MCE 2025 Unites the Industry Around Policy, Innovation & Progress
By Dan Greer | Eclipse-DOT Breaking News
If there’s one thing truckers know for sure, it’s how to show up when it matters most.
This October, the American Trucking Associations (ATA) is bringing the industry’s heavy-hitters, innovators, and decision-makers to sunny San Diego for what promises to be the most consequential gathering in trucking this year — the MCE 2025: the Management Conference & Exhibition, running October 25–28 at the San Diego Convention Center.
This is not another conference where you grab coffee, nod politely and shuffle back home. This is where policy meets pavement, innovation gets road-tested, and the next era of trucking takes shape. Its theme? “A United Front: Driving Policy in a New Era.” Because in trucking, you don’t just roll along — you drive change.
One Voice. One Mission. Real Impact.
ATA President Chris Spear put it plainly:
“Trucking’s ability to achieve impressive victories is directly correlated with the strength of our collective advocacy.”
And he means business. Over the past year, ATA has stacked wins: restoring common-sense emissions regulations, advancing tort reform, securing pro-trucking tax policies, and building programs that strengthen a safer, more qualified workforce. These aren’t small skirmishes – they’re strategic victories for the industry.
When Spear steps to the podium for his State of the Industry Address on October 27, expect something more than a recap. Expect a rallying cry — because the industry doesn’t just report results, it sets them.
Freight Trends, Headwinds & the Comeback Road
Right before Spear speaks, ATA’s Chief Economist Bob Costello will take the stage and break down the freight market. Spoiler alert: it’s been a rough ride. Tariffs, inflation, shifting global supply-chains and a freight downturn have made the highway bumpier.
But trucking doesn’t fold when the road gets rough. We pivot.
At Eclipse-DOT we call it “pre-trip leadership” — the idea that success comes from checking your systems before breakdowns, not scrambling after them. And that’s exactly where this conference fits in: equipping leaders to adapt, evolve, and come out ahead.
44 + Sessions of Real Talk & Real Tools
This year’s agenda is stacked. According to ATA’s event overview, the conference will host over 44 educational sessions tailored to give industry professionals the tools and insights they need in this pivotal moment. The lineup covers not just what’s happening — but what to do about it.
Top topics you’ll see:
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Cybersecurity — As fleets digitize, the threats don’t just come from the road, they come from the network.
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Litigation & legal exposure — You may move freight, but if trial lawyers are steering the agenda, you’re driving blind.
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Fuel savings & operational efficiency — Every drop of diesel, every dollar of maintenance counts.
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Artificial Intelligence (AI) — No longer a buzzword. It’s now an essential co-driver, from compliance automation to route optimization.
This year, AI isn’t just an add-on; it’s one of the central pillars of how trucking operations will scale. And MCE is where you learn how to plug it in and drive.
Networking That Hits Hard
Networking at this event isn’t just swapping business cards. Consider this: nearly 75% of registrants are involved in purchasing decisions for their companies. That’s right — you’ll meet the people who decide whether the truck gets bought, the software gets licensed, or the innovation gets adopted.
And they’ll all be under one roof.
ATA Chairman Dennis Dellinger nailed it:
“The insights, conversations, and innovations at MCE set the standard for trucking industry conferences.”
This year, the exhibit hall will bring together everything from OEMs to startup tech, new rigs to digital platforms — all primed for live demonstration, question-and-answer, and “what’s next” conversation. It’s where you don’t just see the future of trucking — you shake its hand.
One exhibitor worth noting: Volvo Trucks North America will be on-site showcasing its next-gen models (the VNL 860 and VNR 300) complete with driver-centric furnishings, advanced safety systems, fuel-efficiency upgrades and more. This is real innovation, built for the real road.
Policy, Insight — and Yes, a Happy Hour
On October 26, the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) will dig into the Top Industry Issues of 2025 — everything from driver retention and parking shortages to cargo theft and tort reform. But here’s the twist: this session has a happy hour theme. Because sometimes the best ideas kick off when the drink is in hand and the conversations run deep.
It’s not about sitting silently — it’s about engaging, challenging, and building solutions with your peers. That’s where lasting change begins.
Recognizing the Front-Line & Building the Next Generation
MCE isn’t just about sessions and exhibitions. It’s about honoring the people who move this industry forward.
This year, the event will spotlight Trucking’s Frontline Heroes — the drivers, dispatchers, safety managers and others who keep freight moving under tough conditions. Equally important, it will recognize graduates of the LEAD ATA program — those emerging leaders training to take over the missions of tomorrow.
Because leadership isn’t about titles — it’s about showing up, stepping up and moving forward. At Eclipse-DOT, that principle comes first.
Unity: More Than a Theme — A Strategy
Here’s what sets this event apart: the power of unity.
Small fleets, owner-operators, national carriers, tech developers, policy makers — all under the same roof, sharing ideas and aligning missions. That’s not just a conference tactic. It’s the backbone of “A United Front.”
When we come together, compliance becomes less an obstacle and more a platform. Innovation moves faster. Safety improves. Fleet performance accelerates.
At Eclipse-DOT, that’s what we help built every day: turning complexity into clarity, chaos into consistency, and vision into victory.
Know Before You Go: Logistics That Matter
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Location: San Diego Convention Center, 111 Harbor Dr., San Diego, CA 92101.
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Dates: October 25–28, 2025.
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Hotel alert: Official discounted rates are available, but pay attention to booking deadlines.
Whether you’re attending to learn, lead or level up — carve this week out. It could be one of the most strategic moves you make all year.
The Road Ahead
So here’s the takeaway: this isn’t just a gathering. It’s a launchpad.
The industry isn’t waiting for permission or the perfect conditions. Trucking creates the conditions. It builds the road. It drives the change.
And in San Diego this October, the best in the business will prove again that leadership is not reactive — it’s proactive. It doesn’t sit back — it steers.
To fleet managers, executives, safety directors and every driver who’s ever asked “What’s next?”:
Don’t just watch the change happen. Drive it.
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