ATA, Groups Hash Out Differences
An ATA executive said the association was looking forward to the meeting. He said it would be an opportunity for state groups to conduct an internal assessment as ATA has done.
The unprecedented meeting was organized by two of the largest state associations, California and Texas, and one of the smallest, New Hampshire. It comes six months after ATA’s executive committee approved a strategic plan that is supposed to result in a closer alliance between state and national associations.
Meeting organizers said they are concerned with the lack of detailed information about the new relationship between ATA and state associations.
The strategic plan approved by ATA’s executive committee in August requires trucking companies to be a member of at least one state association as a prerequisite for joining ATA. ATA established new, lower dues levels to woo small trucking companies, which are more likely to join a less expensive state trucking association.
The plan also creates a new for-profit entity to be jointly owned by all the associations. It will offer services such as training, insurance, auditing, drug testing and convention services.
A group of ATA members consulted state executives to develop the plan, which created a task force to work out the details of the new relationship between the groups, said Paul Stalknecht, senior vice president at ATA.
“The Wren Committee, which developed the strategic plan, envisioned the states working jointly with ATA on implementation,” Stalknecht said. “The task force was established to put meat on the bones.”
Since the plan was adopted, ATA has devoted most of its energies to restructuring its staff to meet those goals.
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