Life on the Road - Trucking News Blog

Last week was the MATS in Louisville, Kentucky. Our family was lucky enough to get VIP tickets to the show. It was pretty awesome, seeing all the new trucks, checking out trailers I had never given thought to even look at (I really inspected a grain trailer for the first time this year those things are pretty neat inside!). Yes, I was excited like a little kid. My teenage boys enjoyed the pretty gals at the Western Star exhibit and had their pictures taken with them.

Despite the rain and the fact that I now have bronchitis from looking at trucks in the rain - the trip was worth it for us. So much so we went back on Saturday when my husband came home because he was out on the road (of course) when we went down on Thursday.I have a few little complaints. I don’t know if it is because I am getting older or what. But here it goes anyway -

1. VIP passes are given out for a reason - yet there were a TON of people getting in without them. People - enforce the rule!!!
2. I realize people are curious about trucks - but since it IS a trucking industry show - you would think only trucking people would be allowed in - not true. I think there were more spectators there than anything (getting the free stuff no doubt because you would see them grab the free stuff and basically run to the next booth to get more free stuff).
3. And my last gripe is - those who do not belong to the transportation industry that have a string of little kids behind them.

Why does this bother me? Um, maybe because it seemed like EVERY truck we went to look at had some little kid literally sitting behind the wheel of the truck “playing” and then there were the kids where the parents were literally letting them run back and forth inside a dry van that was on display until the representative from the company came along and asked them to stop.

The preteens who got into the trailer because they did not know what it was for and then complained because they realized it was for hauling livestock to be processed, and of course I cannot forget the lady that took her two year old son into the cattle trailer while my husband was trying to look at the gates and such but she took him in there because it was “cute”. *Not a playground lady!*Again - maybe it’s me getting older and not having little ones at home. But I seem to think the majority of those kids belonged to someone who had absolutely no idea what they were looking at or why.

A few years ago when they had some of the big name NASCAR people at the show - I honestly remember more than one couple going “Where do we go next because all that’s left to look at is rigs and I don’t want to see those.” Um, ok….it is a TRUCK show people!! Sure it’s nice to let non-industry people in so they can learn more about the industry - but what exactly are they learning? That free stuff is given out every year? Because from what I have seen - most of the people that are there for the goodies don’t get the pamphlet’s, flyers, etc. that the companies are handing out, they toss those aside and see how many free pens and pads they can get.

Lonestar, of course!

Personally - between all of us we had two bags of stuff. What did it have in it? Bags that other people were handing us as we walked by (the Freightliner bags rocked, but the International bags were pretty awesome too). Information on trucks we liked (which OF COURSE included the Lonestar that we all drooled over!!), information on cattle trailers for when the truck is paid off *sigh*, chrome catalogs (that’s pretty standard right? ha-ha). A few of the updated directories to some truck stops, information on health insurance that sounded like a good deal when I talked to the rep, a few notepads from those we stopped and talked to about their products, business cards, and of course my youngest son’s favorite (and literally the only thing in his bag) - truck books.

Chrome Shop Mafia

I guess I’m just getting old. This was the fourth year we went to the show and it seemed like it just was not the same as in the past. Trailers were not in one area, the recruiting area was different, and it just seemed like things were placed here and there instead of having them altogether categorically (which would make sense right?). Oh, and I do have to mention it was pretty awesome seeing the Chrome Shop Mafia at work there. Hopefully my pictures from that will turn out!!

So, tell me, what are your thoughts on large scale truck shows like this? Who should they be open to? My thoughts are those in CDL training, those who possess a CDL, or those who work in the transportation industry.But I’m curious to know what other people think of this. After all - if someone walks in just for the free stuff - and wants to see nothing about the trucks - why let them in?

Such a pretty truck - especially if you like CHROME!!!

The Day Cab - and Yes someone was in it driving it during the truck show - they had just finished up their presentation (you should have seen all the camera crews there!) and were moving the day cab into position - then they moved another model to the left of the first picture I took as well. Sounds like a tough truck.

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