Skip Ribbon Commands
Skip to main content

Home

:

HomePageArticle :All ItemsUse SHIFT+ENTER to open the menu (new window).Open MenuOpen Menu

Top Link Bar

Quick Launch

Use SHIFT+ENTER to open the menu (new window).
  
TitleUse SHIFT+ENTER to open the menu (new window).
  
Body
RotatorUse SHIFT+ENTER to open the menu (new window).
  
  

The nation's two leading trucking industry trade groups - American Trucking Associations and the Truckload Carriers Association - came together at the conclusion of ATA's Management Conference & Exhibition to call on policy makers to allow for increased truck productivity.  

“We're happy that we have been able to bring our respective policies on truck productivity in line,” ATA President and CEO Bill Graves said. “It is critical that we petition our elected leaders with one voice and this brings us closer to our industry unity.”

At this year’s Management Conference and Exhibition, ATA’s members voted to add 88,000-pound, five-axle combinations with enhanced braking capability, to its list of preferred productivity improvements. This new component joins 97,000-pound, six-axle combinations and harmonization of longer-combination vehicles on the menu of productivity improvements ATA will advocate for in Washington and state capitals across the country.

For more information click here.

Don't Show
  

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled Sept. 26 that the ban on independent contractors imposed by the Port of Los Angeles was pre-empted by federal law, a major victory for American Trucking Associations.

“By striking down the Port’s unjustified ban on owner-operators, the Court has upheld the rights of trucking companies to structure their businesses to maximize efficiency and productivity” ATA President and CEO Bill Graves said. “By throwing out the ban, the court has ensured that competition, not government regulation, will establish motor carrier's rates, routes and services. This is a win for all involved; trucking companies; small business owner-operators; freight shippers and ultimately average American consumers. The historic gains in air quality at the Port clearly show that the interests of clean air have been served without running independent contractors out of the Port.”  Article Continued...

Don't Show
  

At the conclusion of this year’s Management Conference & Exhibition, ATA members elected Dan England, chairman of C.R. England Inc., Salt Lake City, as the association’s 67th chairman.

“I’m honored to have been chosen by my peers in this great industry to represent America’s motor carriers, drivers, independent contractors and employees,” England said. “The last few years have been difficult for our industry and our nation, but I’m confident that regardless of our challenges, trucking and ATA will continue to lead the country toward economic recovery.”

“Dan is the quintessential trucker. He is a credit to his family, his business and his industry,” ATA President and CEO Bill Graves said. “ATA is lucky to have Dan as our ambassador for the coming year.” Article Continued...

Don't Show
  

ATA members can now watch the two dynamic panels enjoyed by attendees at the 2011 ATA Management Conference & Exhibition in Grapevine, TX:

On Monday, Oct. 17, Stuart Varney, host of “Varney and Company” on Fox News Channel moderated “All Eyes on the Economy,” featuring John Felmy, Chief Economist, American Petroleum Institute, Martin A. Regalia, PhD., Sr. Vice President & Chief Economist, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and ATA’s own Bob Costello, Chief Economist and ATA Vice President.

Then on Tuesday, Oct. 18, Howard Abramson. Publisher & Editorial Director, Transport Topics, brought together four distinguished trucking executives -- Gary Salisbury, President & CEO, Fikes Truck Line; Reggie Dupré, CEO, Dupré Logistics, LLC; Steve Williams, Chairman & CEO, Maverick USA, Inc.; and Douglas Stotlar, President & CEO, Con-way, Inc. -- to discuss “Trucking After the Recession: The Challenges Facing Fleets in 2012 and Beyond.”

ATA thanks Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems, LLC, and Cummins, Inc. and Freightliner, respectively, for sponsoring these MC&E sessions. Videos of the panels are now posted online here for viewing by ATA members.

Don't Show
  

Since the events of September 11th, our service members have played a tremendous role in fighting terrorism and keeping our country secure. The readiness of the Regular, Guard and Reserve components of our Armed Forces is at an all-time high and we can take great pride in that achievement. At the same time, we are now seeing unprecedented levels of unemployment and underemployment among members of the Armed Forces when they transition out of the Military. The promise of a secure job provides service members and their families with peace of mind, which is increasingly important.

ATA is exploring its opportunities on how to recruit military veterans into careers in the trucking industry. To start, ATA is making available to its members and to others in the trucking industry access to four web based job boards created specifically for veterans looking for civilian employment. Click here for more information. Each job board and the links to them are described below. Contact Ted Scott, 703-838-1908 or tscott@trucking.org.

Don't Show
  
We are pleased to share with you improvements made to the ATA websites.  ATA is striving to bring you a seamless and professional online experience. Article Continued...
Don't Show
  

American Trucking Associations President and CEO Bill Graves announced Dec. 6 that the federation has hired Karla Hulett as the group’s new chief financial officer.

“As we navigate this economic recovery, I can think of no one better suited to keep ATA’s fiscal house in order through these challenging times," Graves said.

