NFL quarterback Peyton Manning has left Indianapolis, but the National Truck Equipment Association (NTEA) is sticking around to see if things get even better.
The Work Truck Show has experienced back-to-back record-breaking years at the Indiana Convention Center — just across the street from Lucas Oil Stadium, where Manning starred for the Colts — and the NTEA is confident that with an improving economy, this year's show from March 6-8 will break some more records.
The Work Truck Show is North America's largest work truck event. It encompasses a show floor of more than 500,000 square feet, more than 60 educational and technical training sessions, the Green Truck Summit, and the annual NTEA Convention.
Last year's Work Truck Show was the biggest work truck event in history, with 563 exhibitors and more than 10,400 attendees. The Show previously took place in Indianapolis in 2005 and 2007, and it also broke earlier attendance records both of those years.
“The Work Truck Show is the premier event of the year for the vocational truck industry,” says Shawn Jacobs, NTEA 2013 Convention chairman and president & CEO of STS Trailer & Truck Equipment (Syracuse, NY).
“This is the one show vocational fleets from across North America return to every year to see the newest products and techniques to improve their operations. There's going to be something for everyone, including fleet managers, equipment buyers, maintenance personnel, manufacturers, distributors, and dealers.”
Educational sessions and the Green Truck Summit kick off March 5. The educational conference boasts more than 60 sessions covering topics ranging from industry trends and selling skills to fleet management and government regulations.
Jeff Foxworthy, the largest-selling comedy-recording artist in history, will serve as the keynote entertainer at the President's Breakfast & NTEA Annual Meeting on Thursday, March 7, from 7:30-9:15 am.
Foxworthy is a multiple Grammy Award nominee and best-selling author of more than 26 books. In his Work Truck Show address, he'll share his humor and experiences from a diverse and successful 27-year career in the entertainment industry.
Widely known for his redneck jokes, Foxworthy's act goes well beyond that to explore the humor in everyday family interactions and human nature, with a style that has been compared to Mark Twain's. Foxworthy created and starred in the “Blue Collar TV” television series and hosted the hit show, “Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader?”
In recent years, Foxworthy has starred in “Blue Collar Comedy Tour, The Movie” and several live comedy tours. Two sequels to the movie, “Blue Collar Comedy Tour Rides Again” and “Blue Collar Comedy Tour-One for The Road,” broke Comedy Central ratings records. In 2011, Foxworthy reunited with his Blue Collar colleagues, Bill Engvall, and Larry the Cable Guy, for the Them Idiots Whirled Tour. He currently hosts “The American Bible Challenge” on GSN.
“We're very excited to have Jeff speak at the President's Breakfast,” Jacobs says. “I think he's going to put everyone in a good mood and set the stage for a positive, successful Work Truck Show 2013.”
Green Truck Summit
The 2013 Green Truck Summit features two high-level keynote speakers: a leader in the vocational truck industry and a renewable energy innovator. The Green Truck Summit, presented by International Truck, is produced jointly by NTEA and CALSTART and runs March 5-6.
On March 5, the Summit kicks off with a talk from Lee J Styslinger III, chairman and chief executive officer of Altec Inc. The March 6 keynote is provided by Dr Michael Pacheco, associate laboratory director for deployment and market transformation at the US Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).
Altec is an equipment and service provider for the electric utility, telecommunications, and contractor markets. Styslinger is a member of The Business Roundtable and the board of the National Association of Manufacturers. He also served three years on the President's Export Council under George W Bush.
Working with OEMs, Altec is developing the next generation of hybrid-electric, all-electric and range-extended electric work trucks. The company also deploys vehicles that operate on compressed natural gas. In April, Altec opened a new green-focused assembly plant in California. The facility was built using state-of-the-art sustainable construction and is currently used to produce the company's Green Fleet line of equipment.
“Under Mr Styslinger's leadership, Altec is at the forefront of commercially viable clean work trucks,” says John Boesel, CALSTART president and CEO. “Their equipment provides fuel savings, reduced emissions and other competitive advantages to fleets nationwide.”
