ATA’s Graves Cites Trucking’s ‘Transformational Moment’
LAS VEGAS — American Trucking Associations President Bill Graves told trucking executives here that even after surviving a tough 2009, trucking’s future could hold more challenges given the changes being faced by both the industry and the country as a whole.
Graves, delivering his annual state of the industry address in kicking off ATA’s annual Management Conference and Exhibition here, said the trucking industry was in the midst of a “transformational moment,” being shaped by political and economic changes, as well as the continued march of globalization.
“No matter how you look at it, these are very unsettling and challenging times,” Graves said.
Trucking must step forward with its own proposals to solve those challenges, ranging from protecting the environment to moving billions of dollars in goods in a slowly recovering economy, or face potentially dire consequences.
“If we don’t proactively develop industry solutions, someone else surely will and probably someone with a lot less knowledge about trucking and a lot more likely to come up with a bad solution,” Graves warned.
Much of his concern stems from the current political lean in Washington, with Democrats holding large majorities in the House and Senate as well as the White House.
“Whether you like the outcome of the 2008 elections or not, the policy and regulatory reach of the federal government into your businesses will surely increase over the next five to 10 years,” he said, adding that because of the environment, ATA’s work on the myriad of policy issues before the government was even more important for its member companies.
“You are going to need the work of this organization more than perhaps every before, because the political policy and regulatory winds are not blowing in our favor,” he said.
One area in particular where Graves criticized President Obama, as well as both political parties, was in their handling of the highway authorization, which was extended just last week.
By Sean McNally
Senior Reporter
