NAVIGATING CHANGE IN 2025
As the Trump Administration embarks on sweeping changes within its first 100 days, our national partners play a critical role in navigating challenges and keeping the industry informed on developments in Washington, D.C.
4, 2024
ATA Elects New Officers
The American Trucking Associations wrapped up its 2024 Management Conference & Exhibition on this fall with an evening of celebration after electing Dennis Dellinger as the federation’s 80th chairman.
Driving Through Industry Challenges
The recent Annual Management Conference brought together over 230 carriers and 150 vendors for a dynamic celebration of achievements, challenges, and camaraderie within Iowa's trucking industry.
FEATURES
p3 Chairman’s Message
p5 President’s Message
p6 National Update
p9 Iowa Update
p12 ATRI Update
p14 IMTA Update
p18 Fight Against ZEV Mandate
p20 Iowa Motor Carriers Foundation
p24 Industry Trending Topics
p30 IMTA Management Conference
p40 Final Thought
BRENDA
JANELLE STEVENS Director of Communications, Education & Events janelle@iowamotortruck.com EMILY HOUSBY Education & Events Manager emily@iowamotortruck.com
GARY HANDLEY Special Projects Coordinator gary@iowamotortruck.com
CAMBER OSTWINKLE Communications & Marketing Manager camber@iowamotortruck.com
EMILY SAMUELSON Member Services Manager emilys@iowamotortruck.com
Every September, IMTA members gather for the annual management conference. This is a tradition that was actually started in 1942, shortly after the association was first formed. The founders of IMTA thought it would be important to hold a convention at the end of the year to celebrate all their achievements for the year and provide some momentum for the upcoming year. Fortunately, 82 years later, support and enthusiasm continue to prevail for the annual IMTA Management Conference. While there have been many changes to the format, name, location, and much more, the intent and objective of the conference remains the same. Hundreds of IMTA members join in the end of year celebration of IMTA’s accomplishments. As a part of this celebration, some very positive momentum is created for the upcoming year.
This year’s conference was held in Cedar Rapids, and as you can see by the pictures that are part of this magazine, we had another successful conference. IMTA members have certainly been tested over the last couple of years as the freight recession drags on, but we still had a great deal to celebrate.
IMTA members are strong and loyal supporters of their association. Despite the troubled economy, IMTA has a 94% membership retention rate and attendance continued to grow at almost every IMTA event over the past year. While trucking matters were relatively quiet at the Sate Capitol this year, IMTA members still showed up to support the IMTA Day at the Hill where we once again waved the flag symbolizing the important role that trucking plays in the State of Iowa. IMTA will continue to support and promote a pro-business, pro-trucking agenda with the many elections this year, and we have been actively involved in distributing PAC checks to legislators that feel the same way.
Outreach membership activities were held throughout the state and the IMTA show trailer touched the lives over 15,000 individuals that made their way into the trailer and driving simulator. Meals were handed out to truck drivers twice this past year, and the various IMTA committees and councils were extremely successful and valuable in getting members involved and engaged.
IMTA continues to be strong financially and an exciting remodel and refresh effort at the IMTA headquarters is nearing completion after a successful fundraising effort that exceeded all expectations.
Almost 75 individuals and companies were recognized for their outstanding achievements at the annual awards festivities that are the grand finale to the convention.
CHAIRMAN'S MESSAGE
These dedicated individuals and companies are setting the standard in Iowa and it's such an honor to recognize them at this annual event that had almost 400 people in attendance. Make sure and check out the long list of winners in various award categories and more importantly, make a commitment to get involved next year, we love to see the list of applicants increase every year.
I must make special mention of the 2024 IMTA leadership class too. Our leadership class participants had the opportunity to speak at the convention, where they were all given a 1-minute time slot, and they did a remarkable job presenting on a variety of topics. It was extremely gratifying to hear these young leaders sharing their thoughts and ideas throughout the meeting. This was a refreshing and welcome addition to the conference, and I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. It truly renews my faith in the future of our organization, this industry, and frankly this country. These leadership class graduates possess the skills and intellect to make a positive impact in many different ways, and I for one can’t wait to see the ongoing accomplishments of these up-and-coming leaders.
