Expedite Expo 2010 Sponsored By Big Rig Owner

If You Want to Know the State of the Expedited Trucking Industry,You Need to be at Expedite Expo 2010.

If you’re in the trucking industry in any capacity, then it’s likely you’re aware that the end of July marks the 10th Anniversary of the Expedite Expo.  For ten years now, owner operators, drivers, carriers and suppliers have been flocking to Ohio to get together for one of the few expediting-specific events offered in the United States.  It’s been quite a ride, too — boasting growth and advancement year in and year out, Expedite Expo 2010 will surely prove to be one for the ages.

“Expedite Expo is very fortunate to have weathered not one but two major recessions,” says Lawrence McCord, General Manager of the Expo.  “The Expo has proven to be a valuable marketplace to the Expedite Trucking Industry.”

He continues: “We work very hard to make the Expedite Expo the ‘biggest little truck show’ in North America. We know that the time and resources of our exhibitors and attendees is valuable and with that in mind we produce and plan this show to be as comprehensive as possible.”

While there’s certainly an opportunity for everyone to network, get acquainted, and see the readily-available exhibits, displays and entertainment options, Expedite Expo 2010 is deeply focused on improving the industry through educational opportunities.  Specifically, there are numerous workshops through the weekend, covering everything from the current state of rates and when they’ll finally be going up, to the importance and how-tos of maintaining your truck, and entry-level workshops like the ins and outs of being an owner-operator and “Everything You Want to Know About Expedite Trucking.”  The full driver workshop schedule is as follows:  

Friday, July 23, 2010
9:00 am – “Where´s the Money? – When
WillThe Rates Go Up?”
Stuart Sutton – Sylectus, a division of GPSNet Technologies
Location: Franklin Room 1

10:00 am – “Sylectus Tools To Help Attract And Retain Good Drivers”
Rob Bonello, Manger US Operations – Sylectus, a division of GPSNet Technologies
Location: Franklin Room 1

11:00 am – “CSA 2010– How It Will Impact You”
John Mueller – Safety Director, Premium Transportation Logistics, LLC
Shelly Benisch, C.I.C. Commercial Insurance Solutions, Inc. (CIS Inc)
Location: Franklin Room 2

11:00 am – “Customs Solutions – F.A.S.T., ACE and ACI”
Deborah Dent, President – Certified Customs Specialist
Location: Franklin Room 1

1:00 pm – “Extending the Life of Your Truck – A Look at Maintenance”
Heath Wood – Sales and Finance Manager, Middle Georgia Freightliner-Isuzu
Location: Franklin Room 1

2:00 pm – “Smart Economics: Idle Reduction Tips, Tools & Facts”
Ray Lawrence – President, Espar of Michigan, Inc.
Location: Franklin Room 2

3:00 pm – “Women In The Trucking Industry”
Ellen Voie CAE- President/CEO, Women In Trucking, Inc.
Location: Franklin Room 1

Saturday, July 24, 2010
9:00 am – “First Observer Program –
Highway Security”
Doug Morris – Regulatory Affairs Specialist, OOIDA
Location: Franklin Room 1

10:00 am – “Trucking Meets Technology -Running Your Business in Real-time”
Spencer Angerbauer – President of EQUINOX Owner Operator Solutions Inc.
Location: Franklin Room 2

11:00 am – Networking & Roundtable
Discussion – “Everything You Want To Know About Expedite Trucking”
Host: Linda Caffee – ExpeditersOnline.com Forum Moderator
Location: Franklin Room 2

1:00 pm – “The Road Map to Buying and Financing Your Truck in 2010”
John Lalonde – Fyda Freightliner Columbus
Location: Franklin Room 1
2:00 pm – “Cargo Vans 101 –
Owning, Operating and Everything Else”
Nick Marcu – Owner Operator, Tri-State Expedited Service, Inc.
Location: Franklin Room 2

2:00 pm – “GMC History From 1914-1960”
Don Meyer – Retired GM Engineer and the Current GMC Historian
Doug Ritter – Retired GM Product Line
Quality Manager
Location: Franklin Room 1

The idea, as I’m sure you’ve gathered, is to ensure that there’s truly something for everyone in terms of available workshops and presentations.

“We are very excited for the 2nd year in a row to have the Old Time Trucks organization display their antique trucks in the main parking lot at the Roberts Centre,” Mr. McCord points out.  “There will be over 100 classic Heavy Duty, Light Duty, and Over-the-Road antiques on display. This display will give you an appreciation for our great trucking heritage in North America.”
There’s also no shortage of live entertainment that’ll be at the Expo, as well.  Your favorite trucking radio legend and mine, Dave Nemo, will be broadcasting from the Expedite Expo 2010 on The Open Road Channel 171 on XM Satellite Radio on Friday and Saturday, the 23rd and 24th, from 7:00 a.m.-12:00.

Is that all?  Not even close.
There’ll be live music offered at Expedite Expo 2010, as well.  You’ll enjoy the gritty blues rock drive of Indiana’s Pure Grain, a band that’s been featured on the Dave Nemo show and which wrote the theme song for the Highway Headlines show, both on XM’s Open Road Channel.

Also playing is a group of veteran Bluegrass musicians from the Southwest Ohio area, Joe Mullins and the Radio Ramblers.  Their full sound and deep repertoire is sure to melt even the most hardened of hearts; you’ll be able to see them at 11 a.m. on Saturday, July 24.  
Commercial Insurance Solutions is also sponsoring a number of $1000 giveaways throughout the Expo and over the entire weekend.  You can find rules, terms, and conditions at http://www.expediteexpo.com

As in years past, Expedite Expo 2010 will be at Roberts Convention Centre.  Roberts Convention Centre is located between Cincinnati and Columbus, OH in Wilmington, a quiet surrounding to an event of this magnitude.  The Convention Centre offers 70,000 square feet of space and, even with the Expo jam-packing it, you’ll have plenty of room to stretch out and relax a bit.  In addition to free parking, you’ll also be pleased to note that both registration and admission are free, as well.

I believe that this is the place where it’d be prudent to say something like, “But wait, there’s more!”

There are a number of events related to the Expo that’ll be occurring, such as
•    Antique trucks on display
•    The Sylectus-sponsored golf outing at Snow Hill Country Club–though slots are filling up fast and you’ll have to register well ahead of time at http://www.expediteexpo.com/2010/golf.html
•    A Casino night event on Friday the 23rd from 7:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m.;
•    Truck dealers, manufacturers, suppliers, and service providers will have displays
•    Every major carrier in the industry will be there, networking, recruiting, and taking your questions
•    More product exhibits than you’ve seen in quite some time and
•    Opportunities to meet with other drivers involved in the expedite industry–fun and helpful as it is to interact with one another online, Expedite Expo offers people the chance to meet and/or catch up with one another every year.  

Expedite Expo 2010’s sponsors are Big Rig Owner, Panther Expedited Services, Travel Centers of America, Fed Ex Custom Critical, Tri-State Expedited Service, Middle Georgia Freightliner-Isuzu, Expediter Services, All-State Express and the Registration Sponsor is Progressive Commercial.  The Expo’s media partners this year are Brown Publishing Company, Dave Nemo Show, Expediters Online, Expedite Now, Careers in Gear, Movin’ Out, and Land Line Magazine.