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Strength in Depth for Operators' Associations

17th April 1964, Page 75
17th April 1964
Page 75
Page 75, 17th April 1964 — Strength in Depth for Operators' Associations
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

IN my travels I meet quite a few transport people from other countries, and have from time to time been impressed by the wide and comprehensive service offered to foreign operators by their trade associations. Germany is one example of this excellent type of set-up, and in "The Commercial Motor" of January 17 last we published an article about A.G.F., the West German equivalent of our Road Haulage Association. Of particular interest there was the overall " parent " association with its constituent " offshoots ".

When I visited the American Trucking Associations in Washington, I was very impressed with this similar type of organization, I think something along these lines is needed in this country; and yet, largely due to the decisions of the Road Haulage Association and the Traders Road Transport Association, we killed off the nearest equivalent this country has known—the National Road Transport Federation, Comparisons are, I know, always invidious. Nevertheless, one cannot help but compare the A.T.A. with our own operator-representation. Let me make very clear that my intention is not simply to criticize our two major goods vehicle operator organizations who, I appreciate, do a good job; but to suggest some facets to which, in my view, this country pays too little attention. Facets towards which the R.H.A. and T.R.T.A. might with profit lead their members.

(And before anyone says it, I do realize that "things are different in America ".) What is the American Trucking Associations, Inc.? It is a national federation of some 50 independent and autonomous State trucking associations and some 12 independent and autonomous "Conferences" each representing a special type of operation. It is with these 12 that one finds the closest analogy to our own R.H.A., with its various functional groups. The big difference is that the A.T.A. conferences are entirely independent whereas the R.H.A. functional groups are mere committees of the central organization.

Individual membership of the A.T.A. is achieved through membership of one of its affiliated organizations (which one could liken to the R.H.A. area bodies). It seemed to me to be to a degree a question of relative size. However, this is dear: the R.H.A. runs its functional groups whilst the A.T.A. takes the opposite approach and the affiliates run it.

States Began It

In America it was the State associations which came first, They were spawned in the turbulent 1920s; -but hauliers are the same the world over, it seems—late to appreciate danger from outside. It was the passage of anti-road -transport legislation in 1930 and 1931

that really stung operators into backing the then small State organizations, A violent anti-truck campaign built up and it became apparent that the State organizations had to band together and fight a united battle (a lesson I am not at all sure is really appreciated in this country).

Birth of A.T.A.

So, in 1933, the A.T.A. was chartered as a corporation in the District of Columbia. It was, in effect, a merger of the American Highway Freight Association and the Federated Truck Associations of America. The value of A.T.A. became immediately apparent because it was also in 1933 that the Federal Government in Washington first began passing legislation to control certain aspects of trucking. The State organizations had no means of lobbying this type of legislation, having till then only had to deal with their own State legislature.

In 1935 came the Motor Carrier Act and the birth of the Interstate Commerce Commission, which regulates all interstate transport.

So A.T.A. was in on the ground floor of Federal (as opposed to State) control.

The 12 conferences were created later. They comprise: automobile transporters; regular Common carriers; all common carriers; irregular-route contract carriers: private carriers (equivalent of our T.R.T.A.); removers (equivalent of our National Association of Furniture Warehousemen and Removers); tank truck carriers; local cartage; heavy specialized carriers; munitions carriers; oilfield hauliers and film carriers.

One Voice

Now it can be seen that the A.T.A. spreads much wider than just a comparison with our R.H.A.—it takes under its wing all aspects of goods vehicle operation, and is therefore able to speak to the Federal Government for the entire industry. This it does on matters of common interest such as taxation, weights and dimensions, safety, roads. and public relations. In this country there is no provision for such a united. -single voice.

But there are many instances where the operator finds there is a clash between his personal interests and those of other operators. As between, for instance. C-licensees and public haulage. Or his personal problem may be so individual (say, for instance, a technical point on the construction of tank bodies) as not to interest other operators. Here is the field of the conferences.

Perhaps it is not surprising that the need for these conferences first became apparent when basic, and apparently irreconcilable, clashes arose between private and common carriers soon after A.T.A. was formed. The lesson was early-learned that internal "family bickering between individual interests could leave the industry defenceless and voiceless on its mutual problems. Have we in this country yet learned the lesson?

Each conference has its own staff and officers, and is financed by its own members. Where two sectional interests clash (e.g., tanker operators and contract carriers) the difference is settled at that level and does not become a source of potential public embarrassment to the A.T.A. in its national negotiations on matters of common interest.

Differing While Agreeing

Thus do you find the case (which does occur) of two A.T.A. conferences attacking each other with great gusto before the Interstate Commerce Commission on, say, a licensing matter and elsewhere in the same building, at the same time, going arm-in-arm to the Commission to oppose some legislative point.

In addition, there are five A.T.A. Councils: safety supervisors; customer relations; national accounting and finance; national freight claims; and operations. These Councils are organizations of individuals with specialist knowledge, each having its own secretary, who is a member of the A.T.A. staff. Then, to serve special subjects such as education, the annual truck " roadeo". containerization, and so on. the A.T.A. executive council appoints standing and special committees whenever a need arises.

Thus, this organization gives goods vehicle operators a three-fold representation "in depth ". First there is the operator's State association, which deals with all domestic matters. Secondly there is his conference, council or committee dealing nationally with his special interests. Thirdly there is the top federation, the A.T.A., which deals nationally with all problems of general impact.

I think it is a pretty good set-up, and so do the operators who finance this representation, or at least those to whom I spoke.


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