Ready, Set, Expedite Expo!
Once again, the time is here.The Detroiter Travel Center has cleared out it's front parking lot and the huge main tent that shelters the exhibitor booths has been erected.
The exhibitors have set up their displays, including the expedited truck dealers who have their trucks clean, shiny and ready for inspection by the Expo attendees.
Joey Holiday's trailer/stage is set up in front of the food trailers and he's doing his final sound check.
It looks like we're just about ready to "turn the key" to get the Expedite Expo 2005 underway!
As you may already know, the Expedite Expo is the world's only expediting-specific trucking show and 2005 marks the fifth anniversary of the event. This year's Expo is on August 10-11, and held at our traditional location, the Detroiter Travel Center in Woodhaven, Michigan - Exit 32 off I-75. The show times are 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM EDT on both days.
For the 2005 show, the Expo will feature an expanded schedule of seminars about the business of expediting. These seminars will range from an introduction to the business to how to grow a fleet.
This year's show will also present a stop on the Expedite Workshop tour with very informative sessions on both days of the Expo.
The Expediter Pride Truck Beauty Show is back with great prizes and trophies for those great-looking rides. The owners have been cleaning and polishing for the last few days and they're ready for the only truck beauty competition exclusively for working expediting trucks. The Expediter Pride contest is managed and judged by the National Association of Show Trucks.
Speaking of good looking trucks, the Expo is also the place to see the latest in new expediting truck innovations and technology. All of the major truck dealerships that specialize in the expediting market are at the event with representatives on hand to demonstrate their products and answer questions. Attendees have the opportunity to see and compare different makes and models and all in one place at one time. Stop by and kick the tires on your new truck!
There's always a wide variety of aftermarket vendors at the Expo and this anniversary year is no exception. From the Canada Customs booth to Frank's Tax and Business Service, you can find that expediting/truck product or service displayed here.
If you've been considering a career change to the expediting business, you're in the right spot! With all of the major expedited carriers represented here at Expedite Expo 2005, you can get all your questions about those companies answered here. There are recruiters available to showcase their company and to provide information about the industry in general.
Exhibitor Spotlight
Frank’s Tax & Business Service
Representative, Franklin Katz
Kings Mountain, NC
Booth 240
Franklin (Frank) Katz is one of the Expedite Expo's staunchest supporters and is a perennial exhibitor at the event. Frank began working in the field of tax preparation some 30 years ago and is a member of and is accredited by a number of tax/accountancy organizations. He also worked as a professional driver in tractor-trailers and in expediting with a cargo van.
Health issues brought Frank's driving days to a close, but he has continued his tax and bookkeeping service with the unique perspective and knowledge of a former driver. Every trucking owner-operator needs a tax expert who has knowledge of the special areas of trucking and Frank's background certainly qualifies him in that regard.
Expedite Expo 2005 is also welcoming a number of new exhibitors to the show who offer a wide range of products and services:
Indiana Custom Trucks, LLC
Representative, Elwin Eash
Lagrange, IN
Booth 216
Indiana Custom Trucks began in 1990 by building conversions - upgrading factory sleepers. Company president Elwin Eash says that market demand encouraged him to move into sleeper construction.
"We've grown into one of the largest sleeper manufacturers in the business, offering anything from a 36" coffin-type unit to a 230" custom sleeper that we're working on now. Quite often, our customers include second and third time sleeper buyers who have seen our product and want their new sleeper built to their spec's."
ICT will be displaying a 63" Peterbilt sleeper conversion that Elwin feels demonstrates the company's quality of construction. It features a "gaucho" bed (a fold-up bed that converts into a dining table), built-in fridge, hang-up storage area, cabinets above the bed, small sink with running water, flat panel TV and roof vent.
Elwin states, "We still maintain the philosophy that we started with: Treat people right and build a good product."
Lyon Communications
South Lyon, MI
Representative, Ryan Pauls
Booth 217
Lyon Communications provides transportation fleets with both GPS tracking and vehicle location for more efficient fleet management.
The company also offers cellular amplifiers and as representative Ryan Pauls states, "We help your company communicate by offering the two strongest cellular services in Michigan including the built-in two-way radio feature on the Nextel phone."
Idle Busters/Florida Manufacturing Group
Odessa, FL
Representatives, Dan Youngman, Lee Webb, Don Cordray
Booths 228-229
Idle Busters, as the company name indicates, is dedicated to eliminating truck engine idling, and offers a Kubota 2-cylinder diesel, water cooled engine that generates 9300 watts of continuous power. Representative Dan Youngman says that this is almost double the power of what his competition offers.
Idle Busters also carries the Dometic brand of heating/air conditioning units with 14,000 BTU's and the RV-style Coleman roof mount heating/ac unit of 13,500 BTU's.
Idle Buster's parent company is the Florida Manufacturing Group, a 15-year old firm involved in automotive and aviation equipment manufacturing.
Dan says that because of this diversity, Idle Busters, which entered the market a little over a year ago, can offer a product support system that will be there for its customers in the future.
UPS Expedite
Overland Park, KS
Representative, Carrier Relations Mgr - Frank Bridges
Booth 245
In December of 2004, UPS completed the acquisition of Menlo Worldwide Expedite! (along with Menlo Worldwide Forwarding and Menlo Worldwide Trade Services). Subsequently, on May 1, 2005, Menlo Worldwide Expedite! begain operating under the UPS Supply Chain Solutions brand name in North America.
As a result of this acquisition, UPS now offers its customers a premium transportation network (under the service name UPS ExpediteSM), coupled with UPS Supply Chain Solutions’ portfolio of services.
UPS Expedite services include: Air, Surface, Charter, Hand Carry and International.
Expedite Expo 2005 also welcomes these new exhibitors:
*Select One
*Canfield Equipment
*M&M Truck Equipment
*Go To Transport
*Load One - Sponsors of Joey Holiday's appearance