President’s Purview

Greetings from the end of the tunnel! I write this having just returned to the Truckload Carriers Association offices from an incredibly successful first post-pandemic in-person event, the 40th Annual Safety & Security Meeting held June 6-8 in St. Louis. Attendees enjoyed educational sessions focused on the latest safety issues; panel discussions highlighting diverse perspectives ranging from drivers to leading safety directors, radio personalities, and regulatory experts; had a chance to engage with exhibitors to find out the latest on products and services with a safety focus; and, most importantly, reconnect with old friends and create new relationships. With the highest attendance we’ve seen at a Safety & Security Meeting since the early 2010s, it seems our members were just as eager to see each other as our staff was. Perhaps most exciting of all, the event welcomed over 100 first-time attendees, truly a testament to the hard work and dedication of TCA staffers over the course of the pandemic. Initial reviews of the meeting have been overwhelmingly positive, and we encourage all attendees to reach out to us with any feedback to help us continue to fine-tune future events. The opportunity ahead of us is present in providing all members with the education and tools to aggressively tackle the challenges carriers are facing daily. Delivering these is exactly what we will do. As the world continues to reopen, help us keep the momentum going and join us at one of our upcoming events. TCA’s Annual Refrigerated Meeting will be in Albuquerque, New Mexico, July 14-16, and Truckload 2021: Las Vegas, our annual convention, will be held September 25-28 at the Wynn Las Vegas Resort. Turns out, the “new normal” might just be all right. John Lyboldt TCA President

Throughout the last 18 months, the world has cast a spotlight on our industry. With that, there’s never been a better time to expand truckload’s reach and highlight over-the-road drivers as essential workers. Because of this newfound appreciation, now is the time to become an engaged member of TCA if you are not already. As the only trade association whose collective sole focus is the truckload segment of the motor carrier industry, your involvement has never been more important. In mid-April, to encourage member participation in the direction of TCA and to reunite the truckload community, TCA leadership and staff hosted its virtual Spring Business Meetings. Despite members not being able to attend an in-person meeting, the online platform provided a good alternative. We hope you found the committee meetings, Congressional speaker Rep. Chris Pappas (D-NH-1), and the safety educational session to be informative. Not able to attend the virtual event? Make plans to attend Truckload 2021: Las Vegas as TCA’s committees and Board of Directors will meet again September 25-28 for a highly anticipated event. This is the premier event for truckload professionals and will provide dozens of unique networking opportunities, insightful educational sessions and panel discussions, a robust exhibition hall, and much more. Additionally, ensure your company is represented at TCA’s Safety & Security Meeting in St. Louis June 6-8. The in-person event offers a space for safety and operations professionals to discuss problems, share ideas, and seek solutions to make your businesses and our roads safer. To learn more or to register for TCA events, visit truckload.org. Looking to get involved in regulatory issues affecting our industry? TCA’s government affairs department has been busy. Infrastructure discussions are heating up, with TCA making truckload’s voice heard on key issues including truck parking, automatic emergency braking, speed limiters, 18- to 20-year-old drivers, and more. We also launched our new “Capitol Recap” monthly e-newsletter and corresponding podcast; we encourage you to tune in. Stay safe, John Lyboldt TCA President

In December I celebrated my fifth year at TCA. Despite the years feeling as if they have passed by at lightning speed, I have made many memories that will last a lifetime. As we as an industry look back on 2020 and press onward into 2021, there is much to celebrate and applaud. The TCA staff and I are poised and ready to enhance our current membership offerings, programs, and events, as well as continue to build a stronger voice on Capitol Hill. Each year I have the opportunity to talk with Truckload Authority’s Editor Lyndon Finney. As we discuss in this article, this year trucking will have synergy with the Biden administration on issues ranging from infrastructure to tax reform. We’re eager to work alongside the U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and his team. As we were putting the finishing touches on our annual convention, Truckload 2021: Las Vegas, set for mid-April, we determined that the size of our convention would not fit within the guidelines set forth February 15 by Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak. Therefore, we decided to reschedule Truckload 2021: Las Vegas to September 25-28 at the Wynn Las Vegas Resort. In light of the event being rescheduled, TCA is eager to provide a supplementary virtual offering for the original meeting dates — TCA’s Spring Business Meetings — set for April 19-20. This event will be available at no charge and will feature committee and board meetings, alongside timely and relevant educational sessions. TCA will share more information once available. We welcome you to join committees, register for any of our events, and start making the most of your TCA membership today. For questions about exhibit hall space and availability, contact TCA’s sales and sponsorships department at (571) 444-0301. We look forward to seeing you in September! Visit our event microsite to learn more or to register: truckload2021.com. John Lyboldt TCA President

