ATA President Chris Spear will give his annual State of the Industry & Association address. Here he's pictured at the 2021 MC&E.  -  Photo: Deborah Lockridge

ATA President Chris Spear will give his annual State of the Industry & Association address. Here he's pictured at the 2021 MC&E.

Photo: Deborah Lockridge

The American Trucking Associations’ 2022 Management Conference & Exhibition, Oct. 22-25 in San Diego, California, will revolve around the theme “Investing in Our Future.”

“Every year, trucking’s brightest minds and most passionate supporters gather at MCE, and at this critical time for our industry, this meeting could not be better timed,” said ATA President and CEO Chris Spear in a news release. “With a slowing economy, inflation, record fuel prices, workforce shortages and political uncertainty, trucking has rarely faced the volume of challenges it faces today — and at MCE, our members and our association will chart a course to overcoming these challenges.”

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg will address the association’s board of directors on Oct. 25. In addition, Robin Hutcheson, the newly confirmed administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, will be a featured speaker on Saturday afternoon, Oct. 22.

“Being able to hear from key leaders is an important part of the MCE experience," Spear said. "We look forward to hearing from Secretary Buttigieg and Administrator Hutcheson about issues critical to trucking and the supply chain, including the implementation of the infrastructure bill, truck parking and workforce development.”

Educational Sessions

Among the educational session highlights of this year’s event, to be held at the San Diego Convention Center and the Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina:

General Session: The Economy in a New World Order

Nearly every major economy across the globe has transitioned into a new period of decelerating growth and rising inflation. How will interest rates, geopolitical tensions, and commodity prices affect the US economy and the trucking industry? A look at the state of the economy featuring Tom Joyce, managing director and global head of investment banking capital markets strategy at MUFG Bank, and ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello.

How the Future Regulatory Environment Will Impact your Equipment Decisions and Technology Pathways

The regulatory landscape is shifting rapidly and unevenly as the Environmental Protection Agency and the California Air Resources Board continue to propose and finalize new mandates. This session will explore what roadmaps EPA and CARB are heading down and what it means for your business planning ahead, with insights from:

  • ATA Energy & Environmental Counsel Glenn Kedzie.
  • Cummins Global Executive Director of Regulatory Affairs Matthew Spears.
  • C.R. England Senior VP of Equipment and Fuel Ron Hall.
  • Volvo Trucks North America Director of Product Marketing Johan Agebrand.

California AB 5: What Does It Mean, What’s Next, And What Should We Do About It?

As a result of the U.S. Supreme Court refusing to hear the challenge to California's AB 5, which seeks to reclassify many independent contractors as employees, the injunction preventing enforcement against the trucking industry was recently lifted. The risk of liability for noncompliance is now a reality for many trucking companies operating in California.

A panel of Scopelitis attorney experts — Greg Feary, Shannon Cohen, and Prasad Sharma — as well as Glenn Fehribach CFO, World Group, will discuss the law’s history, the “business-to-business” exemption, the trucking industry’s options for compliance, application of the law beyond motor carriage, and changes owner-operators are making to comply.

What Does the Full Electric and Hydrogen Roadmap Look Like?

This session will discuss future zero-emissions equipment, including public and private infrastructure requirements. The panel will look at matching vehicle specifications, including range and payload, to application, and will discuss matching funding to vehicles and infrastructure. Speakers include:

  • Jack Legler, technical director, Technology & Maintenance Council (TMC) of the American Trucking Associations.
  • Rakesh Aneja, Daimler Truck North America eMobility.
  • Michael Roeth, executive director of the North American Council for Freight Efficiency.

Luncheon Session: Hear from Women Leaders in Trucking

Diversity is necessary for a productive work environment, and this panel will offer suggestions on recruiting, retaining and empowering women. A panel of women will describe their journeys, struggles, and successes navigating the trucking industry. 

  • Shannon Newton, president, Arkansas Trucking Association and vice chairman of the Trucking Association Executives Council
  • Cari Baylor, President, Baylor Trucking
  • Tamara Jalving, vice president of safety, Yellow
  • Tina Peterson, professional truck driver and owner of Red Pine Transport
  • Angela Tillery, managing director of learning and development, FedEx Freight

Casting a Wide Net to Prepare for Trucking Decarbonization, Emissions Reductions, and Sustainability Planning

More than ever, trucking is in the bullseye of federal and state legislators and regulators on the environmental and energy fronts. Whether it is EPA or CARB advancing regulations to reduce fleet greenhouse gas and NOx emissions, state zero-emission vehicle sales and purchase mandates, internal combustion engine bans, or greenhouse gas reporting mandates, tomorrow’s fleet operations will look far different than they do today. A panel of industry executives will share their views and plans on the multitude of changes that are just around the corner:

  • Bill Sullivan, executive vice president for advocacy, American Trucking Associations.
  • Paul Enos, president and CEO, Nevada Trucking Association.
  • Srikanth Padmanabhan, president, Engine Business, Cummins Inc.
  • Dave Williams, senior VP of equipment and government relations, Knight-Swift Transportation

Additional education session highlights:

  • General Session: ATA President Chris Spear’s State of the Industry & Association
  • ATRI’s Big Reveal, the annual look at the top issues facing trucking as determined by the American Transportation Research Institute survey.
  • Do AI DashCams Increase My Legal Exposure?
  • How Your Drivers’ Health is Affecting Your Bottom Line
  • Managing Cash Flow in an Uncertain Economy
  • The Future of Safety: Preparing Your Fleets for Emerging Risks

ATA MC&E returns to San Diego, where it met in 2014. Attendees enjoyed the Gaslight Quarter entertainment district near the convention center.  -  Photo: Deborah Lockridge

ATA MC&E returns to San Diego, where it met in 2014. Attendees enjoyed the Gaslight Quarter entertainment district near the convention center.

Photo: Deborah Lockridge

More ATA MC&E Highlights

Several companies are scheduling ride-and-drive appointments to experience new zero-emission and automated truck technologie

  • Hyzon hydrogen fuel-cell truck
  • Nikola battery-electric Tre
  • Plus PlusDrive driver-in automated driving system

The 350,000-square foot exhibit hall will feature new equipment, technologies and services for the trucking industry, including battery-electric trucks and autonomous technology. For instance, the Volvo Trucks booth will showcase the Volvo VNR Electric as well as an autonomy-enabled Volvo VNL 760 with an integrated Aurora Driver for future hub-to-hub operations.

Grammy-nominated country music artist Walker Hayes, who will perform at the MCE Annual Banquet, is a CMT 2022 Artist of the Year.

Watch Truckinginfo.com for coverage from the 2022 ATA MC&E.

About the author
Staff Writer

Staff Writer

Editorial

Our team of enterprising editors brings years of experience covering the fleet industry. We offer a deep understanding of trends and the ever-evolving landscapes we cover in fleet, trucking, and transportation.  

View Bio
0 Comments