State of the Industry Address – As Prepared for Delivery
ATA President and CEO Chris Spear
October 3, 2016
Las Vegas, Nevada
THANK YOU! AND WELCOME TO ATA’S 2016 MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE &
EXHIBITION! THIS IS OUR 83RD MC&E AND OUR 6TH HELD HERE IN LAS VEGAS... AND WE ARE
THRILLED TO BE BACK!
THIS IS ALSO MY FIRST MC&E AS YOUR 9TH PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE AMERICAN
TRUCKING ASSOCIATIONS, AND IT IS AN HONOR TO SERVE IN THIS CAPACITY… FOLLOWING
EIGHT PAST ATA PRESIDENTS, INCLUDING THE HONORABLE BILL GRAVES AND HIS MORE THAN
13 YEARS OF SERVICE.
I’D LIKE TO THANK OUR SPONSORS ACT 1 AND SHELL – LNG. WITHOUT YOUR SUPPORT,
THIS EVENT WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE.
PRIOR TO MY TAKING THIS JOB, I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF REPRESENTING YOU WHILE
SERVING AS ATA’S SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT FOR LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS IN 2014 AND 2015. SO
MANY OF YOU PROBABLY KNOW ME BEST FOR MY ROLE AS A LOBBYIST – A PROFESSION I AM
QUITE PROUD OF AND WILL ACTIVELY CONTINUE IN MY NEW AND CURRENT ROLE. BUT THERE
IS A LOT MORE THAT DEFINES ME THAN BEING A LOBBYIST.
SOME OF MY BEST MEMORIES GROWING UP WERE RIDING IN THE CAB AS MY DAD
TRUCKED GRAIN FROM THE WHEAT FIELDS OF NEBRASKA TO THE SILOS. I REMEMBER GETTING
HOME AND SHAKING ALL THAT GRAIN DUST OUT OF MY HAIR… JUST LIKE MY DAD. IT WAS AT
THAT EARLY AGE WHEN I FIRST REALIZED WHAT IT WAS LIKE TO EARN A DAY’S PAY. MY WIFE
SHELLY WORKED AT THOSE SAME SILOS, PROBING GRAIN. MY BROTHER-IN-LAW ROB AND HIS
WIFE SHANNON, HERE TODAY, LIVE NEXT TO THOSE SAME NEBRASKA WHEAT FIELDS… WHERE
ROB WORKS AS A TRUCKER. SHELLY AND I ARE APPROACHING 25 YEARS OF MARRIAGE. WE
HAVE FOUR CHILDREN – JAMES, ANNA, THOMAS AND EVA, ALL HERE TODAY AND
REMARKABLY, THEY ARE ALL BEHAVING THEMSELVES. [PAUSE] I CURRENTLY SERVE AS AN
ELDER, STANDING IN CHURCH WHERE EACH OF OUR KIDS WERE BAPTIZED AND OUR TWO
ELDEST WERE CONFIMRED. AND AS YOU JUST HEARD, I HAVE A SOFT SPOT FOR
VOLUNTEERING TO SERVE ALONGSIDE OUR NATION’S HEROES.
THIS IS WHAT DEFINES ME. THIS… IS WHO I AM. AND AS FAMILY-LED, FAMILY-OWNED
BUSINESSES, I BELIEVE THIS IS WHAT DEFINES OUR INDUSTRY, TOO. IT’S WHO YOU ARE AS A
PERSON. FROM THE COMPANY OWNER TO THE DRIVER BEHIND THE WHEEL… YOU ARE
HUSBANDS, WIVES, FATHERS, MOTHERS, FAMILY MEMBERS…. YOU ARE EACH SPECIAL. YOUR
PROFESSIONAL AND PERSONAL VALUES HELP TELL OUR INDUSTRY’S STORY, AND IT’S YOUR
VALUES THAT MAKE THAT STORY BETTER THAN ANY OTHER ADVOCACY GROUP’S IN THE
COUNTRY. THE STORY OF TRUCKING IS THE STORY OF AMERICA. AND WE WORK HARD.