On day two, Pacheco will share his insights into clean energy deployment with Green Truck Summit attendees. NREL provides expertise that spans basic research, analysis, and a deep understanding of the barriers to broad use of energy efficiency and renewable energy technology. Pacheco is in charge of NREL's clean energy deployment programs, including those that affect commercial vehicles and efficient fleet operation. The focus of his organization is on transforming the market to achieve widespread adoption of more efficient and renewable technology; this includes alternative fuels and advanced vehicles.
“With innovations driven by forward-thinking companies like Altec and support from national assets like NREL, the outlook for new and improved green truck technologies is very bright. We are fortunate to have these gentlemen keynoting the Green Truck Summit,” says Doyle Sumrall, senior director of business development for NTEA. “Styslinger is someone whose success pushes the entire industry forward, and Pacheco's knowledge of current green technology is unmatched.”
The Green Truck Summit offers real-world information on the deployment and application of sustainable technologies for commercial trucks. Over its day-and-a-half run, the event features 24 breakout educational sessions and five general sessions.
In addition, truck body and equipment salespeople can learn techniques for profitably selling more trucks and equipment by attending “Selling Skills for Truck Body and Equipment Professionals,” a full-day Special Session. At the same time, business owners and managers can discover ways to improve their operations at the Special Session “Implementing a Lean Management System.” Both sessions are offered Tuesday, March 5, from 9 am-4 pm.
“Selling Skills for Truck Body and Equipment Professionals” will teach participants how to perform specific tasks that relate to making the sale, starting with qualifying the customer and continuing through post-sale follow-up. The session will provide useful tools to help truck body and equipment salespeople create good selling habits. Some of the specific training topics covered include: skills for improving your first impression; qualifying customers to avoid wasting your time and money; going beyond cold calling; how to become a total resource to customers; selling in a bad economy; the Golden Ten sales steps that really work; obtaining a fair price and holding a profit; selling value; how the equipment operator fits into the buying equation; and how to ask for the sale.
This Special Session is taught by Robert J. Aquaro, vice president, TARA Commercial Vehicle Consulting Services, Inc. (Lake Placid, FL).
“All salespeople, regardless of their level of experience, can benefit from this straight-to-the-point session,” Aquaro says. “They'll learn how to sell in a dignified manner and how to make deals that are fair for both their customers and employers. At the end of the session, participants will have learned the skills to make customers want to buy from them.”
“Implementing a Lean Management System” is presented by Brandon Phoenix, lean/business consultant, TMAC (Arlington, TX). The workshop will spell out the linkage between an organization's culture and its management system. Attendees will learn the differences between lean and traditional cultures, as well as the practices, tools and thinking needed to establish lean management. They will walk away from the session knowing how to identify and implement the four principal elements of a lean management system.
Young Executives Workshop
Young truck equipment professionals may want to attend the Young Executives Network (YEN) Workshop and Networking Reception: “180° From Traditional Selling,” on Wednesday, March 6, from 3 pm to 5 pm. This highly interactive session will teach participants how to quickly determine which projects they have a chance to win and which ones to disqualify. They'll learn how to close more, without chasing prospects; how to qualify and disqualify in less time; and how to ask the right questions to win more business. This Special Session is presented by Kirk Armstrong, sales development expert, Gerry Weinbert & Associates (Southfield, MI).
The popular day-and-a-half Fleet Management Symposium is set for March 5-6. Offered exclusively to fleet managers, the Fleet Management Symposium focuses on best practices and strategies to dramatically improve fleet performance at all levels.
“Economists anticipate that the next five years will be similar to the last five years due to a number of factors, including low housing starts, high unemployment, tradesperson shortages, credit and bonding capacity crunches, Euro-Zone uncertainty and continued globalization,” says presenter Kelly Walker, president of Kelly Walker Associates, (Morristown, NJ). “The Fleet Management Symposium is designed to help fleet managers through these difficult times.”
