American Trucking Association Council Changes Name to Emphasize Technology
IVsource.net
3 March 2001

The Truck Maintenance Council (TMC) of the American Trucking Association (ATA) has announced that it will broaden its mission to address both on-board and off-board technologies to help meet the future transportation needs of fleets ... and adopt a new name in the process: the "Technology and Maintenance Council" (TMC).

The 45-year old Truck Maintenance Council (TMC) of the American Trucking Association (ATA), will broaden its mission to address both on-board and off-board technologies to help meet the future transportation needs of fleets ... and adopt a new name in the process.

The TMC board of directors voted unanimously to change the council's name to the "Technology and Maintenance Council" (TMC) and to enlarge the technical focus of the council in recognition of the changing dynamics of the trucking industry.  As a result, many of the functions that were previously addressed by the former Information Technology and Logistics Council will reside within the new group.

"This opens an exciting new chapter for one of ATA's leading organizations," said Walter B. McCormick, Jr., president and chief executive officer for ATA. "I congratulate the officers of TMC for their bold move to address the 21st century needs of the trucking industry by uniting engineering with technology.  This work shows that ATA is, indeed, the forum where trucking's leaders come together."

In the past, TMC has concentrated on developing industry standards and recommended practices to bring efficiencies in the areas of on-board truck technology and electronics.  Under the new plan TMC will add four additional study groups to its current structure that will focus on technologies relevant to information technology and logistics professionals.

"On the horizon we see a definite convergence of activities and interests between the on-board and off board technology worlds," said Bill Wolterstorff, general chairman of TMC and fleet manager for Sather Trucking Corporation. "Consequently, the technical and information requirements of our industry are changing, and we want to help shape that change."

Wolterstorff has appointed a committee to examine and propose an appropriate board structure for the Technology and Maintenance Council which will be voted on at TMC's March annual meeting.  While all current TMC members will retain their board seats, it is expected that there will be some representation from the IT/logistic contingent.

The TMC board, in consultation with former members of the Information Technology and Logistics Council, has identified four major study groups: data interchange; automated data entry; business processes; and technology and communications. Within the four additional study groups, there will be specific task forces with responsibility for developing industry standards or best practices in the areas of radio frequency identification, imaging, bar coding, electronic data interchange, data communications and other related technologies.

Adoption of collision warning technologies and other driver support systems by fleets have been addressed in TMC technology committees in recent years, and this emphasis is now expected to increase.

"I am excited by this new initiative," said Carl Kirk, ATA vice president of councils and executive director of TMC.  "In this new economy, many of our members see themselves as transportation solutions providers and operate in an environment where the management of information has become as important as the management of the freight itself.  We think of a truck or trailer far differently that we did years ago. They are no longer simple pieces of rolling stock but are looked upon as an important logistical asset within the total supply chain.  The truck has now become an information processing center with computing abilities for on-board and off-board technology capabilities."

[Top]

For More Information ...

... contact Mike Russell (ATA) at 703.838.7935 or Robert Braswell (TMC) at 703.838.1776.

[Top]