Every March, all things truck-related take over the Kentucky Fair and Exposition Center for the Mid-America Trucking Show.

To make the most of your time there, and find your way around the more than 1 million square feet of displays, here's a crash course:

Lay of the Land

• If you enjoy seeing the world's most beautiful working trucks, the Paul K. Young Memorial Truck Beauty Championship, part of the Stars & Stripes Series, will be just outside the back door of the East Hall. "Dragon On," the latest winner of the Truck-Lite Trophy for the National Association of Show Trucks national championship, will be on display in front of the West Hall.

• Complete trucks and trailers, and major components such as engines and drivetrains are in the South Hall.

• Tires, suspensions and other components are generally in the East Hall.

• Looking for a job? Recruiters and driver services occupy most of the West Hall. NASCAR driver Ken Schrader will sign autographs on March 25 in Booth 6485 in the Recrutiment Center.

• Crystal Gayle will sign autographs at The Midnight Trucking Radio Network booth in the show's lobby from 1-4 p.m. on March 25.

• A program of seminars will again be held in the South Hall, covering taxation, the new Hours-of-Service regulations, and equipment operations and maintenance.

Insider Tips

If you don't have three days for the show, make your time count. Instead of trying to walk every foot of every aisle, decide ahead of time what products you want to see, and which suppliers you want to talk with.

Bring a highlighter with you. Get a show program in the lobby and look up those suppliers before you go inside. Products are grouped by category in the program. Mark the booths on the enclosed show map, then plan your route accordingly. After the show, throw the map away, but keep the program for future reference. It's full of excellent contact information.

Don't grab every piece of literature. Too much paper will just weigh you down. Take only what is new and interesting to you. Review it often and discard what you won't need. If you have time, walk the perimeter aisles, then work your way through the aisles in the East and West Halls. That's where you'll find some very interesting products that are either brand new or made by smaller manufacturers that use the Show as their major marketing effort for the year.

Planning to stay in the area? Most hotels are sold out by now, but you can get help from the Convention and Visitors Bureau, (800) 626-5646 or (502) 584-2121, www.gotolouisville.com.

Louisville has 17,000 hotel rooms, but with close to 80,000 show-goers, you might have to stay in the Clarkson-New Albany-Jeffersonville area of southern Indiana, or in Elizabethtown or Shelbyville in Kentucky. Last year, some folks commuted almost 60 miles from Seymour, Ind.

If you have time, visit Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom right at the Show grounds, Churchill Downs and the Kentucky Derby Museum, the Louisville Slugger Museum or the Louisville Science Center Museum. You can make if a family affair, as you'll find plenty of activities of interest for everyone, including kids of all ages.

Fact and Figures