Work Truck Week® 2024 Expanded with New Training Sessions

FARMINGTON HILLS, MI — NTEA has added two more breakout sessions to a packed Work Truck Week® 2024 educational program, announced presenters for OEM panel discussions and other training sessions, and extended Green Truck Summit hours. 

Work Truck Week 2024 runs March 5–8, 2024, at Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, Indiana. It encompasses Green Truck Summit, The Work Truck Show®, NTEA Annual Meeting, Ride & Drive, educational sessions and more. Green Truck Summit is March 5, educational sessions run March 5–7 and Work Truck Show exhibits are open March 6–8. Work Truck Week, North America’s largest work truck event, is produced by NTEA – The Work Truck Association™. For a complete schedule and to register, visit worktruckweek.com. 

Education is one of the core components that make Work Truck Week more than a trade show. The educational program includes a range of in-depth Special Sessions and shorter Breakout Sessions focused on ideas and strategies to help attendees improve efficiency, implement best practices and enhance operational growth. 

“Work Truck Week education and training sessions bring in experts from across the global commercial vehicle industry—including chassis and equipment manufacturers, government officials, business consultants, fleet managers and others—to help attendees stay current with trends, technology developments and vehicle changes,” says Jennifer Mitchell, NTEA senior director of content development. “WTW and GTS sessions address challenges attendees are facing right now, like grappling with recruiting and training employees, specifying and upfitting alternative fuel vehicles and maximizing productivity.”

Green Truck Summit updates

NTEA has added 40 minutes to Green Truck Summit, an intensive program focused on the commercial vehicle industry’s ongoing shift toward zero emissions. It now starts at 8:20 a.m. and concludes with a reception from 5–6 p.m. 

A panel of representatives from leading chassis manufacturers will share insights into the evolving vehicle technology and fuel landscape during the GTS session Chassis OEMs’ Vision for Advanced Vehicle and Fuel Technology. Mark Dickens, chief engineer next gen heavy duty and medium duty ZEV trucks, GM Envolve; Gordon Wolverton, zero emissions powertrain technology, Navistar; and Harrison Wessinger, vocational equipment and applications, Isuzu Commercial Truck of America, will discuss what’s on the horizon for the next five years, including the innovations, trends and technologies that will shape the industry.

In a new GTS breakout session, Advanced Alternatives: Clean Fuel Deployment, Carl Lisek, director, Drive Clean Indiana, will explain how Clean Cities technical assistance experts and rural communities are working together to overcome the challenges small communities face when deploying clean fuel technologies. 

Green Truck Summit is fuel-agnostic and covers a wide range of advanced fuels, including electricity, propane, hydrogen fuel cell and biofuels, as well as technology that reduces emissions and improves fuel economy. Programming includes a keynote address by Mary Aufdemberg of Daimler Trucks North America, four general sessions, and four sets of 30-minute breakouts. 

WTW Breakout and Special Session updates

Work Truck Week (WTW) and Green Truck Summit (GTS) Conference Package registrants can attend any WTW Breakout Session March 5–7. These sessions run about 75 minutes. The newest addition to the curriculum is Electrified Propulsion Vehicles (xEV) High-Voltage Electrical Safety Standards on March 6. This session focuses on new electric vehicle safety standards and includes information about achieving certification. 

As commercial electric vehicles proliferate, upfitters need guidance on how to install bodies and equipment on EV chassis. They can hear directly from OEMs during the Upfitting on EVs: Chassis OEM Perspectives WTW Breakout Session March 7. Ray Eyles, chief engineer, Ford Transit, Ford Motor Company; David Roberts, engineering group manager, General Motors Upfitter Integration; and a representative from Stellantis will answer common questions addressing topics like what can and can’t be done with the high-voltage battery, application engineering guides, managing battery temperatures and welding procedures. 

Work Truck Week 2024 Special Sessions March 6–7 offer deeper dives into fleet management, leadership and improving truck dealer sales. They run from three to seven hours and are not included in any registration package—they must be purchased separately.

Getting Started with Fleet Management on March 6 introduces key elements of an effective fleet management plan. Designed for new fleet managers or business owners, agency directors, procurement or finance officials serving as de facto fleet managers, it covers maintenance program design, outsourcing and supplier measurement, managing vehicle total cost of ownership and more. The full-day workshop can also serve as a refresher for seasoned fleet professionals. It’s presented by Marc Canton, Steve Saltzgiver and Tony Yankovich of RTA Fleet. Fleet managers with more experience in the field may want to consider Advanced Principles of Fleet Management, a three-hour workshop on March 7. 

Leadership consultant Doug Cartland will teach strategies and tactics to successfully lead teams through change during Generation Next Workshop & Networking Reception: Leading Through Change on March 6.

Truck dealers can learn innovative business improvement strategies and techniques for gaining new customers at Creating a Roadmap to Increase Truck Dealer Commercial Vehicle Sales presented by Ken Taylor on March 7.

Workforce Development

NTEA developed a series of three Workforce Development Sessions in response to the industry’s ongoing challenges with employee recruitment and retention. These sessions are free and available to all WTW24 registrants. 

The series kicks off March 6 with Exploring Ways to Maximize Your Talent Pipeline. This session showcases two unique approaches to workforce development and retention from industry leaders Godwin Group and TBEI. It will cover ways to develop an existing workforce and plan for the next generation.

Explore the symbiotic relationship between high schools and local companies during Empowering the Next Generation: Community Collaboration Opportunities on March 7. This session provides innovative strategies and real-world examples of how businesses can work with area high schools to nurture student development and create promising career opportunities.

Finally, Exploring Careers in Commercial Vehicles on March 7 will deliver a blend of insights and perspectives from current young professionals thriving in the work truck industry paired with the wisdom of a college professor. It’s designed to shed light on how high schoolers can begin rewarding careers in the work truck industry.

Exclusive Chassis Updates

Only at Work Truck Week do the leading commercial vehicle manufacturers annually share their latest chassis specifications and designs, review body and equipment installation options and provide insight into future vehicle plans. This year, 15 manufacturers are holding chassis update sessions: Bollinger Motors, Daimler Truck North America, Ford Pro, Freightliner Custom Chassis, GM Envolve, Hino Trucks, International Truck, Isuzu Commercial Truck of America, Kenworth Truck Company, Lion Electric, Mack Trucks, Mercedes-Benz USA, Mullen Automotive, Peterbilt Motors Company and Ram Commercial.

For a complete event schedule, session descriptions, registration and more, visit worktruckweek.com or contact NTEA ([email protected] or 800/441-6832).