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September 15, 1999 8:12 AM, EDT

DALLAS—The new kid on the truck show block, the Great American Trucking Show, opened in Dallas Sept. 9 to positive reviews. If sheer numbers are any indication, the event looks to give the other high-profile shows, such as the International Trucking Show and Mid-America Trucking Show, a serious run for their money.

Warren Sellers, whose Sellers Expositions is managing the show, said GATS is the largest first-time trade show ever put on in North America. Spread over 350,000 square feet at the Dallas Convention Center — plus the parking area for the Pride & Polish truck “beauty contest” — the show had attracted more than 700 exhibitors and nearly 40,000 registrants by Sept. 4, with more coming as on-site registrants, Sellers said.

“Our expectation was 20,000 pre-registered [attendees] and 25,000 total,” he said. “So I’m real happy.”

Among the exhibitors were the biggest names in industry products and service providers, among them Freightliner Corp., Navistar International, Peterbilt Motors, Exxon Co., Caterpillar, Kenworth Truck Co., Texaco and the Associates Commercial Corp.

For the full story, see the Sept. 13 print edition of Transport Topics. Subscribe today.