In the Rearview: A Recap of MATS 2023
Our team is still fired up about our visit to Louisville, KY, to attend the 2023 Mid America Trucking Show (MATS). The one-of-a-kind experience left us eager and optimistic about the future of the business, the innovative technology that’s making truckers’ jobs easier and the exciting road that lies ahead for our RoadEx team of roadies and clients. As the trucking industry experiences a period of change, we are as ready as ever to help our customers adapt and thrive in this always-evolving business environment.
Building Connections within Our Community
Our booth in the West Wing of the Kentucky Exhibition Center was busy the entire weekend as we did what RoadEx does best — built relationships with customers and partners that align with our business model and our company’s values. MATS 2023 was special because it gave us the ability to connect with vendors and leaders across the industry.
MATS provided a platform to showcase our partnership and build awareness for the important work done by Truckersfinalmile, a 501(c)(3) charity dedicated to helping the individuals in our industry who need it most. At the show, we spread the word about the important things Truckersfinalmile does for our community members, such as reuniting truckers with their families in times of crisis, and getting extra funds to support drivers in their times of need. We’re also honored to share that, after a $5,000 matching gift from RoadEx, the organization raised $18,200 during MATS.
The Takeaways, Trends, and Tech from MATS 2023
Another great moment about MATS 2023 was everything that took place beyond our booth. From innovative exhibits staffed by industry experts to the comprehensive 2023 MATS Pro Talks Presentations, we had a chance to preview the concepts and technologies that will usher in the next iteration of our industry.
One of the clear breakthroughs coming to the trucking world is more powerful, more predictive software behind the trucking management systems.These developments will accelerate our abilities to track shipments, increase our load booking and invoice clients so you get paid quickly. It will also widen the gap between the businesses and truckers who adopt the technology versus those who do not. Independent operators who take advantage of smart technology will continue to run a more efficient operation. Everything we learned has us excited about the path ahead for our business and our partners as we prioritize getting you on the road to get the job done instead of sitting at a desk while tasked with paperwork.
MATS 2023 convened industry leaders to discuss the downturn in the U.S. market over the past year, and how these challenging times are affecting our industry. Chief among topics of discussion was the current rate-per-mile trucking businesses are charging their clients. We have seen an overall dip in rate-per-mile by most invoice factoring companies in the past year, and some of these businesses have even ceased operations. We are also in an environment where big fleets are still thriving, while smaller fleets are doing their best just to stay afloat.
The good news, though, is the warmer, produce-filled trucking season is now upon us, and many in our industry can expect an uptick in loads — and hopefully rates, too — in the coming months. As shipments increase in weight and frequency, our industry has more leverage to get rate per mile prices back up to the levels we saw in 2021.
One thing we definitely took away from our trip to Kentucky is that our industry is evolving rapidly, and it will increasingly lean on the advanced technology and concepts we saw at MATS 2023. As our industry changes, so will RoadEx to meet the changing needs of our customers. We are optimistic about the future and the services we will continue to bring to our partners, and we hope you are, too.
Contact us today to find out more about what we can do to make every mile a successful one. Learn more here.