I would like to express my gratitude to Mike Spalla with Kunkel and Associates for serving as this year’s convention chairman, and to the entire committee for all the great work they did in planning such a valuable conference.
I know how busy we all are, making time to get out of the office and spend a day learning and networking with our peers, competitors, and colleagues isn’t always the priority it should be. The way the IMTA conference is designed and pulled together really makes it a worthwhile, meaningful, and time well spent event.
I do hope you will consider joining us next year, so please think of this your first official invitation to attend the 2025 IMTA Management Conference, held at the downtown Des Moines Marriott on September 10th and 11th (Wednesday, Thursday). I guarantee this conference will be one of the best investments of your time and energy.
SCOTT SZYMANEK IMTA’s Chairman of the Board
We all survived the 2024 elections and if there is one thing that everyone can agree on relative to this election cycle, everyone is happy it is over.
As the election day approached, the whole country was nervous. The divisive and contentious nature of this election was palpable. I talked to many IMTA members prior to the elections and the views and opinions were diverse and varied but grounded in beliefs and research that reminded me why I have such tremendous respect for our members. As business owners and community leaders, IMTA members take great pride and ownership in knowing and understanding the issues that not only have an impact on their individual operation and community, but frankly the entire country.
I was reminded time and again that IMTA members are not only proud Americans but respectful and active citizens, leaders that are always willing to take a seat at the table and be part of the solution. Truckers do not hang out on the sidelines; they jump in with both feet and never look back.
If you engaged in an earnest effort to assess what was best for this country and for you personally, no matter what your choice, you should be proud of your vote and certainly have my respect for engaging and exercising one of your most sacred rights.
And as we have seen throughout the history of this nation, when enough Americans want something, they step up and that was what happened on November 5th. And step up they did, voter turnout was once again impressive. While it didn’t top the record-breaking numbers of 2020 (158 million) it came close (154 million) and seeing that people understand the importance of voting is always a win in my book.
Efforts will continue to abound as people try to understand what it is about President Trump that appeals to a lot of people with wildly diverse backgrounds. Trumpism is an economic and political worldview that will shape our country and critical global relations over the next four years. The goals of this movement will continue to be at the forefront as the Trump cabinet is selected and public policies are created. Now more than ever, I am hopeful that we will see sensible and effective coalitions of Americans working together to create a government that serves the needs of a very diverse and demanding population. Like you, we will be watching it all very closely and will stay as engaged as possible with our ongoing advocacy efforts in DC.
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
Institute in our corner as the eyes, ears and voice for the trucking industry in DC. The collective opinion is that there is a lot that needs to be fixed in DC and our new President has certainly set an aggressive agenda to do just that.
As the transition moves forward, these national partners are on the frontline weighing in and assisting where needed. Like any new Administration, there will be challenges and setbacks, but the Trump Administration is poised to make some sweeping changes within the first 100 days and given the past actions of President Trump, it is highly likely that will happen, so it is incumbent that we stay on top of what is going on in DC.
How does that look for trucking? That is the milliondollar question and one that will continue to be top of mind for all of us in the industry.
Trumpism is an economic and political worldview that will shape our country and critical global relations over the next four years.
In his past presidency, President Trump was supportive of many pro-trucking, probusiness initiatives. President Trump visibly showed his support of trucking not only with legislative initiatives but even more importantly in some of his actions. President Trump met with trucking leaders several different times and even parked big trucks on the lawn of the White House. He especially enjoyed meeting the professional truck drivers that were part of that White House event and we are confident that his support will continue over the next four years. We have no reason to think that will change this time around, but nothing can be taken for granted.
While there are still a lot of unknowns when it comes to the new administration, I promise you that IMTA leaders and staff will continue to be highly engaged with our national trucking partners and our elected officials in DC as we move into another historic chapter in our nation’s history. We work closely with our friends in DC to ensure that trucking priorities are addressed and recognized.