TOGETHER, WE MOVE NEARLY 70 PERCENT OF OUR NATION’S FREIGHT. IF OUR REVENUE
WERE GDP, AMERICAN TRUCKING WOULD BE THE 18TH LARGEST ECONOMY IN THE WORLD. AS
ONE, WE ARE THE BACKBONE OF OUR ECONOMY AND A PILLAR OF OUR NATION’S SECURITY….
WE ARE EACH LEADERS, AMBASSADORS OF OUR TRADE. UNITED, WE ARE THE TRUCKING
INDUSTRY.
TELLING OUR STORY MATTERS. BUT TELLING IT TOGETHER MATTERS EVEN MORE.
HERE’S WHY. THE STATE OF OUR INDUSTRY CANNOT BE DRIVEN BY WASHINGTON. WE SIMPLY
CANNOT ALLOW THAT TO HAPPEN. AS TRUCKERS, YOU EACH LIVE AND WORK IN THE REAL
WORLD, WHERE THE PRESSURES OF PROFIT AND LOSS RESIDE. PEOPLE’S LIVELIHOODS DEPEND
ON THE DECISIONS YOU MAKE. UNLIKE WASHINGTON, THERE’S NO ROOM IN THE REAL
WORLD FOR COMPLACENCY OR INCOMPETENCE.
IN 1993, I BEGAN WORKING FOR SENATOR ALAN SIMPSON OF WYOMING. AT THAT
TIME, HE WAS THE WHIP FOR SENATE REPUBLICAN LEADER BOB DOLE. HE WAS A GREAT
TEACHER AND LED THE SENATE DURING A TIME WHEN THERE WERE LOTS OF VOTES TAKEN
AND BILLS BEING PASSED – AND AS A YOUNG HILL STAFFER, THERE WAS A LOT TO LEARN. IN
CONTRAST, RECENT YEARS HAVE BROUGHT US A WASHINGTON THAT’S PLAGUED BY
GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWNS, FILIBUSTERS AND AN ELECTORATE THAT AT ITS BEST, BOASTS A
WORKING MAJORITY, NOT A VOTING MAJORITY. WORSE YET, SKILLED LEGISLATORS AND
DEALMAKERS LIKE ALAN SIMPSON RETIRED OR QUIT OUT OF SHEER FRUSTRATION, LEAVING
VERY FEW LEADERS CAPABLE OF TEACHING THE ART OF LEGISLATING. SO TODAY WE HAVE
FEWER VOTES BEING TAKEN AND FEWER BILLS BEING PASSED… ALLOWING FEDERAL
REGULATORS AND STATES TO GO UNCHECKED AND ISSUE MANDATES AS IF THEY WERE MERE
PARKING TICKETS.
EXTREME IDEOLOGY IS LARGELY TO BLAME. AND FOR THE DC THINK TANKS THAT
PREACH IT, SOUND PUBLIC POLICIES SUCH AS FUNDING OUR NATION’S INFRASTRUCTURE ARE
BEING SUFFOCATED BY A BUNCH OF CUBICAL DWELLING IDEOLOGUES WHO THINK IT’S COOL
TO SHUT DOWN OUR GOVERNMENT. THIS PROPOGANDA HAS SHOWERED CONGRESS,
PROFFERING AN 11TH COMMANDMENT – THOUGH SHALT NOT COMPROMISE. LET ME ASK
YOU SOMETHING. WHAT IN LIFE DOESN’T INVOLVE SOME KIND OF COMPROMISE? AS I’VE
SAID, I’VE BEEN MARRIED NEARLY 25 YEARS AND REST ASSURED, THERE’S BEEN AN AMPLE
AMOUNT OF COMPROMISE… LARGELY BY ME. WHEN PURCHASING A CAR… WE COMPROMISE.
BUYING A HOME, WE COMPROMISE. SO SHOULD WASHINGTON BE EXEMPT FROM REALITY?
THE FACT IS, IT SHOULDN’T. IT’S OUR JOB, OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE SURE THAT ISSUES
IMPACTING OUR WAY OF LIFE… AREN’T SURRENDERED TO THOSE WHO WOULD RATHER
CRITICIZE THAN LOOK FOR SOLUTIONS. WE NEED TO HELP CONGRESS SHAPE AND PASS GOOD
BILLS – AND THAT MAY INVOLVE SOME COMPROMISE. YET I BELIEVE THAT CAN BE DONE
WITHOUT SACRIFICING ONE’S CONVICTION.
