Technology & Maintenance Council (TMC) of American Trucking Associations, Inc.

🚨 96% SOLD OUT! Exhibit space at #TMCAnnual25 is nearly gone! Don’t miss your chance to connect with fleet decision-makers and showcase your innovations at the premier fleet technology and maintenance event of the year, March 10-13, 2025, in Nashville. Secure your spot today! bit.ly/3XEb1J0

The American Trucking Associations has opened registration for ATA’s Technology & Maintenance Council’s Annual Meeting & Transportation Technology Exhibition, the nation’s foremost trucking technology event. “The TMC Annual Meeting & Transportation Technology Exhibition is central to the Council’s mission to raise professional and technical standards for the trucking industry,” said ATA President and CEO Chris Spear. “Whether it is on the exhibit hall floor, or in one of TMC’s many study groups or educational sessions and task forces, the events taking place at TMC’s Annual Meeting drive the industry’s success.” Scheduled for March 10-13 at the Music City Center in Nashville, Tennessee, TMC’s 2025 Annual Meeting & Transportation Technology Exhibition will take place on two tracks – one geared toward attendees seeking to dive deep into the details of the issues facing the industry, and the other providing a high-level overview of the technological trends that will be driving change in trucking. Both tracks will address critical issues ranging from emissions and efficiency to safety and emerging technologies, under this year’s theme – Advancing Technology Through Industry Engagement. “The Council’s 2025 Annual Meeting carries on its tradition of providing thought leadership with a focus on ways to improve maintenance, sustainability and fuel efficiency,” said TMC Executive Director Robert Braswell. “Each of our educational sessions will center around one of two valuable tracks — Back to Basics, and Advanced Technology. These sessions will address pressing regulatory compliance issues, emerging truck/trailer technologies, maintenance, diagnostic and repair topics, key performance indicators and benchmarking solutions, and equipment specification trends.” For more information on TMC’s 2025 Annual Meeting and Transportation Technology Exhibition, or to register, visit https://lnkd.in/e7n4sKV.

Trucking Cares Foundation Donates $50,000 to Support Communities Impacted by Hurricane Helene The Trucking Cares Foundation, the trucking industry’s charitable arm, donated $50,000 to the Pardee Hospital Foundation to support the organization’s efforts to provide quality health care to residents of western North Carolina in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. In an effort to respond to the scale of the unmet need, the funding from TCF represents the foundation’s largest single charitable contribution to date.   “The torrential rain from Hurricane Helene that blanketed the southeast flooded many communities and caused widespread property damage and loss of life. But in the wake of this catastrophe, we have seen countless examples of neighbors stepping up to help,” said Greg Owen, chairman of the Trucking Cares Foundation. “The skilled and compassionate medical staff at UNC Health Pardee have been a lifeline for residents in the region both before and after this historic storm. As the trucking industry works to get western North Carolina back on its feet by delivering the materials required for recovery, we hope that this donation will support Pardee staff’s ongoing efforts to address the vital health care needs of the local population.” “As recovery from Hurricane Helene continues, many of our Pardee Teammates are still grappling with damaged homes as well as the emotional trauma of living through the storm,” said Amy Treece, executive director of the Pardee Hospital Foundation. “Our goal has always been to ensure that our Pardee Teammates have the support they need to continue to be caregivers for our community. The generous assistance provided by the Trucking Cares Foundation will be used to support our Pardee Teammates with urgently needed funds for housing repairs, mold remediations, tree removal, and other essential services. We are very grateful for the support of the Trucking Cares Foundation during this challenging time.” The check was presented by Phil Byrd, immediate past chairman of the Trucking Cares Foundation. UNC Health Pardee, a not-for-profit community hospital located in Hendersonville, North Carolina, was founded in 1953 and provides health care to all who seek it without regard for their ability to pay for services.   The Pardee Hospital Foundation exists to educate and inspire the community to support UNC Health Pardee. UNC Health Pardee’s mission is to improve the health of the western North Carolina region it serves, and its vision is to lead the transformation of health care in its communities with the best people providing the best care.   The Trucking Cares Foundation is the trucking industry’s charitable arm, focusing on several core areas, including humanitarian and disaster relief; eradicating human trafficking; leadership development; strengthening the industry’s relationships with law enforcement, the military and veterans’ organizations; safety and research opportunities.

