Opinion: A Year of Slowly Driving Forward

By Dan England

Chairman

American Trucking Associations

This Opinion piece appears in the Sept. 24 print edition of Transport Topics. Click here to subscribe today.

Nearly 12 months ago, I proudly accepted the title of chairman of American Trucking Associations, thus beginning one of the most exciting and exhausting years of my professional life, and an experience I’ve been humbled and honored to have.

My journey as chairman has taken me across the country — from Alaska to Florida and everywhere in between — and I’d like to share some of the things I’ve seen and heard in that time.

First, I have continually been struck by how dedicated so very many of you are to this industry and to your companies, from the drivers at the National Truck Driving Championships and technicians at the Technology & Maintenance Council’s SuperTech, to the numerous state executives, allied members, carrier executives and shippers I’ve encountered this year.

You all hold this industry in such high regard, a fact that is evident in how enthusiastic you all are about trucking, about operating the safest, most efficient fleets you can, every day, moving America’s most essential goods.

Second, I am impressed with how resilient our industry has been in the face of tremendous headwinds.

We’re all a little busier lately as freight is picking up — I see this not just in ATA’s monthly tonnage reports but in talking to all of you as I’ve traveled the country. “A little busier,” however, is not what we’ve all been hoping for as we recover from the deepest recession most of us can remember.

A slow, steady, even sluggish recovery has been made in the face of tremendous regulatory challenges. In this year, ATA has taken to court to fight what will be onerous and unjustified changes to the hours-of-service rules. We have taken steps, both through our victory over the Port of Los Angeles and through a focus on it at ATA, to preserve the critical ability of fleets to continue to utilize independent contractors.

At the same time, ATA pushed Congress and the administration to pass a highway bill — which they did after years of delay. This bill, while not perfect, significantly advances the cause of safety with numerous ATA-supported provisions including an electronic logging requirement, the creation of a drug and alcohol testing clearinghouse, improved new entrant procedures and many others.

Where that bill falls short is on funding. We continue to spend too little on our roads and bridges, and as a result, we see states looking more and more at tolling as the answer. Well, I’ve heard from you that tolling is not the answer.

Working with state associations, ATA has made inroads to stop the spread of tolls, most recently applying pressure in Virginia and North Carolina — two states that want to erect tollbooths on America’s busiest truck route: Interstate 95. This pressure is working, as evidenced by the Republican candidate for Senate in Virginia publically breaking from the Republican governor over the issue of tolling.

This is a shining example of what we can do together — the professional staff of ATA, state associations and carrier members all pulling in the same direction toward a common goal. It is also a warning of the challenges we continue to face.

The highway bill we’re toasting is a half a loaf. It provides us a good deal of what we were looking for on the policy side but, as I said, it is woefully underfunded. Unless we can get our leaders in Washington to pay more attention to the needs of our industry, we will continue to see states meddling in the highway system and regulatory agencies meddling in our businesses.

And that is the challenge I leave to my friend Mike Card, who will take the gavel from me as I get fitted for my red blazer in Las Vegas.

I hope I’ve left him an ATA that’s moving in the right direction, an ATA that is stronger and more united than when I found it, an ATA that continues to be an example of how essential, safe and sustainable trucking can be.

It is an industry and an association that we should all be proud of, whether we wear the blazer of an America’s Road Team captain, or if we’re the Bendix National Truck Driving Champion like FedEx Freight’s Don Logan. It is an industry that everyone from the newest ATA member to soon-to-be immediate past ATA chairmen should be thrilled to represent.

So, as I prepare to step aside, I want to thank all of you again for letting me represent you this year and for all of the kindness and hospitality so many of you have extended me this year.

Dan England is chairman of C.R. England Inc., Salt Lake City. C.R. England offers a comprehensive range of global transportation services.