If it wasn't so easy to get to the Big Easy for the American Trucking Association's Technology & Maintenance Council meeting this week, Trucks, Parts, Service and its sister publications have you covered.
Sunday saw a flood of new products, updates and innovations in a stream of news conferences and announcements. This included a report from TMC and Decisiv on parts and labor costs, a report on the SuperTruck program from the North American Council for Freight Efficiency, and a spate of announcements from companies such as Pressure Systems International and Mitchell 1.
The night ended with Commercial Carrier Journal''s presentation of the Career Leadership Award. This year's recipient was Bonne Karim.
On Monday, study groups met, fleets talked and the council held a town hall, where it recognized award winners, officers and heard an update on TMC business.
Dan Horvath, senior vice president of regulatory affairs for the ATA, gave an update on regulatory matters and engineering, He gave updated safety spend numbers. In 2014-2015, Hovarth says the ATA found the industry spent $9.5 billion on safety. The latest numbers, which come from a survey of 170,000 or so drivers, shows the industry is now spending upwards of $14 billion.
"That really speaks to why we're here," Hovarth says. "It's not about that the drivers can't do their job, it's to help them be safe.
Hovarth also announced the second phase of TechCelerate Now, and updated TMC attendees on the progress of rulemaking on several facets of trucking safety and sustainability. This included automatic breaking rules, which he says are projected for an April publication; speed limiter rules, projected for May; and EPA rulemaking, expected this month.
"Timing is really, really critical," Hovarth says. "We are in a presidential election year, and that will impact rulemaking."
Amanda Schuier, TMC's chairman of meetings, says it was a record year for attendees, with more than 4,405 convening in New Orleans. The week continues with technical sessions and more than 350 exhibits in the 500,000-square-foot trade show, as well as the presentation of the Jim Winsor Technical Achievement Award.