#TMCAnnual25 is a must-attend if you want to stay ahead of the curve on trucking’s latest technology developments. Curious about what to expect? Our registration brochure has you covered! Explore details today and make your plans to join us in Nashville. bit.ly/3YYEBdZ

Nominations Now Being Accepted for Excellence in Maintenance Supervision Award Nominations for TMC's Excellence in Maintenance Supervision Award are now open for 2025. The award will be presented during TMC's 2025 Annual Meeting & Transportation Technology Exhbition scheduled for March 10-13 at the Music City Center in Nashville, Tenn. Candidates for this award must be employed in direct supervision of maintenance technicians and exhibit superior performance in equipment maintenance supervision. Higher levels of management are not eligible for the award. Click here to nominate someone:https://lnkd.in/edvuJtbU

#TMCAnnual25 registration and housing are now OPEN! 🎉 Your pass to trucking's #1 technology event is just one click away. Get access to: 💪 100+ Industry Task Forces 💡 20 Educational Sessions 🚚 Transportation Technology Exhibition 🤝 Premier Networking ➕ And more! Register now: bit.ly/2SdeeRi

TMC Fleet Members Top Maintenance Concerns Continue to Shift from Summer to Fall 2024   Aftertreatment, Emissions Return to Top Five After One Year’s Absence, According to Recent Council Survey   The things that keep fleet managers up at night continued to shift through the end of October 2024, according to a fall survey conducted by ATA’s Technology & Maintenance Council’s (TMC) — at least when it comes to TMC fleet members’ top maintenance worries. More than 400 TMC fleet members were asked to share their current top five fleet maintenance concerns, based on a wide-ranging list of 85 possible choices from which to select. Of those responding, the following were identified as the top reported concerns in descending order: 1. The top maintenance issue identified in the Fall 2024 survey was Aftertreatment. 2. Cost Containment was identified as the number two maintenance issue facing fleets. 3. Inflation (Economic)and Technician Shortage were identified by fleets as number three (tie). 4. Emissions/GHG was identified as number four. 5. Roadside Breakdowns was identified as number five.   New Technology Challenges just missed the top five coming in at sixth place.   Aftertreatment and Emissions/GHG returned to the top five after a year of absence. Cost Containment repeated in the number two spot from TMC’s summer 2024 survey. Technician Training, Retention and Staffing dropped out of the top five entirely, after having ranked in the 3rd, 4th and 5th spots last time. Brakes also dropped out of the top five since the summer data.   The list changed from the last time TMC surveyed fleet members on this question in the summer of 2024. At that time, members said their top five concerns were:   1.     Inflation (Economic). 2.     Brakes and Cost Containment (tie). 3.     Technician Training 4.     New Technology Challenges and Labor (tie). 5.     Technician Retention and Technician Staffing (tie).   — Robert Braswell, TMC Executive Director

The National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE), the ASE Education Foundation and WrenchWay, have partnered to promote School Assist as the industry solution connecting vehicle service employers and schools in finding classroom resources and creating the workforce pipeline of the future for the transportation industry.   The School Assist platform currently has over 1,100 participating schools across the country. Through this partnership, the ASE Education Foundation will invite their 2,000 ASE accredited training programs to join the platform for free. Currently, 1,000 shops and dealerships have access to School Assist through WrenchWay’s Top Shop membership program. As part of this ASE partnership, a new lower cost option will be available to shops, dealerships and other industry partners who want to connect with schools through School Assist, but do not need the full WrenchWay Top Shop program. For more information and to sign up, please visit https://lnkd.in/gjjZ5YKr or visit https://lnkd.in/dZT8dD76.  

Former US Chamber of Commerce Chief Executive Officer Thomas J. Donohue passed away on Monday, October 14, after a brief illness. He was 86.   From 1984 to 1997, Donohue was the President and CEO of American Trucking Associations, Inc., before departing to lead the Chamber. He retired in 2021 but continued to serve on the U.S. Chamber Board of Directors. Earlier in his career, he was deputy assistant postmaster general of the United States and vice president of development at Fairfield University in Connecticut.   Born in New York City, Donohue earned a bachelor’s degree from St. John’s University and a master’s degree in business administration from Adelphi University.   “America has lost one of the most passionate advocates for free enterprise,” ATA President & CEO Chris Spear said. “Tom was a powerful voice for all businesses, employers and their employees. His time as President and CEO of the American Trucking Associations cemented his unyielding commitment to our industry. He was a persuasive leader, a personal mentor to me and a dear friend. Tom leaves the world better than when he entered it.”

Top technicians from across the country competed in TMC’s 2024 National Technician Skills Competitions (TMCSuperTech 2024) in Raleigh, NC, showcasing their expertise in a variety of specialized skill stations. Watch the highlights, see the champions, and experience the excitement from this year’s premier skills competition! #TMCSuperTech24 https://lnkd.in/exWSws-h