The truckload industry saw an unprecedented year of new opportunities and challenges in 2020. During this upcoming year, we will continue to face these and new changes under the Biden administration. Our industry continues to be in the spotlight as essential to the lives of every citizen. We continue to grow stronger, despite the uncertainty COVID-19 confronts us with every day. It is now more important than ever to support and learn from your peers to help us all achieve success in the coming year. Truckload 2021: Las Vegas, TCA’s Annual Convention, will be held in person from April 17-20 at the Wynn Las Vegas Resort. TCA aims to provide you with a forum to network, challenge your mind, and connect with vendors providing the latest technology and services. Your health and safety during the event is our top priority. TCA is continuously working with the Wynn Las Vegas and the State of Nevada to ensure you have a safe space to learn and network. The resort maintains stringent cleaning and health standards and provides for 24/7 health support and technology, including temperature scanners and hand-sanitizing stations. Wynn Resorts is a leader in Las Vegas regarding COVID-19 safety, currently developing its own rapid testing center in conjunction with the University Medical Center of Southern Nevada. TCA is committed to adhering to current guidelines while also delivering the high-quality event experience our members expect and deserve. For more information about the event, please visit truckload2021.com. TCA’s goal is to keep our members safe and informed. We are discovering new ways to provide value to our members through events, image programs, government affairs initiatives, and educational content not just in 2021, but every year. Please continue to call upon TCA as your resource for truckload questions, concerns, and information. You will be hearing more from us more as we continue to grow our value proposition and voice. Together, we will create a rewarding and profitable future for truckload in 2021 and the years to come. John Lyboldt TCA President

“It is my favorite time of year” has been a common remark I have heard during many conversations with members this fall. For me, it brings back great memories of growing up in upstate New York. The change of seasons, cooler temperatures, the anticipation of reflection, and the holidays ahead. With many having endured tremendous challenges on all levels over the last six months, this time also reminds me to be thankful for what we all have in our lives. I am writing you with a renewed and encouraging spirit. Who would have thought back in March that we would be where we are now? At the end of March, the future of our economy with COVID-19 looked dire, and so did life as we knew it. The Dow Jones average had declined 38.4% from an all-time high in mid-February and the NASDAQ was down 32.5%. Unemployment looked as if it was headed toward 20% with many Americans out of work. The gross domestic product (GDP) was forecasted to decline by 10-14% or more. In the ensuing months, COVID-19 was digging in as we saw many people globally succumbing to the virus. It shuttered cities, communities, businesses, and economies with no end in sight. Essential workers and businesses faced the front lines with courage, relentless determination, and selflessness. Our drivers and supporting teams led the charge. Trucking leadership at all levels cleared the way so we as an industry could prevail and keep the supply chains and our economy moving forward. As of this writing from their March lows: The Dow Jones average is up 56.47% and the NASDAQ is up 77.15% (above its pre-COVID-19 all-time high) at 11,747. Unemployment at the end of September was 7.9%, with 11.4 of the 22.1 million jobs lost having been recovered. GDP forecast calls for -4.6% annual growth for 2020 with double-digit growth in Q3 and Q4. To date, more than 128 million COVID-19 tests have been administered in the U.S. Demand for goods in this country is 6% higher than it was prior to the pandemic. Dry van spot rates have risen for 21 consecutive weeks, 45% higher than at the same time last year. Capacity is driving this industry, creating price surges and salary increases and placing “shippers of choice” at the front lines. With this formula, detention times can become folklore with trailer dwell time potentially reduced exponentially. Finally, the membership’s continued vision, engagement, and support has influenced our record-breaking results and has helped shape our future. The Truckload Carriers Association’s (TCA) Scholarship Program, Fleet Safety Awards, Best Fleets to Drive For, Driver of the Year, and Highway Angels have experienced double-digit increases in applications. Our Government Affairs team is aggressively pursuing our promise to you as “Being the Voice of Truckload.” The Membership Committee has a strong plan in which they will be meeting monthly to increase our membership through new technology and prospecting. We have hired Ryan Snyder as Membership Manager. He brings to us a working knowledge of trucking and is already known by many members. The TCA education offerings are proving to be widely accepted, and the participation level has grown exponentially. Thank you to our sponsors for your generous contributions and for investing in our industry. All of our committees are moving things forward. We are grateful to all of you for the excellent leadership and engagement. Our virtual Fall Business Meetings produced strong results and direction. WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT? Be safe, and thank you for your leadership! John Lyboldt

