WASHINGTON — As market pressure, regulatory uncertainty, workforce challenges and cost volatility continue to define the truckload operating environment, TCA’s education program for Truckload 2026 is designed to help carrier leaders think more clearly, plan more confidently, and operate more effectively.
“Below is a full roundup of the education experiences announced so far,” TCA said. “Each is built to deliver practical insight, peer perspective, and takeaways you can apply long after you leave Orlando. Whether you’re leading a small fleet, managing growth at a mid-sized operation, overseeing safety and compliance, or guiding enterprise-level strategy, Truckload 2026 education is intentionally structured to deliver value across roles and fleet sizes.”
Carrier-Led Panels
Panels at Truckload 2026 are built around one guiding principle: learning from peers who are actively running trucking companies today.
- Managing Costs Relentlessly & Preparing for the Future: Carrier executives walk through the KPIs, reporting rhythms, and financial discipline they rely on to right-size operations today while staying ready for the next market turn.
- Surviving & Thriving as a Carrier: Focusing on how carriers can move beyond reactive decision-making by establishing a disciplined financial reporting cadence and using data as a strategic leadership tool.
- Understanding Commercial Driver, Training, and Vehicle Enforcement: Safety and compliance leaders to examine how enforcement is interpreted and applied in today’s environment.
Interactive Workshops
“Workshops go deeper than a traditional breakout session,” TCA said. “These are structured, hands-on learning environments focused on problem-solving, implementation, and operational clarity.”
- Everyday AI: How Any Carrier Can Work Smarter: Built for leaders who may feel overwhelmed by AI hype, skeptical of expensive system overhauls, or simply curious how peers are experimenting with AI in practical, non-disruptive ways. The conversation explores what’s working, what isn’t, and how carriers can start small without needing technical expertise or major investment.
- TCA Profitability Program (TPP); Driving Profits through Benchmarking: Taking a closer look at how participating carriers are using peer benchmarking to reduce costs, improve performance, and increase revenue.
- The Importance of Culture: What Works and What Doesn’t: Rather than focusing on mission statements or abstract values, this session examines the lived experience of culture—how it shows up in decision-making, collaboration, leadership behavior and employee engagement.
Peer Discussion Groups
“Sometimes the most valuable education happens around the table,” TCA said. “Discussion groups create space for candid peer-to-peer conversation among leaders facing similar challenges.”
These guided discussion sessions focus on the following areas:
- Building a Culture of Compliance and Safety.
- The Unknown World of Equipment & Maintenance.
- Driving Operational Excellence and Profits.
- Marketing Technology.
General Sessions, Keynotes and Featured Speakers
“Our main-stage programming brings the entire truckload community together to focus on leadership, economic signals and the forces shaping the industry’s future,” TCA said.
- Keynote Speaker – NFL Legend Jimmy Johnson, sponsored by International Motors.
- Featured Speaker – Kevin Gaskell, former Group CEO of BMW, Porsche and Lamborghini Great Britain.
- Economic Outlook – Bob Costello, chief economist and senior vice president, American Trucking Associations.
To register for Truckload 2020, click here.
Dana Guthrie is an award-winning journalist who has been featured in multiple newspapers, books and magazines across the globe. She is currently based in the Atlanta, Georgia, area.
