CLEVELAND – The National Truck Equipment Association (NTEA) has intensified its focus on hybrid and alternative-fuel vocational trucks and equipment at The Work Truck Show 2009, according to www.lawnandlandscape.com.

The Work Truck Show 2009 is held in conjunction with the 45th Annual NTEA Convention, Mar. 4-6, 2009, at the McCormick Place West Building in Chicago. The convention runs Mar. 3-6.

The activities kick off with the Green Truck Summit, sponsored by International Truck, on Mar. 3 from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The Green Truck Summit provides up-to-date information for anyone interested in hybrid and alternative fuel options for work trucks, no matter what their level of experience with the technology.

The summit includes four general courses and 15 breakout sessions led by top industry and academic experts, as well as fleet managers providing real-world experience. Topics include technology deployment, fuel utilization, fleet and vehicle integration, and the cost justification of purchasing hybrids. These sessions guide fleet managers, equipment manufacturers, and upfitters in determining how the rapid development of hybrid and alternative-fuel vehicles will impact their businesses.

To enable presenters to go into greater detail, many of the sessions have been expanded to 45 minutes or longer. A separate ticket is required to attend the Green Truck Summit, which is a Work Truck Show Special Session.

Three additional courses related to hybrid and alternative-fuel utilization are offered Mar. 4 and Mar. 5 as part of the convention educational program. The sessions will cover implementing biodiesel programs, safely integrating truck-mounted equipment on a hybrid chassis, and the economics of using hybrids in a truck fleet. Each session is 75 minutes long, and admission is included in the Complete Event Package and Conference & Trade Show Package registration.

During show hours on Mar. 4 and 5, Work Truck Show attendees can take a test drive — with more than a dozen street-legal new hybrid and alternative-fuel commercial vehicles — along the Chicago city streets, as part of the Green Truck Ride-and-Drive. Participation is free and sign up is available on-site.

Additional commercially-viable hybrid and alternative fuel trucks, components, and equipment will be displayed in the Green Truck Pavilion area of the show floor Mar. 4 through Mar. 6. Pavilion exhibitors include hybrid and alternative fuel truck manufacturers, component suppliers, and system integrators.

Online registration for The Work Truck Show 2009 opened Oct. 1, 2008. For more information, visit www.ntea.com, or call 1 (800) 441-NTEA (6832).