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected our industry and our country in ways that we could not have predicted. Despite our collective desire to forge ahead with industry events — such as our Fall Business Meetings and Fourth Annual Call on Washington — we’ve opted to mitigate risk by moving our business meeting to a virtual format. For our Call on Washington events, once feasible, our team will work with Hill offices to set up small group meetings with key members of Congress. Visit truckload.org for further updates on those two important events. Each TCA member company should have received a government affairs contribution invoice via mail. The staff and I are committed to representing your best interest on Capitol Hill and are steadfast in delivering truckload’s message to our lawmakers and their staff. Your support will help us do just that. We appreciate your continued involvement and passion. To further demonstrate the importance of our industry and voice, I wanted to share a letter I recently received from the Board of the Eastern Transportation Coalition. Dear John: As the nation’s supply chains face unprecedented challenges related to COVID-19, one of the most critical factors has been the ability to meet customer and public health needs in a reliable and timely manner. While each modal component of the transportation system has been an important player during this time, the trucking industry has been at the very heart of it. On any day, but certainly over these last several months and continuing, the industry collectively and truck drivers specifically, ensure that critical supplies reach the doors of America’s businesses, homes, and medical facilities. The drivers have accomplished this not only with great diligence and dedication, but often with great personal sacrifice. The undersigned, as the Executives of our respective state agencies and comprising the Board of the Eastern Transportation Coalition, give recognition and thanks for the outstanding professionalism and commitment of the trucking industry and its hard-working and dedicated individuals during this time. The Coalition, a partnership of State Departments of Transportation and related agencies, acknowledge and appreciate the role that the truck drivers and the trucking industry play every day in the well-being of our states’ and the national economy. With trucks carrying a significant portion of the 6.5 billion tons of freight moving in our corridor annually, this event has shown an even greater emphasis and importance to that role. As we move ahead on the road to recovery from COVID-19, please extend our sincere gratitude to your industry members — the companies and the dedicated drivers. As our individual states and as the Eastern Transportation Coalition collectively, we will reach out to you and your members to discuss how to further support the critical role the trucking industry plays in moving goods in this corridor and throughout the nation. Sincerely, The Eastern Transportation Coalition

