Barry Pottle, chief executive officer of Pottle’s Transportation in Bangor, Maine, has been elected as 2006-2007 chairman of the Truckload Carriers Association (TCA).

The swearing-in ceremony took place on at the association’s annual meeting this week at the Gaylord Palms Resort in Orlando, Fla.
Pottle began his career in 1978 working as an owner-operator truck driver. After five years on the road he began his career at Pottle’s as vice president, managing the maintenance and operations department. In 1989, Pottle and two private investors bought the company from his father, Clifton Pottle. In 1994 Pottle bought his investors’ interest in the company and in 1996 he bought another trucking company, increasing Pottle’s fleet and making it one of the largest carriers in Maine.
Pottle has held a variety of leadership positions in the trucking industry and is committed to truck safety. The winner of last year’s TCA National Fleet Safety Grand Prize, Pottle is a past chairman of the Maine Motor Transport Association, state vice president of the American Trucking Associations and past chairman of TCA’s membership committee.
In his year as chairman, Pottle wants to bring attention to the truck driver shortage and encourage TCA members to think about their drivers’ needs in new and different ways.
“I feel trucking companies are doing a good job, not a great job in retaining drivers. However, we need and can do better,” Pottle said.
He also cited the importance of other industry forces in retaining drivers, “I am here to tell you that the trucking companies can’t fix the problems alone. We need to get our customers and suppliers behind us as well.” As the voice of the truckload industry he will also tackle regulatory issues including the Hours of Service rules, impending EOBR regulations, and truck size and weight guidelines.
The following individuals were also elected and will serve with Pottle until the next convention:
• First Vice Chairman: Jim O’Neal, president, O & S Trucking, Springfield, Mo.
• Second Vice Chairman: Ray Haight, president & COO, MacKinnon Transport Inc., Guelph, Ontario, Canada
• Secretary: Robert Baylor, president, Baylor Trucking Inc., Milan, Ind.
• Treasurer: Chris Kozak, president, Willis Shaw Express, Elm Springs, Ark.
• Association Vice Chairman to ATA: Clifton Parker, president, G&P Trucking Co., Inc., Gaston, S.C.
• Immediate Past Chairman: Dave Berry, Vice President, Swift Transportation Co. Inc., Phoenix, Ariz.