Chris Burruss, president of the Truckload Carriers Assn. (TCA), believes that carriers need to work together to counteract what he terms the “negative” view of the industry by the general public.

“Many times, perception is reality, and when it comes to trucking much of the public has a very negative image of our industry,” said Burruss at the 14th annual McLeod User Conference. “For example, for the last 20 years we have told ourselves about the good job we are doing in terms of safety — but we haven't told anyone outside the industry. That has to change.”

He believes the industry needs a 10-year “aggressive” image campaign to counteract the negative stereotypes that are out there. In addition to telling people about the our sustained efforts to improve safety, we also need to tell them what a critical role trucking plays in shipping raw materials and finished goods.

“We need to get members of the media into truck cabs with our drivers to see what it is really like our on the road,” Burruss said. “This is important to help change the way we are perceived by the public.”