It is reassuring to have organizations like the American Trucking Associations, Truckload Carriers Association and American Transportation Research
I believe we will be successful in moving the needle on important trucking issues in DC because trucking is important to this country, our voice is important and we show our leadership and more importantly our value every single day.
BRENDA NEVILLE IMTA President & CEO
NATIONAL UPDATE
TOP-LINE NOVEMBER JOBS AGAIN WAS GOOD, BUT LINGERING WEAKNESS UNDERNEATH
Bob Costello | ATA Chief Economist
This morning (December 6th, 2024), the Department of Labor reported that 227,000 payroll jobs were added in November (net, and excluding independent contractors/self-employed), which was above the Bloomberg consensus estimate and well above the 36,000 gain in October. It is important to remember that October’s reading was negatively affected by hurricanes and the Boeing Strike. So far this year, monthly payroll gains have averaged 180,364, which is slightly below what we would expect in a “normal” year, but 2023 was well above normal, averaging 251,083 per month.
ATA Chief Economist
The unemployment rate edged up to 4.2% from 4.1% in October. Additionally, the household survey, which (unlike the establishment one) includes the self-employed, plunged 355,000 in November. Plus, 193,000 people left the workforce and the labor force participation rate fell to 62.5%, the lowest reading since May.
All of this is to say that the labor market picture was a little cloudy in November. Yes, the overall reading was quite good, but some underlying data suggests that while still healthy, the labor market continues to soften, giving the Fed the ability to continue cutting interest rates later this month.
In a bit of a surprise, total for-hire trucking employment jumped by 2,900 in November, which was the largest monthly gain since September 2023. In October, payrolls contracted by 800. Still, industry employment was off 0.1% from November 2023. Year-todate, compared with the same period last year, for-hire trucking payrolls are off 1.2%. Like the overall establishments data, this excludes independent contractors.
Also released in today’s jobs report was a subset of data, which is lagged one month, for production and nonsupervisory workers. In the trucking industry, this is a good proxy for employee truck drivers. In October, this employee category in the general and specialized longdistance (i.e., non local) TL and LTL industry fell by 2,600. Over the last three months, this metric has contracted by 4,200. Furthermore, this employment category has declined in six of the last seven months, totaling 8,700. Compared with November 2023, employment was off 0.3%.
The same job category for used household and office goods moving rose 1,400 in October and was up 3% from a year earlier.
Source: American Trucking Associations
Data Source: US Department of Labor
BOB COSTELLO
NATIONAL UPDATE
CANADA TRADE SURPLUS WITH US NARROWS AS TARIFF FIGHT LOOMS
Randy Thanthong-Knight | Bloomberg News
Canada’s trade surplus with the U.S. helped the northern nation avoid a deeper overall deficit, underscoring the importance of its biggest trading partner as President-elect Donald Trump threatens crippling tariffs.
The country’s total imports exceeded exports for the eighth straight month in October, bringing the trade deficit to C$924 million ($658 million), Statistics Canada reported Dec. 5. That’s roughly in line with the median estimate in a Bloomberg survey, and down from C$1.3 billion in September.
Total exports grew 1.1% in October, led by gold, after three straight monthly declines, while imports rose 0.5% on higher metal ore purchases. In volume terms, exports were up 0.4% and imports edged up 0.3%.
While Canada’s trade surplus with the U.S. narrowed slightly to $6.2 billion from $7.9 billion in September, the U.S. remains by far its largest trading partner. In October, the U.S. bought 73% of Canada’s exports and made up 62% of the northern nation’s imports.
The numbers make clear just how exposed Canada is to the U.S. economy and policies. Trump’s threat of 25% tariffs on all Canadian goods has raised alarm among government officials and business groups, with the former trying to placate the incoming president’s border security concerns and the latter arguing Canada can help boost U.S. production and weed out unfair trade.
Trump views the Canada-U.S. trade balance as unfair to his country’s economy, even though Canada is the biggest oil supplier to the U.S. and sells it at a discount to West Texas Intermediate, the benchmark for American oil. During a meeting with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at Mar-a-Lago last week, Trump complained that Canada was “ripping off the U.S. to the tune of $100 billion,” Fox News reported. Canada’s surplus with the U.S. was about $72 billion over the past 12 months.
