The Work Truck Show exceeds expectations in a slowly recovering economy

April 1, 2010
THE Work Truck Show 2010 and the 46th annual National Truck Equipment Association convention exceeded expectations, with 8,054 industry professionals

THE Work Truck Show 2010 and the 46th annual National Truck Equipment Association convention exceeded expectations, with 8,054 industry professionals in attendance — the third-highest show attendance ever for this event.

Leading truck manufacturers chose this year's show to introduce their high-profile new vehicles to the world. Exhibiting companies such as Navistar, Nissan Commercial, Freightliner Custom Chassis Corp, Ford Commercial Truck, and GMC all revealed their commercial vehicles. Overall, more than 80 new products were launched at the show.

The Work Truck Show also expanded its green initiatives. The popular Green Truck Summit, which was extended to two days in a partnership with CALSTART, was presented to a sold out crowd.

William Shatner drew upon his nearly 60 years in show business to inspire and entertain attendees as keynote speaker at the President's Breakfast and NTEA Annual Meeting on Thursday.

Three awards were given out:

  • The Work Truck Show Green Award was awarded to Terex Utilities for its HyPower hybrid system. A panel of trade media editors selected HyPower as the best new product that advances fuel utilization displayed at the Work Truck Show. It's a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle system that allows utility truck operators to save up to 1.5 gallons of fuel per hour.

  • The Editors' Choice Award went to Utilimaster Corp for its Energywise Utilivan, which provides 860 cubic feet of cargo capacity in a fuel-efficient package. The body is built using Utilimaster's Energywise composite panels to provide a 600-pound weight reduction as compared to traditional construction.

  • The Innovation Award, voted on by show attendees, went to Airworks for its T100 Hybrid mobile compressor, which gives customers a choice of four operating fuels: gasoline, E-85, compressed natural gas (CNG), or propane.

Plans are already underway for next year's Work Truck Show, scheduled for March 7-10, 2011, in Indianapolis.

About the Author

Rick Weber | Associate Editor

Rick Weber has been an associate editor for Trailer/Body Builders since February 2000. A national award-winning sportswriter, he covered the Miami Dolphins for the Fort Myers News-Press following service with publications in California and Australia. He is a graduate of Penn State University.