Whether they operate a fleet of 10 or 10,000 vehicles, fleet managers attending the Symposium will learn how to:
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Reduce capital and operating budgets by 25 percent in 12 months.
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Apply 20 benchmarks with more than 100 performance measures.
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Apply 50 asset-funding options for vehicles and equipment.
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Implement new fuel, shop, and parts management models.
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Cope effectively with skills shortages.
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Compute the 12-step fully loaded labor rate.
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Calculate optimum fleet staff levels using 18 benchmarks.
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Make optimum fleet business management decisions using a total lifecycle cost analysis.
All Symposium participants receive the FleetWhiz CD ($500 value) designed to help fleet managers make better, quicker and defensible management, purchasing, and outsourcing decisions. It incorporates 36 textbooks covering 2500 topics over 7500 pages. They also receive the NTEA Vehicle Life-Cycle Cost Analysis CD ($89 value) that helps fleet managers evaluate vehicle acquisition cost scenarios. Additionally, registration for the Symposium includes admission to all remaining Work Truck Show 2013 concurrent educational sessions ($329 value) and the Work Truck Show exhibit hall, as well as lunch Tuesday through Thursday.
The Work Truck Show includes more than 60 intensive educational programs on upfitting, regulatory compliance and business management topics. In addition, 16 of the world's leading chassis manufacturers will use The Work Truck Show to provide detailed updates on what's new and upcoming with their product lines including technical information on specifications and installation.
MANAGEMENT
Implementing a Lean Management System, Tuesday, March 5, 9 am-4 pm: Most guidelines for implementing lean practices are missing one critical ingredient: a lean management system to sustain the journey. This workshop spells out the linkage between an organization's culture and its management system, including performance measures and management, and management habits and routines. Learn the differences between lean and traditional cultures, as well as the practices, tools and thinking for establishing lean management. Participants will discover how to sustain and extend gains from implementing lean projects; how to correctly manage lean as a system; and how to promote a culture of lean thinkers. In addition, attendees will learn to identify and implement the four principal elements of a lean management system. Presenter: Phoenix.
The Nuts and Bolts of Federal Excise Tax Applications, Tuesday, March 5, 1:30 pm-2:45 pm: Seemingly simple errors in applying and collecting Federal Excise Tax (FET) can be costly. Learn how even small mistakes can make your company (not the purchaser of the truck) financially liable. Session participants will also get updates on the current status of FET laws and requirements applicable to the work truck industry, and find answers to questions regarding which truck bodies and equipment are taxable or non-taxable. Also, better understand your responsibilities for payment and collection of FET, and learn the tax implications for the sales of chassis, truck bodies and equipment, trailers, parts and accessories. Understanding these rules and regulations can help you reduce your risk and tax burden, improve your bottom line, and be more price-competitive. Presenters: Michael Kastner, Senior Director of Government Activities, NTEA (Washington, DC); Bob Raybuck, Director of Technical Services, NTEA (Farmington Hills, MI); and Mark Sidman, Weiner Brodsky Sidman Kider PC (Washington, DC).
Upcoming Industry and Economic Trends: Impacts on Your Business, Tuesday, March 5, 1:30 pm-2:45 pm: Make sure your company is prepared for the coming year by learning critical expectations and gaining key data for truck sales and end-user markets. With expert analysis from the NTEA's staff economist, session participants will discover where the truck equipment market is headed, identify anticipated trends, and learn how the US and international economies affect short- and long-term business cycles. Also, review current NTEA statistical and forecasting information. Presenter: Stephen Latin-Kasper, Director of Market Data and Research, NTEA (Farmington Hills, MI).
Navigating the Impacts of Government Regulations on the Work Truck Industry, Tuesday, March 5, 3 pm-4:15 pm: With government mandates becoming more widespread and with more legislation coming down the pike, make sure your company stays on top of current and upcoming issues affecting the work truck industry. Learn how your organization will be impacted by the latest requirements and what you should expect in the future. Presenters: Kastner and Raybuck.