While the current trade surplus isn’t near the record high seen in 2022, it’s significantly higher than during Trump’s first term. At that time, Trump used tariffs as a tool to redirect trade flows. His renegotiation of the North American trade pact was aimed at rebalancing trade with Canada and Mexico, but U.S. deficits continued to rise even after he inked the agreement in 2018. Canada and the U.S. have one of the world’s largest bilateral trading relationships, worth about $2.6 billion in goods and services daily. Canada’s economy depends on its ability to sell energy, cars, minerals, and other goods to the U.S.. Its consumers and businesses also rely heavily on U.S.-made imports.
In the report Dec. 5, Statistics Canada cautioned that due to delays in the receipt of some import data, estimates were made and so that
side of the balance could see more significant revisions than normal in the months ahead.
“The trade data is difficult to dissect given the possibility of higherthan-normal revisions,” Shelly Kaushik, economist at Bank of Montreal, said in a report to investors. “For now, we expect merchandise trade to be roughly neutral for growth in the fourth quarter, while the outlook for 2025 is clouded by trade and tariff uncertainty.”
October’s rise in exports was driven by a surge in gold shipments to the U.K. and Hong Kong. The agency noted that precious metals shipped from Canada — mostly unwrought gold — rose 20.9% that month as gold prices hit an all time high of $2,788 per ounce.
Andrew Grantham, an economist at Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, pointed out the export increase was far from broad-based.
“Eight of 11 product sectors actually posted declines on the month, and export volumes were up by a more modest 0.4% as price increases led much of the nominal gain,” he said in a note to investors.
A depreciating dollar also helped lift exports for the first time since June, said Andrew DiCapua, economist with the Canadian Chamber of Commerce.
“We expect a pickup in trade over the next few months as companies stockpile inventories to prepare for President Trump’s 25% tariff on Canadian exports to the U.S.,” he said in a statement. “Export volumes remain positive in the third quarter, but there’s much uncertainty about trade prospects.”
Source: Transport Topics
NATIONAL UPDATE
AMERICAN TRUCKING ASSOCIATIONS ELECTS NEW OFFICERS
The American Trucking Associations wrapped up its 2024 Management Conference & Exhibition with an evening of celebration after electing Dennis Dellinger as the federation’s 80th chairman.
Dennis Dellinger, CEO of Claremont, N.C.based Cargo Transporters, gave a heartfelt, modest speech as he thanked the leadership of ATA, his employees, and his family for helping him on his 38-year journey in trucking to become chairman.
In his acceptance remarks, Dennis told the audience, “I wasn’t raised a trucker,” he said. “I wasn’t born into this industry. But I did choose this industry.”
He added, “I am deeply honored and extraordinarily humbled to have been selected to serve our association and industry. ATA represents every facet of trucking, and our voice is one.
“I look forward to working with all of you to represent the millions of hardworking men and women who make this essential industry thrive. What better place to share and gather ideas with talented people and some of the greatest minds.” ATA President Chris Spear said, “Dennis embodies what is exceptional about trucking, working his way up from the terminal floor to the corner office and now becoming ATA chairman. His dedication to his company and this industry is inspiring. ATA is lucky to have a chairman who has seen it and done it all in this industry, and I’m eager to continue working with him.”
Dellinger succeeds Andrew Boyle, co-president of Boyle Transportation, as chairman.
The board also elected Greg Hodgen, president and CEO of Groendyke Transport in Enid, Okla., as first vice chairman and Derek Leathers, chairman and CEO of Werner Enterprises in Omaha, Neb., as second vice chairman. Also, Randy Clifford, chairman and CEO of Ventura Transfer Co. in Long Beach, Calif., was elected as vice chairman at large. The board re-elected John M. Smith, chairman of CRST International Holdings, as secretary and John A. Smith, president and CEO of FedEx, as treasurer.
