The Nebraska Trucking Association's Heartland Trucking Summit, November 8–10, 2026, at the Marriott Riverfront in South Sioux City. Full agenda, speakers, travel details, and where to find Diversified Safety & Compliance in the exhibit hall.
The 2026 Heartland Trucking Summit is the Nebraska Trucking Association (NTA) fall conference for safety, maintenance, and fleet leaders. It runs Sunday through Tuesday, November 8–10, 2026, at the Marriott Riverfront, 385 E 4th St, South Sioux City, Nebraska, just across the Missouri River from Sioux City, Iowa.
In a new format, the NTA's Safety Management Council and Technology & Maintenance Council share one event. The summit expands on the NTA's traditional Safety Summit with a single agenda covering federal regulation, roadside enforcement, compliance, equipment, and driver health, plus two evenings of networking.
The NTA organizes the summit, sets the agenda, and handles registration and pricing. Diversified Safety & Compliance is an NTA member and a registered exhibitor. We are not presenting any of the sessions below. This page lays out the NTA's published agenda so you can plan your days, and tells you where to find our exhibit.
Great West, An Old Republic Company, is the presenting sponsor.
These are not from the summit agenda. They are the federal requirements fleets most often ask Diversified about, and a quick way to check where your own program stands before the federal, compliance, and enforcement sessions:
If any of these raise a question, bring it to our exhibit.
Diversified Safety & Compliance is Nebraska-based and serves 1,500+ carriers and employers. Derek Aude, our founder and CEO, and Wendy Clement, our carrier compliance manager, will be at our exhibit whenever the hall is open on Monday and Tuesday. At the exhibit, they can talk with you about:
For maintenance, equipment, and the other summit topics, see the NTA's sessions and speakers. To set a time to talk with us at the summit, email [email protected].
What this event covers. The agenda shows who is leading each session.
See the agenda for times and how to reserve each one.
FMCSA Deputy Administrator Jesse Elison, the agency's former chief counsel, presents FMCSA updates Monday at 11:15 a.m. He follows Dave Heller of the Truckload Carriers Association, who covers federal legislative and regulatory issues for motor carriers.
Monday afternoon pairs Trucking Compliance 101 with the Nebraska State Patrol Carrier Enforcement update from Captain Mike Maytum, Nebraska's MCSAP coordinator.
Safety managers can join Safety in the Rounds. Maintenance leaders can choose a seven-person engine, oil, and lubricant panel on 2027 maintenance changes or a session on artificial intelligence in the shop. Tuesday adds driver health, fatigue management, tire safety, and nuclear verdicts.
Diversified is exhibiting, not presenting. Derek Aude and Wendy Clement will be at our exhibit whenever the hall is open. Bring your questions about random testing, the Clearinghouse, driver files, post-accident response, or audit preparation.
President & CEO
Nebraska Trucking Association
Kent leads the Nebraska Trucking Association, the statewide trade association for commercial trucking, and brings nearly 30 years of experience in public relations, organizational leadership, and advocacy. He has been a vocal advocate for tort reform as a response to nuclear verdicts against carriers. He opens the summit Monday morning with the State of the Industry address.
Senior Vice President of Safety and Government Affairs
Truckload Carriers Association
Dave represents truckload carriers on federal safety, legislative, and regulatory issues and interprets the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations for TCA members. He joined TCA in 2005 as director of safety, after seven years managing safety programs at the American Trucking Associations, and writes a monthly column for FleetOwner. He leads the Federal Issues Update on Monday morning.
Deputy Administrator
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
Jesse was appointed FMCSA Deputy Administrator in November 2025 and helps lead the agency's regulatory, enforcement, and policy priorities. He previously served as FMCSA's chief counsel. Before government service, he spent two decades as a transportation attorney, including in-house legal roles at motor carriers and private practice representing carriers and logistics companies. He presents FMCSA updates on Monday morning.
Captain
Nebraska State Patrol
Captain Maytum has spent his entire Nebraska State Patrol career in the Carrier Enforcement Division. He is Nebraska's Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program (MCSAP) coordinator and serves on the Board of Directors of the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA). He gives the Nebraska State Patrol update on Monday afternoon.
Founder & CEO
Project 61
Jeremy has nearly 25 years in trucking and has built and led organizations on both the carrier and vendor sides of the industry. Project 61 works to help professional drivers live longer, healthier lives and connects driver health with safety and long-term industry performance. He presents Rethinking Safety: Why Driver Health Belongs at the Center on Tuesday morning.
Fatigue Management Specialist
Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance
Rodolfo has spent decades in driver risk mitigation and commercial vehicle safety and works directly with motor carriers and drivers on fatigue management. He presents The Science of Safe Scheduling on Tuesday morning.
