MATS 2017: Everything you need to know about the show

The world’s largest annual heavy-duty trucking event is getting ready to return for yet another year. The Mid-America Trucking Show comes up every year with so many exciting features. But where do you park? What are the show hours? What’s this year’s seminar schedule?

Fear not. We’ve gathered all the information you need to have a successful MATS experience all in one place here in this overview.

It happens every year. It’s big. It’s shiny. We’re talking about the Mid-America Trucking Show. MATS it is the largest annual heavy-duty trucking event in the world. It’s so large, over 1,000,000 square feet of all things trucking to be exact, that it can be overwhelming. We don’t want you to miss out on the real value of attending MATS, it’s best to make a plan and get started early.

Why should you attend MATS?

• • All the new stuff is there.

• • This is where the industry talks, teaches, learns, and shares.

• Networking: you get to meet top personalities and make new friends.

Preparing for MATS 2017

Get your tickets. Now. Seriously. You can register for free until Feb 22. If you show up without a ticket, it’ll be $10 a person. So, save yourself some money and get your tickets soon.

Think about your goals. Write them down. Are you thinking about starting your own trucking company? Tired of paying too much for a load board? Ready to grow your fleet? Make a list of things you want to accomplish or learn about at MATS.

Make a plan. You can browse the companies that will have booths on the MATS website. Compare the company’s products and services to your list of goals. Once you know some companies you want to talk to, you can find out where they’ll be and walk around the show floor with purpose.

What to Expect at MATS 2017

1. 1. Crowds. Trying to park, trying to get in. It’ll be crowded. We recommend giving yourself plenty of time to get around and bring your patience. With over a million square feet of exhibit space, everyone will spread out, but there are a few bottleneck areas when you’re trying to get in and move around the show.

1. 1. Walking. Did we mention the million square feet? That’s a lot of space, and that’s just the exhibitor space, not the hallways and everywhere else you’ll want to get to. Wear comfortable shoes and charge your fitbit. You’re in for a lot of steps.

1. 1. Freebies. You can get a lot of stuff at MATS. If you want to collect all the free pens, magnets, key chains, and goodies you can, come prepared to carry all that stuff around.

1. A lot of information. Everyone wants you to remember them. It’ll be impossible to remember it all. So, if you’re interested in a product or service, grab a brochure, take a card and use one of those free pens to make a note on it to follow up.