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October 30, 1998 9:21 AM, EST

Related Stories The ATA also elected officers at the conference. From the ATA's site, read the of ATA President Walter B. McCormick, Jr.'s speech at the opening session of MC&E. (Note: To return to this story, click the "Back" button on your browser.)

NEW ORLEANS — American Trucking Associations took a giant step toward unifying its splintered federation last week with a management conference that drew record attendance and generated more than a half-million dollars in political contributions.

Throughout the four-day conference, which drew more than 4,250 industry people, there were calls for unity and cooperation from virtually every part of the federation.

ATA President Walter B. McCormick Jr. delivered a powerful speech in which he outlined recent successes on Capitol Hill and in the courts. He also laid out his vision of a trucking industry that “speaks with one, powerful voice.”

“We know that as the diverse elements of our industry come together, there will be debates. And they will be vigorous. Out of these debates will come ideas. This is as it should be,” Mr. McCormick said.

But at the end of the day, out of the many voices will come one. We will unify the sound and the fury into one clear and powerful voice that speaks for the entire industry. This is the new ATA.”

Mac McCormick, president of Best Way Express, Vincennes, Ind., who is also chairman of the Truckload Carriers Assn. and an ATA vice president at large, urged the association to “return to its roots” and focus on management issues, not political activity.

“Let ATA carry the water on policy issues,” he said.

TCA President Lana Batts echoed Mr. McCormick’s remarks, pointing out that the major issues for truckload carriers are now high on ATA’s policy agenda, including hours-of-service rules and driver recruitment and retention.

Under the ATA restructuring plan, 13 conference affiliates must integrate with the national federation by Jan. 1, 2001.

According to Mr. McCormick, integration does not mean merger. Conferences will retain their identity, officers, issues, programs, funding levels and preserve their investments and dues. While staff would be on ATA’s payroll, there would not be a direct line of reporting between TCA and ATA, he said.

“Strong conferences are the key to making the plan work,” Mr. McCormick said. “The object is not control, but efficiency.”

The Distribution and LTL Carriers Assn. became the first conference to vote in favor of fully integrating with ATA. Its target date is Jan. 1, 2000, a full year before the deadline set by the Wren Committee.

Many state association executives expressed support for the ATA restructuring plan.

“As the first state to pledge its service to Walter McCormick, we wish to reconfirm our support,” said Fred Serpe, executive director of the Illinois Transportation Assn., during the “Roll Call of the States” at the ATA board of directors and general membership meeting Oct. 28.

The board unanimously adopted bylaws that establish a new oversight committee, expand member involvement in association governance and increase financial disclosure.

At the end of the conference, Dan McCormack, ATA chief of staff and a former New York state trucking association executive, said, “We have momentum. Now we have to keep it going.”

He had praise in particular for Roger T. Roberson, chief executive officer of Roberson Transportation Services, Champaign, Ill., who as chairman of ATA’s TruckPAC raised more than $500,000 for political candidates over the past year. State association executives also took an active part in fundraising and in selecting candidates to back, he said.

Outgoing ATA Chairman Edward R. Trout, president of Cornhusker Motor Lines, Omaha, Neb., said he is most proud of the fact that the association has demonstrated over the past year that it can change.

We needed to change the culture of ATA to be member-driven, to have dues that are fairer and simpler and to have a defined mission of advocacy that brings all of us under the tent,” he said.

“It’s a new beginning. We still have a long way to go. There is resistance. However, we must do it. It’s the right thing. All of us must give the results of these changes and the new plan a chance to work.”

Mr. Trout’s successor and the man who led the ATA restructuring effort, John E.Wren of Lakeville Motor Express, Roseville, Minn., described what he sees as the “rebirth” of the 65-year-old ATA federation (See Wren profile, p. 8).

“We’re about to embark on a great journey that I trust we will take together,” he said. “We recognize that what worked 65 years ago does not work today and will not work tomorrow.

“I see an ATA with a new voice, a new vision and is strong enough to bring together all of the elements of the trucking industry. We will move swiftly and aggressively to implement this blueprint for change. My job is to lead this process and make sure we stay on the right course.”

Mr. Wren said ATA must dramatically increase its membership if it is going to achieve the goal of increasing its political clout. “That is my mission,” he said. “If you see me on your door step, we’re going to talk about membership.”

To carry out the membership drive, he said he will ask current members and state association executives to get involved.

“You asked for a new ATA. Here it is,” he said.

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