Exploring the major trucking industry organizations: A comprehensive guide

Like any industry, trucking is full of trade groups and other organizations focusing on support and advocacy. Some focus on different kinds of truck drivers, while others focus on niche transportation segments.

For someone new to the industry, the number of different organizations and the common alphabet soup of abbreviations might be overwhelming. Which organization should you join and how? This Fleets Explained article outlines the major trucking organizations, what they do, and how to join them.

American Trucking Associations

The American Trucking Associations was founded in 1933 and calls itself the “voice of the trucking industry.” ATA represents every segment of the trucking industry and fleets of all sizes and is actually a federation of state and other local trucking organizations across the U.S.

ATA has four pillars of service: advocate, advise, connect, and educate. ATA conducts research for the industry, advocates for the industry with government officials, hosts educational events and webinars, and helps guide its members.

According to the federation, “ATA is focused on achieving bottom-line results for our members. We are here to provide them with the answers, advice, and tools they need to grow and support their trucking businesses.”

Depending on your role in the trucking industry, there are different kinds of ATA membership, including: for-hire carriers, private carriers, shippers, allied companies, and moving and storage. Membership can be sought through ATA’s online membership application.

American Truck Dealers

American Truck Dealers is a division of the National Automobile Dealers Association. Established in 1970, ATD represents franchised medium- and heavy-duty truck dealers. The organization currently has more than 3,200 members.

ATD's mission is to “serve and represent the specific needs of franchised commercial truck dealer members through federal advocacy, industry relations, education, and other services.” The organization’s core values are integrity, participation, professionalism, advocacy, and community.

ATD offers its members classes, seminars, consulting, educational content, and more. It is an active voice for U.S. dealers in Washington, D.C., advocating for issues such as emission regulations, the Federal Excise Tax, and more. ATD has a program called “ATD NextGen,” a professional development network for future dealer leaders.

Any new-truck dealership holding a new truck sales and service franchise can become a member of ATD through ATD’s website. International dealerships can also become ATD affiliates.

Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance

Established in 1980, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance is a nonprofit organization comprised of commercial vehicle safety officials. The goal of the organization is to “prevent commercial motor vehicle crashes, injuries, and fatalities,” according to CVSA’s website.

CVSA hosts annual events aimed at ensuring safety on the roads. These events include Brake Safety Day, Brake Safety Week, and International Roadcheck. During these events, commercial vehicles are stopped and inspected for various safety and equipment issues. If issues are found, commercial vehicles are put out of service to ensure safety. CVSA reports on the results of these events for better CMV safety understanding and awareness.

CVSA has four membership types: state/provincial, local agencies, associate, and federal. The associate level includes trucking companies.

To learn more about becoming an associate CVSA member, you can contact CVSA here.

Intermodal Association of North America

The Intermodal Association of North America represents the intermodal freight industry. Its goal is to “promote the growth of efficient intermodal freight transportation through innovation, education, and dialogue,” according to its website.

IANA promotes intermodal freight transportation and educates industry stakeholders. The organization gives its members a mode-neutral forum to discuss issues, build consensus, shape policy, and develop recommended practices. IANA also focuses on shaping the legislative and regulatory environment in areas that impact the intermodal industry.

You can apply for IANA membership here.

International Foodservice Distributors Association

The International Foodservice Distributors Association is a trade association for foodservice distributors. Originally established in 1906, IFDA focuses on advocating for the industry in the legislative arena, providing members with resources, conducting research on the industry, and more.

IFDA has three membership categories:

Distributor membership: Foodservice distribution companies.
Allied membership: Companies that supply goods and services (not for resale) to foodservice distributors.
Manufacturer partner: Manufacturers interested in expanding their reach within the foodservice distribution network.

You can apply for IFDA membership here.

International Milk Haulers Association

The International Milk Haulers Association is a trade association established in the 1970s as the National Federation of Milk Hauler Associations and changed its name to the International Milk Haulers Association in 2000, according to the association’s website. IMHA represents members in the U.S., Australia, Canada, Ireland, and New Zealand. Its membership types include dairy haulers, cooperatives, processors, suppliers, and state associations

IMHA’s mission statement is “to serve as the voice for a safe and professional dairy transportation industry through collaboration, education, advocacy, and focused initiatives.” IMHA hosts conventions, sends out newsletters, holds contests, works with legislators, and more for its members.

To join IMHA, you can print and mail in an application, or fill out the online application here.

