Overdrive Magazine | Trucking Business News & Owner Operator Info
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/550385
August 2015 | Overdrive | 53 GATS Preview Pride & Polish awards ceremony. When it starts at 11 a.m., the 2015 winner of Overdrive's Most Beautiful, Joanne Fatta, will be recognized. Some of the nation's most stunning show trucks are competing in Pride & Polish, which is celebrating its 25th an- niversary. In addition to this year's GATS competition, Best of Show winners from the past five Pride & Polish events will compete in the 2015 National Champi- onship finals. The Texas Trucking Association will host free seminars throughout the show on how to improve business. Seminar topics include technology, risk manage- ment, regulatory matters, driver retention and taxes. Overdrive's Partners in Business seminars will be offered twice daily, Friday and Saturday, in the GATS Theater. Com- pany drivers wanting to become owner- operators, or owner-operators looking to get a step ahead in their business, will find helpful information at these free one-hour seminars. Partners in Business is produced by Overdrive and ATBS, the nation's largest owner-operator financial services pro- vider, and sponsored by Ryder, Goodyear Smart Fleet and Truckstop.com. Attend- ees will receive a free Partners in Business manual, which covers a variety of practi- cal financial tips, equipment management strategies and more. The Landstar Fit for the Road Health and Wellness Pavilion will feature free health screenings. Also, vendors will present cooking, fitness and educational demonstrations. Services and screenings will include: • Ask a pharmacist • Blood pressure screening • Bone marrow donor registration drive • Cardiac risk assessment • Diabetes education • Eye acuity exam • Height/weight/body mass index screening • Mammogram • Nutrition screening Another health initiative at the show will be the Fit for the Road 5K run/walk Saturday morning. Registration is $30 prior to the morning of the event at www. truckshow.com/5k/, $40 on-site, and includes a T-shirt. Proceeds will benefit the St. Christopher Truckers Develop- ment and Relief Fund, which helps driv- ers whose medical problems have led to financial hardship. Photo by Lorri Markum Nate Moran Paul Marhoefer Don Whatley Recording artist Tony Justice will emcee the Trucker Talent Search competition and perform at it. BEFORE GATS, GET THE BIG PICTURE For the afternoon and morning preced- ing the opening of GATS at noon, Aug. 27, attendees have the opportunity to hear from experts inside and outside the trucking industry. The Aug. 26-27 Commercial Vehicle Outlook will feature speakers on the future of trucking, with a focus on equipment, supply chain, people and what's practical in the real world. The keynote speaker will be Dr. Michio Kaku, one of today's foremost futurists. Other speakers include Derek Rotz, manager of advanced engineering at Daimler Trucks North America; Ste- phen Hampson, president and general manager of Meritor Wabco; David Levinson, author and professor at the University of Minnesota; and Bill Kahn, principal engineer at Peterbilt Motors. For more information on CV Outlook and to register for the conference, visit www.cvoconline.com. Longtime Partners in Business presenter Kevin Rutherford will present two seminars Aug. 29. Max Heine