Arkansas Trucking Association

Up Front- Seizing Opportunities

Craig Harper
J. B. Hunt Transport
Chairman of the Board, ATA

Depending on your outlook, the trucking industry has many daunting challenges to address or critical opportunities to seize in 2015 and beyond. Of course perspective matters, but this is not just a clever case of semantics. It’s about mindset.

Research suggests a powerful link between how we impact issues and the frame of reference we bring to bear upon them. Management consultants tell us the same is true of organizations: the difference between achieving a wildly successful outcome and experiencing a dismal failure is sometimes only a slight shift in perception. How important is our perspective, and how much difference can you create with a subtle shift in mindset? Just as important, how influential is our environment upon our current outlook?

It’s certainly true that our industry’s performance is closely tied to the American economy, which has been looking increasingly positive. Freight demand is up, tonnage growth is increasing and, after the toughest period in recent memory, economic forecasts are trending positively. In short, the state of our industry is strong, characterized by an overall sense of optimism.

And yet, there are many critical opportunities to be seized for the collective well-being of our industry. We must continue to stare down the barrel of pressing business and regulatory concerns. Described in detail in Arkansas Trucking Report’s ‘The Trucking Industry’s Top 10 Issues Survey,’ these pressure points include tightening regulations, ongoing driver turnover and shortages, deteriorating infrastructure and funding, and integration of technological advancements.

These are certainly challenges, but they are also opportunities that will impact the long-term health and direction of our industry. The stakes are high, with consequences that will last well into the future. We must do everything we can to make sure we’re moving in the right direction.

But this mission is bigger than any individual company. Each of us is an important component of creating a safer, more productive and efficient industry. Seeing industry pressure points for the opportunities they are, despite the complexities involved, can redirect us to take action on issues that really matter and can create a brighter future for us all.

In this issue, Arkansas Trucking Report profiles a woman who sees these opportunities and sincerely cares about the success of our trucking industry—new ATA President Shannon Newton. A trailblazer on issues that are important to all truckers, particularly those impacting Arkansas carriers, Mrs. Newton has been an influential voice on the self insurers’ workers compensation fund, the state tax on extended warranties and anti-indemnification language. Shannon's 12 years of experience with our association is evident in how well she navigates through the legislatures in Arkansas, as well as in D.C. She is a phenomenal asset to the Arkansas Trucking Association, and we are fortunate to have her as our President.