Shannon Newton
President, ATA
There was once a familiar phrase we’d use with an audible sigh: “the speed of government.” It conveyed a universal truth—bureaucracy has a slow roll. Forms require signatures in triplicate, proposals need approvals from multiple offices and processes include periods for public input. It is frustrating yet predictable, a system that mostly works, albeit slowly.
That certainty and predictability has vanished.
Print always races against time—we regularly monitor breaking news until sending these pages to press. But this issue was different. Nearly every article required rewrites or updates as situations evolved daily. What had been routine flexibility became a sprint to capture a landscape refusing to hold still. The ink may barely be dry before some details change again.
In the past 45 days, we’ve witnessed dizzying policy shifts with more flip flops than a beach pier in Sandestin. Tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China were implemented, paused, reinstated, then partially exempted, then delayed again. Each country promised retaliatory tariffs on American goods. By the time you read this, we may still be fighting a trade war, or perhaps a deal will make this paragraph old news.
In the federal workforce, thousands received emails on Feb. 6 presenting a stark choice: resign with some compensation or face potential layoffs as the Department of Government Efficiency sought to reduce costs. However, a few days later, some offers were rescinded and many workers who were laid off were called back to the job.
Federal funding froze, then courts ordered release of some funds when judges ruled that contracts for completed work couldn’t legally be canceled. The pendulum swings with unprecedented speed.
For Arkansas businesses, particularly in transportation and logistics, this acceleration presents mixed realities. Some view these swift actions as overdue corrections—cutting red tape, eliminating waste, creating space for innovation. Others see the same changes with concern, noting that predictability and consistency underpin sound business planning.
Whether these changes are good or bad often depends on perspective. The question is how to operate and succeed in this new environment. Do you maximize flexibility, ready to pivot instantly? Or make informed decisions prepared to weather the turbulence? The latter may seem counterintuitive amid constant change, but with policies shifting and then reverting, attempting to be perpetually nimble might prove impossible. Sometimes making a decision and holding steady means you’ll find favorable circumstances at least part of the time.
The crest and trough of policy waves grow closer together, creating a different landscape for those navigating commerce. What we once knew as “the speed of government”—that reliable, if frustrating, pace—may be a concept known only in the past.
Please give this issue extra grace if we hit “send” too quickly. We’re also adjusting to the breakneck speed of government.
