Learn Strategies for Fleet Sustainability, Cutting Out-of-Service Violations at HDTX
Heavy Duty Trucking Exchange has added two more educational speakers, who will share insights on the messy road to zero emissions and how fleets can keep out-of-service violations from killing their bottom line.
Mike Roeth of NACFE returns to Heavy Duty Trucking Exchange to discuss alternative fuels and electric trucks.
Photo: Deborah Lockridge
5 min to read
Heavy Duty Trucking Exchange has added two more educational speakers, who will share insights on the messy road to zero emissions and how fleets can keep out-of-service violations from killing their bottom line.
Mike Roeth, executive director of the North American Council for Freight Efficiency, will kick off the event on Sept. 6, speaking about the “messy middle” of alternative fuels and technologies.
Safety and compliance expert John Seidl will speak on Sept. 7 with tips on how fleets can improve revenue and profits by slashing out-of-service violations.
The deadline is near for fleet managers to apply to attend to HDTX, Sept. 6-8 in Scottsdale, Arizona. This annual event brings together a small group of fleet managers and industry to focus on networking and education in an intimate setting.
This will be the sixth year for the event, held at the Scottsdale Resort at the Scottsdale McCormick Ranch. Executives and managers of Class 7-8 trucking fleets can apply to attend as a hosted guest at www.heavydutytruckingexchange.com
Making the ‘Messy Middle’ Less Messy
If you’re overwhelmed by all the potential alternative fuels and technologies to power commercial medium- and heavy-duty trucks, you’re not alone.
In 2019, NACFE Executive Director Mike Roeth coined the term “messy middle” to describe the 20 years between 2020 and 2040 as the trucking industry tries to find a decarbonization path that eventually will lead to zero-emissions operations. If anything, it seems things have gotten messier since then, with more alternative fuels and technology options on the horizon.
Roeth will share what NACFE has learned about the latest in green technology options and how fleets can start crafting a plan to get through the messy middle.
He’ll also offer an update on NACFE’s Run on Less – Electric Depot, which will kick off the following week, sharing some insights learned so far from the participating fleets about scaling electric truck operations.
Roeth has worked in the commercial vehicle industry for more than 35 years in various positions with Navistar and Behr/Cummins. Today he specializes in green truck collaborative technologies. Roeth served on the second National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, Medicine Committee on Reducing Fuel Consumption and Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Medium- and Heavy-Duty Vehicles and served as chairman of the board for the Truck Manufacturers Association.
Slash Out-of-Service Violations for More Revenue and Profits
John Seidl will offer real-world experience in slashing out-of-service violations.
Photo courtesy John Seidl
Every time your vehicle or driver is put out of service in a roadside inspection, it starts a chain of reactions that affect your fleet’s revenue, profits, and safety.
At HDTX, compliance expert John Seidl will talk about how fleets can reduce OOS violations in hours of service, driver qualifications, maintenance, hazmat and more, including:
How OOS violations affect CSA scores and what that means for sales and insurance rates
How OOS violations tank your equipment and driver utilization
What your shop technicians don’t understand about OOS.
Seidl, a former Wisconsin State Motor Carrier Trooper and FMCSA Investigator, is vice president of risk services at Reliance Partners and recently started a new business, Trucking Wins, an online training suite for trucking companies. His real-world, nitty-gritty, and often surprising insights into making trucking regulations work for you have made him a popular speaker at events such as Fleet Safety Conference and HDTX.
Inspiration from a Paralympic Athlete
As previously announced, the HDTX keynote speaker will be paralympic athlete and veteran Rob Jones. He’ll use his experience to speak about staying on mission, living a life of meaning, and how to use the weight of obstacles to overcome anything in your way.
Meet HDT’s 2023 Truck Fleet Innovators
A highlight of HDTX is the awards ceremony and panel discussion with HDT’s Truck Fleet Innovators, hosted by Editor and Associate Publisher Deborah Lockridge, Equipment Editor Jim Park, and sponsor East Mfg. Hear their insights on top industry issues, such as driver retention, trailer telematics, saving money on maintenance, safety culture, electric trucks, using technology, and more:
James Adams, CEO and Founder, Revolution Trucking, Wadsworth, Ohio
Brad Bayne, Vice President of Strategic Initiatives, Duncan and Son Lines/4 Gen Logistics, Buckeye, Arizona
Brent Hickman, Senior Manager of Equipment Maintenance and Sales, Pilot Company, Knoxville, Tennessee
Jeff Kauffman has been a recognized authority in trucking, logistics and transportation equipment since 1993. He’s an equity research analyst covering airlines, freight, logistics, transportation equipment, and more recently, the rideshare and alternative energy industries. During his career, he has been recognized as one of the leading analysts on Wall Street in the transportation and logistics space. The longtime global head of freight transportation research for Merrill Lynch, he now heads up his own transportation consulting firm, Tahoe Ventures. He also serves as principal of transportation and logistics equity research at Vertical Research Partners.
Eric Starks is chairman of the board at FTR. He has spent his entire career in the freight transportation sector and is a leading researcher in freight modal share analysis and forecasting. His background includes research on rail and truck freight movements and asset equipment purchases. Starks is a frequent speaker at Wall Street analyst meetings, association events, and private meetings. He has a unique ability to communicate to his audiences how the economy, logistics, freight, and equipment demand impacts their respective business.
When the unexpected happens, how you react to, and deal with operational blind spots is critical. Here’s how to keep you recovery on track, when nothing is normal.
As fleets adopt artificial intelligence for routing, maintenance, and load matching, new security risks are emerging. Learn where the vulnerabilities are and how to put the right controls in place.
CargoNet reports fewer supply chain crime events to start 2026. But losses hold steady as organized crime shifts tactics toward impersonation schemes and high-value goods.
Heavy Duty Trucking is searching for forward-looking leaders at trucking fleets as nominations for HDT’s Truck Fleet Innovators 2026. Deadline is May 15.
Cargo theft rings plant operatives as drivers inside legitimate, fully vetted carriers, then execute coordinated thefts that look like a traditional straight theft from the outside.
The American Transportation Research Institute will examine driver coaching, regulatory impacts — including the "Beyond Compliance" concept —and weather disruptions that shape trucking operations.
Fleet Advantage's Brian Antonellis says it's time for fleets to get back to the fundamentals of good maintenance practices. And that includes replacing older, inefficient equipment.
