There is a lot of confusion in Washington, D.C. right now. But the American Trucking Associations will be working diligently to ensure that the least amount of pain and disruption possible impacts trucking.

That was the message delivered by ATA president Chris Spear. As is customary, Spear took to the main stage during ATA’s Technology and Maintenance Council Annual Meeting in Nashville on March 10.

Ahead of the official opening of the TMC show floor, Spear told attendees that the trucking industry continues to play a decades-old “valued and celebrated” role in keeping the U.S. and North American economies strong.

Minimizing the Pain

“What you do here matters,” Spear said. It’s making a difference right now. On Capitol Hill right now, you’re seeing debates unfold on tax and trade. As well as other high-level issues. And they will set the tenor for how our industry grows. We certainly benefited from the last tax cuts under President Trump in his first administration. And his second term is going to be equally impact, allowing our industry to invest in newer, equipment, technology, training, workforce, pay, all the things that make our companies stronger.

Looking the broader economic picture, Spear admitted that there is “a lot of confusion” at the moment – particularly when it comes to on-and-off-again tariffs targeting Canada, China and Mexico.

“Are the tariffs on?” Spear asked. “Are they off? How high will they be? How low? Will the other countries reciprocate?”

All of those things are virtually impossible to track at the moment, Spear said.

“But this is not a surprise,” he added. “We knew this was going to happen. We knew this was going to be very, very important part of this president's agenda. Our question isn't if he was going to do these things. Our focus is on the duration. Because they're directly impactful on our industry. Even small adjustments in trade policies will have an immediate impact on the trucking industry.”

However, Spear pledged that regardless of what policies President Trump decides to implement, ATA would work tirelessly to minimize the pain to the trucking industry.

Beyond Tariffs

Looking beyond large economic policies, Spear was optimistic that the Trump administration will deliver positive results for trucking.

“Our nation’s infrastructure is in dire need of modernization,” he said. 

The Trump administration is also rolling back aggressive diesel exhaust emissions regulations and other environmental rules – many of which have championed by the California Air Resource Board.

“I would be quick to remind you that now, this is not the Unites States of California,” he added to a round of hearty applause.

And ATA will be active on this front, Spear assured attendees.

“We will be working with this White House, this EPA, the House, and the Senate, to ensure that these waivers and rules act are revoked per as early as this week, when Congress returns from its recess,” Spear said. This is about seamless interstate commerce. Our industry operates in every state and in every congressional district. Your elected officials need to understand that it is paramount for our growth to have one standard for the entire country to adhere to. We do not a patchwork of unachievable standards and timelines.”

In time, electrification will have its place, Spear added. But it will be specific to certain segments of the industry. These include drayage, refuse, school busses and other places where the required infrastructure and power grid and be installed and grow accordingly. 

“But I believe this administration is going to make clear that long gone are the days of national policy being dictated out of Sacramento, the breeding ground of all those past restrictive policies,” Spear said.