“Whew! What a ride!” exclaimed Josh Kaburick, outgoing 2019-2020 Truckload Carriers Association chairman in his final address at Truckload 2020: Orlando.
“That is the best analogy I can think of when it comes to the past year that has seemingly flown by so quickly,” he continued. “This year has been amazing.”
Before beginning his speech, Kaburick observed a moment of silence in memory of William “Bill” Giroux, who served as TCA’s executive vice president of presidential projects before his death last October.
“This past year, we lost a friend to the industry, a person that most of us have leaned on at one point in time over his career and a fixture at the helm of this very convention,” shared Kaburick, adding that the newly redesigned meeting space at TCA headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia, has been named the William Giroux Conference Room to honor Giroux’s legacy of dedication to the Association.
Returning to the ongoing work of the Association, Kaburick said each member’s dedication to making TCA a first-class organization is vital to the success of the association and the trucking industry as a whole.
“Our industry is reflective of those that we surround ourselves with, and I consider it a privilege to just be associated with each and every one of you,” stated Kaburick. “Our membership reflects the passion of those that have ‘lived’ this industry, the aspirations of those that have just started out, and the allure of an idea that we all must be part of something greater.”
Kaburick explained that he chose the term “greater” to refer not only to TCA’s efforts to support and improve the trucking industry, but also to note the size of the group’s membership. During Kaburick’s tenure as TCA chairman, the Association’s membership showed marked growth and now includes more than 700 organizations.
“We, as an Association, have arrived,” he said. “This didn’t happen by chance. Quality membership is not driven by luck or a roll of the dice.”
TCA’s efforts to spur advocacy for the industry on Capitol Hill have also grown, he said, noting that the annual Call on Washington event, now entering its fourth year, is growing in strength and numbers. Last Fall, 65 TCA members participated in 377 visits to lawmakers and other officials in the U.S. House and Senate, the U.S. Department of Transportation, and the Canadian Embassy. Kaburick said he hopes to see more than 100 participants this Fall.
“In a world that is driven by results, we focused on being truth-tellers, regaling senators, representatives, their staff, and other government leaders with data-driven facts,” he said, noting topics such as hours-of-service regulations, detention time, highway reauthorization, vehicle productivity, infrastructure improvements, and the use of ELDs (electronic logging devices).
“TCA has become a valuable source of information to our elected officials — not in a manner where we solicit their input, but one in which they seek ours,” he continued. “We are approached for opinions and data, and we supply them with answers, not rhetoric.”
The organization’s educational offerings have grown as well, with first-class learning options designed to help TCA members stay well informed, profitable, and safe. The ability to provide convenient online interactive instruction with the nation’s top trainers is one of TCA’s most valuable benefits.
“We have come to expect the very best from TCA’s education platform, and the newly-revised Truckload Academy has all the educational tools your team needs to be successful and recognized for your commitment to excellence,” said Kaburick.
The TCA Profitability Program (TPP) has gained a large following, he said, adding that more than 240 companies now participate in the InGauge database.
“We have 11 best-practice groups, and the data that depicts the daily lives of each carrier is as ‘real time’ as one can expect,” he continued. “In other words, you will not find a better program for building better trucking companies than the platform TCA offers.”
In addition, TCA’s digital footprint has expanded to include microsites dedicated to some of the organizations most impactful programs, such as Highway Angel and TCA’s Annual Conventions.
Starting with this year’s annual convention — Truckload 2020: Orlando — the event has a new name and has become a “must-attend” event, he said, adding that the revised event name “is reflective of what goes on here … and is the very basis of what we hope to deliver to our members, government leaders, and dedicated employees. It is the very thing that drives this nation: the truckload segment of the trucking industry.”
In closing, Kaburick assured fellow TCA members that he plans to remain active in the organization even as his role changes.
“My hope is that my time as chairman of this great Association was as valuable to you as it was to me,” he said. “Thank you very much for giving me such a great year. It has been an absolute honor to serve as the chairman of your illustrious Association.”
Linda Garner-Bunch has been in publishing for more than 30 years. You name it, Linda has written about it. She has served as an editor for a group of national do-it-yourself publications and has coordinated the real estate section of Arkansas’ only statewide newspaper, in addition to working on a variety of niche publications ranging from bridal magazines to high-school sports previews and everything in between. She is also an experienced photographer and copy editor who enjoys telling the stories of the “Knights of the Highway,” as she calls our nation’s truck drivers.
