This pre-election edition of Tank Truck Week is so pivotal that National Tank Truck Carriers secured an appearance by Chris Spear, president and CEO of American Trucking Associations, who will share his thoughts on key legislative and regulatory issues, and how they could impact bulk haulers post-Election Day.
Tank Truck Week 2024 runs Sept. 29-Oct. 2 in Charlotte, North Carolina. Spear’s first trip to the event is set for Oct. 1.
“It’s great to have him come in and provide an overview of the greater trucking industry, and the issues they’re focused on, and then dovetail that into our segment of the industry, and what ATA is anticipating coming out of this election,” Ryan Streblow, NTTC president and CEO, told Bulk Transporter.
“I’m really looking forward to it.
“The city of Charlotte did a great job of improving its offering, so it could bring in an event of our size, while maintaining a reasonable footprint. They have an excellent convention center, and great downtown attractions.”
The conference and trade show are packed with segment-specific content, including the presentations by Spear and keynote speaker Brian Kilmeade, a co-host on Fox News Channel’s Fox & Friends; beefed-up educational track sessions; critical committee meetings; and eye-opening supplier exhibits—all newly aligned for maximum utility. “Tank Truck Week has exploded into an event that attracts not only maintenance folks, but executives; owners; purchasers; safety, maintenance, and operations personnel; and tank cleaning professionals,” Streblow said. “So, what we’ve done is bundle sessions and committee meetings to allow carriers to bring in people on different days.
“Now, it’s executive-oriented on the front end, and as we go through the week, it picks up a maintenance, tank wash, and safety-and-security flavor.”
The “Navigating New Horizons in Tank Trucking” agenda boasts 12 educational sessions that offer “tremendous value,” including a mock roadside trailer inspection, a live demonstration of how a criminal can hack a trailer’s brake controller, an update on pulsating brake lamp exemptions, and a roundtable discussion on enhancing confined-space safety. “We’ve had challenges within our industry the last couple of years, so our association and membership want to place a major focus on assisting individuals with confined-space entries—to make sure accidents don’t happen,” Streblow said.
Most of the committees, including the Cargo Tank Risk Management, Dry Bulk and Food Grade, Chemical, and Workforce committees, convene on the first days; and the general and educational sessions take place on the last two days. The exceptions are the Tank Maintenance and Cleaning Council and Safety and Security Council meetings slated for Oct. 2, just before the event’s finale: The annual Safety and Security Council awards banquet, where NTTC will celebrate this year’s elite safety professionals.
NTTC also reserved 200,000 sq. ft. of exhibition space inside the Charlotte Convention Center, where 80 vendors were registered by Aug. 15. “We opened the floor April 2, and half the booths sold out in 24 hours, so we went back to the city to expand our footprint,” Streblow said. “It’ll be bigger than it was last year.” The revised schedule also allows suppliers and sponsors to spread out meetings with prospects at all levels, from chairmen and CEOs to vice presidents, managers, and sales reps, Streblow maintained.
“Everyone’s time is incredibly valuable, and we want to give people the biggest bang for their buck—in an adequate amount of time—while still meeting the industry’s needs across the board and providing valuable content.”
Sunday, Sept. 29
- 4-6 p.m.: Cargo Tank Risk Management Committee (CTRMC) meeting
- 4:15-5:15 p.m.: Young Executives Committee and first-time attendee meeting
- 5:30-7 p.m.: Political Action Committee (PAC) reception
Monday, Sept. 30
- 8:30-9:0 a.m.: Dry Bulk and Food Grade Committee meeting
- 9:45-10:45 a.m.: Chemical Committee meeting (Guest speaker: Heather Rose-Glowacki, ACC)
- 11 a.m.-noon: Workforce Development Committee meeting
- 1-2 p.m.: Energy Services Committee meeting (Guest speaker: Michael Young, Daimler Trucks)
- 2:15-3:15 p.m.: Advocacy Committee meeting
- 3:30-4:30 p.m.: General session—Opening remarks from Ward Best, NTTC chairman, and "Train Your Brain for Success" with Roger Seip, Freedom Personal Development
- 4:30-6:30 p.m.: Exhibit hall open, Act 1 grand opening reception
Tuesday, Oct. 1
- 8:45-9:45 a.m.: Regional Safety and Security Council meeting
- 10-10:45 a.m.: General session—Trucking industry update with Chris Spear, American Trucking Associations president and CEO
- 10:45-11 a.m.: General session—Keynote speaker Brian Kilmeade, co-host of Fox News Channel’s Fox & Friends
- 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m.: Exhibit hall open
- 2-3 p.m.: Board of Directors meeting
- 3-3:45 p.m.: Educational sessions—“Rear Pulsating Amber Light Exemption Success: The Groendyke Transport Experience and Path Forward” with Chris Pape and Elle Slattery; “Enhancing Confined Space Safety Culture: A Roundtable Discussion” with Jerry Curl, Ed Wickham, and Doug Vineyard; and “How to Get Involved With Your Local Schools: It is Easier Than You Think!” with Lindsey Trent and Tyler Bones
- 4-4:30 p.m.: Educational sessions—“Regulatory Trends and Enhanced EPA Oversight” with Andrew H. Emerson and Donny Hearn; “DataQs: How to Analyze, Create, and Successfully Navigate the Process” with Adam Murphy; and “Accelerating Success with ACE Services: Innovative Entry-Level Driver Training Solutions for a Safer Culture” with Andrea Pavon
- 4:30-6:30 p.m.: Exhibit hall open
Wednesday, Oct. 2
- 9:45-10:30 a.m.: Educational sessions—“Tank Trailer Mock Roadside Inspection” with Sgt. Joe Berrong; “Rotors, Damping, and Inflation: Enhancing Vehicle Efficiency and Maintenance” with Jeff Miller; and “ISO Tank Design and Market Outlook” with Russell Harrison
- 10:45-11:30 a.m.: Educational sessions—“Exposing Vulnerabilities: A Live Hack Demonstration on Tank Truck Trailers” with Ben Gardiner; “Underride Protection and Beyond: A TTMA Update” with Dave Adams, Peter Weis, and John Freiler; and “Set the Stage for Change in Your Company” with Joel Ellis
- 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.: Exhibit hall open
- 1:30-2:30 p.m.: Tank Maintenance and Cleaning Council meeting (Guest speaker: Dan R. Anderson, Trimac Transportation)
- 2:45-3:45 p.m.: Safety and Security Council meeting
- 6-8:30 p.m.: Annual Safety and Security Council banquet (Reception 6-6:30 p.m., Dinner and awards 6:30-8:30 p.m.)
