MATS’ schedule for educational seminars released

While many truck drivers attend the Mid-America Trucking Show to learn about the latest gadgets or enjoy the entertainment, the annual event in Louisville, Ky., also provides several opportunities to learn more about the industry.

MATS will be March 26-28 at the Kentucky Expo Center. The show’s schedule of educational seminars was released this week.

OOIDA will be offering a pair of educational opportunities.

On Thursday, March 26, OOIDA will provide a members-only government roundtable discussion. The seminar will be from 10-11 a.m. in room C-104 for current members only. It will be hosted by members of OOIDA’s government affairs team, as well as OOIDA Executive Vice President Lewie Pugh.

One of the topics to be included in the discussion is the EPA’s Cleaner Trucks Initiative as OOIDA has fielded lots of questions and concerns about the proposal. A representative of EPA will serve as a special guest at the roundtable to answer questions.

On Friday, March 27, OOIDA will host a Shift Into Success program from 3-4 p.m. in room B-104. The one-hour class, which will be taught by Pugh and Andrew King of the OOIDA Foundation, will focus on how to develop a business plan. The class is free and open to everyone.

Other seminars

One of the featured seminars will be delivered the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. The FMCSA Administrator Update will be from 10-11 a.m. on Friday, March 27 in room B-104. Joe DeLorenzo of the FMCSA will be leading the seminar.

Overall, MATS will be offering about two dozen trucking-related seminars. A full schedule can be found here.

Registration and show hours

To preregister for the show, go to the MATS website and fill out the form. Registration will remain free until Feb. 25. After that, it will cost $10 to attend. VIP badges can be purchased for $99.

If you register before Feb. 25, a badge will be mailed to your address. After Feb. 25, you will have to wait in line for your badge to be printed. If you preregister, be sure to print out your registration confirmation and bring it with you to the show to exchange for your badge.

Your badge is good for all three days of the show. Children under the age of 14 are not required to register and will not need a badge.

On March 26, there will be a VIP session from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. with doors open to the public from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. On March 27, the doors will open to the general public from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. On March 28, the show is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Kentucky Expo Center is located at 937 Phillips Lane in Louisville.