AMERICAN TRUCKING ASSOCIATIONS

The Home for Top Trucking Professionals

Every industry needs its executives to perform at peak level, and trucking is no different.  Industries also thrive when standardization and industry best practices drive inefficiencies out of the market.  ATA recognized these two business imperatives and brought them uniquely together in the ATA Councils, groups of individual hands-on practitioners in key functional areas of trucking.

Today, five ATA Councils offer professional development, provide a deep pool of technical expertise, and raise the bar of industry expectations:

• National Accounting and Finance Council (NAFC), carrier CFOs and managers in federal and state tax compliance, financial management, accounting, insurance, and risk management;
• Information Technology & Logistics Council (ITLC), today’s IT, logistics and operations professionals;
• Safety Management Council (SMC), industry practitioners in safety, workplace injury prevention, human resources and employee health;
• Supply Chain Security & Loss Prevention Council, home to carrier personnel in cargo theft, Homeland Security, background check, freight claims,  and security regulatory compliance; and
• Technology & Maintenance Council (TMC), trucking experts in equipment maintenance and specifications, purchasing and “on-board” truck technologies.

The ATA Councils do not have policymaking authority, as they welcome membership from outside ATA-member companies.  But individuals from ATA member companies enjoy reduced Council dues.

The mission of the NAFC is to create value for its members through advocacy, education, research and technical assistance regarding finance, accounting, tax, and risk management issues impacting the trucking industry. The Council also conducts surveys and develops industry best practices where appropriate. NAFC provides expert guidance through its Online State Tax Guide – the only trucking specific tax guideline that helps fleets easily navigate the maze of state taxes affecting trucking. Fleet members include chief financial officers, tax, accounting, and risk management professionals. Supplier members include industry providers of tax, finance, accounting, insurance and legal services.

 

In today’s just-in-time environment, information about freight movement is as important as the freight itself. The Information Technology & Logistics Council is the organization within ATA that works to improve the flow of data communications that occurs between shippers, trucking firms, and consignees. Publishers of the Electronic Data Interchange Implementation Guidelines, the ITLC is the trucking industry’s voice on communications standards and off-board technology platforms. Membership in ITLC includes fleet IT executives, EDI, and operations specialists. Supplier membership includes providers of software, telecommunications and automated data entry services.

The ATA Safety Management Council is the only national organization dedicated to advancing safe policies, practices and technology; and effective risk management and accident/injury prevention in the trucking industry. SMC also addresses trucking’s unique human resource challenges, health and wellness issues, as well as recruitment and retention strategies. It exists to serve, promote and create value for members and the industry through research, education, information dissemination, peer interaction, consensus building, and incentive programs which inspire corporate and individual excellence and contribute to safer, more secure and profitable trucking operations and industry.

The ATA Supply Chain Security & Loss Prevention Council is the only national organization dedicated exclusively to addressing, establishing and advancing those policies and practices that achieve maximum security (supply chain personnel, cargo, truck, facility, information and the homeland); effective risk management and loss control, cargo theft reduction, successful claims management; and secure, non-violent work environments. It exists to serve, promote and create value for members and the industry through research, education, information dissemination, peer and law enforcement interaction, consensus building and incentive programs which inspire corporate and individual excellence and contribute to a more secure and profitable trucking industry and nation.

The purpose of the Technology & Maintenance Council is the improvement of transport equipment, its maintenance and maintenance management. The Council fulfills its purpose through the development of Recommended Engineering and Maintenance Practices that are voluntarily adopted by fleets, OEMs and component suppliers. The Council also conducts industry surveys and promotes the voluntary cooperation among designers and manufacturers of transport equipment and those who specify, purchase, and manage such equipment. The Council is also actively involved in expanding its services to Mexico and Canada.