administrative agencies,”Voltmann says.
In a recent example, the TIA lobbied
for a provision as part of the Fighting Fraud in
Transportation Act of 2011 (FFIT), which
was enacted and passed into law in July 2012.
This bill addresses fraud in the marketplace,
and raises the financial entry requirements for
coming into the transportation industry,
Voltmann explains. “It won’t block entry – it
will justmake it clear to those coming into the
industry that this isn’t like running a
sandwich shop.”
TIA had a significant amount of input
into the bill, and had worked on some of the
included provisions for close to three years.
“We think it’s going to have a very positive
effect on our members and our industry,”
Voltmann says.
One of the main challenges for the
transportation industry is a growing shortfall
in the number of trucks on the road. While
TIA members have a sufficient number of
trucks at the moment, that number is “tight”
because of the economy, Voltmann says.
“They seemingly were crawling out of the
recession, yet my members are reporting that
truck capacity is very tight in certain markets
at certain times.”
That tightness, Voltmann explains, is
due to a couple of factors. Firstly, demand is
high – “we’re exporting more so there’s more
manufacturing,” he says. Secondly, a lot of
capacity has been “idled” by trucking
companies that went out of business during
the recession, and by drivers who have chosen
not to re-enter the workforce. The TIA is
currently hard at work, looking at ways to
remedy that shortfall.
TIA is also working on being more
proactive in promoting their members. Last
fall, they conducted focus groups with
shippers to find out exactly what their
perceptions were, so they could best tailor
theirmessage.
Looking ahead to the longer term,
TIA’s five-year plan includes doubling their
membership, and strengthening the velocity
of their voice. That added strength that will
serve them well as they shape the industry for
years to come. “We will continue to work and
be more proactive in promoting our members
and their interests to the industry,” Voltmann
concludes.
OVERCOMING
CHALLENGES
May 2014
| BusinessWorld | 71
