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Countdown to ACT 2026 Ticks Below a Month
FedEx Freight’s John Smith to Kick Off Conference
Key Takeaways:
- FedEx Freight incoming CEO John Smith will deliver the opening keynote at the Advanced Clean Transportation Expo on May 4 in Las Vegas, weeks before the unit spins off June 1.
- The event highlights trucking’s continued push toward cleaner, more efficient technologies as legacy manufacturers, major fleets and startups convene despite a prolonged freight downturn.
- Executives from truck makers, fleets and autonomous and alternative powertrain startups will outline strategies on digital investment, decarbonization and commercialization during the May 4-7 conference.
The countdown clock for Advanced Clean Transportation 2026 Expo ticked below a month in recent days, with the opening keynote presentation to be given May 4 by FedEx Freight incoming CEO John Smith.
FedEx Freight ranks No. 1 on the Transport Topics list of the largest less-than-truckload carriers in North America and is scheduled to spin off from parent company FedEx Corp. on June 1. FedEx Corp. ranks No. 2 on TT’s Top 100 list of the largest for-hire carriers in North America.
“The LTL industry is being reshaped by rising expectations for speed, reliability and visibility, and at FedEx Freight, we know a lot of that starts with the truck,” Smith said in a statement. “We’re continually refining our operations and working toward a safer and more efficient fleet. I’m eager to share what we’re learning and where we see opportunities for the industry as a whole at ACT Expo.”
The executive is also expected to address how carriers are balancing cost discipline with investments in digital systems and lower-carbon fleet strategies at a time when the freight market has been in the longest downturn in living memory.
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Smith’s fellow headliners at the Las Vegas Convention Center May 4-7 will include the top executives at International Motors, Mack Trucks and Volvo Trucks North America — Mathias Carlbaum, Stephen Roy and Peter Voorhoeve, respectively.
Fleets with more than one speaker at the event include Penske, PepsiCo and Ryder System. Miami-based Ryder ranks No. 6 on the for-hire TT100 and No. 5 among truckload/dedicated carriers. Penske Logistics ranks No. 12 on the for-hire TT 100 and No. 6 among truckload/dedicated carriers. PepsiCo sits at No. 2 in TT’s Top 100 private carrier rankings.
The panel presence of executives from legacy truck makers, including four from Daimler Truck North America, and some of the largest fleets in the U.S. highlights trucking’s ongoing attention to cleaner, more efficient powertrains and decarbonization even after a tough year for original equipment manufacturers and advocates.
There will be no Hyzon, Lion Electric or Nikola presence at this year’s event.
Ceramex North America's JT Roberson and Matt Brady unpack what fleets get wrong about aftertreatment total cost of ownership.Tune in above or by going to .
But startups and pioneers across alternative powertrains, autonomous trucking and artificial intelligence software will be heavily represented on the stage and among the 406 exhibitors.
A presentation by the executive in charge of Tesla’s Semi program, Dan Priestley, will be more carefully parsed than ever before as the Elon Musk-led disrupter ramps up production at its Reno, Nevada, manufacturing plant.
Meanwhile, podium and panel appearances by Ossa Fisher, Don Burnette, David Liu and Raquel Urtasun of Aurora, Kodiak, PlusAI and Waabi, respectively, will also grab the attention of attendees as the self-driving Class 8 truck pioneers prepare for pivotal quarters in their progress toward commercialization.
The conference will also offer a continuing education program for the first time in partnership with the NAFA Fleet Management Association and Green Business Certification Inc.
Registration is available online at .
