Trucking Faces Array of Issues, ATA's Graves Says

s trucking industry leaders prepare to convene for the American Trucking Associations’ Management Conference & Exhibition Oct. 15-18 in Boston, the industry is facing a much less certain future than it did a year ago, ATA President Bill Graves told Transport Topics.

A combination of spiking fuel prices and potential supply disruptions, a perceived softening of the economy, new hours-of-service rules and the continued war in Iraq has the industry bracing for tough times ahead.

“It’s a very difficult time to be in the trucking industry, which I am somewhat surprised to hear myself say, given how good things seemed to be going just six to nine months ago,” Graves told TT as he prepared for his third MCE since becoming ATA president in January 2003.