The 33rd annual Mid-America Trucking Show starts tomorrow, March 25, at the Kentucky Fair and Exposition Center in Louisville, KY. The event runs through March 27.

The show – held at the Kentucky Fair and Exposition Center at the junction of I-65 and I-264, one mile south of downtown Louisville – will be the 33rd edition of the industry's show of shows. At the event, you’ll find a million square feet of exhibit space, more than 1,000 exhibiting companies and more than 70,000 truckers under one roof.

One of the first things you see as you enter the show is OOIDA's truck, "The Spirit of the American Trucker." The black Pete and walk-through trailer (Booth No. 9031) will be parked in the East Wing Parking lot right outside the registration pavilion. OOIDA board member Wood Chambers and his wife, Paula, will serve up hot coffee and tours of the truck.

Then, while you're cruisin' the exhibit floor, stop by the OOIDA/Land Line booth (No. 117) in the East Wing. It's always nice when members stop by the booth and say "hi." It's also a good time to renew your membership, since dues are only $25 if you renew at the show. If you’re not a member yet, this is the best time to sign up, since you get the discounted rate.

Special events that have become annual attractions to the show include the 4th Annual Paul K. Young Truck Beauty Championship, the Mid-America Jamboree, Trucking Technology Center, Driver Recruitment Center, the Expedited Trucking InfoCenter and informative seminars. NASCAR's Ken Schrader will sign autographs at Booth No. 6485 in the Mid-America Driver Recruitment Center Thursday, March 25.

For more information about the Mid-America Trucking Show, call (502) 899-3892 or go to www.truckingshow.com. Watch Land Line’s Web site for news from the show this week.

--by René Tankersley, feature editor

René Tankersley can be reached at rene_tankersley@landlinemag.com.