In the year since the Truckload Carriers Association voted against affiliation with the American Trucking Associations, the separation remains remarkably amicable. The two associations have split their responsibilities and services along lines suggested following the vote at the TCA meeting in 2000. TCA has moved to concentrate its efforts on education and training, while ATA puts its resources behind political advocacy.
In his first address to an annual meeting, new association president Robert Hirsch affirmed the association's commitment to driver development and training. The top item on his agenda was the younger driver pilot program for which TCA has requested a waiver from DOT regulations requiring that drivers in interstate commerce be at least 21 years of age. A full report on the younger driver petition was presented by Ronnie Dowdy, chairman of TCA's Driver Recruitment and Retention Panel. Hirsch also detailed a cooperative effort between TCA and the National Council of La Raza to recruit drivers in the Hispanic community.
Hirsch also said that TCA would continue its educational efforts outside the association as well as among members. Two examples of these efforts are the outreach to shippers and receivers from the Just-in-Time-to-Wait Panel and the public relations campaign to recognize the kindness and heroism of drivers through the Highway Angels program. A detailed report on JIT Panel activity was presented by panel chairman, Dick Durst, president of Arctic Express.
TCA put the cooperative effort with La Raza to immediate use. The two organizations held a six-hour job fair in the San Antonio Convention Center on Tuesday, April 9. Nine motor carriers, of which four operate refrigerated fleets, participated in the job fair, which drew a fairly large crowd of potential employees.
In addition to driver issues, TCA members got an economic analysis from James K Glassman, a fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and former host of Capital Gang Sunday on CNN until 1998. Glassman gave a decidedly conservative presentation in which he described the background of the past 10 years of economic expansion and prescribed the remedies needed to revive the economy from its present slowdown. In particular, he cited lower interest rates, lower taxes, and less government regulation as the cures for economic stagnation.
As always, TCA had a number of awards to present. The association reserves its Past Chairmen's Award for industry leaders who have made significant contributions to the business community. The award for 2000 was presented to Tom Welby, late president of Refrigerated Food Express in Avon, Massachusetts.
