By Todd Davis, NTEA President
Phenix Truck Bodies & Van Equipment
Pomona, California
This article was published in the April 2018 edition of NTEA News.
I’m beginning to believe The Work Truck Show® 2018 should be renamed “Work Truck Week” as the event, surrounding meetings and activities for all in our industry continues to expand. I’m energized by the industry evolution and product innovations introduced by companies throughout the week. For me, this year’s Show was unforgettable, going above and beyond my expectations.
Now that I’ve had time to process 2018’s Work Truck Week, I’d like to recap my thoughts.
Event education
First, the educational programs, presenters and content proved to be outstanding. NTEA’s new Fleet Technical Congress made its debut early in the week. It was encouraging to see such a strong fleet manager presence at the Show, many coming as a direct result of Fleet Technical Congress program content. It seemed all participants thought positively of the experience and found tremendous value in gathering and sharing ideas and insights with industry peers that face many of the same day-to-day challenges. It was a great foundational event, one NTEA will certainly build on to make next year’s Fleet Technical Congress even better.
Although Green Truck Summit and Fleet Technical Congress general sessions coincided, I was able to spend time at both events. It was clear that Green Truck Summit continues to be an integral part of the conversation in the alternative fuels and advanced technology space. The event continues to attract regulatory agencies, fleet managers, OEMs, industry trade associations and professional societies because of the powerful information exchange on how our industry impacts greenhouse gas and criteria pollutant reductions. It was good to see participation levels at Green Truck Summit almost identical to those of 2017 — even as NTEA added the Fleet Technical Congress program.
With the abundance of appealing educational sessions, our Phenix team divided our time to gather as much relevant content and ideas as possible. To maximize takeaways, as a team, we agreed to summarize each session we attended and present the information to each other one week after the event. This was the most efficient way for our organization to get the most from the education.
We participated in the FMVSS 111 rear visibility live demonstrations of conformance requirements in the exhibit hall. Thank you to NTEA’s technical team for this practical and efficient exchange of critical information.
The mobile learning center — located outside in The Work Truck Show Ride-and-Drive area — was a new addition. As part of its ongoing workforce development effort, NTEA connected with the Visionary Center for Sustainable Communities to demonstrate its mobile classroom. This learning center gave examples of how companies can come together to showcase the advanced manufacturing technologies and systems used in our industry — like 3-D printing, laser cutting and robotics. This interactive experience demonstrated how, collectively, we can highlight career opportunities within our industry.
Exhibit hall
The exhibit hall came alive on opening day. Day One is always exciting, and this year was no exception as we all fed off the energy of the masses. Exhibitors and attendees alike, thousands of industry professionals came together — all with individual plans and agendas of how to advance their businesses during the next three days. I was reminded again: The Work Truck Show is the place to be if you’re in any way connected to the commercial vehicle community. I am always ready to see everything. What new products and companies are being introduced? What products
and/or companies have evolved and how? Who is in Indy? Who is not? This year was unique for me as I was able to walk the exhibit hall with our recently-promoted shop foreman who had never attended a Work Truck Show. It was inspiring to see The Work Truck Show through the eyes of this 15-year industry veteran who thought he knew what to expect but was blown away by the people, products and ideas in Indy.
Special events
I always appreciate the many opportunities to network at The Work Truck Show. The opening reception at JW Marriott Indianapolis, for example, gave me a chance to connect with friends, old and new. During President’s Breakfast, I was honored to assume the role of NTEA president. General Michael Hayden, a retired four-star general and former director of the Central Intelligence Agency and National Security Agency, served as keynote. His address was especially inspiring to me; he offered invaluable and practical leadership perspective on how to navigate key challenges facing most businesses today. General Hayden’s message was on-point, his delivery was truly entertaining and his stories were especially interesting.
Takeaways
Our industry can be described with many words. We’re often characterized as mature and stable while remarkably progressive and innovative. I believe these attributes are appropriate to define both our industry and The Work Truck Show. Whether it’s your first or 21st Show, for one week in March, we all gather around an established and inventive industry event. It provides the opportunity for each of us to increase our knowledge base in its many forms. Some left Indianapolis with newfound information, some with just one product or connection that will make a difference. Regardless of the category in which you fall, I hope you commit, as I have, to use these takeaways to grow your business and its profitability. The sponsors, exhibitors and NTEA staff should all be commended for an extraordinary 2018 event.