WE HAVE NO SHORTAGE OF ISSUES ON WHICH TO ADVOCATE. ATA IS WORKING HARD
TO DELIVER TWO MAJOR VICTORIES ON CAPITOL HILL THIS DECEMBER – A PERMANENT HOURS
OF SERVICE FIX; AND, PREEMPTING STATES FROM ADDING NEW LAYERS OF MEAL AND REST
BREAK REQUIREMENTS ON CARRIERS OPERATING ACROSS STATE LINES. BOTH OF THESE
ISSUES HAVE ENJOYED BROAD INDUSTRY SUPPORT AND CAREFUL, COORDINATED GRASSROOTS
AND GRASSTOPS ADVOCACY ON CAPITOL HILL… AND I’M CONFIDENT THAT EVERYONE’S HARD
WORK WILL PAY OFF.
WE’LL SOON SEE A NEW PRESIDENT AND CONGRESS ELECTED, USHERING IN A NEW
WAVE OF POLICIES AND AGENDAS COME JANUARY 2017. IN CONGRESS, WE SHOULD
ANTICIPATE TAX REFORM. OUR INDUSTRY PAYS HIGHER CORPORATE TAX RATES THAN OTHER
MODES, INCLUDING RAIL. NOW I’M NOT SUGGESTING OTHERS PAY MORE, BUT I DO BELIEVE
WE SHOULD PAY LESS, ESPECIALLY WHEN THE TRUCKING INDUSTRY IS ALREADY TAXED AT THE
PUMP AND FIGHTING MULTIPLE FEDERAL AND STATE PROPOSALS TO ADD NEW TOLLS.
SHAVING JUST FIVE POINTS OFF OUR CORPORATE TAX RATE WOULD ALLOW YOU TO MAKE
CRITICAL INVESTMENTS IN YOUR BUSINESSES AND IN YOUR EMPLOYEES. THAT’S MONEY YOU
COULD USE TO PURCHASE NEW, MORE EFFICIENT EQUIPMENT WITH SAFER TECHNOLOGIES…
INCREASE DRIVER PAY… AND PROVIDE ADDITIONAL TRAINING TO YOUR EMPLOYEES. THERE’S
A STORY THERE TO TELL. WE NEED TO GET IN THE GAME.
YOU’VE HEARD A LOT THIS ELECTION YEAR ABOUT TRADE, NOT JUST ABOUT THE
ADOPTION OF THE TRANS PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP – OR TPP, THE LARGEST TRADE AGREEMENT
EVER CONCEIVED – BUT ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF REOPENING NAFTA AS WELL. WHAT I
HEAR FROM BOTH PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES CONCERNS ME. SO, LET ME BE CLEAR. TRADE
AND TRUCKING ARE SYNONOMOUS. FOR NAFTA ALONE, TRUCKS ARE THE MOST HEAVILY
USED MODE FOR MOVING GOODS TO AND FROM THE UNITED STATES AND ITS NAFTA
PARTNERS, MEXICO AND CANADA… 70% OF ALL SURFACE FREIGHT EACH YEAR. ANY ATTEMPT
TO REOPEN OR THREATEN THIS LONGSTANDING AGREEMENT COULD HAVE DIRE
REPURCUSSIONS ON OUR INDUSTRY. AND NOT ADOPTING TPP WILL UNDOUBTEDLY PUSH
THOSE POTENTIAL ASIAN RIM PARTNERS TOWARDS A FUTURE AGREEMENT WITH CHINA.
THAT’S NOT JUST AN ECONOMIC ISSUE, THAT’S A NATIONAL SECURITY ISSUE. AMERICA RELIES
ON FREE TRADE, AND TRUCKING IS KEY. AGAIN, WE NEED TO TELL OUR STORY. WE NEED TO
GET IN THE GAME.