Business Growth: The Silent Killer, Wednesday, March 6, 8 am-9:15 am: Every business owner strives to grow, expand and generate more profits. Unfortunately, few truly understand how growth affects their company. This session will help participants explore how growth impacts their balance sheet, cash flow and income statement. Gain information on growth rates, the consequences of unmanaged growth and proven strategies for growth management. Learn the elements of sustainable growth and find out how to prevent your company from “growing broke.” Presenter: Robert J. Hogan, President & COO, Hipereon, Inc (Redmond, WA).
How Lean Applies to Truck Equipment Distributors and Manufacturers, Wednesday, March 6, 9:30 am-10:45 am: Learn the basics of lean, including what it is and isn't, and how companies of all sizes can incorporate lean concepts to improve their bottom line. Benefit from real-world examples of how companies not working with the key elements of a lean system can struggle or fail in their lean journey. Presenter: Phoenix.
Unlocking Your Company's Financial Strengths and Weaknesses, Wednesday, March 6, 9:30 am-10:45 am: During this session, attendees will learn proven techniques used in analyzing a company's financial performance. Discover the logic behind financial statement construction and learn the critical credit risks associated with each financial document. Gain key information on evaluating a company's profitability, gauging its ability to pay bills, analyzing its risk and determining its level of working capital. In addition, learn the power of benchmarking and find out how to determine the financial impact of performance deviations. Presenter: Robert J Hogan, President & COO, Hipereon, Inc. (Redmond, WA).
Finding and Retaining Qualified Employees, Thursday, March 7, 9:30 am-10:45 am: Your company's future depends on the quality of talent you are able to recruit and retain. Many businesses have relied on luck, sweat, and tears too often when deciding who should join their teams. This interactive session will reveal the newest methods for recruiting, hiring, on-boarding (formally known as new employee orientation), and motivation management techniques. Presenter: Jep Enck, President, Enck Resources (Fort Collins, CO).
SALES
Selling Skills for Truck Body and Equipment Professionals, Tuesday, March 5, 9 am-4 pm: Designed for truck body and equipment salespeople, this session will teach participants how to perform specific tasks that relate to the sale. Beginning with how to qualify the customer's ability to pay for goods received and continuing on to post-sale follow-up, this course will provide useful tools and help create good habits for truck body and equipment salespeople. In addition to making the sale, it's also important to hold profit. This session will not only address ways to hold profit, but how to do so in a bad economy. What does it mean to sell value? What is the value of your product, but also, what is the value of your company? Participants will learn how to work with the truck chassis dealer and distributor; how they affect the sale; and how you can get them to help you make the deal. Additional training on how to best leverage the Internet, email, and social networking will be provided. Staying in front of your customers, whether in person or electronically, helps ensure that you are the first person they think of when the buying decision is made. You also want to be the first person they call when additional products are needed (after-sale follow-up tips will be included in this training session to help make sure that happens). Presenter: Aquaro.
State of the Industry Overview — The NTEA Perspective, Tuesday, March 5, 3 pm-4:15 pm: The truck equipment industry is evolving faster than at any other time in history. Learn how to navigate the twists and turns of today's marketplace with insights into the current trends dramatically impacting our industry. Gain an understanding of how the current US and global truck industries are changing and driving evolution through the global channel. Most importantly, find out how these elements will impact your company. Presenters: Carey and Tim Campbell, Managing Director, Campbells Ltd. (Leyland, England, UK).
TECHNICAL
Simplifying the Complex: Performing Accurate Weight Distribution and Payload Calculations for Work Trucks, Tuesday, March 5, 1:30 pm-2:45 pm: When designing a new truck, it's important to ensure that equipment and payloads can be safely and legally positioned while maintaining the vehicle's regulatory compliance. Weight distribution and payload calculations are critical factors in preventing overloading, which can cause problems for end users and equipment installers. Examine sample weight distribution calculations and learn where you can access software tools designed to help you perform complex vehicle calculations. Session participants will also receive login information for a complimentary, 30-day trial of the NTEA's Weight Distribution Fundamentals online course. Presenter: Richard Toner, Principal, Toner Associates (Pentwater, MI).
