Phil Byrd, chairman of American Trucking Associations and president and CEO of Bulldog Hiway Express, will be the featured speaker for ATA’s Technology & Maintenance Council’s 2014 Annual Meeting, to be held March 10-13 in Nashville, Tenn.

Byrd also serves on the board of directors of the Truckload Carriers Association and on the advisory board of the American Transportation Research Institute. He is a two-time past chairman of the South Carolina Trucking Association, and formerly chairman of the South Carolina Maritime Association and the Charleston Motor Carrier Association.

TMC’s Transportation Technology Exhibition, held in conjunction with the annual meeting, will include more than 350 exhibitors featuring the latest technology to help fleets improve safety and efficiency.

The meeting’s educational track will include 10 technical sessions led by leading industry suppliers and fleet managers. By attending the full technical session “Fuel Efficiency and Vehicle Emissions Regulations: Now and for the Foreseeable Future,” fleet managers will better understand new joint U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Department of Transportation standards for carbon dioxide emissions and fuel consumption for combination tractors, heavy-duty pickup trucks/vans, and vocational vehicles.

Panelists for the technical session “The Low Down on Low-Viscosity Engine Oils” will discuss recent fuel efficiency standards and how engine manufacturers are exploring ways to achieve better fuel efficiency through low-viscosity engine oils.

Mini-technical sessions will include:
• New Challenges for Today’s Vehicle Charging Systems and Beyond;
• Benchmarking the Success of Your Tire Program;
• The Great Refrigerant Conversion—Round Two: Anticipated A/C Refrigerant Changes;
• Understanding the Reduced Stopping Distance Brake Technology & Resulting Maintenance Issues;
• Understanding How Trailing Equipment Can Improve Overall Fuel Efficiency;
• Right to Repair: Application Access to Service Material and Future of Advanced Diagnostics;
• Fleet Experience and the Future of Hybrid Vehicles; and
• Technician Retention Strategies for Fleets and Service Providers.

More than 100 task forces will meet on Monday to work on TMC recommended practices, followed by TMC’s Town Meeting/Fleet Operators’ Forum and the Transportation Technology Exhibition grand opening. Technical sessions will be held Tuesday through Thursday. The lively and popular Shop Talk will be held on Thursday.

TMC’s annual banquet and reception on Wednesday evening will feature the installation of the 2014-2015 general chairman and music by Nashville icon Martina McBride.

More information on TMC’s 2014 Annual Meeting — including registration, Exhibitor Prospectus, Exhibit Contract, Exhibit Map and Sponsorship Brochure — is available online at http://tmc.trucking.org.