EACH DAY, MORE ARTICLES APPEAR IN THE MEDIA ON AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE
TECHNOLOGY, A LOT OF THAT ORIGINATING HERE IN THE STATE OF NEVADA. I MOST
RECENTLY WORKED AT HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY AND SERVED ON THE EXECUTIVE
COMMITTEE FOR THE ASSOCIATION OF GLOBAL AUTOMAKERS. THE WEEK BEFORE RETURNING
TO ATA I WAS IN SOUTH KOREA, WHERE I CLIMBED INTO THE BACKSEAT OF A HYUNDAI
TUCSON – THE SAME VEHICLE MY SON JAMES NOW DRIVES. EXCEPT THIS VERSION WAS
POWERED BY HYDROGEN – ZERO EMISSIONS – AND MORE NOTABLY, IT DIDN’T REQUIRE A
DRIVER. THIS “LEVEL FOUR” AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE TOOK US DOWN THE ROAD, NAVIGATING
ALL INCOMING AND CROSSING TRAFFIC, YIELDING AS REQUIRED, THEN TURNED AROUND AND
BROUGHT US SAFELY BACK TO THE NAMYANG R&D CENTER. NOT A HAND ON THE WHEEL…
NOT A FOOT ON THE PEDDLES. AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY IS REAL, FOLKS, AND IT’S
HERE WHETHER WE LIKE IT OR NOT. IF PROPERLY DEVELOPED, IT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO
DRAMATICALLY IMPROVE SAFETY AND REDUCE CONGESTION. AS AN INDUSTRY, TRUCKING
LOSES $49.6 BILLION EACH YEAR TO CONGESTION. THIS TECHNOLOGY HAS THE POTENTIAL TO
GET TRUCKS MOVING, REDUCE FUEL BURN AND EMISSIONS, AND INCREASE MILES DRIVEN –
ALL MEASURABLE RETURNS TO COMPANIES… AND DRIVERS. BUT WHILE AUTOMATION COULD
BENEFIT DRIVERS ENTRANCE TO EXIT, IT’S THE DRIVER WHO IS BEST EQUIPPED TO NAVIGATE
THE CITIES AND TOWNS, MAKE THAT PICKUP AND DELIVERY HAPPEN SAFELY, AND PERHAPS
MOST IMPORTANTLY, SECURE THAT CARGO.
JUST TWO WEEKS AGO, DOT’s NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION
– OR NHTSA – ISSUED THE FIRST FEDERAL GUIDANCE FOR AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES,
APPLICABLE TO PASSENGER AND COMMERCIAL VEHICLES… INCLUDING TRUCKS. SOON THE
FCC WILL AWARD DEDICATED SPECTRUM… AND IF IT ALL GOES TO SAFETY – AS IT SHOULD,
VEHICLE TO VEHICLE AND VEHICLE TO INFRASTRUCTURE COMMUNICATIONS WILL ACCELERATE
AUTONOMOUS TECHNOLOGY OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, MAKING CURRENT CONCEPTS, SUCH
AS PLATOONING, POSSIBLE. WHILE ALL THESE BENEFITS MAY SOUND APPEALING… THEY
WON’T HAPPEN IF WE’RE NOT AT THE TABLE. THIS PLAYBOOK FOR HOW AUTONOMOUS
TECHNOLOGY WILL BE REGULATED IS CURRENLTY BEING WRITTEN BY AUTO O-E-M’S AND
THEIR FEDERAL AND STATE REGULATORS. THE TRUCKING INDUSTRY CANNOT AFFORD TO
CONCEDE AN ENTIRE REGULATORY FRAMEWORK TO ANOTHER MODE OF TRANSPORTATION,
ESPECIALLY ONE THAT WE’LL ULTIMATELY INHERIT. AS YOUR PRESIDENT AND CEO, I WILL SEE
TO IT THAT ATA TAKES ITS SEAT… AND DRIVES THIS OUTCOME.
