ATA, Conferences Clarify Roles At Industry, Sectoral Levels
With ATA taking the lead on hours-of-service reform, fuel prices and engine-related issues, for example, conferences leaders are refocusing on business issues and regulatory policies that have an impact on companies in their specific market niche.
“ATA has emerged as the single organization representing the trucking industry on those issues that go most directly to the bottom line of the trucking industry,” says ATA President Walter B. McCormick Jr. “We now have clarity in the roles of the conferences, state associations and the national organization and we have accountability.”
These concerted actions are occuring even though several of the conferences have not chosen to align themselves fully with the national federation.
Of the 12 conferences affiliated with ATA a year ago, one — the Agricultural Transporters Conference — has voted to stay with ATA, and a second — Distribution & LTL Carriers Association — has pledged to do so before the Jan. 1 deadline.Two conferences — Munitions Carriers and Intermodal — have been reconstituted as ATA policy committees.
The National Automobile Transporters Association will put the affiliation question to its members just before this week’s ATA Management Conference & Exhibition.
Regardless of the outcome, NATA President Robert P. Farrell says he expects to continue working closely with ATA. He said that the national association recently agreed to advocate a change in federal rules that allow auto haulers to carry heavier loads.
Members of the Truckload Carriers Association, which earlier this year voted not to affiliate with ATA, gave $250,000 to the federation to help fight the hours-of-service rule proposed by the Department of Transportation and adopted a new business plan that focuses on education, training and management issues, leaving ATA to shoulder the responsibilities for lobbying and advocacy.
The Towing and Recovery Association of America voted to disaffiliate with ATA and has moved to new offices in Alexandria, Va. Harriett Cooley remains the executive director.
The Air & Expedited Motor Carriers Association ended its ties to ATA on July 31 and hired Washington Policy Associates to manage its office in Alexandria, Va. Former conference executive director, Brian K. Lagana is the legislative director for the group that represents the interests of air freight motor carriers and providers of goods and services to the air freight trucking industry.
Of the remaining four conferences, none are expected to affiliate with ATA.
The board of the National Tank Truck Carriers unanimously opposes the mandatory membership requirement, according to NTTC President Clifford J. Harvison. He has pledged to narrow the lobbying focus of the organization, which represents bulk haulers, to issues that are specific to that industry segment.
American Moving and Storage Association also plans to separate itself from the federation.
“After Dec. 31, we’re out,” said Joseph M. Harrison, president of AMC, which, like ATA, is based in Alexandria, Va. “We would like to work together when it makes sense. On general trucking issues, we’ll let ATA take the lead. What we bring to the table is more than 3,000 carriers. We have folks in every congressional district. We have a very good grassroots network.”
The Specialized Carriers & Rigging Association, based in nearby Fairfax, Va., opposes the mandatory membership and the requirement that its staff members become ATA employees. Only about 130 of SCR&A’s 1,100 members are involved in freight trucking and about 50 are ATA members.
The Truck Renting and Leasing Association, which represents about 650 firms that account for an estimated 40% of all new commercial vehicles placed into service for the first time, is continuing to have discussions with ATA. But, according to Peter J. Vroom, executive vice president, “Trala is not integrating.”
“We value the relationship,” he added. “We will work together.”
