Dealer education, new tech define 2026 Trailer Tech Expo
RENO—The North American Trailer Dealers Association once again brought dealers and exhibitors together for several days of learning opportunities, innovation, and face-to-face collaboration at the second Trailer Tech Expo Powered by NATDA. The 2026 edition was made all the more cozy by a foot or so of snow that fell her during the February 17–19 event.
Despite those winter storm conditions, nearly 60 innovation-driven exhibitors made it onsite, bringing their services and products for the light- to medium-duty trailer industry.
Trailer Tech Expo began with two days of instruction and education that provided actionable insights for dealers and hands-on technician training. On Wednesday night, recipients were revealed at NATDA’s Industry Excellence Awards dinner and ceremony. The event concluded on Thursday with a full day of innovations and dealer meetings on the show floor.
"NATDA’s Trailer Tech Expo was designed to equip dealers and trailer industry professionals with the knowledge, innovations and connections needed to navigate the rapidly evolving trailer industry," said NATDA Executive Director Andria Gibbon. "With cutting-edge technology, hands-on training, forward-thinking discussions and best-in-class networking, Trailer Tech Expo has set a new benchmark for innovation and education inside the industry."
Hands on training, education
The highly rated service classes expanded from last year to 11 classes and more than two full days of training and included a new technician happy hour. Technicians praised the Dexter supported hands-on instruction, providing maintenance fundamentals and diagnostic content for newer techs while still offering valuable refreshers for experienced professionals.
The Expo’s education program emphasized immediately applicable fundamentals for dealership leaders, service teams, and marketing staff. Top rated sessions by attendees included two TOW TALK panels:
- Tow Talk -Get the Crew on Board: The Science of Making Change
- Simple Step-by-Step Instructions for Additional Lead Generation
- Tow Talk - Driving Profit: Understanding Dealership Revenue Flow and Developing Service Leaders
The curriculum combined leadership, service productivity, revenue flow, and practical marketing tactics.
The day-long, small-format expo encouraged longer, more substantive conversations between dealers, manufacturers and vendors, many offering hands-on demos as well as sneak peeks at new products and services.
Honoring the industry’s top performers
NATDA’s Industry Excellence Awards banquet was one of the key networking opportunities during Trailer Tech Expo. Now in its second year, the awards recognized 11 standouts including Lifetime Achievement recipient George Fehr, owner and founder of Lamar Trailers. View all 2025 award nominees and recipients.
The dinner and ceremony brought hundreds of trailer professionals together to recognize business excellence, customer service, and community impact in the industry.
“What matters most is face time that turns into results,” Gibbon said. “Trailer Tech Expo is built around deeper conversations—on the show floor, in the classrooms, and during events—that help dealers align with vendors, sharpen operations and processes, and close real business when they get home.”
See the April print edition of TBB for complete coverage of Trailer Tech Expo.