2026 STN EXPO EAST CONFERENCE & TRADE SHOW EXHIBITOR REGULATIONS 

School Transportation News/STN Media Group (“STN”) is a publication company that produces the annual Transportation Students with Disabilities and Special Needs Conference and Trade Show (“TSD Conference”), STN EXPO EAST Conference and Trade Show (“STN EXPO Charlotte”), and the STN EXPO West Conference and Trade Show (“STN EXPO Reno”).

BOOTH RENTAL DETAILS 
All 10’×10’ booth rentals include aluminum piping; 8-foot-high back drape; 3-foot-high draped side rails; one (1) 11×17-inch identification sign; one (1) 6-foot draped table; two (2) chairs; and wastebasket. Bus spaces will not be draped. Specialty carpet and electrical is not provided as part of the basic contract. Arrangements for special signs, carpeting and additional furniture should be made in advance directly with the Show Decorator (GES). Larger booth sizes receive additional tables and chairs. Any arrangements or disputes with GES are separate from this contract and are not covered by the booth rental fee. See the GES electronic exhibitor kit for complete details. 

SHOW DECORATOR & SERVICES 

GES is the official decorating company for the 2026 STN EXPO & Trade Show. GES will be responsible for event freight and will control the handling of all demo vehicles and loading docks on-site. Should exhibitors choose not to ship to the GES warehouse in Atlanta, GA, STN, the producer of the STN EXPO and Trade Show, will not be responsible for materials and delivery to their booths. Each exhibitor’s event contact will receive a customized exhibitor service kit from GES approximately 60 days from the event.

Exhibitors are responsible for arranging all services needed for their booth, including electrical, internet, cleaning, signage, carpets, furnishings, shipping, and material handling. GES must be contracted for decorator services such as set-up/tear-down labor, supervision, and custom furnishings. Exhibitors planning to use a third-party contractor (EAC) must submit a Notice of Intent to GES for approval at least 60 days prior to move-in. Complete service forms and details, including deadlines, are provided in the GES electronic exhibitor kit or STN’s Cadmium Exhibitor Portal distributed after registration. STN and GES are not responsible for exhibitor materials shipped via third-party carriers. 

Exhibitor shall employ the contractors officially approved by STN, some of which may be subject to local union jurisdiction. 

DEMO VEHICLES & FIRE SAFETY 

Exhibitors that bring a demo vehicle for their booths must have their vehicles conform to local fire marshal restrictions and must be scheduled with GES to get a specific time for placement. A spotting fee will be charged onsite. Please note, all liquid or gas fueled vehicles must be pushed in and not driven in, which will require a tow from spotting services. SPACE IS LIMITED.  

Requirements include but not limited to: 

• Battery cables disconnected 

• Fuel tank no more than ¼ full, taped or lockable cap 

• Protective covering under vehicle 

• Must ensure the required fire safety equipment (extinguisher and fire blankets) readily available within 50 ft. of display vehicle 

• Compliance with additional venue and GES fire marshal rules 

Exhibitors are responsible for ensuring that any vehicle display complies with all applicable provisions of the North Carolina Fire Code (NCFC) and North Carolina Building Code (NCBC). Vehicles may be subject to inspection prior to the show opening, and exhibitors must be available to facilitate compliance checks if requested by the Fire Marshal. See the GES exhibitor kit  for full details on Electric Vehicle (EV) Display and Vehicles Using Flammable or Combustible Liquids or Gases Display Requirements.  

HOURS, SETUP & DISMANTLING 

Trade show times are subject to change without notice. Please refer to our website for the most up-to-date schedule. All display vehicles shall be driven onto the trade show floor between 12:00 P.M. and 5:00 P.M. on Saturday, March 28. Exhibitors with Electric Vehicles shall drive their own vehicles on and off the trade show floor. All liquid or gas fueled vehicles must be pushed in or towed in. Exhibitor must use a spotter provided by GES to accompany moving in and out of all buses. All other setup arrangements shall be completed between 8:00 A.M. and 5:00 P.M. on Sunday, March 29 and 8:00 A.M. and 5:00 P.M  on Monday, March 30. 