National Motor Freight Traffic Association

The National Motor Freight Traffic Association, headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, is a nonprofit membership organization representing less-than-truckload carriers. According to the association’s website, “NMFTA provides critical services to the industry in the form of classification standards, identification codes, digital operation standards, and support for cybersecurity within the industry.” These services include:

National Motor Freight Classification system
Standard Carrier Alpha Code
Standard Point Location Code
Digital LTL Council
Industry cybersecurity leadership

There are two ways to join NMFTA: membership and participation. Full members receive all benefits plus the ability to serve on the NMFTA Classification Resource Committee. NMFTA participants can use and reference the NMFC in their business documents and tools. You can learn more about both options and apply for them here.

National Private Truck Council

The National Private Truck Council is a national trade association dedicated exclusively to representing private motor carrier fleets, which are transportation operations within companies whose primary business is not transportation.

According to the organization’s website, “NPTC represents a broad cross-section of America’s Fortune 500 elites such as Walmart, Linde, CVS Health, Amazon, Home Depot, Marathon Petroleum, Schwan's Food, Pepsi, Michelin, Batesville, Frito-Lay, Oldcastle, Walgreens, and hundreds of other manufacturers, distributors, retailers and public service agencies, as well as hundreds of medium to small companies of all kinds with private fleets.”

NPTC’s focus is on sharing information, networking, advocacy, education, and promoting sound, ethical business practices and standards. Gary Petty, NPTC CEO, writes a monthly column for FleetOwner.

NPTC has both fleet membership and allied membership. You can learn more about applying for membership here.

National Tank Truck Carriers

Founded in 1945, National Tank Truck Carriers’ goal is to “represent the interests of the tank truck industry,” according to the organization’s website. NTTC aims to improve tank truck safety through advocacy and education.

NTTC has three types of membership:

Carriers: “For-hire tank truck carrier member companies whose primary revenue derives from delivering products for others. Carrier members have full voting rights and governance privileges.”
Private fleets: “Private fleet operators, jobbers, and distributor companies whose primary revenue does not derive from delivering products for others. Private fleet members do not have voting rights or governance privileges.”
Associate: “Industry suppliers who provide various product and service solutions to tank truck operations. Associate members do have voting rights and governance privileges.”

To join or seek more membership information, you can learn more here.

National Trailer Dealers Association

The National Trailer Dealers Association was established in 1990 to promote “the goodwill of independent semi-trailer dealers throughout North America by advocating the highest industry standards and by raising the level of professionalism through insight, education, networking, and communication,” according to the association’s website.

There are three types of NTDA membership:

Dealer member: “Independent licensed dealers engaged in the business of buying and selling semi-trailers, or a representative appointed by such a dealer.”
Dealer branch member: “A branch office/location of an NTDA Dealer Member.”
Allied member: “Companies engaged primarily in the manufacture of semi-trailers and/or semi-trailer parts and accessories. This category also includes other companies that are not dealers or manufacturers but are affiliated with the semi-trailer industry and support the objectives of the association.”

You can learn more and apply for membership here.

Next Generation Trucking Association

The Next Generation Trucking Association is a nonprofit trade association focused on training the next generation of trucking industry professionals. According to the association, NGT partners with high schools, private schools, community colleges, and technical colleges to launch training programs. These training programs are for future truck drivers, future diesel technicians, and future supply chain logistics professionals.

NGT members gain the following benefits:

Partnerships with career technical education schools
A pipeline of trained drivers, technicians, and supply chain professionals
A better understanding of Gen Z and how to make opportunities attractive
Industry representation across skilled workforce groups, student organizations, and career preparatory associations
Use of NGT’s Nationally Registered DOL Apprenticeship Program

You can learn more about membership with NGT here.

North American Council for Freight Efficiency

The North American Council for Freight Efficiency is a nonprofit organization that works to “drive the development and adoption of efficiency-enhancing, environmentally beneficial, and cost-effective technologies, services, and operational practices in the movement of goods across North America.”

NACFE conducts multiple research projects on emissions efficiency in the trucking industry, including Run on Less - Electric Depot, which NACFE works on in partnership with RMI. This research helps guide the industry on topics such as EVs, aerodynamics, hydrogen fuel, and more. Mike Roeth, NACFE executive director, writes a weekly column on efficiency for FleetOwner.

NACFE doesn’t have membership like other trucking organizations, but you can sponsor or support the nonprofit or benefit from its online resources, such as its podcast newsletter, research reports, and more.

The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association

The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association is an “international trade association representing the interests of independent owner-operators and professional drivers on all issues that affect truckers,” according to the association’s website. OOIDA was formed in 1973 and has more than 150,000 members from the U.S. and Canada.