CHAIRMAN
DENNIS DELLINGER CEO Cargo Transporters
VICE CHAIRMAN
RANDY CLIFFORD Chairman & CEO Ventura Transfer
2ND VICE CHAIRMAN
DEREK LEATHERS
Chairman & CEO Werner Enterprises
TREASURER
JOHN A. SMITH President & CEO FedEx
PRESIDENT CHRIS SPEAR President & CEO ATA
1ST VICE CHAIRMAN
GREG HODGEN President & CEO Groendyke Transport
SECRETARY
JOHN M. SMITH
Chairman CRST International
PAST CHAIRMAN
ANDREW BOYLE Co-President Boyle Transportation
IOWA UPDATE
IMTA JOINS “END DISTRACTED DRIVING COALITION”
The Iowa Motor Truck Association (IMTA) has joined forces with 25 other organizations to combat the pervasive issue of distracted driving in Iowa by forming the *End Distracted Driving Coalition*. This coalition is committed to advocating for the passage of comprehensive handsfree driving legislation in the state, a critical step forward as similar measures have repeatedly stalled in the Iowa Legislature.
“When we ask professional truck drivers about their number one issue on the highway, distracted driving is always the first thing they say, so being a part of this coalition makes perfect sense,” said IMTA President and CEO Brenda Neville. Truck drivers, whose livelihoods depend on safe roads, are among the strongest advocates for stricter laws to address this growing problem.
The coalition is working to revive and strengthen legislation that successfully passed the Iowa Senate last year, but failed to gain the necessary traction in the House. Member organizations include the Iowa Department of Public Safety, Iowa Troopers Association, Iowa Police Officers Council, Iowa Automobile Dealers Association, Iowa Department of Transportation, ABATE of Iowa, the Brain Injury Alliance, and many other groups that recognize the grave risks distracted driving poses to drivers, passengers, and pedestrians on Iowa’s roads and highways.
Distracted driving is a critical concern in Iowa. A survey conducted by the Iowa Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau during the 2024 Iowa State Fair revealed striking results: 96% of the 1,330 respondents reported frequently seeing other drivers using mobile devices, and 93% agreed that using or looking at a cell phone while driving is extremely
dangerous. Furthermore, 85% of participants expressed strong support for hands-free driving legislation, signaling widespread public backing for this initiative.
Evidence from other states highlights the effectiveness of hands-free laws in reducing distracted driving. Michigan and Alabama recently enacted such legislation, resulting in a 10.2% and 5.7% decrease, respectively, in mobile phone usage while driving. Minnesota and Illinois reported even greater successes, with Minnesota achieving a 30% reduction and Illinois a 22% decrease in crashes within a year of implementation.
The trucking industry has long recognized the dangers of distracted driving. In fact, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) prohibited interstate and intrastate truck and bus drivers from using handheld cell phones while driving as early as January 3, 2012. This rule aimed to reduce distracted-driving crashes, fatalities, and injuries, setting an example for broader legislative efforts.
Passing hands-free driving laws is a proven way to save lives and make roads safer for everyone. While past attempts in Iowa have faced roadblocks, the expansion of the coalition and the addition of influential supporters give proponents renewed hope.
Want to get more involved with ATRI?
There are a number of ways you can be part of this vital industry organization:
» Participate in ATRI’s research. When ATRI puts out a call for carrier data or asks for responses to an industry survey, take the time to participate. More is always better when it comes to research and we encourage you to join the growing number of motor carriers, professional drivers and industry suppliers who all regularly take part in ATRI’s studies.
» Contribute to ATRI. Join your peers in the industry and STEP UP with a charitable contribution to support ATRI’s research. Giving is easy and can be done online at www.truckingresearch.org.
» Suggest a research topic. ATRI is always looking for new research ideas for the RAC to evaluate.
» Join the RAC. Want to be involved in setting the trucking industry’s research agenda? Send us an email letting us know you want to be considered for a nomination to serve on the RAC.
» Spread the news. When ATRI releases research results, please Tweet, Facebook and otherwise share the findings with your colleagues and peer network so that everyone benefits from our work on behalf of the trucking industry.
