Work Truck Week 2026: Complete Visitor Guide
Updated March 7, 2026
North America's largest work truck event. 500+ exhibitors, 14,500 attendees from 31 countries, four days at the Indiana Convention Center. Here's how to make the most of it — including the parking situation you need to know before you arrive.
What Work Truck Week Is
Work Truck Week is the commercial vehicle industry's flagship annual event — the largest work truck and van show in North America. Every March, the Indiana Convention Center fills with fleet managers, truck body upfitters, chassis manufacturers, vocational equipment suppliers, and procurement professionals from every corner of the industry.
The event opens Tuesday with the Green Truck Summit, a full day dedicated to alternative fuel, electrification, and sustainability in commercial fleets. If EV fleet transition or CNG/propane economics are on your agenda, this is the day to be there. Sessions run throughout the day with separate registration.
The main exhibit hall opens Wednesday. 500+ exhibitors across the ICC's full exhibit footprint showcase new chassis, truck bodies, upfitting solutions, fleet management technology, telematics, safety systems, and vocational equipment. Product launches happen throughout, so Wednesday morning tends to be the most active for announcements.
Fleet managers from municipal, utility, construction, and delivery fleets. Truck body manufacturers and upfitters. OEM fleet sales representatives. Procurement directors and fleet consultants. Attendees represent fleets of all sizes — from regional contractors with 20 trucks to national utilities managing thousands of vehicles. 14,500 registered attendees from all 50 states and 31 countries.
Early bird registration deadline was February 13, 2026 — standard rates now apply. Register at worktruckweek.com. On-site registration is available at the Convention Center but expect lines during peak arrival times Tuesday morning and Wednesday morning.
Getting to the Indiana Convention Center
The Indiana Convention Center is at 100 S Capitol Ave in downtown Indianapolis — which is also where the road closure is. Read this before you drive.
Capitol Avenue is closed between Louisiana Street and South Street through March 14, 2026 — the last day of Work Truck Week. This cuts off the standard approach to the Convention Center's main entrance. Do not rely on GPS routes that take you south on Capitol Ave from Washington Street or north on Capitol Ave from South Street — you will hit the closure. Use the alternate routes described in the Parking section below.
Take I-65/70 to the Martin Luther King Jr. Street exit or the Illinois Street exit. Head south on Illinois or Senate Avenue toward the Convention Center area. Avoid Capitol Avenue entirely. Missouri Street (one block west of Capitol) is your best parallel route to reach Convention Center parking garages from the south.
Take I-70 west to the Meridian Street / Illinois Street exit. Head south on Illinois or use Ohio Street westbound to reach downtown parking. Illinois Street and Meridian Street both approach the Convention Center area without hitting the Capitol Avenue closure.
I-65 north to the South Street exit. Turn east on South Street to Missouri Street, then north on Missouri toward the Convention Center. South Street itself is the southern boundary of the closure — you cannot continue north on Capitol from here. Missouri Street one block west gets you where you need to go.
Rideshare is the simplest option if you're staying downtown. Drop-off at the Convention Center's Maryland Street entrance (east side of the building) bypasses the Capitol Avenue issue entirely. Expect moderate surge pricing Tuesday morning and Wednesday morning as the industry crowd arrives simultaneously.
From the airport (IND)Indianapolis Airport is about 15 miles southwest. Rideshare runs $22–32 to downtown depending on traffic. The IndyGo Red Line bus connects the airport to downtown but requires a connection — rideshare is faster for most. Rental cars are available at the airport; just note you'll need to navigate the Capitol Ave closure when arriving at the hotel or parking garage.
Parking
Downtown Indianapolis has ample garage parking near the Convention Center. The Capitol Avenue closure does not eliminate parking options — it just changes which approach routes work. Here are the garages that remain accessible.
Connected to the skywalk system, which means you can walk to the Convention Center without going outside. Approach via Maryland Street or Georgia Street from the east — not from Capitol Ave south of Louisiana. One of the best options given the closure.
One block west of Capitol Avenue. Missouri Street is not affected by the closure, so approach from the south via I-65 to South Street to Missouri Street northbound. Short walk to the Convention Center's west entrance.
Connected to the skywalk. Approach via Washington Street or Maryland Street from the east. Larger garage with more capacity — good backup when closer lots fill. Roughly 5-minute walk through the skywalk to the ICC.
Illinois Street is unaffected by the Capitol Avenue closure. Approach from the north or south on Illinois without issue. Short walk or skywalk connection to the Convention Center.
Enter from Market Street or Washington Street — the northern portion of Capitol Ave (above Louisiana Street) is open. Do not try to reach this garage from the south on Capitol Ave.
For a full downtown parking overview including rates and availability patterns, see our Indianapolis Parking Guide.
Where to Eat
Work Truck Week is a trade show built on relationships — business dinners matter. Indianapolis has the steakhouse inventory to handle it, plus solid options for quick meals between sessions on the show floor.
Business Dinners
This crowd eats steak. Indianapolis has several strong options within walking distance or a short cab ride of the Convention Center. Make reservations — Wednesday and Thursday evenings especially will be fully booked by industry groups.
Indianapolis's most famous restaurant and the default choice for serious industry dinners. Founded 1902. The shrimp cocktail with housemade horseradish is a rite of passage — it is aggressively spicy, not decoratively so. USDA prime steaks, classic service. Reserve weeks in advance for Work Truck Week dates; same-week availability will be extremely limited. Two blocks from the Convention Center.
