This article was published in the April 2019 edition of NTEA News.
A record 14,256 industry professionals from 28 countries attended The Work Truck Show® 2019 as Work Truck Week™ continues to grow in an evolving commercial truck industry. Event highlights included vehicle introductions, equipment demonstrations, expanded educational opportunities, and the industry’s broadest display of vocational trucks and equipment.
Having maxed out its traditional display space within Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, The Work Truck Show 2019 expanded to include a New Exhibitor Pavilion across the hall from the exhibit floor, as well as a section of Hoosier Hallway dedicated to manufacturing technology displays and demonstrations. To make room for the inaugural Manufacturer and Distributor Innovation Conference, Green Truck Summit and Fleet Technical Congress were moved to the connected JW Marriott.
“NTEA staff, Board of Directors and partners work hard all year to make The Work Truck Show as smooth and productive as possible,” said Steve Carey, NTEA president & CEO. “This is a diverse industry, and our stakeholders have many different needs, from improving operational efficiency to knowing how to specify the right truck for the job or figuring out which powertrain is most appropriate for a specific application. The growth and success of the Show rests on helping our exhibitors and attendees meet those needs, through education, networking and the opportunity to share equipment innovations. We have a lot of positive momentum
going into our 20th anniversary event next year.”
Ford Commercial Vehicles kicked off the new product debuts at the Show on Tuesday evening, introducing the all-new F-600 Super Duty chassis cab, as well as updates to its Transit, F-650 and F-750, E-Series and F-53 and F-59 stripped chassis models. Mitsubishi Fuso Truck of America Inc. unveiled its new FUSO FE180 gasoline-powered cabover truck. Nissan Commercial Vehicles showcased its Ultimate Work TITAN developed specifically for donation to Habitat for Humanity and introduced Rocky Ridge truck customization packages.
There was significant buzz around electric vehicles at the Show, as Spartan Fleet Vehicles and Services’ Utilimaster brand introduced three new vehicle platforms: two fully electric chassis and a truck body developed for last-mile grocery delivery. XL introduced the first plug-in hybrid electric Ford F-250 Super Duty pickup truck, XLPTM F-250. Freightliner Trucks spotlighted its all-new electric eM2 106. Other chassis manufacturers making news at the show included International Truck, Ram Commercial and Mack Trucks Inc.
Work Truck Week 2019 took place March 5–8. North America’s largest work truck event returns to Indiana Convention Center for its 20th anniversary March 3–6, 2020. Sign up to receive email updates about the event, including when registration opens in the fall, at worktruckshow.com/wts20signup.