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2024 FTR Conference_Hero image_TF(1)

From sessions to networking, we impact your decision-making

This freight-focused assessment of the trucking industry will dive deep into the current state of the economic, regulatory, and industrial factors that impact the demand for freight and rate pressure. With an excellent agenda featuring renowned industry speakers as well as exclusive forecasts powered by the FTR Freight•cast forecasting methodology, you'll leave the 2023 FTR Transportation Conference with a crystal clear understanding of where the trucking market is headed in the near and long terms.

 
ATTENDEES CAN EXPECT: 
 
  • Exclusive economic and freight forecasts from FTR

  • Examinations of regulatory and legal developments and a dive into the nagging driver supply issues

  • Keynote session providing insights from a major industry executive

  • Carrier, shipper, and broker perspectives on the state of the market and expectations for the coming year

  • Discussion of specific developments that could transform how the market operates

From sessions to networking, we impact your decision-making

 
ATTENDEES SHOULD EXPECT: 
 
  • Exclusive economic and freight forecasts from FTR

  • Examinations of regulatory and legal developments, and a dive into the nagging driver supply issues

  • Keynote session providing insights from a major industry executive

  • Carrier, shipper, and broker perspectives on the state of the market and expectations for the coming year

  • Discussion of specific developments that could transform how the market operates

Receive important 2025 FTR Transportation Conference Updates

Truck Freight Agenda

Click on the agenda titles below to view 2022's session descriptions.

6:30 AM - Indy Canal Run/Walk

Meet in the Crowne Plaza lobby. Start your day off right with a 3 or 5-mile run, or a 2-mile walk down the Indy canal. A great time to enjoy the beauty of Indianapolis and engage with your colleagues. Participants also receive a complimentary running shirt.

7:30 AM Women in Transportation Meet & Greet

Join us for the Women in Transportation Meet and Greet. FTR’s VP of Client Services, Helen Lile, will host an informal gathering for women, allowing attendees the chance to connect and engage with other female leaders in the transportation industry.

8:45 AM - Welcome
9:00 AM - Economic Outlook: Do We Finally Have Clarity?

More than three years after pandemic lockdowns, the U.S. economy continues to operate in ways that do not quite match up with the business cycles we typically saw before 2020. This session will review trends in the consumer, labor, industrial, and construction sectors and try to answer a key question: Is the economy simply taking longer to return to normal or is there a "new normal?"

Presenter: 
TBA

9:45 AM - The Road Ahead: FTR’s Perspective on Truck Freight

Hear FTR's outlook for freight, utilization, and rates for the coming year and its assessment of upside and downside risks.

Presenter: 
Avery Vise, FTR

10:15 AM - Networking Break
10:30 AM - Dry Van Market: Finally a Smooth Ride?

Dry van has seen the biggest market swings of all trucking segments over the past three years due to volatility in stimulus-driven consumer demand, supply chain disruptions in automotive, and stresses in the competitive intermodal sector. Has the segment finally entered a period of incremental movements or will the roller coaster ride continue? Hear perspectives from leading dry van carriers and shippers.

Panelists: 
TBA

Moderator: 
Avery Vise, FTR

11:00 AM - Refrigerated Market: Chill or Too Hot to Handle?

While overall consumer demand in refrigerated goods did not experience the wild swings dry van did during the pandemic, refrigerated saw its own challenges due to supply disruptions and swings in where consumption occurred. Has the refrigerated market settled or will it run hot and cold? Hear perspectives from leading refrigerated carriers and shippers.

Panelists: 
Jackie Bailey, Cargill
TBA

Moderator: 
Avery Vise, FTR

11:30 AM - Flatbed Market: Outperforming Expectations?

The flatbed spot volumes have softened due to weakness in the key construction and manufacturing sectors while spot rates have consistently run notably above average. One issue is that flatbed lacks the fluidity of capacity seen in the van segments, but is there more to the story? Hear perspectives from leading flatbed carriers and shippers.

Panelists: 
Rob Roberson, Nucor
TBA

Moderator: 
Avery Vise, FTR

12:00 PM - Lunch Sponsored by Atlantic Logistics
1:00 PM - Truck Freight Keynote

Where is the truck freight market going and how are relationships between carriers and their customers and employees changing? Hear insights into the current market landscape and into what the future might hold from a recognized leader in the trucking industry. 

Presenters:
TBA
Eric Starks, FTR

1:30 PM - Broker Perspectives: A View from the Middle

The extreme market stress that fueled brokers' shipment volumes in 2020 and 2021 has normalized. Can intermediaries find a path to more consistent business conditions and, if so, how? Hear perspectives from leading broker/logistics firms.

Panelists: 
Robert Hopper, Atlantic Logistics
TBA

Moderator: 
Avery Vise, FTR

2:00 PM - How Trucking Looks from Wall Street

Publicly traded carriers and logistics companies represent only a fraction of the overall market, but their transparency offers valuable insights into trends in the transportation industry. Hear insights on truck transportation from a leading equities analyst.

