Freight Giants Set Sights on 2024 Election: 'Winning the Deal'

Although the economy remains the top concern for the trucking industry, at one of the industry's largest trade shows this year, another topic was equally prominent: the 2024 presidential election.

At the American Trucking Associations (ATA) Management Conference & Exhibition in Austin, Texas, the upcoming election appeared in executives' speeches, a session on swing voters, and questions from attendees.

Politics has never been confined to ATA's Truck PAC. As the trucking industry prepares for an election year, the trade group representing this multi-billion-dollar industry gave political issues more prominence at the conference as it shared its perspectives, research, and specific policy agenda.

The issues affecting the trucking industry are inherently political but often cross party lines, said new ATA Chairman Andrew Boyle at the closing dinner in the Austin Convention Center.

Boyle is co-president of Boyle Transportation, a temperature-controlled carrier based in Billerica, Massachusetts. He urged fellow executives to show empathy in industry advocacy at the state and federal levels and even at next year's Thanksgiving dinner table. He said that by doing so, the industry might succeed in advancing goals such as repealing the federal excise tax, which would reduce the cost of a new tractor by 12.5%.

"Between political parties, big tech companies, and media organizations, many entities want to profit by dividing us and ruining that Thanksgiving dinner," Boyle said at the October conference. "But we can show a little empathy and maybe win the deal, even at that dinner table."

"We don't want any of it"

At last year's conference in San Diego, ATA President and CEO Chris Spear criticized former President Donald Trump's administration, saying it was "all talk" and failed to deliver on promises to the trucking industry.

This year, the association leader launched sharp attacks on the International Brotherhood of Teamsters and other adversaries during a fiery keynote speech.

He blamed the union for Yellow Corp.'s collapse. Then, the ATA CEO went further, singling out Biden, who has called himself the most pro-union president in American history.

"If that's what this president is selling, we don't want any of it," Spear said.

While the industry trend leans conservative, the trucking association appears not to have placed bets on Biden or Trump as 2024 approaches.

According to Federal Election Commission data, as of September 30, neither candidate nor their principal fundraising committees had received contributions from the ATA Truck PAC.

Instead, according to FEC data, since January 1, ATA's Truck PAC has provided over $410,000 in political contributions to groups associated with members of Congress from both parties.

Throughout the conference, the trucking industry's attention had turned to the election, which was evident. Dozens of attendees came to hear Rich Thau, founder and president of Engagious, share findings from his "Swing Voter Project."

In partnership with Axios, Thau conducts focus groups with non-partisan voters on attitudes toward Washington policy and political developments.

In video clips Thau played, the concerns and views of "Trump-to-Biden" swing voters varied.

But Thau highlighted key consensus among swing voters on a major issue of common concern to both Republicans and Democrats: they believe that Biden, 80, and Trump, 77, are both too old for the presidency.

This is a sharp issue for the trucking industry, which faces an aging workforce and an expected increase in retirements in the coming years.

"I trust the voting public and believe they will sort out this (election) issue. I don't know how it will turn out," said Jim Ward, chairman of the Truckload Carriers Association and retired president of D.M. Bowman, who attended Thau's session. "Many of us are getting older... ensuring we have a good workforce development strategy is probably my biggest concern."

"Election years are always tricky"

After answering two questions about driver shortages and the potential impact of the Israel-Hamas war, ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello received a third question at the end of his annual outlook related to the upcoming election.

"Election years are always tricky for the economy," Costello replied. "I tend to think that if voters and families are uncertain about the future, they might hold back on spending."

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"If voters and families are uncertain about the future, they might hold back on spending."

Bob Costello

ATA Chief Economist

"But usually we find that in the end, it comes down to: Do they have a job? Are they making more money? That matters more to how they feel."

In his speech at the closing dinner, Boyle said he learned the concept of "winning the deal" from former Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker, a moderate Republican.

Baker learned it from his father, after Baker's mother left the room during a dinner because her son raised his voice in an argument. According to Boyle, Baker's father admonished him: "You may have won the argument, but you lost the deal."

The ATA chairman then described a passionate environmental argument made in September before the House Ways and Means Committee on repealing the excise tax. He said it came from a Democratic congressman from New Hampshire, who pointed out it would promote the adoption of cleaner, safer trucks.

"My friends, that is how ATA and our state partners won the deal," Boyle said.