Through a federation of other trucking groups, industry-related conferences, and its 50 affiliated state trucking associations, the American Trucking Association is the largest national trade association for the trucking industry and represents more than 37,000 members covering every type of motor carrier in the United States.

The problem.

Jurisdictions across the nation were planning to introduce hazmat routing restrictions that would create an unreasonable burden for transportation of hazardous materials. In 2005 the D.C. counsel put a ban into place that prohibited hazmat transportation within 2.2 miles of the Capitol Building without a license. Along with the ban, they realised that an emerging number of new hazmat transport restrictions were appearing or about to take place.

The solution.

Through the ATA’s Office of Public Affairs, TEMPUS Group’s John Sipper assumed the role as “the voice of the trucking industry” and publicized the concern and positions of the industry. Through multiple media outlets, they told people that existing routing regulations adequately reflected security concerns and that multiple regulations would be detrimental to shippers and carriers.

Activities completed.

• Media Purchases and Placement
• Content Production and Content Placement
• Writing and Issuing Press Releases
• Editing Policy Papers
• Testimony and Petitions
• Preparing Speeches
• Tracking the Results
• Managing the association’s outreach among its membership, regulatory agencies, public and private sector stakeholders, the general public and state and national policy makers

Duration: 7 years

The result.

In 2006, the ATA’s pre-emption petition was granted, and it was determined that D.C. hazmat routing restriction consisted of an illegal routing destination that was enacted in violation of federal hazmat routing regulations. Following this success, the ATA continues to do the same work in other cites. They have also continued avocation for the issues of hazmat in media and its constituencies.