You Should Attend the Mid-America Trucking Show | Learn Why!

The Mid-America Trucking Show (MATS) always has plenty of road gear to examine, lots of demonstrations to marvel over, and even the occasional celebrity to stare at. An attendee could spend an entire day walking the aisles taking everything in and never need to speak a word. But they would miss out on so much.

Every part of the trucking industry is represented at this enormous trade show, with multiple exhibitors in any given category. Experts in truck maintenance and equipment; dealers who know all about next year’s truck models, fleet management pros and, of course, thousands of drivers all mix and mingle and are ready to talk shop. That offers an unparalleled opportunity to gather valuable information from people who truly know what they are talking about. While looking at all the displays may be fun, arriving with a plan to pick a few brains makes the trip far more worthwhile.

Take care of business

Visit the MATS website and search the exhibitor list by category. Find the companies that align with the topic you are researching and note who you want to see, where their booth is and what you want to ask. Put a star next to the “must see” companies on your list and make those visits a priority, then plot out your route through the show. MATS covers a lot of territory, with more than a thousand exhibitors set up across 1.2 million square feet of space. You won’t necessarily find what you want by randomly strolling the aisles.

And take or record notes about what you learn, gather business cards and literature. Once you get back to work, you may have more questions.

Get up to speed on Electronic Logging Devices

This year’s show has a lot of ELD experts offering seminars and and many vendors exhibiting. In addition to getting a handle on incorporating electronic logging in general, you can hear a range of thought about how it will impact your business in the short-term and long-term, get advice on how to introduce the technology to employees and then head out and comparison shop.

There are drivers everywhere

The atmosphere is friendly, so start a conversation. Whether your fleet is recruiting, or you just want to hear what drivers are thinking about, some casual chit-chat can give you insights that you won’t necessarily get from your own drivers.