Corporate Manager, Training
Pomp's Tire Service, Inc.
Todd leads training at Pomp's Tire Service and presents Tire Safety & Maintenance on Tuesday.
Attend the full day or drop in for the sessions that matter to your organization.
The summit opens with a welcome reception hosted by Motive and Midwest Peterbilt Group. Exhibitors set up from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Continental breakfast in the exhibit hall, with attendee check-in from 8:30 a.m. to 9 a.m.
Kent Grisham, President & CEO of the Nebraska Trucking Association, opens the summit.
Great West, An Old Republic Company, the summit's presenting sponsor.
Visit exhibitors, including Diversified Safety & Compliance.
Dave Heller, Senior Vice President of Safety and Government Affairs at the Truckload Carriers Association, on federal legislative and regulatory issues affecting motor carriers.
Jesse Elison, Deputy Administrator of FMCSA, on the agency's current priorities.
Lunch with the exhibit hall open.
Roundtable safety discussions moderated by the Nebraska Safety Council.
A seven-person panel: Bill McKay (RDO Truck Centers), Bill Strock and Shawn Whitacre (Chevron), Chad Easterly (International), Eric Cuypers (Detroit), John Spencer Lowe (Cummins Inc.), and Tim Lundeen (Grote Industries).
A discussion with Rocco Marrari (Pedigree Technologies), Patrick Hagenbucher (Motive), Regulis/Euclid, and Jay Stone (Squarerigger).
Visit exhibitors, including Diversified Safety & Compliance.
The core compliance requirements that come with operating a trucking company.
Captain Mike Maytum of Nebraska State Patrol Carrier Enforcement on enforcement in Nebraska.
An evening reception from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m., then dinner and entertainment from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Breakfast with the exhibit hall open, then the morning welcome at 8:30 a.m.
Jeremy Reymer, Founder & CEO of Project 61, on the connection between driver health, safety, and fleet performance.
Visit exhibitors, including Diversified Safety & Compliance.
Rodolfo Giacoman, Fatigue Management Specialist with the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance.
Lunch with the exhibit hall open. Last chance to visit exhibitors.
Todd Nietzel, Corporate Manager, Training, at Pomp's Tire Service, Inc.
A closing session on trucking litigation and nuclear verdicts. The summit adjourns at 2 p.m.
It takes about a minute. Tell us which sessions you want and we’ll have everything ready for you.
Questions about this event?
The Marriott Riverfront sits on the Nebraska side of the Missouri River, across from downtown Sioux City, Iowa. Sioux Gateway Airport is the nearest commercial airport.
November 8–10, 2026, at the Marriott South Sioux City Riverfront, 385 E 4th St, South Sioux City, NE 68776, across the Missouri River from Sioux City, Iowa. The summit opens with a welcome reception Sunday at 4 p.m. and adjourns Tuesday at 2 p.m. Central.
The Nebraska Trucking Association organizes the summit and sets registration fees. Register on the NTA's event page or call the NTA at (402) 476-8504. Diversified Safety & Compliance is an exhibitor, not the organizer, so we can't register attendees or quote prices.
The NTA describes the summit as open to attendees from across the region. Member and non-member rates, if they differ, are set by the NTA, so check the event page or call the association before you register.
It expands on the NTA's traditional Safety Summit. The new format brings the association's Safety Management Council and Technology & Maintenance Council together, so safety, maintenance, and fleet leaders share one agenda, one exhibit hall, and the same evening events.
Yes. Monday from 1 p.m. to 3:15 p.m. offers two maintenance breakouts: a seven-person manufacturer and supplier panel on 2027 maintenance changes in engines, oils, and fluids, and a discussion of artificial intelligence in fleet maintenance. Tuesday adds Tire Safety & Maintenance at 12:15 p.m.
Yes. Jesse Elison, Deputy Administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, presents FMCSA updates Monday from 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Central. He follows a federal issues update from Dave Heller of the Truckload Carriers Association.
The Marriott Riverfront sits on the Nebraska side of the Missouri River, across from downtown Sioux City, Iowa. Sioux Gateway Airport is the nearest commercial airport.
Yes. Derek Aude and Wendy Clement will be at our exhibit whenever the hall is open on Monday and Tuesday. Ask about random testing, Clearinghouse queries, driver files, post-accident response, audit preparation, or DOT physicals. To set a time, email [email protected] or call (402) 252-5144. For an accident during the summit, call our 24/7 line at the same number.
Our compliance team is available today for DOT testing, Clearinghouse and MOTUS support, driver qualification files, and audit preparation.
Call (402) 252-5144 · (402) 252-5144
