Business and pleasure

Great American Trucking Show in Dallas packed with seminars, exhibits, show trucks, live music and more.


The Great American Trucking Show knows how to mix work and play.

Country singer Randy Houser will play at the Great American Trucking Show’s Aug. 27 concert. Tickets are free and will be available the morning of the show in the registration lobby.Country singer Randy Houser will play at the Great American Trucking Show’s Aug. 27 concert. Tickets are free and will be available the morning of the show in the registration lobby.

The Aug. 26-28 show will feature the professional and lifestyle sides of trucking, capping off the activities with a free concert by leading country and bluegrass acts.

“The educational opportunities offer ways owner-operators can gain insight and tools to help them in their business, and there’s a lot of fun to be had as well,” says the show’s director, Alan Sims.

Country music singer Randy Houser will headline the show’s Friday night concert presented by Mobil Delvac. Bluegrass band The Grascals will open for Houser.

Along with aisles of recruiting and equipment exhibits, the show will have daily informational sessions on topics such as fuel management, tax issues, financial efficiency, money-saving technology and the federal Comprehensive Safety Analysis 2010 program.

The Grascals, a contemporary bluegrass band, is scheduled to open at the show’s Friday, Aug. 27, concert.The Grascals, a contemporary bluegrass band, is scheduled to open at the show’s Friday, Aug. 27, concert.

The show’s leading seminar for owner-operators will be Overdrive’s Partners in Business program. The workshop will be presented from 2-4 p.m. Friday, Aug. 27, by Todd Amen, head of owner-operator business services firm ATBS, and Overdrive columnist and trucking radio host Kevin Rutherford. The workshop will cover monitoring fixed and variable costs, building emergency funds, choosing loads, improving fuel mileage and staying ahead of industry trends. Attendees will receive a free Partners in Business manual.

New to this year’s show is the Health, Wellness and Safety Pavilion, sponsored by the Healthy Trucking Association of America and Truckers News’ Fit for the Road program. The pavilion will feature health-related exhibits and presentations and will host a 1.5-mile fun walk, health screenings and other events.

Floyd Moore’s 2000 Peterbilt 379 took home Pride & Polish’s Best in Show honors for Working Bobtail at the 2009 Great American Trucking Show.Floyd Moore’s 2000 Peterbilt 379 took home Pride & Polish’s Best in Show honors for Working Bobtail at the 2009 Great American Trucking Show.

Show truck enthusiasts will enjoy the Pride & Polish competition produced by Overdrive’s Custom Rigs and held indoors at the Dallas Convention Center. Staged at the Great American Truck Show and four other venues this year, Pride & Polish will showcase trucks customized by individuals and some of the most innovative chrome shops in the country.

Before the show begins, the Commercial Vehicle Outlook Conference will be held over two half-day sessions, Aug. 25-26, at the Dallas Convention Center. Executives from leading equipment makers, carriers and consulting firms will discuss the state of the industry. For pricing and details, visit www.hdma.org or call (919) 406-8814. n


Dallas Convention Center

Thursday, Aug. 26: Noon to 5 p.m.

Friday, Aug. 27: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Saturday, Aug. 28: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

REGISTRATION

Attendees can register free online

(www.truckshow.com) or via telephone until Aug. 25. On-site registration is $10.

LODGING

Special rates are available at nine hotels near the convention center. Booking online or via telephone is available. Visit www.gatsonline.com or call (800) 221-3531.

TRUCK PARKING

Parking will be available at the convention center’s Reunion lot at the intersection of Hotel Street and Memorial Drive.

ADDITIONAL INFO

Visit www.gatsonline.com or call (888) 349-4287.


Showcase your workhorse
Add a photo of your rig to our Reader Rigs collection to share it with your peers and the world. Tell us the story behind the truck and your business to help build its story.
Submit Your Rig
Reader Rig Submission