Keynote speakers to address industry's hottest topics at FTR Transportation Conference

Keynote speakers have been announced for the FTR Transportation Conference, and will cover a range of industry topics including greenhouse gas regulations' effects on truck production.

FTR

FTR has announced keynote speakers for its 11th annual transportation conference, September 15 to 17, 2015. These speakers will present on current hot topics, including the state of the economy, transportation as a business risk for shippers, greenhouse gas regulations' effect on truck production, and how PHSMA tank car rules will impact the rail equipment market.

The conference will kick off with William Strauss, Senior Economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, presenting Economic Update and Outlook: Where are we in the Economic Cycle? Strauss is one of the nation’s top thought leaders on the economy and the all-important manufacturing sector. With the economy hitting a soft patch in the first half of 2015, coupled with recent turbulence in China and global markets, Strauss will explore if we will see a rebound in activity as we enter 2016. He will also explain what the impacts might be on the manufacturing sector, which is a large driver of freight demand.

Michelle Livingstone, Vice President of Transportation at Home Depot, will deliver the conference keynote Addressing Risks in a Volatile Market. Livingston will give attendees a high level overview of the current transport market from the perspective of a major shipper. As part of this discussion she will share her perspective on the risks facing shippers in this highly volatile market. She will address important issues such as capacity, international finance, rates, regulation, recession planning and much more. More importantly, she will help industry participants understand how they should view transportation as a business risk. This will help attendees think about possibilities beyond the plain assumptions of most budgets.

The FTR Transportation Conference has additional keynote speakers for its equipment focused tracks. For those attending the Truck & Trailer Equipment sessions, Amy Kopin, Senior Compliance Engineer at Daimler Trucks North America, will provide the OEM Truck Keynote: Making Sense of Greenhouse Gas Regulations. With the recent release of the proposed Green House Gas and Miles Per Gallon rules, there is finally some clarity for the commercial vehicle sector as we start to move closer to 2018 and beyond. In this presentation, Kopin will explain what the changes will mean to the industry, and how it will need to adapt to make those changes a reality.

The Rail Equipment Keynote will be delivered by Barb Wilson, President of First Union Rail. Wilson will present Navigating through a Changing Landscape. She will discuss the major issues impacting the rail equipment sector. This will include a discussion of how the PHSMA tank car rules will impact the market from a leasing company's perspective.

Thought leaders from OEMs, Truck Fleets, Shippers, Intermodal, Railroads, and Financial Institutions will converge at FTR’s annual Transportation Conference, held September 15 to 17, 2015 in Indianapolis, IN, to discuss and plan for the future of freight transportation in North America.

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