AND THAT LAST HIGHWAY BILL, THE FAST ACT… LEFT OUR INDUSTRY THIRSTY – THIRSTY
FOR DEDICATED, SUSTAINABLE FUNDING FOR INFRASTRUCTURE. AS AN INDUSTRY, WE HAVE
LONG BEEN AN ADVOCATE FOR AN INCREASED, INDEXED FUEL TAX. AS WE ALL KNOW, ROADS
AND BRIDGES ARE NOT FREE. THEY AREN’T CHEAP. AND WE PAY NEARLY HALF THE TAB… WE
HAVE SKIN IN THIS GAME. BUT THOSE DC IDEALOGUES AND THE PRESSURE THEY’VE APPLIED
ON CONGRESS IN RECENT YEARS HAS PUT A 60-YEAR, BIPARTISAN POLICY AND RELIABLE
FUNDING SOURCE IN JEOPARDY. WASHINGTON’S POLITICAL PARALYSIS CONTINUES TO
SHORTCHANGE OUR NATION’S ROADS AND BRIDGES. INSTEAD OF A FUEL TAX, WASHINGTON’S
PULLING MONEY AWAY FROM COMPETING DISCRETIONARY SPENDING PRIORITIES SUCH AS
OUR MILITARY AND CANCER RESEARCH. IT GIVES IDEOLOGUES A PLATFORM TO PREACH
ABOUT “DEVOLVING” FEDERAL INTERSTATE COMMERCE TO THE STATES. AND… IT ELEVATES
RISKS TO SAFETY BY LEAVING INFRASTRUCTURE UNATTENDED. [PAUSE] IF THIS IS TO BE THE
FATE OF OUR NATION’S FUEL TAX, THEN ATA MUST BE PREPARED TO REALIGN OUR POLICIES
WITH THE REALITIES ON CAPITOL HILL, BEGINNING WITH A NEW MEANS FOR FUNDING OUR
NATION’S INFRASTRUCTURE. TO THAT END, I WILL BE ASKING THE ATA HIGHWAY POLICY
COMMITTEE TO DEVELOP A NEW PROPOSAL THAT WE CAN ADVOCATE AND THE NEXT
ADMINISTRATION AND CONGRESS CAN CONSIDER AND ADOPT… PROVIDING DEDICATED,
SUSTAINABLE FUNDING FOR OUR FEDERALLY ADMINISTERED, NATIONAL NETWORK OF ROADS
AND BRIDGES.
AND WHILE WE WORK WITH CONGRESS, ATA WILL CONTINUE TO ENGAGE OUR
REGULATORS. EPA RECENTLY UNVEILED ITS CO2 EMISSIONS REDUCTION RULE FOR CLASS 8
COMMERCIAL VEHICLES, A RULE THAT ATA WORKED WITH THE AGENCY ON FOR OVER THREE
YEARS, AND WE’RE NOW HELPING OUR MEMBERS ADOPT. FMCSA AND NHTSA RECENTLY
ISSUED A JOINT NEW PROPOSED RULEMAKING FOR SPEED LIMITERS TO WHICH ATA IS NOW
WORKING WITH ALL ATA MEMBERS TO DEVELOP ITS COMMENTS; AND WE SHOULD EXPECT
MOVEMENT ON LONG-AWAITED DECISIONS IMPACTING ELECTRONIC LOGGING DEVICES, SLEEP
APNEA, DRUG CLEARINGHOUSE, YOUNG DRIVERS, PARKING, THE COMPLIANCE-SAFETYACCOUNTABILITY PROGRAM AS WELL AS MINIMUM INSURANCE. THESE ISSUES RANKED
HIGHLY IN THIS YEAR’S ATRI SURVEY, WITH ELD’s TOPPING THAT LIST. AND FOR EACH, WE
HAVE A STORY TO TELL AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH ADMINISTRATOR DARLING
AND HIS TEAM TO BE SURE EACH RULE IS TRANSPARENT, BASED ON SOUND SCIENCE AND
RESEARCH, AND ACCOMPLISHES ITS INTENDED GOAL.
LET’S NOT FORGET THE STATES. BEING A FEDERATION, I’M EVER IMPRESSED BY THE
HARD WORK OUR STATE ASSOCIATION EXECUTIVES DO EACH DAY ON BEHALF OF THE
MEMBERS. THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ISN’T MAKING THEIR JOBS EASIER, EITHER. IN THE
ABSENCE OF FEDERAL ACTION, WE’VE WITNESSED A SURGE OF NEW STATE REQUIREMENTS
RANGING FROM NEW TECHNOLOGIES, DUPLICATIVE MEAL, REST AND PIECE RATE
REQUIREMENTS… AND TOLLING – NOT FOR NEW ROAD AND BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION, BUT FOR
WHAT WE’VE ALREADY PAID FOR IN FULL. TO ME, THAT’S NOT TOLLING. THAT’S EXTORTION.
