Headed to MATS? Truck parking community has moved

February 19, 2024

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After a number of years of truckers being able to park for free near Cardinal Stadium in Louisville, Ky., for the Mid-America Trucking Show, the truck parking community has moved.

MATS provides free overnight truck parking. For this year’s show – scheduled for March 21-23 – the truck parking community will be located in a grass lot across the road from the Kentucky Fair and Exposition Center main gate, at 1099 Phillips Lane.

Truckers will be able to park their trucks and tractors in the truck parking community from 7:30 a.m. Wednesday, March 20 until noon Saturday, March 23. Shuttles will be provided to the show.

TA and Petro once again will sponsor showers at the MATS truck parking community. Showers will be available from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday, March 21 and Friday, March 22. The last showers will be scheduled 30 minutes before closing each day. Prices will range from free to $10, depending on your rewards level with TA and Petro.

Free registration deadline near

There’s still time to register for free to attend. Visit the MATS website through Feb. 21 to take advantage of the free registration period, made possible by Find Truck Service. Beginning Feb. 22, a $10 registration fee will apply.

More than 58,000 attendees and nearly 900 exhibitors are expected this year at the Kentucky Expo Center.

“MATS is the one event on the industry calendar that brings the entire industry together face-to-face to see the latest innovations and collaborate to define the future of trucking,” Toby Young, MATS President, said in a statement.

OOIDA will set up shop at booth 11128 and also will take part in the Pro Talks Education Series at MATS.

The Association will zero in on two topics: creating a business plan and the dangers of predatory factoring. Presenting on behalf of OOIDA will be Andrew King, assistant director for the OOIDA Foundation, and Paul Torlina, OOIDA’s government affairs counsel.

Between 20% and 30% of new trucking businesses fail in the first year, while making it past five years is a 50-50 proposition. King will explain how having a business plan and setting goals are extremely critical for success.

And once you begin factoring, you’ve started the clock on trouble for your business, according to OOIDA. Torlina’s presentation will illustrate the pitfalls of the practice.

Pro Talks at MATS will be held in the East Hall at South Wing Room B104.

These sessions are just a small sample of what OOIDA offers through its Truck to Success program. This year, Truck to Success is scheduled for Oct. 22-24 at the Courtyard by Marriott in Blue Springs, Mo. If you sign up for Truck to Success during MATS, you will receive $100 off your registration.

MATS events and entertainment

The PKY Truck Beauty Championship, MATS Wall of Fame, ride and drives, 30 acres of free truck parking and truck and tractor pulls are scheduled events, according to the event website.

A Friday night concert featuring The Steel Woods, a country rock band from Nashville, Tenn., also is listed on the MATS event schedule.

For more information about MATS, visit TruckingShow.com. LL