For the third year, TIA is co-locating the Commercial Tire, Retread & Recycling Conference two-day educational program with the American Trucking Associations’ (ATA) Technology & Maintenance Council (TMC) Annual Meeting and Trade Show. This is North America’s largest gathering of fleet maintenance professionals and this combination of organizations provides an opportunity for you to meet and interact with buyers in the trucking industry as well as with professionals from the commercial tire, retreading, and tire and rubber recycling industries.

NEW THIS YEAR! TIA will sponsor the TIA Pavilion in the Orange County Convention Center, where tire retread suppliers and manufacturers will display products and services as part of the ATA and TMC Trade Show. See the latest displays from Oliver Rubber, ASA Tire Systems, Central Marketing Group (Matteuzzi, Steinbichler, TEI Service, MAE & CIMA), Lazy Loader, B&J Manufacturing, Daeho Industry and Pacific Treads, and more!

FEBRUARY 9-11, 2009
ROSEN CENTRE HOTEL • ORLANDO, FLORIDA



Hotel Reservations Open – Reserve Yours Today!

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2009
3:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Early Registration

5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Orange County Convention Center
TMC Exhibition & Reception featuring the TIA Retread Pavilion


TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2009
12:00 noon – 7:00 p.m.
Registration

3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Rosen Centre Hotel
TIA Opening Session
featuring Keynote Speaker Bob Costello of the American Trucking Association

5:45 p.m. – 7:45 p.m.
Orange County Convention Center
TMC Exhibition & Reception featuring the TIA Retread Pavilion


WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2009
7:00 a.m. – 8:00 a.m.
Registration

8:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Orange County Convention Center
TMC Exhibition, Coffee Break & Walk Around Lunch
featuring the TIA Retread Pavilion

1:45 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Rosen Centre Hotel
Commercial Tire/Retread General Sessions

• 1:45 p.m. – 3:15 p.m.
  Casing Inspection Technology
  Regardless of the industry, technology is rapidly advancing, and when it comes to inspecting truck tire casings prior to retreading, there have been some significant changes and upgrades to the existing equipment. Several casing inspection equipment manufacturers will offer their views on the current and future capabilities of their machines so attendees will have a better understanding of where they stand today and where they might stand tomorrow.
  
  
• 3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
  Minimizing Liability & Reducing Workers’ Comp
  Insurance costs are rising like everything else, so taking the steps to minimize risk will definitely pay long-term dividends. Between them, Marvin Bozarth and Harold Herzlich, have decades of experience as expert witnesses in all types of lawsuits and have testified in hundreds of cases. They will offer commercial tire dealers and retreaders invaluable advice on how they can minimize their exposure to a lawsuit in all aspects of their operation. If you want to stay in business, then you have to accept the liability that comes with it. So don’t miss this workshop. Of all the insurance costs, Workers’ Comp is the one that is the most controllable. This workshop will focus on the steps that every commercial tire dealer and retreader can take to reduce the number and severity of accidents that contribute to higher premiums. It will also outline TIA’s Workers’ Comp dividend program, where TIA members can actually receive a refund of their premium if the total losses do not exceed the total premiums. If getting money back from your Worker’s Comp premium seems like a great idea, this workshop will explain how some companies have been doing it for years.
  
  
• 4:45 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
  Tire Manufacturers’ Forum
  One of the most highly rated workshops returns for another question and answer session with top technical personnel from all of the major tire manufacturers. The questions last year focused on both new tires and retreads, as attendees had the opportunity to ask the questions that they always wanted
  answered. An added bonus was the chance to hear how each company approaches subjects like retreadability and the relationship to casing age. If you have questions like that, then these experts have answers for you.
  
  
• 5:30 p.m. – 6:15 p.m.
  Fleet Forum
  One of the things that makes TMC’s Annual Meeting so attractive is that North America’s largest fleets send their top maintenance professionals, so decision-makers are always in attendance. We’ve asked a few of them to participate in this workshop, where they will offer some insight on what they look for in a tire service and retread supplier. After the introductions, the speakers will be available for a question and answer period that will provide an inside look at what’s on customers’ minds.
  

6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Rosen Centre Hotel
Networking Reception

TIA OPENING SESSION FEATURED KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Bob Costello is the Chief Economist and Vice President for the American Trucking Associations (ATA), the national trade association for the trucking industry. As Chief Economist, he manages all of ATA's collection, analysis and dissemination of trucking economic information. This includes several monthly trucking economic indicators, motor carrier financial and operating data, an annual freight transportation forecast, driver wage studies, weekly diesel fuel price and economic reports, and a yearly trucking almanac. Bob also conducts economic analyses of proposed regulations and legislation affecting the trucking industry.

Bob is often cited in the news media as an expert on trucking economics, including the Wall Street Journal,
Business Week, CNBC, and National Public Radio. He has also testified at congressional hearings on trucking issues.