THESE POLICIES ARE A DISEASE. IF NOT TREATED, THEY’LL SPREAD TO OTHER STATES AND
WREAK HAVOC ON OUR INDUSTRY’S ABILITY TO MOVE FREIGHT SEAMLESSLY ACROSS THE
NATION.
TRUCKING IS ALREADY ONE OF THE MOST REGULATED AND TAXED INDUSTRIES IN
AMERICA. IN THE EYES OF SOME ELECTED OFFICIALS, WE LOOK LIKE A MONEY-FILLED PINATA.
I’M HERE TO TELL YOU THAT THOSE DAYS, THESE IMPRESSIONS OF OUR INDUSTRY… ARE OVER.
ASK THE STATE OF NEW YORK, WHICH JUST LOST IN COURT ITS PUSH TO TOLL OUR INDUSTRY.
LIKE-MINDED STATES, YOU’RE ON NOTICE. WE’RE WATCHING YOU. AND TO THE ANTI-TRUCK
GROUPS, HEAR THIS. IF YOU WANT TO THROW THE FIRST PROVERBIAL PUNCH, YOU’D BETTER
KNOCK US DOWN. BECAUSE YOU WILL FEEL THE ONE WE THROW BACK. ATA WILL FIGHT
YOUR ONE-LINE SOUNDBITES AND BASELESS RHETORIC, AND WE WILL PUBLICALLY CALL OUT
THE HIDDEN AGENDAS OF OTHER INDUSTRY GROUPS. WE’LL DO IT BY SPEAKING THE TRUTH,
SHARING THE FACTS AND LEVERAGING EVERY TOOL AND RESOURCE WE HAVE AVAILABLE.
TRUCKING HAS EMPLOYERS, EMPLOYEES, VOTERS AND CONSTITUENTS IN EVERY STATE AND
EVERY CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT IN THE COUNTRY. AND WHILE MOST ASSOCIATIONS HOLD
ONE OR TWO FLY-INS EACH YEAR, ATA HOSTS UP TO FOUR STATE ASSOCIATIONS EVERY WEEK
CONGRESS IS IN SESSION. THAT’S 50 TO 75 TRUCKING CEOs AND EXECUTIVES TAKING THE
TIME AND EXPENSE TO COME TO WASHINGTON EACH WEEK AND TELL THEIR SENATORS AND
CONGRESSMEN THAT THEY EXPECT THEM TO VOTE ON OUR ISSUES. LET ME TELL YOU, THAT
STEADY DRUMBEAT WILL MOVE THE NEEDLE. AND FOR ELECTED OFFICIALS WHO SHARE OUR
VIEWS, WE WANT TO SUPPORT THEM. THAT’S WHY WE HAVE TRUCKPAC. AND WHILE ATA IS
THE LEAD VOICE OF TRUCKING, THE DYSFUNCTION OF TODAY’S WASHINGTON OFTEN
REQUIRES OUR STORY TO BE TOLD MORE BROADLY… THAT’S WHY ATA LEADS MULTIPLE
COALITIONS, INCLUDING THE 130 MEMBER STRONG HOURS OF SERVICE COALITION. HOURS
OF SERVICE IS NO LONGER A TRUCKING ISSUE… IT’S AN ECONOMIC ISSUE, LEVERAGING THE
ENTIRE SUPPLY CHAIN, UPSTREAM AND DOWNSTREAM. ATRI IS AN ASSET AND WE WILL
ACTIVELY LOOK FOR OPPORTUNITIES FOR ATRI TO TESTIFY BEFORE CONGRESS AND SUPPORT
REGULATORY AGENCIES – LETTING FACTS AND SOUND DATA DRIVE OUTCOMES. AND WE’LL
FURTHER AMPLIFY OUR VOICE THROUGH OUR TRUCKING MOVES AMERICA FORWARD IMAGE
CAMPAIGN, OUR AMERICA’S ROAD TEAM AND SHARE THE ROAD CAMPAIGNS, AND OUR LEAD
ATA PROGRAM – TEACHING THE NEXT GENERATION OF TRUCKING EXECUTIVES THE
IMPORTANCE OF ADVOCACY.
