Next week's Work Truck Show will be "bigger than ever," with more than 550 exhibitors covering 500,000 square feet in the Indianapolis Convention Center, says the National Truck Equipment Association.
The exhibit floor was sold out by last month, and will be 16 percent larger than last year's sizeable show in St. Louis.

The Indianapolis Work Truck Show, which opens at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, March 8 and runs until noon on Thursday, March 10, will feature the latest work trucks and equipment. It will be held in conjunction with NTEA's 47th annual convention, which starts Monday, March 7, with 40 educational sessions over several days.

An annual Green Truck Summit begins at 8 a.m. on Monday and has scheduled sessions on hybrid, alternative-fuel, electric, and high-efficiency diesel trucks. David Strickland, who as head of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration sets policy for motor vehicle safety and fuel economy standards, will keynote the Summit. Green Truck Ride-and-Drive on Thursday will offer brief experiences with 22 such vehicles.

NTEA says there'll also be 75 product launches, 16 of them in formal press conferences set for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Among the companies and new products they'll show, in chronological order:

* Western Star - a 4700 series of Class 8 conventional-cab trucks using midrange powertrains.

* BAE Systems - electric-drive hybrid propulsion system for Class 6-8 trucks.

* Roush Clean Tech - propane liquid-injection system for Ford's E-350 and 450 chassis.

* Mitsubishi Fuso - Class 3-5 low-cab-forward chassis with a small-displacement diesel.

* Isuzu - Revived N-series Gas LCF with General Motors gasoline engine and new walk-in van chassis with integrated Utilimaster body.

* Hino - New Class 4-5 LCFs with diesel and diesel-electric hybrid powertrains.

Ford, International and Chrysler's Ram brand have scheduled press conferences for as-yet undisclosed products. Also on the press-briefing list are Rotary Lift, Weather Guard, Supreme, Chelsea, Noregon, Certified Power and Telogis.

Immediately following the Work Truck Show will be judging for the American Truck Dealers' Truck of the Year competition. Read more here.