As I write this, the state of Virginia is still in Phase One of reopening post-coronavirus. Our governor is remaining cautious but optimistic. By the time many of you read this, your states will have reopened many businesses, and life will be on the road to getting back to our pre-COVID-19 normal. As COVID-19 cases slow, and North Americans return to their jobs, stores, restaurants, and visiting with family and friends, TCA also prepares to reopen its office. TCA’s leadership team has crafted a reopening plan which will allow TCA staffers to slowly return to their offices and begin the process of collaborating again in person. Like in many of your companies, we have had to make many changes to our building to face our new reality: installing touchless sinks, light switches that are automatic, and more to ensure the safety of not only our staff but our guests. Since going remote in mid-March, TCA has kept its membership up to date by providing a daily COVID-19 news brief. We are proud to share that more than 510,000 messages have been sent throughout the last three months. We hope you found these to be informative. As we look ahead to the fall and a continued return to normalcy, I encourage you to join TCA and colleagues Sept. 22-23 for our fourth annual Call on Washington and Fall Business Meetings in Washington, D.C. TCA’s Call on Washington is your opportunity to meet directly with members of Congress, key congressional staff and federal regulators to discuss legislation and regulations, such as infrastructure funding mechanisms and the trucking industry’s support for an increased federal fuel tax; opposition to any increases to federal truck size and weight restrictions; F4A federal preemption of state meal and rest break laws; and more affecting our industry. To view our events calendar, and our COVID-19 resources page, visit truckload.org. In trucking, we are survivors and will do what it takes to get the job done. Your incredible tenacity, determination, and driver-centric compassion has and will prove out to be the fuel in keeping North America’s economy and employment moving forward. We are a proud bunch, and at the same time humbled by the awesome responsibilities bestowed upon us as the “Knights of the Highway.” Stay safe.

As not only our industry, but the world, experiences disruptions to our operations and lives amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, I take a moment to reflect about how much has changed since Truckload 2020: Orlando in early March. In the last few weeks, we’ve borne witness to how this pandemic is impacting our industry, our families, our communities, and our very way of life. I couldn’t ask to be part of a more selfless industry to weather this storm with. The trucking industry has taken this challenge head-on. Professional truck drivers continue to make their runs, even asking for additional ways to help, during this crisis. The Truckload Carriers Association’s members have stepped up, offering services at no cost to help carriers keep our nation’s shelves stocked. What we are facing is daunting, but I am heartened by the everyday acts of courage, humanity, caring, and compassion. I am optimistic we will thrive once again. The staff at TCA has been diligently working throughout the pandemic to keep you informed of new advancements through a daily COVID-19 e-newsletter. Our Education Department, with the help of industry experts and representatives from the TCA Profitability Program (TPP), has hosted numerous complimentary webinars on topics ranging from protecting your financial operations during uncertain times to effective leadership skills and best practices for times of crisis. I encourage you to utilize these resources and offerings from TCA. It goes without saying that we will get through this, and be better because of it. To find our resources page, educational offerings, and more, visit truckload.org and drop me a line. We want to hear from you. The TCA staff and I are ready to help in any way that we can. Thank you for all you do. Stay safe. John Lyboldt

It’s hard to believe that it’s been four years since I took the helm of the Truckload Carriers Association. After 35 years of serving the automobile-dealer industry, I was eager for a change. When I first joined TCA, I was warned that trucking had a way of “getting in your blood.” I can now confirm that trucking is pulsing through my veins. In a recent Truckload Indexes article, I took the opportunity to reflect upon my time at TCA, the relationships I’ve formed with people — from carriers to vendors throughout North America — and even shared key characteristics of mature industries. I encourage you to give it a read and share your thoughts with me. I urge you to attend TCA’s 82nd Annual Convention — Truckload 2020: Orlando, and I thank all who have already registered.  This event presents the opportunity to network and collaborate with like-minded executives who are seeking solutions and leave with concrete takeaways for you to use within your operation. During the event, set for Feb. 29 through Mar. 3, we’re excited to have Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Acting Administrator Jim Mullen; baseball’s “Iron Man” and Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr.; Navy SEAL and dynamic speaker Curt Cronin; panel discussions featuring industry executives; and more. To learn more about Truckload 2020: Orlando, visit tca2020.com. This is Truckload’s premier event, where trucking professionals come to learn, network, and make lasting relationships. As in my Truckload Indexes article, I’ll close with the importance of doubling down on your personal relationships in this industry, and on the customers that value your service, your drivers, your knowledge, and most importantly, your time. In 2020, let’s go against the grain and be different. Let’s be #TruckloadStrong. John Lyboldt