WHILE EACH OF THESE TOOLS, RESOURCES AND PROGRAMS ARE KEY TO OUR SUCCESS,
WE NEED MORE. AS SOME STATES CONTINUE TO PRODUCE MORE BAD POLICY, ATA WILL NO
LONGER WAIT UNTIL A STATE PROPOSAL MAKES ITS WAY THROUGH FEDERAL COURT OR TO
CONGRESS’ DOORSTEP. GOING FORWARD, IF A STATE ISSUE HAS NATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
AND A STATE TRUCKING ASSOCIATION EXECUTIVE REQUESTS ATA’S SUPPORT TO LOBBY THAT
ISSUE, ATA WILL ACT… TAKING THE FIGHT TO WHERE BATTLES ARE BEST FOUGHT. [PAUSE]
WE ALSO NEED TO TAKE CREDIT FOR WHAT WE DO. WE ARE A CARING,
COMPASSIONATE INDUSTRY, GIVING GENEROUSLY TO A VAST ARRAY OF GOOD CAUSES. FROM
HOSPITALS TO LITTLE LEAGUE, OUR INDUSTRY FUNDS COMMUNITY GOODWILL THROUGHOUT
THE UNITED STATES. IF WE ADDED THAT NUMBER UP, I GUARANTEE YOU IT’S IN THE
BILLLIONS. SO, I HAVE ASKED ATRI TO CONDUCT A SURVEY, TO CAPTURE THAT NUMBER.
WHEN WE BEGIN A MEETING WITH AN ELECTED OFFICIAL AND SHARE HOW WE SPEND OVER
$9.5 BILLION ON SAFETY ENHANCEMENTS EACH YEAR TO HELP BRING FATALATIES TO ZERO, WE
WILL FOLLOW THAT BY CITING THE BILLIONS SPENT BY TRUCKING ON CHARITY. FROM THAT
ATRI SURVEY, I WILL ASK THAT A SECOND SURVEY BE CONDUCTED. IT WILL SHOW THE TOP
RANKED CHARITABLE GIVINGS OF OUR INDUSTRY AND ASK THAT ONE BE CHOSEN AND
ADVOCATED AS OUR INDUSTRY’S TOP CHARITABLE PRIORITY… THROUGH A NEWLY
ESTABLISHED INDUSTRY FOUNDATION. WE CAN AND WILL INVITE MEMBERS OF CONGRESS TO
SERVE ON THE FOUNATION BOARD AND HOST EVENTS HIGHLIGHTING OUR GOODWILL IN THE
CAPITOL BUILDING ITSELF. WE CAN USE THE FOUNDATION TO FURTHER TELL OUR STORY AND
TAKE CREDIT FOR ALL THE GOOD WORK YOU ALREADY DO.
LET ME END WITH WHERE I STARTED, WE NEED TO UNITE AS AN INDUSTRY. IF YOU ARE
AN ATA MEMBER, I THANK YOU. IF YOU AREN’T, I ASK THAT YOU JOIN… NOW. WE FACE
CHALLENGES IN WASHINGTON AND AT THE STATE LEVEL… CHALLENGES THAT ARE DIFFICULT
ENOUGH. COMPETING, FRACTURED OR SILO’D VOICES AND AGENDAS ONLY MAKE IT HARDER.
YOU ARE EACH SPECIAL AND TOGETHER, OUR STRENGTH AS AN INDUSTRY IS UNMATCHED. AS
YOUR NEW PRESIDENT AND CEO, I WILL WORK HARD TO LISTEN AND SOLICIT THE VIEWS OF
ALL MEMBERS AND BUILD CONSENSUS ACROSS OUR INDUSTRY. UNITED, WE’VE PROVEN THAT
WE CAN WIN, AND WIN BIG. WE’VE ALSO SHOWN THAT WE CAN DO IT NO MATTER WHO IS IN
CONTROL OF THE WHITE HOUSE, SENATE OR HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. JUST LOOK AT
WHAT WE DID IN 2014. WE TOOK YOUR #1 ATRI SURVEY PRIORITY – HOURS OF SERVICE – AND
SUSPENDED IT… NOT IN A REPUBLICAN CONTROLLED HOUSE, BUT IN A DEMOCRAT
CONTROLLED SENATE. WE CAME TOGETHER AS AN INDUSTRY, WE TOLD YOUR STORY AND WE
TOOK SEVEN DEMOCRATS ON THE SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE WITH US – A SOLID
VOTE THAT SENT A MESSAGE… DON’T MESS WITH TRUCKING. THIS IS A GAME… AND IT’S NOT
ONE WE CAN AFFORD TO LOSE. WE NEED TO GET IN THE GAME AND WE NEED TO GET IN IT
TOGETHER.
