ATA's Spear: Trucking's Voice Will Cut Through Noise at MCE

Spear speaks during a general session during MCE 2023 in Austin, Texas. (John Sommers II/Transport Topics)

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Amid one of the most intense political moments in recent history, American Trucking Associations President Chris Spear said the group is heading into this year’s annual Management Conference & Exhibition in Nashville maintaining the same priorities it focuses on every year — the needs of its members.

“Everything that we say, do, think — they all have to be the same, and it has to be a reflection of our members,” Spear told Transport Topics. “We probably poll [our members] three, four times a year to be sure that we have a very good eye on their issues and that we’re not pursuing things they don’t want or need. Then we wrap the narrative, the strategies and the champions that we’re trying to seek around that. The list of speakers, the tone, the tenor — everything you hear and see at MCE and other conferences is a reflection of those issues.”

The group’s “Nothing Without Trucking” slogan also reflects this, Spear said, as it represents more than just a tagline — it’s a reflection of trucking’s vital importance to the nation.

“‘Nothing Without Trucking’ has an edge, it’s intentional,” he said. “You know how divisive politics are — not just here in D.C., but across every statehouse in the country. We got a divided electorate. We have a divided House and Senate. We got a politically polluted presidential campaign. Our industry message, our image campaign, has to cut through all of that.”

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Spear speaks with policymakers at the inaugural Women in Motion Call on Washington in April 2024. (American Trucking Associations)

Spear is optimistic that the federation’s political outreach efforts over the past year have been paying off. Those have included actions by members to better inform lawmakers about the most critical issues facing the industry.

“Our issues, our story, resonates with Democrats and Republicans, and we need to continue telling it in that way because we can’t rely on just one party to move our issues forward,” Spear said. “So, it’s imperative that we prioritize, we develop good strategies that speak to both sides of the aisle, and I think you’re going to hear a lot of that in Nashville.”

Spear also highlighted the value of an engaged and vocal membership to help advance policies. The ATA Call on Washington has become a focal point of these political outreach efforts, and Spear said conference participants will learn about the progress that has been made.

“We set a record Call on Washington meetings this year,” Spear said. “That is notable. That means that our members are engaged. They want to speak up and they want to show that their elected officials are moving our agenda forward. So that takes time and expense out of their schedules to travel to Washington and make that effort. I want to highlight that. I want to take that to MCE, thank them for that, and encourage them to do more of it.”

Spear highlighted lawsuit abuse, environmental policies and labor unions among the big issues facing the association. The Environmental Protection Agency, for instance, and some state agencies have been aggressively pursuing stricter emissions standards for heavy-duty vehicles. Spear warned that the pace at which some rules are being pushed through could prove devastating to trucking.

Another looming challenge is the strike U.S. dockworkers waged from Oct. 1-3 along 36 East and Gulf Coast ports. The United States Maritime Alliance and the International Longshoremen’s Association had been negotiating a new labor agreement, but discussions deteriorated and led to the work stoppage, the first of its kind in decades.

The groups have extended the previous contract to Jan. 15 but still not settled on a new long-term agreement.

Spear took particular issue with lawmakers allowing disruptions like this to happen.

“You’ve got to mediate. You’ve got to get these parties to the table. You’ve got to keep them talking,” Spear said. “Literally 46% of [agricultural] products flow in and out of our East Coast ports. Think of what that’s going to do to farmers.”

Spear stressed that the ATA message has to resonate with policymakers so that they understand the consequences of their actions, and the importance of involving trucking stakeholders in the process.

“We’re in a very heated presidential election,” Spear said. “We’ve got a split Senate, split House, and a number of unelected regulatory agencies that are essentially run amok. I think what members expect and deserve of their association is the ability to navigate all of this simultaneously. I don’t think there’s an association out there in Washington that’s in a better position to do it than the ATA.”

The ATA Management Conference & Exhibition is scheduled to be held Oct. 12-15 at the Music City Center in Nashville.