ATRI NEEDS YOUR FEEDBACK: IDENTIFYING THE SCOPE OF CARGO THEFT
The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) is conducting research on the growing issue of cargo theft in the trucking industry. As motor carriers, shippers, insurers, and consumers increasingly encounter challenges related to theft, ATRI is working with industry stakeholders to better quantify cargo theft types, frequency, geography, and commodities targeted.
Cargo theft – which has evolved from thieves simply stealing cargo to sophisticated impersonation schemes – is becoming more common according to some industry stakeholders. In March 2024 ATRI’s Research Advisory Committee (RAC), citing FBI statistics that indicate $15 to $30 billion is lost to cargo theft annually, voted to prioritize research on the topic.
While cargo theft is growing, many industry stakeholders are hesitant to publicly provide cargo theft data. ATRI’s survey is designed to confidentially and anonymously collect accurate loss data as well as identify successful counterstrategies used by both motor carriers and freight brokers.
“Cargo theft is a pervasive issue that won’t go away without a collaborative effort,” said Ben Banks, Vice President of TCW. “With accurate cargo theft data, our industry will be able to quantify the issue, and work more effectively with law enforcement and commercial insurance to combat this costly problem.”
All collected data will be kept completely confidential. Personal, organizational, and/or financial information will never be released for public use under any circumstance. The final published report will only be presented in an aggregated, non-identifying format. As needed, ATRI will sign a confidentiality agreement.
TAKE THE SURVEY
SCAN THE QR CODE TO COMPLETE THE CARGO THEFT SURVEY.
REBECCA BREWSTER ATRI President & COO
ATRI RELEASES TOP INDUSTRY ISSUES REPORT FOR 2024
The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) has released its 20th annual Top Industry Issues report, shedding light on the most pressing challenges facing the trucking industry. This year’s report highlights a range of critical concerns, including the Economy, Truck Parking, Lawsuit Abuse Reform, Insurance Costs and Availability, and a significant rise in focus on Battery Electric Vehicles, which jumped four spots from last year. These findings provide a comprehensive snapshot of the industry's evolving landscape.
The Economy and Truck Parking maintained their #1 and #2 rankings on the overall list, underscoring the persistent struggles faced by the sector. Lawsuit Abuse Reform climbed to the #3 spot this year, reflecting increased concerns about nuclear verdicts and their impact on businesses. Insurance Costs and Availability saw the most significant jump, rising eight positions to claim the #4 spot. Driver Compensation rounded out the top five, signaling the continued importance of competitive pay in retaining and recruiting talent.
Battery Electric Vehicles emerged as a growing concern, climbing to the 6th position. This rise reflects intensified discussions around fleet electrification, aggressive transition timelines, and the high costs of adopting electric vehicles, which pose both opportunities and challenges for the industry.
The report’s findings are based on input from over 3,700 industry stakeholders, including motor carriers, truck drivers, suppliers, driver trainers, and law enforcement officials. Motor carrier executives and personnel represented more than 45% of respondents, while truck drivers accounted for 31%. Notably, truck drivers identified Truck Parking, Driver Compensation, and the Economy as their
IMTA GROWS WITH TWO NEW STAFF MEMBERS
COMMUNICATIONS & MARKETING MANAGER
CAMBER OSTWINKLE
camber@iowamotortruck.com
Camber brings passion to the IMTA team, with a deep love for marketing and storytelling, she has a knack for crafting compelling narratives that engage and inspire.
After graduating from the University of Iowa with a degree in Enterprise Leadership, Camber began her career with a marketing internship at TrueNorth in Cedar Rapids.Now, she steps into her role at IMTA, where she will spearhead initiatives to strengthen our brand presence, foster member engagement, and drive impactful communications.
Beyond the workplace, Camber is a talented photographer. Her artistic perspective enhances her ability to see things from fresh angles, a quality that reflects in her marketing approach. We are excited to have Camber on board and look forward to the impact she will make at IMTA!