Requests for extended set up must be submitted in writing in advance and approved by STN. During any extended set up, exhibitor shall bring only hand-carried materials into the exhibit hall and shall not remove any materials. No exhibit shall be dismantled or removed until the trade show is officially closed. Exhibitor shall begin dismantling its exhibit immediately after the trade show officially closes and all exhibit material shall be removed from the hall no later than 12:00 P.M. on Tuesday, March 31.  

USE OF SPACE 

Exhibitor shall confine all sales and advertising activities, including distribution of promotional material, to exhibitor’s booth or immediate area. No signage, displays, or materials may be placed in aisles, public areas, or another exhibitor’s space without prior approval from STN. Exhibitor shall show, discuss, explain, and demonstrate only those goods or services that exhibitor sells in the ordinary course of business. Exhibitor shall comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations including, without limitation, those relating to advertising and merchandising. Exhibitor shall not engage in an illegal lottery. STN is not responsible for exhibitor’s activities.   

Exhibitor shall not assign or sublet its exhibit space or share it with another exhibitor without prior written consent from STN. 

STORAGE 

Exhibitor shall not store packing boxes or cases in its booth during the trade show. If properly marked for identification, these items may be stored at owner’s risk and expense in a Fire Marshal-approved area of the exhibit hall.  

UNUSUAL DISPLAYS 

At the earliest practical time after executing this contract, and no later than thirty (30) days prior to the trade show, the exhibitor must submit a written proposal to GES for any unusual display. This includes, but is not limited to, displays that are oversized (any standing display over 10’ in height), may negatively impact neighboring exhibitors, require special hookups or technical assistance, or involve excessive noise, bright/flashing lights, disruptive elements, video projection, or other equipment producing sound or visual effects that could reasonably disturb adjacent exhibitors. STN will make reasonable efforts to accommodate such proposals but reserves the right to deny them. Additionally, STN reserves the right to remove or evict any exhibit deemed offensive to conference attendees due to poor taste, questionable morals, or controversial content. STN is not liable for any refund of exhibit fees resulting from such denial or eviction. 

FIRE PREVENTION 

Electrical wiring must conform to National Electrical Code Safety Rules. All booth decorations must be flameproof, and all hangings must clear the floor. Exhibitor shall not erect a ceiling over any exhibit space without the prior written consent of STN and fire prevention authorities, which consent may be denied at sole discretion of fire prevention authorities. STN reserves the right to demand removal of all or any part of an exhibit that does not conform to this paragraph or is deemed hazardous. 

EXHIBIT FLOOR PLAN 

The accompanying exhibit space diagram is merely an intended layout and may not be to scale. STN does not warrant the amount of exposure exhibitor will experience in any specific exhibit space. See conference website for the most updated floor plan. STN reserves the right to reconfigure any exhibit space and reassign booth spaces as needed. 

BOOTH CONTACT 

To ensure your company receives all-important information, STN requires you to designate one booth contact person. That person will receive all event information and will be responsible for disseminating it to the correct people within your company.

EXHIBITOR BADGES 

Exhibitors receive two (2) complimentary exhibitor badges per 10’×10’ booth, four (4) per 10’×20’ booth, and six (6) per 20’×20’ or larger booth, for legitimate company employees. Exhibitor badges provide access to keynotes, workshop sessions, and the exhibit hall during set-up, breakdown, and show hours. Some events are for registered attendees only; exhibitor badges do not grant access to these events. Badges are required for admittance to the trade show, social events, and workshop sessions and include show dinner admission. Additional exhibitor badges may be purchased for $150 each.  
All booth personnel, contracted service providers, and any non-working guests of the exhibiting company (including spouses, investors, or other invitees) are required to have a registered badge to access the company’s trade show booth. Minors are discouraged from attending due to the presence of heavy equipment on the trade show floor and events where alcohol is served. If a minor must be present, they must be continuously supervised and accompanied by a registered adult, and the exhibitor assumes full responsibility for the minor’s safety, supervision, and conduct. 

