Opinion: Speaking With One Voice

By Fred Serpe President Illinois Transportation Association

A single twig can easily be broken, a bundle of twigs cannot. Strength of unity is the basis of associations and the survival of an industry. American Trucking Associations’ Wren Committee understood this concept. Two years ago this month, ATA, acting on the Wren Committee’s recommendations, voted on dues restructuring, mandatory membership in state trucking associations and the specific special-interest conferences. Unfortunately, everyone has yet to agree with the higher, more encompassing memberships. As a result, we are experiencing a splintering of trucking organizations in what should be the strongest, safest and most vocal industry in America. The Trucking Association Executives Council, a group of ATA-affiliated state trucking association and conference executives, may be falling into the same post-Wren quagmire as have too many other trucking-related organizations that have either chosen not to affiliate with ATA or have chosen to be benchwarmers and sit on the sidelines to wait and watch. Some trucking groups have simply separated from ATA to establish their own voices, their own federal lobbies and their own series of educational and compliance seminars. Some of these organizations have offered solid compromises for joint memberships with ATA, while others that were loosely affiliated with ATA have done nothing to step up for unity, and probably never intended to unify with the same industry that ultimately sustains them. Those, like myself, who are privileged to represent the industry that breathes life into the country’s economy and services, together with those officers and board members who volunteer their time and always step up financially, need to be supported by all who benefit from the representation of this industry. Every individual should stand openly and solidly with one national voice and never publicly show any disunity. Differences of opinion will always occur, especially when state and conference executives, ATA employees and successful trucking company owners have such strong personalities and desires to succeed. Dissent is not unknown, but it should be resolved by debate in a private forum. These forums, however, cannot exist without the necessary affiliations. And that brings us back to the bundle of twigs. As reported by the Truckload Carriers Association’s newsletter, TAEC is considering its own existence without its members being ATA affiliates. Voting membership of non-ATA affiliates, as well as federation relations and representation at ATA and on Capitol Hill are up for discussion. I strongly disagree with my organization separating itself from the whole, and have chosen this forum to air my opinion. By doing so, I hope this message sinks in with all those who may unknowingly be making the job of every state trucking association, conference and national executive that much harder by diluting the full force and effect of the trucking industry. Mr. Serpe was named executive director of the Illinois Transportation Association in 1987, and is a former chairman of the Trucking Associations Executive Conference Region III.