The Great American Truck Show this past weekend was a great one indeed. Whether it is a sign of the recovering economy or the interest in the newest technology in trucking, it definitely seemed to have a larger attendance than last year. Of Course, working in the Freightliner Team Run Smart booth, I was able to have some of the nicest trucks on 
display to look at for the duration of the show. I was most captivated by the 122SD 8x8 tanker that we had on display in our booth, as it is not often you see a heavy duty truck that big where I’m at in California! For reference, see the picture where headlights on this thing are literally at the same level as my face!
We also had the Freightliner Cascadia Evolution 72" condo-sleeper on display, which is always a hit with truckers looking to get the lowest total cost of ownership out of their new truck. People were allowed to tour this wonderful piece of equipment and were amazed at its mix of comfort and efficiency. One part 
that really brought a smile to my face was when I witnessed fellow pro Henry Albert giving a tour of all three trucks on display to a local troop of very excited Boy Scouts. I am a sap for kids now that I have two young ones of my own!
On the final day of the show I was able to attend the Trucking Solution Group’s health awareness walk, which I take pride in doing at both MATS and GATS. This year we walked from the front of the convention center to the famous “grassy knoll” where President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. Though I am not old enough to remember this tragic time in American history, I am familiar with the impact it had on 
all of those who lived through it. As I walked along the wall of the book depository and continued down the avenue to the exact spot where the X’s on the pavement marked the two shots that were fired, it gave me a chilling respect for that moment in time and what it truly meant. It was a feeling no textbook description or video recording of the event could have duplicated for me.
Another highlight for me was the raffle at the end of each day, where a large crowd would gather for their chance to win some of the gear available in our Team Run Smart Rewards program, as well as an iPad mini and a beautiful hand-crafted Freightliner Cascadia. I was able to MC the giveaway from the steps of the Detroit display trailer, which gave me a birds-eye view of the excitement and fun everyone was having in the Freightliner booth this year! Now that all the fun is over and the show is finished, it is now time to put the rubber on the road and get back to the working world once again!