Staying Clear of Costly Truck Frame Modification Errors, Tuesday, March 5, 3 pm-4:15 pm: As the backbone of all work trucks, the truck frame is one of the most important components on the vehicle. Review basic truck frame characteristics and requirements needed for secure, professional mounting of truck bodies and equipment. Find out how the effects of welding and fastener usage can impact frame strength and durability, and learn how you can avoid modification mistakes that can lead to costly repairs. Session participants will also receive a complimentary, 30-day trial of the NTEA's Truck Frame Fundamentals online course. Presenter: Toner.
Considerations for Developing Optimal Work Truck Body and Equipment Specifications, Wednesday, March 6, 8 am-9:15 am: There are many factors to consider when developing specifications for a new work truck, including the proposed unit's functional requirements, weight and size, operator safety, regulatory compliance, operating costs, and environmental concerns. Additional factors include maintenance considerations, company policies, labor agreements and, in some cases, resale value. Learn how to properly identify and incorporate these factors into the specifications process to help ensure that the completed unit provides top performance and a safe working environment. Presenter: Bob Johnson, Director of Fleet Relations, NTEA (Farmington Hills, MI).
Taking Advantage of Multiplexing, Thursday, March 7, 9:30 am-10:45 am: Multiplexing is rapidly becoming the industry norm for medium- and heavy-duty trucks. The capabilities of these systems can significantly increase an upfitter's ability to integrate truck-mounted bodies and equipment with the chassis. This, in turn, can provide new abilities not previously available and, in many cases, also lower upfitting costs by reducing the need for aftermarket chassis interface systems and by simplifying chassis/equipment wiring requirements. These capabilities can often be further enhanced through the proper ordering of OEM-provided upfitter integration options. This session will give attendees an overview of multiplex wiring systems and demonstrate how they can be integrated into the upfitting process. Presenters Guy Chollet, Engineering Manager, Auto Truck Group (Bartlett, IL) and Bryan Howard, Vocational Sales Manager (Railroad Service, Crane, Electrical Integration), Freightliner Trucks (Fort Mill, SC).
FLEETS
Repair or Replace — Finding the Optimum Balance for Your Fleet, Wednesday, March 6, 8 am-9:15 am: Today's fleet managers are under tremendous pressure to reduce operating costs while, at the same time, fulfill the primary goal of keeping vehicles operational. During this session, participants will learn how to determine optimal vehicle/equipment replacement cycles in order to help minimize total cost of ownership. Attendees will gain insights on the economic principles of asset replacement; see examples of an analytical process that applies these principles to specific types of fleet assets; and review the data requirements associated with this process. This session will also review which types of indirect vehicle costs (eg, downtime) should — or should not — be included in the analysis. Presented by: Paul Lauria, President, Mercury Associates Inc (Gaithersburg, MD).
Establishing an Effective Fleet Replacement Program, Wednesday, March 6, 9:30 am-10:45 am: Gain insights on the elements of an effective fleet replacement program, including not only replacement cycle guidelines for the different types of assets in the fleet, but also a replacement planning process for the entire fleet. Attendees will benefit from information on prioritizing individual assets for replacement from year-to-year as well as capital financing methods (eg, leasing, loans, and/or a sinking fund) to help ensure the availability of funds to finance the costs identified in the replacement plan. Additionally, participants will review the results of case studies from past Mercury clients. Presenter: Lauria.
Crane Operator Certification — What Are Your Obligations? Thursday, March 7, 9:30 am-10:45 am: What responsibilities do the crane manufacturer, crane distributor/installer and the fleet user have regarding the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's new requirements, Crane Operator Certification/Qualification, effective in November 2014? This session will help each channel understand their obligations for operator training and testing of work truck cranes. Everyone — employers, operators, and the general public — has much to gain from ensuring that only qualified professionals work in and around cranes. Presenter: Joel Oliva, Program Manager, Test Development, National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators (Fairfax, VA).
