Economic and technical experts from the NTEA – The Work Truck Association will share their insights during breakout sessions at Work Truck Week 2024, which will run from March 5-8, 2024, at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis. Steve Latin-Kasper, senior director of market data and research, will analyze the latest market trends in “Work Truck Industry Economic Overview and Market Forecast,” while Bob Raybuck, director of technical services, and Steve Spata, senior technical assistance director, will bust technical myths in “The Top 10 Misconceptions of Vehicle Certification.” Both sessions are offered Tuesday, March 5.
“The Work Truck Week educational program is one of the ways in which we further knowledge, offer insight, and provide services that help our members and the industry make informed choices for their businesses,” said Pat Godwin Jr., NTEA education committee chair and corporate president of The Godwin Group. “For topic areas that are critical to our industry, such as market data and industry trends or vehicle engineering and compliance, the most-qualified instructors often are NTEA staff who work with our members on these matters on a daily basis.”
Read more: NTEA releases updated market data toolThe annual economic overview and market forecast led by Latin-Kasper and Andrej Divis, executive director, Global Heavy Truck Research, S&P Global Mobility, is a perennial favorite with Work Truck Week attendees. The pair provide and interpret crucial economic and market information to help attendees optimize their business planning processes. The session includes a North American chassis sales forecast, a critical component of market planning.
Latin-Kasper has been on the NTEA staff since 1999, providing research and analysis on work truck industry markets. His reports cover everything from leading economic indicators for industry application markets and the U.S. economy, to OEM shipments and sales data. In addition to his role at NTEA, he teaches economics at Milwaukee Area Technical College, is a member of National Association for Business Economics (NABE), and is a panel member for Bloomberg’s monthly forecast. He has been named one of Bloomberg’s top economic forecasters.
The work truck industry depends on a multi-stage manufacturing process in which thousands of small companies are charged with designing, upfitting, and building end-product vehicles for specific applications and certifying that these vehicles meet motor vehicle safety requirements. Certification itself is a commitment to following specific and consistent processes to help assure customers of the vehicle’s safety, reliability and durability. In their session, Raybuck and Spata will cover the basics of commercial vehicle certification, and the duo will talk about 10 common certification misconceptions, why proper certification matters, and what can go wrong during the process.
Raybuck has more than 30 years of engineering experience at NTEA focused on commercial vehicles and is an expert on technical issues and challenges facing manufacturers and distributors. In his NTEA role, he keeps abreast of all government safety standards and proposed rules, including Federal Excise Tax. As part of NTEA’s engineering team, he provides solutions daily on body and equipment installation issues, chassis and equipment compatibility, weight distribution challenges, and vehicle certification needs. He also oversees and serves as liaison to four NTEA operating divisions and is a member of SAE International.
Spata’s automotive engineering career spans more than three decades. In addition to fielding member questions on a variety of regulations and standards, he also monitors government agency rulemaking activities, reviews proposed legislation, and assists in developing educational materials and resources for the industry. He oversees and serves as liaison to four NTEA operating divisions, is a member of SAE International, acts as a liaison to the SAE Truck Crashworthiness Committee and is a technical committee member of the National Fire Protection Association 1900 Standard for Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting Vehicles, Automotive Fire Apparatus, Wildland Fire Apparatus, and Automotive Ambulances.
Work Truck Week (WTW) and Green Truck Summit (GTS) Conference Package registrants have access to both of these WTW Breakout Sessions and dozens more. The full schedule will be available when registration opens later this month at worktruckweek.com. Beyond the breakout sessions, the event encompasses The Work Truck Show, Green Truck Summit, NTEA Annual Meeting, Work Truck Week Ride & Drive, and more. Green Truck Summit is March 5, educational sessions run March 5–7, and Work Truck Show exhibits are open March 6–8.
Sign up to receive email updates about Work Truck Week 2024, including when registration opens, at worktruckweek.com/wtw24signup.