By David O’Neal
Author’s note: Regular readers may note that we don’t often have personal bylines on our stories. Although each article has a primary author, the STC team collectively edits and collaborates to tell stories that are comprehensive and representative. So, while this piece will undoubtedly undergo that same scrutiny, it’s somewhat more personal in nature.
Approaching 30 years in the trucking industry, I’ve learned at least a few lessons. Most of them the hard way, but some have made sense from the outset. Here’s one of the latter: no one moves the world forward alone. That’s true for the driver hauling freight across the country, for the health care worker caring for a patient, and it’s true for the organizations, policymakers, and communities who depend on those individuals every day. Associations, whether in trucking, health care, real estate, or agriculture, remind us that when voices come together, the impact is multiplied.
Take advocacy. A single truck driver, or even a single trucking company owner, calling a legislator to express concern over pending legislation might get polite attention. But when a state trucking association or the American Trucking Associations speak on behalf of thousands of fleets, drivers, and suppliers, lawmakers tend to listen. That unified voice helps guide practical regulations, realistic safety initiatives, and ensures the business of moving freight remains efficient. It’s the same playbook used by the American Hospital Association in healthcare or the National Association of Realtors in housing: power in numbers gets results.
Associations don’t always look like trade groups of companies, though. They can also represent professionals in the same general realm, but with different viewpoints and priorities. The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA), for example, advocates for uniform safety regulations, inspection practices, and OOS Criteria across borders, bringing together U.S., Canadian, and Mexican enforcement agencies. By aligning inspection criteria and safety initiatives, CVSA makes enforcement more predictable for carriers while strengthening the industry’s overall commitment to safety.
Education and professional development are another cornerstone. Trucking associations deliver training on compliance, safety, and leadership. They help carriers stay ahead of shifting rules, technology, and workforce challenges. They also facilitate members sharing experiences and best practices. Other industries do the same: project managers have the Project Management Institute, builders and contractors have their own trade groups, and in almost every case, associations raise the professional bar and provide real value. This is a big reason why a 2023 ATRI report found membership in state trucking associations actually makes carrier members safer.
Then there’s public relations. Trucking isn’t always portrayed in the most flattering light. In some cases, those portraits are self-drawn, but associations work to change that story, highlighting the millions of men and women behind the wheel as essential workers and trusted professionals, along with the multitudes who work behind the scenes. Think of campaigns like “Got Milk?”. Those didn’t come from one dairy farmer. They came from an association rallying the industry around a common message.
Sometimes it can be a challenge for associations to know where to focus their resources. That’s where the trucking industry, for example, can help itself by participating in research to identify top issues and concerns. Conducted annually by the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI), this survey helps guide and direct research initiatives and advocacy priorities.
Whether it’s trucking or any other industry, associations exist to make the collective stronger than the sum of its individual parts. They advocate when the stakes are high, educate to keep professionals sharp, and promote the industry so the public understands its value. For trucking, that means keeping freight flowing, drivers respected, improving safety, and businesses thriving.
And that’s why I’m excited to share some professional news that’s also highly personal: I’m returning to the Arkansas Trucking Association in a role focused on telling trucking’s story. I’ve been truly honored to be part of Scopelitis Transportation Consulting—working and learning alongside an incredible team, sharpening my skills, and deepening relationships across the industry. Now, I’ll carry that experience forward as I work to share the good news of this industry: the innovation, the resilience, and most importantly, the people who keep America moving. Trucking has its challenges, but it also has incredible opportunities. I’m looking forward to helping shine a light on those stories and the people behind them.