Is Your Powertrain Spec'd for Ideal Efficiency and Performance? Thursday, March 7, 9:30 am-10:45 am: Today's fleets are always striving for ways to become more efficient, especially when it comes to fuel economy. In order to optimize a truck's fuel efficiency, while still maintaining suitable performance, the powertrain components (engine, transmission, and drive axle) must be properly matched to the application and to each other. It's important to rely on more than trial and error, past experience or just a gut feeling when spec'ing a powertrain. Even when using an OEM's powertrain design program, truck performance criteria such as starting gradability, and reserve gradability are often not properly distinguished. Learn how to best identify truck performance criteria, determine torque and horsepower requirements, and match the transmission and drive axle to the selected engine. Presenter by: Joe Johansson, Senior Applications Engineer, Allison Transmission, Inc. (Indianapolis, IN).
CHASSIS
Freightliner Trucks — Chassis Update, Tuesday, March 5, 1:30 pm-2:45 pm: During this session, Freightliner Trucks will provide the most up-to-date technical information on chassis specifications and issues that can affect the installation of bodies and equipment. Participants will gain insights into vocation-specific options to help optimize body and equipment installation and designs.
Mack Trucks, Inc. — Chassis Update, Tuesday, March 5, 1:30 pm-2:45 pm: Mack Trucks will present an up-to-date overview of its vocational truck lineup, including the new Mack Medium Heavy Duty model, with emphasis on chassis configurations and options available to spec Mack trucks for body upfit. Mack will also share updates on its powertrain product offerings and emissions technology.
Chevrolet & GMC Commercial Truck — Chassis Update, Tuesday, March 5, 3 pm-4:15 pm: Representatives will present technical information on Chevrolet and GMC chassis specifications as they relate to design, body installation, and equipment mounting options. Attend for the most up-to-date technical information on issues that can affect body and equipment installation, along with alternative fuel solutions being offered by GM. Participants will gain insights into vocation-specific options to help optimize body and equipment installation and operation.
Freightliner Custom Chassis Corporation — Chassis Update, Tuesday, March 5, 3 pm-4:15 pm: Freightliner Custom Chassis Corporation will provide the most up-to-date technical information on chassis specifications and issues that can affect the installation of bodies and equipment. Participants will gain insights into vocation-specific options to help optimize body and equipment installation and designs.
Smith Electric Vehicles — Chassis Update, Tuesday, March 5, 3 pm-4:15 pm: Smith Electric Vehicles will provide the most up-to-date technical information on chassis specifications, new applications, return-on-investment analysis, and other issues that can educate attendees on the deployment of Smith's medium-duty all-electric vehicles. Participants will gain insights into vocation-specific options to help optimize body and equipment installation/designs, as well as early adopter success stories from the field.
Critical Trailer and Towing Factors for Class 1-4 Trucks, Wednesday, March 6, 8 am-9:15 am: Light- and medium-duty truck and trailer combinations (Classes 1-4) are vital components in the commercial work force. Many operators, fleet managers, and buyers do not understand trailer dynamics when combined with the work truck, potentially resulting in an unsafe combination vehicle (truck and trailer) and a heightened risk exposure. Learn the critical factors that must be considered when purchasing a trailer and operating the combination vehicle as well as trailer and towing vehicle ratings, trailer components, trailer loading and weight distribution, cargo securement, safety equipment and compliance with applicable regulations. Take advantage of this rare opportunity to learn straight from the source and get answers to questions that directly affect your operation. Presenter: Clint Lancaster, CMfgE, Technical Director, National Association of Trailer Manufacturers (Topeka, KS).
Daimler Vans USA LLC — Chassis Update, Wednesday, March 6, 8 am-9:15 am: Daimler Vans USA LLC will present firsthand technical information on chassis specifications, design, body installation and equipment mounting options. Presenter: Walther Bloch, Department Manager, Sprinter Engineering Support, Sprinter Engineering & Compliance Support Team, Daimler Vans USA LLC.
