Shannon Newton President, ATA The first few weeks of a new year, we’re all speaking our resolutions into the universe. We name what we care about, what we’re working on, the word that summarizes our aspirations, the problems we want to solve and the kind of people we want to be. A lot of those visions and nice ideas will be abandoned by February.  But sometimes, we keep repeating them.  Bravely shouting into the void, “This still matters,” until our voices are hoarse. In trucking, we’ve been resolving to address the workforce shortage and lack of safe, accessible truck parking for ye ..read more

Freight, Fights and Federal Halls By Michelle Hanby On Nov. 14, 2023 I had the pleasure of joining Arkansas Trucking Association’s president, Shannon Newton, and ten others from the industry, for ATA’s Call on Washington. It was my first time attending, and it did not disappoint. The Hill was alive with activity: the House had been without a speaker for weeks, voting was going on and the hallways were a flurry with staffers coming and going, tension between Israel and Hamas was escalating, and protests were popping up across the city. On the afternoon we landed, one senator even challenged th ..read more

LITTLE ROCK, ARK. – The Arkansas Trucking Association is pleased to announce that Jordan Welch has joined the organization as finance coordinator. Jordan will support the ATA Self Insurers' Fund for workers’ compensation insurance as well as support other financial aspects of organizational management. ATA president Shannon Newton said, "We're excited to add Jordan to our team. She brings a skill set that will serve our Fund members well, while allowing our organization to improve our efforts to promote and protect the entire trucking industry in Arkansas.” Read More ..read more

Louder than the rest By Chris Spear For 90 years, the ATA Federation has been the leading voice of our industry in Washington, D.C. and every state capital across the country. That’s volume, reach and history no other voice in trucking can claim, and few industry associations can match. Today, we can proudly declare our efforts are making a difference. Our collective voice cuts directly through the rhetoric and emotion peddled by our foes: trial lawyers chasing jackpot justice, self-promoting union bosses, and delusional environmental extremists. Together, they constitute a clear threat to ou ..read more

LITTLE ROCK, ARK. – Trucking companies are increasingly encountering excessive towing rates and predatory practices by providers. A new report released by the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) examines the causes and countermeasures of predatory heavy-duty towing, with the goal of improving the relationship between the towing and trucking industries. According to the report, the most common types of predatory towing were excessive rates, experienced by 82.7% of trucking companies, and unwarranted extra service charges, experienced by 81.8% of carriers. Most carriers also ..read more

Shannon Newton President, ATA Over my 20-year career, I’ve had the honor of meeting dozens of industry titans: J.B. Hunt, Sheridan Garrison, Dan England, Jerry Moyes, Robert Low and other recognizable figures. But some of the most rewarding and impactful conversations I’ve had were with less recognizable individuals: Gary Mars, Loren Hatfield, Danny Fuller, Dave Hall, Jessie King and more. Who are they? You’ve likely seen them within the pages of this magazine. The work they do impacts communities across our state, but they aren’t household names. If the Arkansas Trucking Association is the vo ..read more

To Save Lives and Create Jobs By James Reed I think there are two immutable facts about autonomous vehicles (AVs). First, and most importantly, they will save lives. Second, they are no longer a few years out —AVs are on American roadways every single day. Driverless robotaxis from Waymo and Cruise drive the streets of San Francisco carrying paid customers 24/7; Waymo partnered with the NFL to offer rides to Super Bowl fans in Phoenix; and fully-loaded class 8 trucks deliver freight across the southern half of the U.S. daily. Trucking industry leaders saw this revolution coming. Over the last ..read more

LITTLE ROCK, ARK. – In an executive proclamation, Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders officially declared Sept. 10-16, 2023, Truck Driver Appreciation Week in Arkansas. During this week, the Arkansas Trucking Association, along with American Trucking Associations and the entire trucking industry, celebrates the 3.5 million professional truck drivers who work each day to deliver America’s freight safely as part of National Truck Driver Appreciation Week. “Professional truck drivers deliver goods to every home, community, school, and business in Arkansas. In times of prosperity or times of crisis ..read more

LITTLE ROCK, ARK. – The Arkansas Trucking Association is pleased to announce it has selected eight new members to join the Arkansas Road Team, a group of professional drivers chosen for their commitment to highway safety, communication skills and interest in improving the image of the trucking industry. This complimentary outreach program of the ATA serves as a public education service to address highway safety and to educate the motoring public on safe driving, especially around large commercial vehicles. Read More ..read more

Shannon Newton President, ATA On July 8, my kids and I put on our sequins and smiles, stacked beaded bracelets up our arms and joined 75,000 other Swifties in Kansas City for Taylor Swift’s Eras tour. We sang along to our favorite songs, bought merch and had so much fun we forgot to act cool about any of it. The tour, which spans Swift's career including songs from every album, is shaping up to be a cultural moment, one that I wanted to experience with my two young teens. Long before we funneled in, windows down, music up, a convoy of trucks had descended on Arrowhead Stadium. The logistics of ..read more