EXHIBITOR CODE OF CONDUCT 

The STN EXPO East is a professional event fostering collaboration within the student transportation industry. Exhibitors and their representatives are expected to: 

• Professional Conduct: Treat all attendees, exhibitors, vendors, and staff with courtesy and respect. Harassment, discrimination, or inappropriate behavior will not be tolerated. 

• Booth Management: Maintain a clean, safe, and professional booth. Keep booths staffed during all posted exhibit hours. 

• Respect for Others: Avoid blocking visibility or interfering with another exhibitor’s business. Aggressive sales tactics are prohibited. 

• Accuracy: Promotional materials and verbal claims must accurately represent your company, products, and services. Misrepresentation is not allowed. 

• Compliance: Follow all event, venue, and safety rules, including setup/teardown schedules. Cooperate with staff and security at all times. 

• Social Conduct: Refrain from excessive drinking or inappropriate conduct at networking or social functions. 

Violations may result in warnings, removal from the event, loss of future exhibiting privileges, or other actions at STN’s discretion. 

EVENT SAFETY GUIDELINES 

To host events responsibly, STN will follow all official government, local authority, relevant health authority, and specific venue guidance and requirements for all health, safety, and protective measures. All participating exhibitors and staff will be required to comply with any current local or state guidelines. 

FOOD SAMPLES 

Due to health codes and liability issues, only food and beverage provided by the venue may be served. Exhibitor shall not offer any food samples without the prior written consent of STN. Exhibitor shall distribute food samples from exhibitor’s own booth only and shall not cause an unsightly or annoying condition. Exhibitor shall provide ample waste containers within exhibitor’s own booth, not in aisles. Exhibitor shall indemnify and defend STN from and against any and all claims, damages, or liabilities arising from exhibitor’s distribution of alcoholic beverages at the trade show. 

ALCOHOL SERVICE & GIVEAWAYS 

Distribution of alcohol from any exhibitor booth or event space must be pre-approved in writing by STN, comply with all venue regulations, and is reserved for event sponsors. All giveaways, including promotional items or prizes, must comply with local, state, and federal laws and be appropriate for a professional audience. 

STN will announce all trade show drawings conducted by exhibiting sponsors over the public address system. Exhibitor sponsors must confirm drawing details with STN via email to be included in the official announcement schedule. Booth drawing prizes must meet a minimum value of $250 to qualify for public announcement. Exhibitors are responsible for providing their own drawing coupons and promotional materials. 

CONTRACT & PAYMENT  

No exhibit space is reserved until STN receives a completed Exhibit Space Reservation Form and payment in full. STN may deny exhibitor entry to the trade show if exhibitor is delinquent on any debt to STN on the date of the trade show. STN may apply any payment received from exhibitor to satisfy the delinquency.  

No exhibit space is reserved until STN receives a completed Exhibit Space Reservation Form and payment in full. STN may deny exhibitor entry to the trade show if exhibitor is delinquent on any debt to STN on the date of the trade show. STN may apply any payment received from exhibitor to satisfy the delinquency. 

If any moneys due to the Publisher or Conference are not paid within 60 days of the invoice date, discounts are subject to revocation, and the account is subject to a service charge of 1.5% per month (18% per year) effective on the 30th day after the original invoice date.  It is STN’s policy to contact the advertiser exhibitor and sponsor directly for payment when an invoice reaches 60 days overdue.  Advertisers, exhibitors and sponsors agree to pay all attorney fees and costs incurred by STN for the collection of all amounts owed by advertisers, exhibitors and sponsors.