Hino Trucks — Chassis Update, Wednesday, March 6, 8 am-9:15 am: Hino Trucks will present firsthand technical information on chassis specifications, design, body installation and equipment mounting options. Presenter: Glenn Ellis, Vice President-Marketing & Dealer Operations, Hino Trucks.
International Truck — Chassis Update, Wednesday, March 6, 8 am-9:15 am: International Truck will provide the most up-to-date technical information on chassis specifications and issues that can affect the installation of bodies and equipment. Participants will gain insights into vocation-specific options to help optimize body and equipment installation and designs.
Ram Commercial — Chassis Update, Wednesday, March 6, 8 am-9:15 am: Ram Commercial continues to expand on its leadership in the commercial vehicle market with an all-new lineup of best-in-class, hard-working Ram pickups, vans and chassis cabs. During this session, Ram Commercial will provide the most up-to-date technical information on chassis specifications and address issues that can affect the installation of bodies and equipment. Participants will gain insights into vocation-specific options to help optimize body and equipment installation and designs.
Western Star Trucks — Chassis Update, Wednesday, March 6, 9:30 am-10:45 am: Western Star Trucks will provide the most up-to-date technical information on chassis specifications and issues that can affect the installation of bodies and equipment. Participants will gain insights into vocation-specific options to help optimize body and equipment installation and designs.
Ford Commercial Truck — Chassis Update, Wednesday, March 6, 9:30 am-10:45 am: Ford Commercial Truck will present firsthand technical information on chassis specifications, design, body installation and equipment mounting options.
Isuzu Commercial Truck of America, Inc — Chassis Update, Wednesday, March 6, 9:30 am-10:45 am: During this session, Isuzu Commercial Truck of America Inc will provide the most up-to-date technical information on chassis specifications and issues that can affect the installation of bodies and equipment. Participants will gain insights into vocation-specific options to help optimize body and equipment installation and designs. Presenter: Ed Crawford, Executive Director, Strategic Marketing, Isuzu Commercial Truck of America, Inc.
Making Sure the Next Truck Chassis Matches the Job Requirements, Wednesday, March 6, 9:30 am-10:45 am: Matching a new truck chassis to the application requirements is extremely important. Learn how to get it “just right” by optimizing fuel efficiency, achieving full regulatory compliance and improving vehicle performance. Attendees will learn about essential design issues, including weight distribution, payload analysis, frame selection, axles and suspensions, performance and powertrain design considerations, accessory component selection, and completed vehicle certification. Other considerations will also be discussed, such as the use of hybrids, alternative fuels and advanced fuel use reduction technologies. Presenter: Aquaro.
Peterbilt Motors Company — Chassis Update, Wednesday, March 6, 9:30 am-10:45 am: Peterbilt Motors Company will present information on model lineup, chassis specifications, new features, design, body installation, and equipment mounting options.
Kenworth Truck Company — Chassis Update, Thursday, March 7, 9:30 am-10:45 am: Kenworth Truck Company will provide the most up-to-date technical information on chassis specifications and issues that can affect the installation of bodies and equipment. Participants will gain insights into vocation-specific options to help optimize body and equipment installation and designs.
Mitsubishi Fuso Truck of America Inc — Chassis Update, Thursday, March 7, 9:30 am-10:45 am: Mitsubishi Fuso Truck of America Inc will provide the most up-to-date technical information on chassis specifications and issues that can affect the installation of bodies and equipment. Participants will gain insights into vocation-specific options to help optimize body and equipment installation and designs. Presenter: W Leighton Good, Manager, Product & Applications, Mitsubishi Fuso Truck of America Inc.
Nissan North America — Chassis Update, Thursday, March 7, 9:30 am-10:45 am: Nissan North America will present firsthand technical information on chassis specifications, design, body installation and equipment mounting options. Presenter: Gerry Appie, Senior Manager, Commercial & Fleet Aftermarket Engineering, Nissan North America.