TALKING TCA Bridging Border Barriers More than 200 industry leaders gathered in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada to share thoughts about issues facing the trucking industry in both Canada and the U.S. during the Truckload Carriers Association’s sixth annual Bridging Border Barriers event, held November 8, 2023. View additional photos at truckload.org/Flickr. 1 3 4 2 5 1. More than 200 people joined TCA for the 2023 event. 2. Left Lane Associates’ Pete Stefanovich moderates a Workforce Development panel with Bison’s Linda Young, Kriska’s Heather Mewhinney, and Challenger Motor Freight’s Geoff Topping. 3. TCA staff and association members Trevor Kurtz, Wendell Erb, Mark Seymour, along with 2023 Driver of the Year Daniel Clark joined Bob Costello, chief economist for the American Trucking Associations, and Kaitlyn Holmecki, senior manager of international trade and security policy, for dinner preceding the event. 4. TCA Officer Trevor Kurtz speaks with Trans-West Logistics’ Juan Sebastian Vargas and Deloitte’s Ruby Williams during a networking break. 5. TruckRight’s Tabitha Roberts, Angelica Ciocanu, and Natalie Edwards pose for a photo with DRC’s Dafne Palamino. 38 Truckload Authority | www.Truckload.org TCA JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024
There’s no place like JOIN US IN MARCH FOR TRUCKLOAD 2024 he Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) 2024 convention, slated for March 23-26 at the Gaylord Opryland Resort in Nashville, Tennessee, promises to be one for the record books as more than 1,400 industry professionals gather to make new connections, explore the latest technology and service offerings, and learn about the newest trends in trucking. In addition, attendees will enjoy keynote speaker Kevin O’Leary of ABC’s Shark Tank and featured speaker, demographer Ken Gronbach, along with a special appearance by musical guest Gavin DeGraw. Visit tcaconvention.com to find out more and register for the event. This year’s convention offers four leadership panel discussions that are sure to pique your interest, foster growth, and help your company’s bottom line. Large Carriers Panel: Outlook 2024 and Beyond Large truck carriers are a vital part of the logistics and transportation industry and play a crucial role in moving goods across the country and even internationally. Join this panel to hear large carrier executives discuss the challenges they face in their operations and business environments to include rising operating costs, competition, driver shortages, along with constant regulations and compliance updates. Moderator: Joey Hogan, president of Covenant Logistics Group, Inc. Panelists: Mark Rourke, president and CEO of Schneider National, Inc.; Murray Mullen, chair, senior executive officer and president of the Mullen Group; and Jim Richards, president and CEO of KLLM Transport Services, LLC. Trucking in 2024: Politics, Trends and Election — A Washington Update With the 2024 presidential elections right around the corner, TCA’s Capitol Hill lobbyists will discuss their legislative viewpoints from both sides of the aisle and the potential impacts that it could have on trucking. Partisan issues continue to persist, and this panel will address the effects of the election on labor regulations, economic growth along with the top issues, trends and events that are currently shaping our political environment. Moderator: Dave Heller, senior vice president of safety and government affairs for TCA. Panelists: Missy Edwards, strategic advisor on government affairs for MME Strategies, and Richard Sullivan, partner at State Federal Strategies. Small Carriers Panel: Outlook 2024 and Beyond What does the road ahead look like for small carriers? It’s no secret that small truck carriers face unique challenges in the industry, including fierce competition, fluctuating fuel prices, limited financial resources, regulatory compliance, and the need to maintain a reliable customer base. Tune in as small carrier CEOs discuss crucial components of maintaining a business, along with trends and future demands. Moderator: Jon Coca, president of Diamond Transportation System, Inc. Panelists: Dave Gallano, president of Gallano Trucking, Inc.; Peter Jenkins, general manager of TransPro Freight Systems; and Adam Blanchard, co-founder and CEO of Double Diamond Transport, Inc. Young Trucking Executives (YTE) Discussion Join the discussion with TCA’s young trucking executives as they discuss their current and future impact on the industry, as well as mentorship, business succession planning, learning, and development, along with cultivating leadership principles. Participate in the conversation to see how you and your organization can get involved and develop future association trailblazers. Moderator: Lindsey Trent, president and co-founder of Next Gen Trucking. Panelists: Ashley Kordish, CEO of Ralph Moyle, Inc.; Lucas Subler, president of Classic Carriers, Inc.; and Lance Votroubek, vice president and general manager of the van division for Warren Transport, Inc. TCA JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024 www.Truckload.org | Truckload Authority 39