Iowa-Based Ruan Transportation Rejoins ATA
This story appears in the Nov. 4 print edition of Transport Topics.
Ruan Transportation Management Systems has rejoined American Trucking Associations after a hiatus from the federation of more than two years.
“We’re always pleased when we can add a member as distinguished as Ruan,” ATA President Bill Graves said. “They’ve been a leader in our industry for many years, and it is with great satisfaction that we welcome them back into ATA.”
The privately held Des Moines, Iowa-based carrier had been an ATA member for 65 years before taking a “leave of absence” when Chairman John Ruan III began serving as chairman of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
He led the Chamber from 2011 to 2012, following that with a year as immediate past chairman.
“We supported the Chamber and left while John was performing his responsibilities for them, but we did become more involved with the Iowa Motor Truck Association,” said Ralph Arthur, president of Ruan’s dedicated contract carriage division and chairman of the IMTA.
In addition to its dedicated work, the company is a liquid and dry bulk hauler and a provider of logistics services.
Arthur said he will take a seat on ATA’s executive committee, within the board of directors, and Ruan executives will serve on other ATA committees.
“ATA is at its best and most effective when speaking on behalf of the trucking industry with one voice, and by adding carriers of Ruan’s stature, that voice is strengthened to the betterment of our industry,” Graves said in an Oct. 31 statement.
Ruan managers are concerned about “the plethora of nonfact, non-science-based regulations that are coming out of Washington. People claim this is for safety, but the data don’t support that,” Arthur said.
He said the new hours-of-dedicated contract carriage division and chairman of the IMTA.
In addition to its dedicated work, the company is a liquid and dry bulk hauler and a provider of logistics services.
Arthur said he will take a seat on ATA’s executive committee, within the board of directors, and Ruan executives will serve on other ATA committees.
“ATA is at its best and most effective when speaking on behalf of the trucking industry with one voice, and by adding carriers of Ruan’s stature, that voice is strengthened to the betterment of our industry,” Graves said in an Oct. 31 statement.
Ruan managers are concerned about “the plethora of nonfact, non-science-based regulations that are coming out of Washington. People claim this is for safety, but the data don’t support that,” Arthur said.
He said the new hours-of-service rule, for instance, comes at a very bad time as it diminishes driver productivity when there already is a driver shortage.
CSA — the federal Compliance, Safety, Accountability program — was “done for the right reason: promoting safety.” Arthur said. “But the implementation has been less than stellar.”
In addition to the trucking and logistics business, the family’s holdings include automobile leasing and renting, commercial real estate, parts supplier Concentric International, and commercial and consumer Bankers Trust, a Des Moines-based bank.
Ruan formerly was a major part of the full-service truck leasing business, but the company sold that division to Ryder System in 2004.
The Ruan transportation business had revenue of $774.9 million last year under the leadership of CEO Steve Chapman.
Ruan ranks No. 38 on the Transport Topics Top 100 list of for-hire carriers in the United States and Canada.
service rule, for instance, comes at a very bad time as it diminishes driver productivity when there already is a driver shortage.
CSA — the federal Compliance, Safety, Accountability program — was “done for the right reason: promoting safety.” Arthur said. “But the implementation has been less than stellar.”
In addition to the trucking and logistics business, the family’s holdings include automobile leasing and renting, commercial real estate, parts supplier Concentric International, and commercial and consumer Bankers Trust, a Des Moines-based bank.
Ruan formerly was a major part of the full-service truck leasing business, but the company sold that division to Ryder System in 2004.
The Ruan transportation business had revenue of $774.9 million last year under the leadership of CEO Steve Chapman.
Ruan ranks No. 38 on the Transport Topics Top 100 list of for-hire carriers in the United States and Canada.
