Trucking news and briefs for Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024:
Mid-America Trucking Show registration open
Free attendee registration for the 53rd Mid-America Trucking Show -- March 27-29, 2025, in Louisville, Kentucky -- is now open.
The annual event will allow attendees to see and experience new trucking equipment and technology; hear from experts on a wide range of topics, including trucking business, regulations, and more; view dozens of the nation’s best custom trucks competing in the PKY Truck Beauty Championship; attend a concert and much more.
New for the 2025 event will be an updated show floor layout in the Kentucky Expo Center. Show organizers said the new layout will allow for a more central and connected experience for attendees and exhibitors.
This year, all exhibitors previously located in the West Wing and Pavilion of the event center will be moving to the North through South Wings. This will enhance the overall flow and connectivity of the show, ensuring an uninterrupted and cohesive experience where exhibits, education and events come together, MATS organizers noted.
Additionally, MATS 2025 will introduce a new Maintenance and Repair Pavilion to the floor plan. This dedicated space will cater to the growing number of fleets and owner-operators who depend on long-lasting trucks and equipment, providing essential maintenance solutions to minimize downtime.
“Implementing these changes and making these benefits accessible to all reflect MATS’ continued commitment to providing an exceptional experience for both exhibitors and attendees,” said Toby Young, MATS president. “We are positioning MATS to take full advantage of the exciting upgrades coming to the Expo Center and look forward to the new heights of success and connectivity we will achieve.”
Those interested in attending MATS 2025 can register online here.
Stay tuned to Overdrive or the MATS website for updates on the show schedule and events.
[Related: Owner-ops see mixed income gains, but wait for 'kickstart' on rates]
Trump assistant AG pick critical of AB 5
Harmeet K. Dhillon, the former vice chairwoman of the California GOP and founder of the Dhillon Law Group and the Center for American Liberty non-profit, will be nominated by President-elect Donald Trump as Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Justice.
Harmeet K. Dhillon
While the nomination to lead the DOJ's civil rights division on its face isn’t impactful for the trucking industry, Dhillon has previously spoken out against her home state’s AB 5 independent contractor classification law. In a 2022 post on Twitter (now X), she said, “AB5 sucks, everyone. It sucks for labor and it sucks for employers. Only people it doesn’t suck for? Plaintiff lawyers! (I know because I am one). Fight this!”
[Related: Trump's Labor Secretary pick supported nationalized ABC test]
Two Paccar recalls include about 100 Kenworth, Peterbilt trucks
A pair of recalls from Paccar published recently by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration affect nearly 100 Kenworth and Peterbilt trucks.
One recall affects 68 trucks equipped with Paccar 20K steer axles. In the affected units, the steering arm and/or tie rod bracket fasteners may not be properly torqued and may fail, resulting in a loss of steering control. Affected makes and models include:
- 2024 Kenworth T480 (2 affected units)
- 2024 Kenworth T800 (1 affected unit)
- 2024-’25 Kenworth T880 (32 affected units)
- 2024 Peterbilt 367 (1 affected unit)
- 2024 Peterbilt 389 (4 affected units)
- 2024-’25 Peterbilt 520 (3 affected units)
- 2024 Peterbilt 548 (5 affected units)
- 2024-’25 Peterbilt 567 (20 affected units)
Dealers will install new correctly torqued fasteners, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed Feb. 1, 2025. Owners can contact Kenworth's customer service at 425-828-5888 with recall number 24KWK, or Peterbilt's customer service at 940-591-4220 with recall number 24PBK. NHTSA’s recall number is 24V-908.
A second Paccar recall affects approximately 29 Kenworth and Peterbilt trucks equipped with certain Meritor 10-16K and 18-23K front steer drive axles, which may have insufficient wheel bearing lubricant.
Insufficient lubrication can cause the wheel hub to overheat, increasing the risk of a fire, or result in a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Affected truck models include:
- 2024-’25 Kenworth T380
- 2024-’25 Kenworth T480
- 2025 Peterbilt 536
- 2024 Peterbilt 537
- 2024-’25 Peterbilt 548
Dealers will inspect and repair the wheel end with new parts and lubricate the bearings as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed Jan. 24, 2025. Owners can contact Kenworth's customer service at 1-425-828-5888 with recall number 24KWJ, or Peterbilt's customer service at 1-940-591-4220 with recall number 24PBJ. NHTSA’s recall number is 24V-903.