A major aspect of OOIDA is advocacy. OOIDA fights for truck drivers’ voices to be heard on issues such as speed limiters, emissions regulations, and truck parking, educating lawmakers on these issues and more. FleetOwner’s weekly newsletter, For the Driver, focuses on this segment of the industry.

You can learn more about and apply for OOIDA membership here.

Specialized Carriers & Rigging Association

The Specialized Carriers & Rigging Association is “an international trade association of more than 1,400 members from 46 nations. [Its] members are involved in specialized transportation, machinery moving and erecting, industrial maintenance, millwrighting and crane and rigging operations, manufacturing, and rental,” according to the association’s website.

SC&RA focuses on advocacy, education, networking, and research for its members. Safety is a major trend in all of these focuses.

SC&RA offers membership for three types of companies:

Crane, rigging, millwrighting: “Companies that own, operate, rent, and conduct the lifting and securing of objects.”
Specialized transportation: “Companies that own, operate equipment in the movement of OS/OW objects.”
Supporting services: “Companies that provide supporting products and services for crane, rigging, and transportation companies.”

You can learn more about and apply for SC&RA membership here.

Technology & Maintenance Council

Part of the American Trucking Associations, the Technology & Maintenance Council has grown to some 3,000 members, according to the council’s website. TMC’s goal is to help members “develop the industry’s recommended practices that address the critical technology and maintenance issues that have the greatest impact on truck fleets.”

TMC members include fleet owners, technicians, manufacturers, suppliers, and more. According to the council’s website, TMC’s recommended practices for fleet technology and maintenance both help fleets be more effective and guide manufacturers on equipment design.

You can apply to join TMC here. TMC offers different pricing options depending on your specific occupation.

Transportation Intermediaries Association

The Transportation Intermediaries Association is focused on advancing third-party logistic professionals. According to the association’s website, “TIA serves more than 1,700 third-party logistics members and helps them better manage their companies for growth and profitability.”

Along with resources and networking opportunities, TIA provides its members with fraud prevention and holds its members to a strict ethical code. TIA has been serving the third-party logistics industry since 1978.

You can learn more about TIA membership here.

Truckload Carriers Association

The Truckload Carriers Association is a trade association focused on every truckload segment. TCA was founded in 1938 and represents operators of more than 220,000 trucks. According to the association’s website, its goal is to “provide leadership that will increase our member’s productivity, profitability, and ability to provide superior service, to advocate on behalf of our members, and to enhance the truckload industry’s ability to provide safe, high quality reliable truckload transportation services to the shipping public.”

TCA is also associated with industry-related charitable works, with its Highway Angel program, sponsorship of the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree, support for the nonprofit Wreaths Across America, and partnership with the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund for The Wall That Heals. David Heller, SVP of safety and government affairs at TCA, writes a monthly column for FleetOwner.

TCA offers membership for for-hire carriers, private fleets, associate/service providers, and CDL schools. You can learn more about TCA membership here.

Truck & Engine Manufacturers Association

The Truck & Engine Manufacturers Association works with the government and the trucking industry to promote “cleaner air and safer highways and to ensure that environmental and safety standards and regulations are technologically feasible, cost-effective, and provide safety and environmental benefits.” EMA is composed of manufacturers of internal combustion engines and on-highway medium- and heavy-duty trucks.

A focus of EMA is the research into emissions, fuel efficiency, and truck and engine performance. In addition, it participates in advocacy regarding emission regulations, fuel efficiency, and more.

You can contact EMA regarding membership here.

Truck Trailer Manufacturers Association

The Truck Trailer Manufacturers Association is a trade association consisting of North American trailer manufacturers. Established in 1941, TTMA’s current membership “produces more than 90% of the truck trailers built in North America,” according to the association’s website.

TTMA was originally created to support better relationships between various truck trailer manufacturers and their suppliers. Today, TTMA advocates for regulations and policies that help keep production going smoothly.

You can learn more about TTMA membership here.

Women In Trucking Association

The Women In Trucking Association is a nonprofit focused on supporting women in the trucking industry. WIT encourages the employment of women in the industry, works to remove obstacles for women in trucking, and celebrates women in the industry’s success.

WIT hosts an annual conference, publishes its Redefining the Road magazines three times per year, participates in research and advocacy, presents monthly and annual awards, gives out scholarships, and more.

If you’re a woman in the trucking industry or looking to join the trucking industry, you can learn more about WIT membership here.

Miscellaneous

In addition to all of these organizations, almost every state has its own trucking association that benefits trucking industry members in that state. Some regions also have trucking associations.