ATA Announces $100,000 Contribution to Bolster Trucking Image Campaign

This story appears in the Aug. 18 print edition of Transport Topics.

American Trucking Associations said Aug. 12 it is donating $100,000 to the Trucking Moves America Forward image campaign.

TMAF offers public education on the industry, as well as briefings for government policymakers. It was rolled out in March at the Mid-America Trucking Show as a cooperative effort by ATA, the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, the Truckload Carriers Association, manufacturers of trucking equipment and other groups, companies and individuals.

The organizations behind TMAF said they wanted to raise $1 million a year for five years. The ATA statement said that with its donation the campaign now has $700,000 of its first-year budget of $1 million.

“One of our most important jobs is to tell the trucking industry’s story,” said ATA President Bill Graves. “There’s so much to know about the safety, the essentiality and the sustainability efforts of this industry and Trucking Moves America Forward has been designed to do just that.”

“We have come a long way in almost two years of planning and preparation, and now ATA is proud to announce we’re taking our support to a higher level today, announcing a contribution of $100,000 to Trucking Moves America Forward,” he said.

The contribution is being made in full for the current year.

“As an industrywide image campaign, we’re happy that such a prominent industry association as American Trucking Associations is now combining its in-kind contributions with financial ones,” said Michael Card, chairman of the TMAF Fundraising Committee and president of Combined Transport in Central Point, Oregon. “TMAF has been overwhelmed with the support we’ve received from all corners of the industry and look to continue this momentum this year and beyond.”

Card was the 2012-13 chairman of ATA.

In June, James Haslam II, founder of Pilot Flying J truck stops, donated $1.25 million to TMAF, or $250,000 a year every year for five years.

“It is not surprising that the industry’s vendors and suppliers are embracing the movement, as well as other industry organizations,” said Kevin Burch, president of Jet Express in Dayton, Ohio, and a vice chairman of ATA, referring to the National Tank Truck Carriers and American Truck Dealers.

Burch said the various organizations “all are spreading the message.”

TMAF has already produced educational videos about the industry and placed advertisements in magazines and other publications.