‘Significant milestone’

Devising a plan and enacting said plan don’t always go hand in hand.

On paper, the grandest of ideas seem to fit together seamlessly and without much resistance.

In reality, an idea is only as good as the person or people behind it.

The year was 1972 that the idea for the Mid-America Trucking Show began to take shape.

Paul K. Young, a former Kentucky Motor Transport Association president, and his colleagues wanted to develop a show in the eastern United States similar to the International Trucking Show held in California. At the time, that was the largest heavy-duty show in the country, so this was no small idea.

The goal was for the show to be more accessible than the shows on the West Coast or the North American Truck Show, which was regularly held in Boston.

Paul Young’s connections within the industry provided enough positive feedback he felt there was enough interest to move this idea closer to reality.

In addition to great accessibility, the show was to be geared toward owner-operators and fleets within the heavy-duty trucking industry.

Toby Young, the current president of MATS and Paul’s grandson, said the nervous energy felt prior to the first show is still part of the process today, even in what will be his 22nd year of working the event.

Until you open the doors on that first day, you really don’t know what’s going to happen, Toby Young said.

“At the time of the first show, they had absolutely no expectations,” Toby Young said. “My grandpa had no experience in planning something like this. It was really unprecedented. They really had no idea of who, if anyone, was going to show up. They did a lot of promoting but literally had no expectations.”

Part of the anxiety was competing with the aforementioned other major shows in California and Boston, to name a few. Another uncertainty was if there was even interest for another show.

Incredible evolution

When Paul Young made his vision for a heavy-duty trucking show a reality in the early 1970s, even he couldn’t have imagined that MATS would develop into the largest heavy-duty trucking trade show in the U.S.

The first show in 1972 was held in a portion of the West Wing at the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville. There were 4,000 attendees and 83 exhibitors creating a starting point for organizers.

“It was way smaller than other shows at the time, but the sentiment from the people they spoke about having a show in this region on a major trade route gave them a feeling that they were on to something,” Toby Young said. “Thankfully, they kept it going.”

For the next decade or so, those numbers remained steady. That was until 1984, when the show had 270 exhibiting companies and relocated to the East Wing of the Kentucky Exposition Center. Additionally, Dale Sommers (aka “The Truckin’ Bozo”), hosted the show live for the first time.

Just three years later, MATS exceeded 400 exhibitors with more than 30,000 in attendance and international participation.

MATS 1991 necessitated the need to use South Wing A of the Kentucky Exposition Center as more than 650 exhibitors and 35,000-plus attendees took part. This increase solidified MATS as the largest trucking trade show in North America.

The next milestone was in 1997, when outdoor exhibits and truck demonstrations were first featured. These additions led to more than 1,000 exhibitors and 1 million square feet of exhibit space. The year 1997 started a streak of over 1,000 exhibitors in 20 of the next 23 years.

In 2001, the Paul K. Young Truck Beauty Championship was introduced. At the same show, Mack Trucks celebrated its 100th anniversary.

Before the end of the decade, expansion of the South Wing C of the Kentucky Exposition Center was completed, which added 167,000-square-feet of exhibit space. The additional space allowed the show to set new records for attendance, number of exhibitors and total square footage.

The 2012 show was the largest to date, featuring nearly 1.4 million square feet of exhibits and events, while Navistar showcased the largest MATS exhibit ever.

Peterbilt celebrated its 75th year anniversary at the show in 2014, and 2015 set another attendance record as 81,768 visitors made their way to Louisville.

“The ups and downs of the industry are the biggest hurdles we’ve faced,” Toby Young said. “There were times when no one was marketing. The stock market and oil crises are different things that have affected heavy-duty marketing. Also, overcoming bigger shows in Las Vegas and Boston, even though we may not have been on their radar, was still a challenge for us. And more recently, dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic has presented a new set of challenges.”

Through it all, MATS not only thrived but became a must-see for anyone in the industry.

“Our incredible growth over 50 years is a combination of everything we’ve been through and added to the show,” Toby Young said. “Having the concerts was a big deal in taking MATS to the next level. The unveilings, announcements and certain attendees over the years is a culmination of everything that has happened. That’s the reason for this 50-year celebration. We want to pay homage to everyone who has had a hand in making MATS what it is today.”

Even to those closest to the show, the evolution is remarkable.

“It’s really interesting that MATS has been a top 20 show in North America for 30 years or so,” Toby Young said. “To get to that level you have to have a significant following. Other shows may have had a better following and more interest. It took us 20 years to catch up. Once

we did, we just kept growing.”

Unlike any other

A common refrain for those who have attended MATS is that there is nothing quite like it. The sheer volume and activity of those few days in Louisville is one of those things you just have to be there for.

With more than 1 million square feet of exhibition space, it’s no wonder this is commonplace. Nevertheless, I asked those closest to the operation what separates MATS from other shows.

“I get asked this question a lot,” Toby Young said. “I don’t think me describing the show in my words would do it justice. You really have to come to the show and see what it’s all about. There’s so many reasons to attend a MATS. It checks all the boxes. Networking, fun, education; MATS has it all. It’s three of the most unbelievable days, and something you have to experience.”

MATS 2022 and beyond

Based upon the first 50 years of the show it’s safe to assume MATS will continue to get bigger and bigger.

This year alone the event is premiering several new programs, including a “Wall of Fame,” which you can read more about in Land Line’s official MATS preview on page 52.

Toby Young said organizers will maintain a forward-looking approach and anticipate continued growth as well as evolution of the show.

“We definitely have a lot of ideas to take the show to the next level,” Toby Young said. “Each year after the show ends we do an evaluation in an effort to figure out what we can add to make it better. This is primarily focused on new and different events and education to make our attendees more profitable with their own business. Continuing to leverage the support from our event partners will continue to make the show even bigger and better. We’re especially focused on events, education and entertainment.”

Prominently displayed on the MATS website are the words, “Reconnect with the past … Define the future.”

As the show gears up for the next 50 years, those at MATS say they are excited about what’s to come and another chance to rekindle our relationships at this “family-reunion” type of trucking show, Toby Young said.

“Fifty years is a really significant milestone,” Toby Young said. “There aren’t many events, or even businesses for that matter, that make it to 50 years. To keep everything intact and moving forward, it’s really telling of the support we receive. The show is part of my family. My grandfather started it. My dad worked here, and other family members have too. We have attendees that have been here for 50 shows. We’re so excited to know what it means to some folks. We’re really looking forward to MATS 2022.” LL