Presenter:
Bruce Chan, Stifel

2:30 PM - Networking Break
2:45 PM - Driverless Trucks: The Road Less Travelled By

Autonomous trucks are rivaled only by electric trucks as the sexiest trend in trucking, but progress toward driverless trucking is not easy to assess. Hear from consulting firm Roland Berger regarding what approaches appear to be most promising, what challenges remain, and what timelines for routine operations appear reasonable.

Presenter: 
Wilfried Aulbur, Roland Berger

3:15 PM - 2033: A Trucking Odyssey

The closing session of the conference's Truck Freight day builds on the autonomous trucking session to look at other ways the industry might change, including not only on-highway and back-office technology but also business models and relationships between carriers and their customers, suppliers, and workers. Hear from a panel of thought leaders on where trucking is heading.

Panelists: 
James Reed, Kodiak 
TBA

Moderator: 
Avery Vise, FTR

5:30 PM - Evening Reception - Sponsored by The Greenbrier Companies

Location:  Indiana Rail Road Headquarters, Indianapolis, IN

Details Coming Soon! 

Truck Freight Speakers

From sessions to networking, we impact your decision-making

 
 
ATTENDEES CAN EXPECT: 
 
  • Exclusive economic and freight forecasts from FTR

  • Examinations of regulatory and legal developments and a dive into the nagging driver supply issues

  • Keynote session providing insights from a major industry executive

  • Carrier, shipper, and broker perspectives on the state of the market and expectations for the coming year

  • Discussion of specific developments that could transform how the market operates

Truck Freight Agenda

Click on the agenda titles below to view 2024's session descriptions.

 

6:30 AM - Indy Canal Run/Walk

Start your day off right with a 3 or 5-mile run, or a 2-mile walk down the Indy canal. A great time to enjoy the beauty of Indianapolis and engage with your colleagues. Participants also receive a complimentary running shirt.

Sponsored by: 
Telegraph.io

 

7:30 AM - 8:30 AM - Women in Transportation Meet & Greet

Join us for the Women in Transportation Meet and Greet hosted by FTR’s COO, Jami Sargent & Women in Trucking's President & CEO, Jennifer Hedrick. This informal gathering offers a unique opportunity for women in the transportation industry to connect, engage, and lead discussions on topics that matter most to them. Don't miss this chance to network and contribute to meaningful conversations.

Gourmet Coffee Bar

Sponsored by: 
Atlantic Logistics

Hosted by: 
Jami Sargent, COO, FTR & Jennifer Hedrick, President & CEO, Women in Trucking

7:30 AM - 8:45 AM - Breakfast

Located in the Union Station Exhibit Hall

8:30 AM - Truck Freight Kick-off

Welcome!

Jonathan Starks - CEO, FTR

8:45 AM - The FTR Outlook: Can the U.S. Economy Continue to Sustain Growth

Hear from FTR's Chairman and CEO as they highlight key aspects of economic conditions and what they mean for growth in the economy. More importantly, they will address what these conditions will do for freight transport growth and what risks that creates for shippers and carriers.

Presenters:
Jonathan Starks - CEO, FTR
Eric Starks - Chairman of the Board, FTR

 

9:30 AM - The Road Ahead: FTR's Outlook for Truck Freight

FTR presents its predictions for freight demand, capacity, utilization, and freight rates, alongside an assessment of potential positive and negative factors influencing these forecasts.

Presenter: 
Avery Vise, Vice President of Trucking, FTR

10:00 AM - Carriers' Perspectives on a Return to Growth

With the truck freight market gradually addressing excess capacity, a panel of trucking company executives discuss their strategies for navigating this unique market situation and their preparations for anticipated growth in the upcoming year.

Presenters:
Lawrence Massengill - CSMO, Big M Transportation


Rob Sauer - CFO, Hills Bros. Transportation

Doug Jordan - Vice President, Jordan Carriers

Moderator:
Avery Vise - Vice President of Trucking, FTR

 

10:30 PM - Networking Break
11:00 AM - Insights from Wall Street on Trucking and Logistics

The transparency required for publicly traded carriers and logistics firms offers valuable insights into the broader transportation market. A leading equities analyst addresses today's market exploring what challenges and opportunities might lie ahead.

Presenter:
Lee Klaskow - Sr. Transportation & Logistics Analyst, Bloomberg, LP

11:30 AM - Shippers' Views on a Changing Truck Freight Market

Shippers' cost relief in 2022 and 2023 did not offset the escalation in 2021, but they at least saw growing stability in capacity and rates. A panel of shippers discuss their views on today's market and how they are applying the lessons they learned the last time around.

Presenters:
John Janson - Global Logistics Director, SANMAR
Travis Krous - Senior Director of Supply Chain, Nestle Purina
Ron Guzzi - Sr. Manager Transportation, Carrier Relations and Sourcing, Home Depot

Moderator:
Avery Vise - Vice President of Trucking, FTR

12:00 PM - Lunch Buffet
1:00 PM - Truck Freight Keynote

Following the cycle of stress and subsequent normalization experienced between 2020 and 2023, the truck freight market is now embarking on a more uncertain path. A respected transportation leader discusses where the truck freight market is going, and how recent history is shaping the market for the months and years ahead.

