Well, Folks, it’s that time of year again. It’s time to merge to Louisville KY and attend the grand-daddy of all truck shows, The Mid-America Trucking Show! The Mid-America Trucking Show is more than just a truck show, it is a gathering of all aspects of the trucking industry. From manufacturers to service providers, this venue has it all. For the average driver, you can see the best there is in the trucking community and make many contacts that could help you improve your business or, maybe, even land you a dream job.

What many of us look forward to the chance to see friends that we haven’t seen since last year, to meet many that we have only spoken to on one of the various conference lines and to join with those who truly believe that we can make a difference in the industry that we
are a part of.

Co-Founder Rusty ‘Yoda’ Wade

While the happenings in the pavilions of the Kentucky Exposition Center are a big part of the show, many feel that the real action will be going on in the parking lot of Papa John’s Stadium! There will be free food, entertainment and an atmosphere of camaraderie that often does not exist in the trucking world. Over the past ten years the ‘Party in the Parking lot’ has become a festive and monumentous thing. A group of drivers got together to make it a real occurrence that has grown each year to become the event of the year for many. Rusty ‘Yoda’ Wade was instrumental in the development and success of the goings on in Papa John’s Stadium parking lot. His thoughtful persuasion often made the difference when decisions had to be made. While the parking lot has changed a great deal since its inception, it still remains as a venue whose activities are mostly guided by truck drivers. The events that area planned in the parking lot are mostly setup by truck drivers through a variety of charities that are run by truck drivers. For example, the JRB Memorial Fund, a charity that was co-founded by Rusty, will be out there making sure that you have plenty of food.

When the parties in Papa John’s Parking Lot started about tens years ago, one of the main goals of Rusty Wade and others was to show the world that truck drivers could get along and were good, hardworking people. One way that this was proved was by ensuring that the parking lot was CLEANER when we leave than when we arrived. Every year since then, it has been.

During the show, join us at our booth (Booth 70176) in the pavilion off of the West Wing for daily giveaways of gift cards and electronics. If you take one of the free shuttles from Papa John’s Parking Lot, we are just inside the door, two booths down to the right. We will have button, stickers, information about what we do, and we even have a limited number of free tickets to the show, just in case your forgot your registration to the show.

On Thursday evening, out in the parking lot of Papa John’s Stadium, we will be having a celebratory spaghetti and meatball dinner dedicated to co-founder Rusty ‘Yoda’ Wade who passed away less than two months ago. Rusty played an instrumental part of the development of the whole idea of the events the parking lot of Papa John’s Stadium and of the creation this charity. Because of this, his contributions are to be celebrated!

On Saturday, after the show, we will have our annual silent auction where we have many items of value for you to bid on and take home with you. This year, we have a National Seat, an STI Driver, Oil Samples donated by Jerry and Colleen Sims of Gulf Coast Filters and many other items that have been contributed to the charity for raising funds to help our fellow drivers with a ‘Hand UP not a Hand Out!’