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Mr. Chairman, thank you for joining us for
another Chat with the Chairman. We hope you
and your family had a Merry Christmas and
Happy New Year. What are the traditions of the
Dellinger family holiday celebrations?
I have mentioned several times in the past that I
am part of a large family. This year, COVID-19 has
brought change to some of our past Christmas traditions,
but we know it is temporary. We normally attend
Christmas Eve candlelight services at church and
gather with family on Christmas morning. The longstanding
tradition begins with a morning breakfast
followed by a late dinner. Absent COVID-19, this dinner
might include up to 45 people. I did say my family
was large!
Speaking of Christmas, TCA recently participated
in events surrounding the transporting of the
U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree to Washington. Why
is it important for the association to participate
in this event?
Trucking plays a critical role in transporting “The
People’s Tree” each year and it’s imperative that TCA
bring recognition to the transportation aspect of the
program. We have been a longtime supporter dating
back to 2012 when TCA began its relationship with
Choose Outdoors, the nonprofit which organizes the
initiative. I was excited when TCA asked Cargo Transporters
to co-host a whistle stop in my home state,
and what better place than Asheville, North Carolina,
to host the tree? The event featured a photo booth,
food trucks, local media, and a special appearance by
Santa Claus. More than 500 people had the opportunity
to see this piece of history as it made its only
stop outside of Colorado, where the tree was harvested,
while en route to the West Lawn of the U.S.
Capitol.
Despite the holidays, the pace has not slowed
at tca. One of the most visible events was the
Fourth Annual Bridging Border Barriers, which
attracted a record attendance as a virtual
event. What were the highlights of this
meeting?
TCA conceived of this event to bring networking,
content, and educational opportunities north of the
border. Though I was disappointed I was unable to
make the trip to Canada, I was excited there were
over 500 registrants for the virtual event in early
November, further substantiating the relevance of TCA
to the industry. This event continues to grow much
as it was envisioned, clearly getting a boost from the
virtual platform this year. Highlights included a great
human resources panel focusing on employee engagement
and retention efforts north of the border.
Dave Heller provided an update on regulatory issues,
the Canadian electronic logging device mandate, and
the prospects of an infrastructure bill in the U.S. under
a Biden presidency. Finally, it is always great to
see the relationship between TCA and the Canadian
Trucking Alliance on display as John Lyboldt, Stephen
Laskowski, and Mark Seymour of Kriska Transportation
Group covered cross-border operations in today’s
environment. Overall, the event was a huge success,
and we look forward to convening live and in person
next year.
What are some of the association’s other
accomplishments since we last spoke?
In the two months since we last spoke, the association
continues to be extremely busy. It is quite easy
to get caught up in all things COVID-19 and forget
there are still things that have occurred within the
association. In an effort to provide our members the
safest environment possible, we have transitioned
our Annual Convention, Truckload 2021, from Nashville
in January to Las Vegas in April, allowing us a
larger venue if social distancing is still required. This
decision has been viewed as a positive step from a
membership that is both anxious and eager to engage
in the networking opportunities that in-person meetings
allow. Besides the venue change, TCA hosted the
Bridging Borders Barriers event and a whistle stop for
the Capitol Christmas Tree as just alluded. Our educational
offerings, i.e., webinars, continue to see largerthan-normal
attendance numbers, which complement
the educational department’s increased online learning
enrollments. Also, as we prepare for the new administration
in January, the government affairs team is reviewing
its strategic agenda in preparation for ongoing
meetings with the transition team. I assure you, it is
TCA’s desire to get behind a meaningful discussion to
ensure an infrastructure package is passed early next
year.
22 Truckload Authority | www.Truckload.org TCA 2021