A veteran of both the private sector with a decade of service at leading companies like Accenture and Microsoft, as well as nearly 20 years in the public sector at the Kansas Department of Revenue, Hulett said she was excited to join the ATA family.

“In my career, I’ve had the chance to explore the challenges and opportunities of both the public and private sectors and now I’m eager to do the same in the not-for-profit sector," she said. "I’m confident that my experience as a financial administrator will serve ATA’s members and professional staff well as the federation works to promote the industry’s goals."

For more information, click here.

Don't Show
  

American Trucking Associations said they support the final rule issued by the Department of Transportation and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to ban the use of handheld cellphones by commercial truck and bus drivers.

“ATA has been vocal in its support of Transportation Secretary LaHood's quest to combat distracted driving and this is another appropriate step toward achieving that goal,” ATA President and CEO Bill Graves said. “Studies have shown that actions like texting and dialing a phone can greatly increase crash risk, so by taking steps to curb these behaviors hold great promise to improve highway safety.”

For more information click here.

Don't Show
  

American Trucking Associations today expressed their deepest sympathies and condolences following the passing of U.S. Xpress Inc. founder and past ATA Chairman Patrick Quinn.

“The American Trucking Associations, and the trucking industry, has lost one of our finest leaders.  Pat Quinn was a remarkable man who devoted a tremendous amount of time and energy in support of the trucking industry he loved,” ATA President and CEO Bill Graves said.

“Our industry has lost a real icon.   I extend my best wishes to his family in their time of great loss.  He was a good friend and I will miss him greatly," said ATA Chairman Dan England, chairman of C.R. England Inc., Salt Lake City.

For more information click here

Don't Show
  

ATA Chairman Dan England, Chairman, C.R. England, is the featured speaker for the Industry Awards Luncheon at the American Trucking Associations’ Technology & Maintenance Council’s (TMC) 2012 Annual Meeting and Transportation Technology Exhibition, February 20-23, at the Tampa Convention Center, Tampa, Florida.

ATA President & CEO Bill Graves describes the TMC Annual Meeting as a “must-attend event” for all fleet equipment and maintenance professionals – and TMC is making that easy in 2012: First-time attendees from ATA-member fleets can register for the meeting free and TMC has lowered registration fees for the 2012 Annual Meeting for fleet attendees who are members of TMC or ATA to $195—a $300 savings off the non-member rate.  Article continued...

Show
  

On December 13, the National Transportation Safety Board recommended limits on the use of all electronic devices for texting or calling.  ATA supported the ban enacted by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration on texting and handheld cellphone use by commercial drivers.  However, NTSB's report also raises questions about FMCSA's safety monitoring program CSA and crash accountability.

"Under the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s safety monitoring and measurement system, CSA, this crash will be attributed to the involved trucking company’s and driver’s records and increase the carrier’s likelihood of being selected for government intervention and scrutiny," ATA President and CEO Bill Graves said. "This is the case even though there is little to nothing the professional driver could have done to avoid the tragic incident."    For more, click here.

Don't Show
  

DOT released a final rule governing hours-of-service for professional truck drivers that will become effective July 1, 2013 for interstate motor carriers and professional drivers.   ATA expressed frustration and disappointment that the rule will do nothing to improve highway safety, but will very likely increase the risk of truck-involved crashes.  Since the current rules went into effect in 2004, fatalities have fallen 29.9%, even as overall miles traveled for trucks increased by tens of billions of miles.  The new rule will put more truck traffic onto the roadways during morning rush hour, when the largest percentage of truck-involved crashes occur between 6 a.m. and noon.  For more information click here.  To see a summary of changes, click here.

Show
  

American Trucking Associations President and CEO Bill Graves, on behalf of the industry, expressed their condolences and sympathy for the family of Donald Schneider, chairman emeritus and former president and CEO of Schneider National Inc., following news of his passing on January 13.

“The transportation and logistics industry has lost one of its most passionate and influential voices,” ATA President and CEO Bill Graves said. “Don Schneider was a visionary, bringing business acumen and technology to blaze a trail and set the standard in the modern day development of our industry."

ATA Chairman Dan England said Schneider was "a man of incredible talent, vision and success, yet he was very unassuming.  I valued those traits in him very much."

For more, click here.
Show
  

ATA President and CEO Bill Graves said while it was heartening to hear President Obama use his State of the Union Address to highlight the need for increased spending to repair our nation's roads and bridges, the administration and Congress need to work together to identify real funding sources to finance our many needs.

"Right now, the country doesn’t need more empty promises and rhetoric about the importance of repairing roads and bridges as a way to put Americans back to work. What the country needs is money – money from real sources, not promises of private investment or redirected savings,” Graves said. “While promises of speeding the construction process will help in the short term, in the long term, it still boils down to funding."

In order to continue to move the nation's freight efficiently and safely, Graves said, trucking needs the administration and Congress to "come together on a well-funded multiyear highway bill that makes smart investments in roads and bridges with real dollars. As the president said, 'There's never been a better time to build'"

For more information click here.

Show