St. Elmo's sister restaurant, one block south, same kitchen standards. Slightly less formal atmosphere, slightly more available tables. All the same steakhouse credentials with a bit more flexibility on reservation timing. The better choice if St. Elmo's is fully committed when you call.
Chicago-based prime steakhouse group with a strong downtown Indianapolis location. USDA prime dry-aged beef, tableside service, private dining rooms available for larger groups. Good option if St. Elmo's and Harry & Izzy's are booked. Private room capacity makes it practical for 10–20 person industry dinners.
American grill concept built around the iconic kettle grill — everything cooked over charcoal. Not a traditional steakhouse but solidly in the same conversation for group dinners. Good for larger parties that need flexibility on menu options. Connected to the Marriott, making it convenient for attendees staying there.
A step down in formality from St. Elmo's but a strong modern American steakhouse in its own right. Located in the Kimpton Crowne Plaza Hotel. Good bourbon list, solid wine program, and a kitchen that can handle the volume a busy trade show week brings. Easier to get a same-week reservation than St. Elmo's.
Quick Meals Between Sessions
When you have 45 minutes between the exhibit hall and an afternoon keynote, these are your options.
The pedestrian-friendly street running directly south of the Convention Center between Illinois and Capitol is lined with fast-casual restaurants and bars. Jimmy John's, Potbelly, casual American spots — all built for the trade show lunch rush. Expect lines at peak noon hour; go at 11:30 AM or after 1:30 PM for faster service.
Large-format American sports bar with a broad menu — good for groups that need to eat on different schedules. Bar seating available without reservations during lunch. Two blocks from the Convention Center's east entrance. Works well for a working lunch if the team is spread across different sessions.
The ICC has food service inside the exhibit hall — pizza, sandwiches, grab-and-go items, coffee. Prices are at convention center rates. Useful when you genuinely cannot leave the floor, but plan your actual meals outside for quality and cost.
The Skywalk System
Indianapolis has an elevated and underground pedestrian walkway system connecting most major downtown hotels directly to the Convention Center. In March — cold, often rainy — this is your most important logistical asset.
The JW Marriott, Marriott, Westin, Conrad, Hyatt Regency, Crowne Plaza, and Sheraton are all connected by indoor walkway. Wake up, grab coffee, walk to the exhibit hall without putting on a coat. For a four-day trade show in March, this is a meaningful quality-of-life advantage worth the premium.
Pan Am Plaza Garage and Circle Centre Mall Garage both connect to the skywalk system. If you're driving in daily, these are the preferred garages — you can park and walk to the Convention Center without going outside regardless of weather.
Indianapolis in March runs 38–55°F with rain common. The skywalk makes these temperatures irrelevant for your commute between the hotel and the show floor. If you're not in a skywalk-connected property, dress for the weather — the walk from street parking to the Convention Center entrance is several blocks in some cases.
The skywalk system is entirely indoors and unaffected by the Capitol Avenue street closure. If you're in a skywalk hotel, the closure is essentially irrelevant to your daily commute to the show. The closure only matters when you're driving to or from a parking garage.
For detailed route maps and which hotels connect where, see our Indianapolis Skywalk Guide.
Tips for First-Timers
The closure is active March 10–14. Standard GPS may route you straight into it. Decide which garage you're using before you leave your hotel or airport, and note the approach route. Missouri Street (west) and Meridian Street (east) are your parallel alternatives to Capitol Avenue.
The Indiana Convention Center's exhibit halls span a large footprint. 500+ exhibitors means significant walking over four days. The industry crowd at Work Truck Week is not a formal-shoes crowd — dress professionally but wear footwear you can be on your feet in for six to eight hours.
The St. Elmo's / Harry & Izzy's corridor on Illinois Street books out weeks in advance during major trade shows. If you're planning a client dinner on Wednesday or Thursday evening, call before you leave home. Same-week walk-in availability at the top steakhouses is not realistic.
The exhibit hall opens Wednesday and that's when product launches and new vehicle reveals happen. If your schedule is flexible, prioritize Wednesday morning on the floor and use Thursday for follow-up conversations. Friday attendance is lighter — good for unhurried meetings with exhibitors who have more time.
Indianapolis March weather ranges from pleasant to genuinely unpleasant — cold rain is common. The skywalk-connected hotels (JW Marriott, Westin, Conrad, Hyatt, Crowne Plaza) eliminate the weather variable entirely for your daily commute to the Convention Center. Worth the premium for a multi-day show.
SpotHero and ParkWhiz both cover downtown Indianapolis garages. Booking in advance locks in a rate and guarantees a spot — important on Wednesday and Thursday when the show is at full attendance. Walk-up parking exists but costs more and disappears by 8:30 AM on busy days.
Tuesday's Green Truck Summit is a distinct program from the main Work Truck Show. If electrification or alternative fuels are relevant to your fleet, register for it specifically at worktruckweek.com — standard show registration does not automatically include Summit access.
Plan Your Visit
Work Truck Week 2026 runs March 10–13 at the Indiana Convention Center. Register and review the full program schedule at the official website. Capitol Avenue is closed through March 14 — plan your parking route in advance.