There’s one thing for sure every year when exhibiting at the California Trucking Show in Ontario, CA – you are always going to be busy! Held once again at the Ontario Convention Center on October 14-15, 2023, this trucking convention always has great foot traffic, and this year was no different. With the aisles packed on both days, from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, it was hard for us to keep up. Like previous years, we ran out of stuff on the first day and had to go and get more for the second day, and by 3:00 PM on Sunday, we had nothing left!
With about 300 vendors inside and over 40 trucks on display and competing for awards outside, the convention center was filled. We set up our booth on Friday afternoon, which was run by me and my wife Shannon, along with co-owner Jean Osugi and Polly Kasper (Shannon’s mom), getting ready for the Saturday and Sunday event. From the time the doors opened on Saturday morning, our booth was busy and crowded all weekend, as hordes of attendees came by for posters, magazines, centerfolds, t-shirts, and hats (and to sign up for subscriptions).
Walking around inside, there were tons of our 10-4 family of advertisers on display, including Larry and Phil of Mobile Smoke Check, Gio and Jennifer at Toys 4 Trucks, the entire team at DTIS, Franklin Truck Parts, Jim at Axle Surgeons, Bill and Jane from Pittsburgh Power, Joe and Alex at Diesel Camshaft Repair, and Guillermo and Emy from Mayen Truck Accessories. A few of our Truckin’ For Kids Charity Show & Shine and Truck Drags supporters were also in attendance, including Toyo Tires, FleetPride, and Diesel Plates & Permits. Walking around without a booth, we were able to visit with Sid and Luis from ATA, along with Larry Lofton of Lofton Enterprises (creators of the Air Force One Trailer Fairing System).
Heading outside to see the trucks, we found that our friends at Stay Loaded (Steven and others) were set up out there in the parking lot – and, as usual, their cool shirts were selling like hotcakes. Also, outside was our friend Laura from Truck Club Magazine, who was in charge of organizing and judging the truck competition and display. When venturing outside, you quickly realized that summer was holding on for dear life in Southern California, as temperatures were in the upper 80s and lower 90s, which is a bit unseasonably warm for the middle of October. But it wasn’t too bad.
We at 10-4 Magazine, like we have always done at this show, with help and support from our friends at Rockwood Products, sponsored the People’s Choice award and provided the beautiful trophy. This year’s People’s Choice winner was Ronald Granados of Granados Transport and his baby blue 2022 Peterbilt 389. Strangely enough, the Best of Show award went to another baby blue 2022 Peterbilt 389, but this one was owned by Laddi Singh of So-Cal 24 Hour Road Service. And both of these trucks had standup sleepers, which are not all that common, these days. It was weird.
A few other noteworthy trucks out on the lot included Neri Diaz of Harbor Pride Logistics and his lineup of five brand-new, matching, green Pete 389X trucks, with sequential serial numbers, along with another green 389 – it was very impressive. Our friends at Monzon & Son also had a few of their flamed rigs on site, along with Fonseca & Sons and their cream-colored 389 with black and gold stripes, a very cool black and purple Peterbilt 389 with “22G Trucking” on the side boxes, and even a really slick, painted white, lowered Volvo. TMT Industries also had a nice two-tone blue Peterbilt out on the lot, as well, and there were so many others.
The company and people who produce this show in California also host convention-style events in Fort Lauderdale in February (Florida Trucking Show) and Houston in June (Texas Trucking Show), so they know what they are doing. And, based on how great the California Trucking Show is each and every year since the first one was held in 2016 (minus the one that was skipped in 2020), we are certain those shows would be worth going to and keep everyone really busy, as well. Next year’s dates for the California Trucking Show are scheduled for October 5-6, 2024. We hope to see you there! And this year’s winners were…
BEST METAL SHINE:
Alexis Solares, 2015 Peterbilt 389.
BEST PAINT & GRAPHICS:
Andres Gilbert, 2020 Peterbilt 389.
BEST INTERIOR:
Ronald Granados, 2022 Peterbilt 389.
BEST CONSTRUCTION:
David Montes, 2015 Peterbilt 389.
BEST ANTIQUE:
Elledge, 1968 Peterbilt 359.
BEST FREIGHTLINER:
Duane Smith/NRT, 2022 Freightliner Cascadia.
BEST INTERNATIONAL:
1st Omar Alvarado, 2016 International Lonestar;
2nd Gerard Gonzalez, 2015 International 4300.
BEST KENWORTH:
1st Alex Cabral, 2023 Kenworth W900;
2nd Arturo Conforte, 2015 Kenworth T680.
BEST PETERBILT:
1st Hector Fonseca, 2019 Peterbilt 389;
2nd Luis Avila, 2022 Peterbilt 389.
PEOPLE’S CHOICE:
Ronald Granados, 2022 Peterbilt 389.
BEST OF SHOW:
Laddi Singh, 2022 Peterbilt 389.
