Podcast: What you missed at Q1's trucking trade shows
Did you miss your chance to attend the year's major trucking industry trade shows?
From Heavy-Duty Aftermarket Week to ATA's Technology and Maintenance Council, Work Truck Week, and beyond, The Fleet Lead's hosts talk about the major events and announcements that defined each conference—featuring Trailer-Body Builder's Kevin Jones, FleetOwner's Jade Brasher, Bulk Transporter's Jason McDaniel, and Fleet Maintenance's John Hitch.
Catch this episode of The Fleet Lead podcast here or search for The Fleet Lead on your favorite podcast app.
Timestamps:
- 01:11 – Heavy-Duty Aftermarket Week
- 02:44 – Work Truck Week, vehicle reveals
- 04:44 – Fleet adoption of AI
- 11:34 – TMC annual meeting: latest parts and labor data
- 23:35 – Upcoming 2026 events
About the Author
Kevin Jones
Editor
Kevin has served as editor-in-chief of Trailer/Body Builders magazine since 2017—just the third editor in the magazine’s 60 years. He is also editorial director for Endeavor Business Media’s Commercial Vehicle group, which includes FleetOwner, Bulk Transporter, Refrigerated Transporter, American Trucker, and Fleet Maintenance magazines and websites.
Working from Beaufort, S.C., Kevin has covered trucking and manufacturing for nearly 20 years. His writing and commentary about the trucking industry and, previously, business and government, has been recognized with numerous state, regional, and national journalism awards.
Jade Brasher
Executive Editor Jade Brasher has covered vocational trucking and fleets since 2018. A graduate of The University of Alabama with a degree in journalism, Jade enjoys telling stories about the people behind the wheel and the intricate processes of the ever-evolving trucking industry.

Jason McDaniel
Jason McDaniel, based in the Houston TX area, has nearly 20 years of experience as a journalist. He spent 15 writing and editing for daily newspapers, including the Houston Chronicle, and began covering the commercial vehicle industry in 2018. He was named editor of Bulk Transporter and Refrigerated Transporter magazines in July 2020.
John Hitch
Editor
John Hitch is the editor-in-chief of Fleet Maintenance, providing maintenance management and technicians with the the latest information on the tools and strategies to keep their fleets' commercial vehicles moving. He is based out of Cleveland, Ohio, and was previously senior editor for FleetOwner. He previously wrote about manufacturing and advanced technology for IndustryWeek and New Equipment Digest.