LADIES AND GENTLEMAN, THE STATE OF OUR INDUSTRY IS STRONG. BUT WITHOUT
LEADERSHIP, UNITY OR AN AGGRESSIVE PURSUIT OF RESULTS… OUR FUTURE IS UNCERTAIN.
AT ATA, WE ARE BUILDING A STRUCTURE, A TEAM AND AN AGENDA THAT NOT ONLY PROVIDES
CERTAINTY, BUT RESULTS. WHEN YOU PAY GOOD MONEY TO BELONG TO AN ORGANIZATION,
YOU DESERVE A MEASUREABLE RETURN ON YOUR INVESTMENT. NOW I HAVE HEARD FROM
MANY OF YOU ABOUT WHAT YOU PAY IN DUES. AS I’VE EXPLAINED THIS MORNING, YOU WILL
SEE RESULTS. BUT I BELIEVE YOU STILL REQUIRE A RATIONALE FOR WHAT YOU PAY AND WHY.
AT MY REQUEST AND IN CLOSE COORDINATION WITH ATA TREASURER MIKE DUCKER AND
INCOMING CHAIRMAN KEVIN BURCH, ATA CHAIRMAN PAT THOMAS RECENTLY ESTABLISHED A
REVENUE TASK FORCE, CONSISTING OF 15 MEMBERS OF OUR INDUSTRY – REPRESENTING ALL
SECTORS, LARGE AND SMALL CARRIERS, VENDORS AND STATE EXECUTIVES. THE TASK FORCE’S
FIRST MEETING WAS HELD DURING THIS MC&E, WHERE IT IS BENCHMARKING REVENUE
SOURCES OF OTHER ASSOCIATIONS. THE TASK FORCE WILL CONTINUE MEETING THROUGH
THE END OF THIS YEAR AND BRING RECOMMENDATIONS FOR REFORMING DUES AND NONDUES TO THE REVENUE COMMITTEE AND EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE IN FEBRUARY 2017 – FOR
CONSIDERATION, AND A VOTE. ONCE ADOPTED, THESE RECOMMENDATIONS WILL DETERMINE
THE FUTURE FUNDING FORMULAS AND REVENUE PRIORITIES FOR THE ATA.
YOU DESERVE TO WIN. THAT’S MY VISION FOR ATA – WINNING. I CANNOT DO IT
ALONE. I NEED YOU… AND I NEED A CAPABLE, COMPETENT TEAM TO GET THE JOB DONE. SO
WITH THAT, LET ME CLOSE BY INTRODUCING THE NEW ATA SENIOR EXECUTIVE TEAM. WOULD
THE FOLLOWING ATA LEADERS COME TO THE STAGE? ELISABETH BARNA, OUR NEW COO AND
EVP FOR INDUSTRY AFFAIRS. BILL SULLIVAN, OUR NEW EVP FOR ADVOCACY. JENNIFER HALL,
OUR NEW GENERAL COUNSEL AND EVP FOR LEGAL AFFAIRS. SUE HENSLEY, OUR NEW EVP FOR
COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS. RUSTY DUCKWORTH, OUR NEW CFO. AND LASTLY,
REBECCA BREWSTER, PRESIDENT AND COO OF ATRI.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, PLEASE JOIN ME IN GIVING A WARM ROUND OF APPLAUSE
FOR ATA’S NEW SENIOR EXECUTIVE TEAM.
ATA REPRESENTS BUSINESSES, AND WE WILL MAKE CERTAIN ATA IS RUN LIKE A
BUSINESS. THIS TEAM LOVES TO WIN. THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN. AND WE LOOK FORWARD
TO PROVIDING LEADERSHIP FOR TRUCKING’S SUCCESS, TELLING YOUR STORY… AND GETTING
IN THE GAME.
THANK YOU, AND ENJOY THE 2016 MC&E.