, Fla.

The meeting will provide the opportunity for fleet managers and other industry professionals to gather the latest updates on safety systems, outsourcing, fuel economy improvements, diagnostics and onboard data communication.

Two full technical sessions include Improving Fleet/Service-Dealer Business Relations, and An Introduction to Integrated Vehicle-Based Safety Systems (IVBSS). The first, following a new TMC Recommended Practice, offers guidelines for establishing a business relationship between a fleet and a third-party maintenance provider. The second provides fleet perspectives with IVBSS related to integration of vehicle safety systems, operation and maintenance.

Mini-technical sessions will include: An Introduction to AGM Battery Technologies; TMC Presents Comprehensive Tire and Wheel Compendium; Biodiesel and Your Engine — What Are The Real Savings?; How Safe Is the Inside of Your Cab?; The Future of Heavy-Duty Drivelines; Impact of New Trailer Regulations on North American Fleets; Ready or Not, Fleets Must Begin Adopting Sustainability Best Practices; Onboard Diagnostic Tool Selection Guidelines for Fleets and Service-Dealers; Guidelines for Outsourcing Light- and Medium-Duty Vehicle Maintenance; and Utilizing J1939 on Specialty Vehicles.

TMC's Transportation Technology Exhibition, trucking’s premier equipment exhibition, Feb, 9-11, will feature more than 300 displaying the latest technology to help fleets improve safety and efficiency. In keeping the meeting theme — “Forging Alliances in Technical Leadership” — TMC and the Tire Industry Association (TIA) will be working together at TMC’s 2009 Annual Meeting and Transportation Technology Exhibition. This year’s exhibit will feature a special TIA Pavilion in the exhibit hall during all viewing periods. The pavilion will include a “TIA Retread Appearance Contest” where fleet attendees can judge the visual quality of various retreads on display.

The meeting will depart from its traditional schedule of having Task Force meetings on the opening day. Instead, technical sessions will begin the opening day and continue on Wednesday and Thursday. On Tuesday, more than 100 task forces will continue work on creating and updating engineering and maintenance Recommended Practices. Task Force meeting will be followed by the ever-popular Shop Talk and exhibit viewing..

Kevin Knight, chief executive officer and chairman of the board for Knight Transportation, will be the featured speaker for Monday’s Kickoff Luncheon. Mr. Knight will discuss his company’s experience with previous equipment pre-buys, the effect pre-buys have had on the basic economics of the industry, and how he anticipates this will be a factor as the 2010 EPA regulations approach.

A schedule of meeting activities, registration, online hotel reservation and hotel reservation forms, exhibit prospectus and related forms are available at TMC’s website,tmc.truckline.com.

For additional meeting or exhibit information, contact TMC at 703-838-1763. Full meeting registration on or before Jan. 5 is $450 for TMC members, $550 for nonmembers. Registration after Jan. 5 is $550 for members and $650 for nonmembers. A spouse's package is available for $275.

TMC, a technical council of American Trucking Associations, is North America's premier technical society for truck equipment technology and maintenance professionals. TMC features a diverse membership of equipment managers, service-dealers, owner-operators, industry suppliers and manufacturers, educators, academia and others that support the trucking industry. TMC member fleets represent the broad range of industry vocations, including truckload, less-than-truckload, municipal, private, on/off-highway, construction and other operations. Find out more about TMC online at tmc.truckline.com.

American Trucking Associations, the national trade association for the trucking industry, is a federation of affiliated state trucking associations, conferences and organizations that includes more than 37,000 motor carrier members representing every type and class of motor carrier in the country. ATA serves the interests of more than nine million people and 420,000 companies involved in trucking before Congress, the courts and regulatory agencies. www.truckline.com