Presenter:
Erin Van Zeeland -Senior VP/VP/GM, Logistics and Chief Commercial Officer, Schneider National

Moderator: 
Jonathan Starks - CEO, FTR

 

1:30 PM - Brokers' Views on an Emergence from the Bottom

The tumultuous rollercoaster ride of the past four years has proven particularly challenging for freight brokers. A panel of leading broker/logistics firms discuss how they dealt with the ups and downs, and how they are applying the lessons of the previous cycle as they approach the next rise in the truck freight market.

Presenters:
Dave Broering - President of Integrated Logistics, NFI Industries
Justin Danks - Vice President Operations, Sunset Transportation
Ryan Hammett - Director, CH Robinson

Moderator:
Avery Vise - Vice President of Trucking, FTR

2:00 PM - Trucking Across the Southern Border

Nearshoring, an expanded North American free trade regime, and other factors are generating more activity and interest in truck transportation between the U.S. and Mexico. This session will explore the trends and opportunities in cross-border freight and the challenges stakeholders face.

Presenter:
David Spencer - VP of Market Intelligence, Arrive Logistics
Mark Vickers - Executive Vice President and Head of International Logistics, Reliance Partners

Moderator:
Avery Vise - Vice President of Trucking, FTR

2:30 PM - Networking Break
3:00 PM - How Regulation and Enforcement are Reshaping Trucking

Major actions like the ELD mandate have an obvious effect on capacity and productivity, but subtler changes can be significant. Hear from an expert on how government regulations and enforcement practices could change the truck freight market in the years to come.

Presenter:
Sean Garney - Co-Director, Scopelitis

3:30 PM - What Can A.I. Do for Truck Freight Today?

Discussions of generative artificial intelligence usually focus on a vision of the future, but benefits are here now. Hear perspectives on how A.I. is being applied today to make truck transportation more efficient. 

Presenter:
Amit Prasad - Industry Expert

Moderator:
Avery Vise - Vice President of Trucking, FTR

4:00 PM - What is the "New Normal" for Trucking?
The truck freight market finally appears to have worked through the ups and downs triggered by the pandemic. What's next? Will the market revert to how it operated five years ago and before? Or is a new paradigm underway. The final session of the day will explore how the industry has changed and where it is going.
 

Presenters:
Jeff Tucker- CEO, Tucker Company Worldwide, Inc.
David Ross - Chief Strategy Officer, Roadrunner

Moderator:
Avery Vise - Vice President of Trucking, FTR

 

4:30 PM - Market Intelligence Master Class

Join Derek Young, FTR’s VP of Sales & Marketing, as he discusses the importance of devoting resources to your market intelligence toolkit to protect your profits and maximize your margins.
He’ll discuss why a defined market intelligence process is more important now than ever before. You’ll learn who benefits, how the impact trickles throughout the organization, the key components of a robust process, and how FTR subscriptions help our clients with our turnkey market intelligence solutions.

Presenter: 
Derek Young - Vice President of Sales & Marketing, FTR

5:30 PM - Greenbrier Gridiron Gathering - Sponsored by The Greenbrier Companies


Location: Quarterback Suite at Lucas Oil Stadium

View 2024 Session Details Below

Truck Freight Agenda

Download the Truck Freight agenda in PDF.
Download Agenda

Company List

View companies in your industry that have previously attended.
Download List

Truck Freight Speakers

Click the dots below to scroll through this 2024's fantastic list of speakers.

 

Jonathan Starks CEO, FTR
Eric Starks Chairman of the Board, FTR
Avery Vise Vice President, Trucking, FTR
Rob Sauer CFO, Hill Bros. Transportation
Doug Jordan Vice President, Jordan Carriers
Lawrence Massengill Chief Sales & Marketing Officer, Big M Transportation
Lee Klaskow Senior Analyst Transportation & Logistics, Bloomberg, LP
John Janson Global Logistics Director, SANMAR
Travis Krous Senior Director of Supply Chain, Nestle Purina
Ron Guzzi Sr. Manager Transportation, Carrier Relations and Sourcing, Home Depot
Erin Van Zeeland Senior VP/GM, Logistics and Chief Commercial Officer, Schneider
David Broering President of Integrated Logistics, NFI Industries
Justin Danks VP, Operations, Sunset Transportation
Ryan Hammett Director, CH Robinson
Sean Garney Co-Director, Scopelitis
Amit Prasad Industry Expert
David Spencer VP of Market Intelligence, Arrive Logistics
Mark Vickers Executive VP & Head of International Logistics, Reliance Partners
Jeff Tucker CEO, Tucker Company Worldwide, Inc.
David Ross Chief Strategy Officer, Roadrunner
Derek Young Vice President of Sales & Marketing, FTR

Truck Freight Platinum Sponsor

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Sponsorships available

Learn about becoming a sponsor for the 2025 Conference.