RECOVERY OF FEES BY PREVAILING PARTY 

In the event of any legal action (including arbitration) to enforce or interpret this Agreement, the non-prevailing Party shall pay the reasonable attorneys’ fees and other costs and expenses of the prevailing Party in such amount as may be determined. In addition, such non-prevailing Party shall pay reasonable attorneys’ fees incurred by the prevailing Party in enforcing, or on appeal from, a judgment in favor of the prevailing Party.  

EVENT POSTPONEMENT/CANCELLATION 

In the event that STN postpone or cancels a hosted conference for any reason, refunds will not be issued. Exhibitors may request to transfer paid registration fees with STN as payment towards a future STN hosted conference. STN shall have no liability to exhibitor for any damage, injury, or loss. 

EXHIBITOR CANCELLATION 

STN will refund exhibitor’s payment less a $150 processing fee and any other debt exhibitor owes STN, if exhibitor notifies STN of cancellation in writing via email no later than the first day of the third month (January 1, 2026) before the trade show. STN will not issue refunds past the cancellation period. If payment has not been made prior to cancellation, exhibitor will be invoiced $150 for the processing fee. Unless requests for cancellations are made prior to January 1, 2026, payments made to STN are not refundable for any reason, including, without limitation: failure to attend due to illness, acts of God, travel-related problems, COVID-19 related issues, acts of terrorism, loss of employment and/or duplicate purchases. STN Media Group reserves the right to refuse any credits, refunds, cancellation, or transfer requests. 

PHOTOGRAPHY & MEDIA POLICY 

STN may photograph, film, or otherwise record the event for promotional, marketing, or archival purposes. By participating in the event, exhibitors grant STN and its representative’s permission to use their image, booth, and any materials displayed for such purposes without compensation or further consent. Exhibitors, their staff, and contractors must obtain explicit permission before photographing or recording another exhibitor’s booth, products, or attendees within their booth space. This includes any audio, video, or still images. Unauthorized photography or recording may result in removal from the show floor or other enforcement actions at STN’s discretion. 

LIABILITY 

Exhibitor assumes responsibility and agrees to indemnify and defend STN and the Embassy Suites by Hilton Charlotte Concord Golf Resort & Spa and its respective employees and agents against any claims or expenses arising out of the use of the exhibition premises, except for acts or omissions on the part of the Embassy Suites or its employees. The Exhibitor understands that neither STN nor the Embassy Suites maintains insurance covering the exhibitor’s property, and it is the sole responsibility of the exhibitor to obtain such insurance. Further, STN does not assume any liability by providing overnight security. Exhibitors are required to submit and carry general liability insurance for their company. 

CERTIFICATE OF INSURANCE 

Exhibitors are required to carry general liability insurance with limits of at least $1,000,000 per occurrence, $2,000,000 aggregate. Certificate of Insurance should be submitted to STN at amy@stnmedia.com no later than March 1, 2026. STN Media Group must be named as additionally insured and should be enforced March 26-31, 2026. Certificate Holder should be listed as: 

William E Paul Inc. 

DBA: STN Media Group 

5334 Torrance Blvd. 3rd FL 

Torrance, CA 90503 

ATTORNEY’S FEES 

If a dispute arises out of this agreement, the prevailing party shall be entitled to recover its attorney’s fees against the non-prevailing party, in addition to any other relief. 

GOVERNING LAW & JURISDICTION 

This agreement shall be interpreted under North Carolina law. Jurisdiction and venue for any dispute shall be Cabarrus County, North Carolina. 

CONSTRUCTION 

No ambiguity in this agreement shall be interpreted against the drafter. STN shall have final authority to interpret all rules and regulations governing the trade show. 

UPDATE OF TERMS 

STN reserves the right to make changes to the Terms at any time without notice. It is the exhibitor’s responsibility to frequently review the Terms posted on the conference website for any changes.