American Truck Historical Society plans early June show

Having been forced to take a year off from an in-person truck show may make the prospect of a live one even sweeter for people attending the American Truck Historical Society’s National Convention and Truck Show.

The ATHS convention and truck show is scheduled for June 3-5 at the Rockingham County Fairgrounds in Harrisonburg, Va.

“We have well over 500 trucks pre-registered for this year’s show,” reports David Schnautz, ATHS second vice president. “Many have indicated they will register when they arrive. We usually have over 1,000 trucks attend under normal conditions.”

He said the favorite part of the event is the truck show. On exhibit will be trucks from the early 1910s, represented by chain-drive vehicles, all the way to more modern day trucks people are used to seeing on the highways of America. Several trucks that will be exhibited are from truck manufacturers no longer in business.

“We will be driving four trucks to the show from Texas,” Schnautz said. “Driving them is a highlight of the show experience.”

He said it is fun to talk to the fans at the stops.

“Driving an old truck takes you back a few years when things were simpler and in a way a lot more fun,” Schnautz said.

OOIDA will be there

The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association will be well represented there. Not only will Marty Ellis, skipper of OOIDA’s tour trailer, haul the Spirit of the American Trucker there, but OOIDA Executive Vice President Lewie Pugh also plans to attend as well.

Educational programs, tours

In addition to the vintage truck show, there will be educational programs, including:

• “Truckin in the Shenandoah Valley” at 9 a.m. on Thursday, June 3.
• “History of the Cummins H-NH-NT- N14 engines” at 2:45 p.m. on June 3.
• “Fuller Roadranger Transmissions” at 9 a.m. on Friday, June 4.
• “Harrisonburg Motor Express History” at 10:15 a.m. on June 4.
• “Identifying the Difference of Cummins & Detroit Engines” at 10:15 a.m. on Saturday, June 5.

A series of tours are planned in conjunction with the convention and truck show, including “Patsy Cline Day” on June 3, “Monticello & Michie Tavern” on June 4, and “Luray Caverns” on June 5.

Check out the event schedule here.

Check out the convention tour descriptions here.

Register for the convention and truck show here.

In addition to the in-person truck show, ATHS is presenting a virtual truck and trailer show. Last year, the ATHS presented its annual show virtually.

The ATHS was incorporated in 1971 to preserve the history of trucks, the trucking industry, and its pioneers. It has presented an annual public antique truck show since 1980. Headquartered in Kansas City, Mo., the ATHS keeps a collection of more than 100,000 photographs and 35,000 pieces of sales literature, 45,000 books and periodicals, and a large collection of scale models and memorabilia in its Zoe James Memorial Library.

Earlier this year, ATHS announced the creation of the American Trucking and Industry Leader Hall of Fame. LL