How ATA Conferences Delivered Three Major Victories for Trucking

Three American Trucking Associations conferences recently delivered meaningful wins that strengthened national security, restored fairness in intermodal transportation, and improved the moving experience for military families. These outcomes underscore the power of ATA's collective advocacy-and the real-world impact we deliver for motor carriers across the industry.

Government Freight Conference

For years, ATA's Government Freight Conference has been tracking a serious transportation security lapse within the Department of Defense. In numerous cases documented by our members, the DoD improperly awarded shipments to unauthorized carriers to move sensitive cargo like M1 Abrams tanks and Bradley fighting vehicles. These were not isolated incidents; the problem is clearly widespread, and it compromises safety by putting military freight in the hands of unvetted carriers and drivers.

At a hearing on Capitol Hill on transportation security, ATA President & CEO Chris Spear conveyed this concern directly to lawmakers. Additionally, ATA worked with Rep. Sam Graves and other Members of Congress last year on a legislative solution to eliminate this national security vulnerability. At ATA's request, Members of Congress attached a measure to the National Defense Authorization Act that 1) established a complaint process for motor carriers to formally report suspected violations at DoD; 2) implemented additional training for transportation officers and industry service providers that use the Global Freight Management System; 3) gave TRANSCOM clear authority to override improper or excessive enforcement actions against industry service providers; and 4) mandated a wholesale review of the system to ensure carriers hauling DoD freight have an active DOT operating authority.

The ATA-backed legislation also included a DoD report from the Office of Inspector General, which recently announced that it has initiated an audit of USTRANSCOM's Global Freight Management System. The evaluation of DoD's shipping procedure is a welcome and necessary step to root out waste, fraud, and abuse in military transportation.

Additionally, ATA worked with Rep. Derek Schmidt on a provision to ensure that truck drivers hauling munitions for DoD have a place to use the restroom when they are required to park in a secure hold or safe haven on a DoD installation. The legislative text requires, at minimum, a portable restroom at each installation that offers a secure hold or safe haven. It also dictates that such access must be provided in a way that does not require drivers to violate DoD safety and security policies, requires the agency to establish a process for drivers and carriers to notify the agency of potential non-compliance, and requires the agency to take corrective action if an installation is not in compliance.

This action prompted by ATA's Government Freight Conference will ensure military freight is only awarded to authorized carriers and drivers that transport sensitive, explosive, or classified shipments. This will not only protect our country, but also support responsible motor carriers and drivers that obtain the appropriate certifications and make the investments to keep military freight secure.

Intermodal Motor Carriers Conference

Further good news arrived with the announcement that the Federal Maritime Commission is conducting an investigation into ocean carrier actions in the chassis marketplace to determine if they are in violation of the Shipping Act.

For over a decade, ATA's Intermodal Motor Carriers Conference (IMCC) has been fighting these foreign-owned entities who ignored federal law by requiring trucking companies to use specific intermodal chassis providers when moving containers. Denying motor carriers the freedom to choose the provider of this essential equipment resulted in unjust and unreasonable prices, added unnecessary costs to the supply chain and slowed the efficient movement of freight.

In 2023, an FMC administrative law judge sided with ATA's IMCC, ruling that these actions by ocean carriers were against the law, a momentous decision that was upheld in 2024. We are pleased to see that FMC is exercising enhanced oversight to ensure ocean carriers do not interfere in the chassis provisioning process.

Moving & Storage Conference

Capping off this series of wins, ATA's Moving & Storage Conference applauded an announcement by Secretary Pete Hegseth that DoD will implement significant reforms to the moving process for servicemembers and their families.

This is a significant victory capping off ATA-MSC's numerous calls to improve the efficiency and quality of military relocations. For months, members and staff from ATA's MSC have worked with the DoD to identify the systemic problems within the Global Household Goods Contract program. The DoD's change of course represents important progress toward more reliable, predictable services for military households-and ensuring the Permanent Change of Station process strengthens, rather than strains, military readiness.

Making the next iteration of DoD's moving program a success will ease the burden on warfighters and also strengthen the essential partnership the moving industry has forged with servicemembers.

Together, these achievements demonstrate what is possible when ATA members speak with one voice. From safeguarding military freight to restoring market fairness and improving service for military families, ATA's conferences continue to turn member expertise into results. This is collective advocacy at work-and it is delivering for trucking.