The annual gathering of truckstop operators from around the country included an economic outlook for trucking, discussion of autonomous commercial vehicles, a look at future trends, and much more.
A lot of long term trends are fostering opportunities and worries among truckstop operators. At NATSO Connect 2018, the annual convention of the trade group formerly known as the National Association of Truck Stop Operators held this year in Nashville, TN, truckstop operators heard from industry experts such as Bob Costello, chief economist for the American Trucking Associations (ATA) about the freight forecast for U.S. truckers -- which is the strongest it's been "since deregulation," in his words -- and from ATA Chairman Dave Manning and Maverick Transportation's Dean Newel about how autonomous systems will impact motor carrier operations and driver employment. Other sessions examined broader technological trends that are reshaping how businesses interact with consumers, while more targeted panel discsusions looked at ways to make truckstops a "destination of choice" for motorists and commercial drivers alike.
About the Author
Sean Kilcarr
Editor in Chief
Sean Kilcarr is a former longtime FleetOwner senior editor who wrote for the publication from 2000 to 2018. He served as editor-in-chief from 2017 to 2018.