At the American Trucking Associations’ (ATA) 2023 Management Conference & Exhibition, ATA President Chris Spear gave a moving address. He called for a need for ligation reform and the repeal of a federal excise tax forced on new trucks.
In his keynote speech, he detailed the impact of the WWI era 12% tax on freight stakeholders. The tax results in “roughly $25,000 per power unit,” Spear said.
ATA is in opposition to the tax, along with other industry leaders. Together, they indicate that its repeal would assist the industry with modernizing fleets. The ATA and other stakeholders regularly call on Congress to eliminate the excise tax.
Spear went on to call attention to the need to reform aspects of the justice system. He cited this as central to ATA’s policy priorities and categorized lawsuit abuse as an ongoing threat to the truck driving industry.
“Trial lawyers chasing jackpot justice, self-promoting union bosses, and delusional environmental extremists. Together, they constitute a clear threat to our industry’s ability to grow and support our nation’s economic security,” Spear said. “If you belong to a state association and want to put trial lawyers on their heels, speak up. Help make lawsuit abuse a priority in your state capital. Lend your support and testimony. Jackpot justice has no place in the courtroom and no place in our industry.”
As his comprehensive keynote address continued, he praised truck drivers for their essential role in the nation’s supply chain. He emphasized the recent federal action to expand truck parking capacity, where the U.S. Department of Transportation awarded more than $80 million in grants for both highway safety and parking programs. Specifically, agencies in Louisiana, Florida, and Tennessee were presented with grants to fund additional truck parking.
Spear then transitioned into the importance of diversity across the entire industry and firmly established supporting the movement toward ever-increasing diversity as a mission of the ATA. He pointed to Women In Motion as a response to recruit and retain more female truck drivers.
“The purpose of Women In Motion,” according to ATA, “is to promote and support the advancement of women in the trucking industry by providing access to robust training, mentorship, and networking programs, advocating for policies and practices that create a level playing field for women in the industry, and fostering communication and collaboration among women and their allies.”
“These are today’s stakes, which underscores why advocacy matters,” Spear said. “Without a seat at the table, our industry — our way of life — could look entirely different over the next decade. Which is why we must evolve and adapt more quickly than any threat that comes our way.”
Source: Transport Topics