MEMBER SERVICES MANAGER
Emily is an accomplished sales and customer service professional with a proven track record of exceeding goals and delivering exceptional client satisfaction. Growing up in Spirit Lake, Iowa, she developed a strong work ethic, a deep sense of community, and a commitment to excellence.
Now, in her new role, Emily is excited to dive into the trucking industry, eager to learn its unique challenges and opportunities while contributing her expertise to serve members effectively. She sees this as an opportunity to broaden her knowledge, build meaningful connections, and make a positive impact in the industry.
In addition to her professional success, Emily enjoys spending time outdoors with her dog, baking, and socializing with friends. She brings passion, dedication, and a member-focused approach to everything she does, making her a valuable asset to this member services position.
IMTA PARTNERS WITH SAFETY CONSULTANT RANDY KOPECKY
Randy J. Kopecky, Owner, RK Transportation Consulting, LLC, has been in the transportation industry for over 32 years. Born and raised in Iowa, he graduated from Upper Iowa University with a BS in Accounting.
He started his career in transportation as a Comptroller and has held positions in Accounting, Fuel Procurement, Credit, Quality, and exclusively Safety since 2000. He has experience in Van, Reefer, Flatbed, Dry and Liquid tanker operations to include HAZMAT operations. Over his professional career he has worked for several different trucking companies, many of whom were members of IMTA. He is a Certified Director of Safety and served on both the American Trucking Associations’ Safety Management Council and the Iowa Motor Truck Association Safety Management Council.
Randy and his wife Joyce have 2 adult sons and reside in Marion, IA. His interests include volunteering with the Scouts BSA, camping, and Iowa Hawkeyes Sports.
NEW IMTA OFFICERS ELECTED AT ANNUAL MEETING
At the Annual Meeting held in September in conjunction with the IMTA Management Conference, the new 2024 IMTA Officers were elected. Scott Szymanek, President & CFO with Eldon C. Stutsman, Inc. out of Hills, Iowa was elected the 2025 Chairman of the Board. Scott has been involved with the association for several years and believes that retaining a strong membership continues to be the key to ongoing success for the association.
“Retention has always been a top priority for IMTA, and we will continue to focus on ways to add value and provide the kind of support that IMTA members expect and deserve,” said Scott. IMTA has a 95% retention rate and the volunteer leaders along with the staff will continue to look for ways to support and serve the members.
“We put a lot of emphasis on membership outreach events and activities and with such a strong retention rate, I think it is fair to say that we are doing a good job with supporting the members and helping them get a good return on the investment,” said Scott.
BOARD CHAIRMAN
Scott Szymanek
President & CFO
Eldon C. Stutsman
1ST VICE CHAIRMAN
JEFF ARENS
Vice President Schuster Company
2ND VICE CHAIRMAN
BRIAN KOHLWES
General Counsel & Chief Risk Officer Hirschbach Motor Lines
Jeff Arens, Vice President of Schuster Company in LeMars is the IMTA 1st Vice Chair and Brian Kohlwes, General Counsel and Chief Risk Officer with Hirschbach Motor Lines is IMTA’s 2nd Vice Chair. Darla Arends, President of Van Wyk, Inc. has been elected Vice Chair with Steve Schuster being re-elected as treasurer and John Smith, Chairman of the Board for CRST re-elected as IMTA’s secretary.
“I look forward to my continued work with the IMTA officer group and respect each of these individuals deeply. They are all committed to the association’s efforts to serve the membership in a professional and positive manner and they really contribute in a big way,” said IMTA Chairman Scott Szymanek.
The IMTA Board meets twice a year in person and holds two virtual board meetings as well. The board is comprised of carriers, allied members, and two representatives from the LEAD IMTA council.
VICE CHAIRMAN
DARLA ARENDS President Van Wyk, Inc.
TREASURER
STEVE SCHUSTER
President Schuster Company
IMTA WELCOMES NEW BOARD MEMBERS IN 2025
Several new board members were elected at the association’s annual meeting in September. The new board members include Jerry Bender, Vice President at Midwest Wheel Companies, Chris Hummer, President, Don Hummer Trucking, Abby Ryan, CFO, Crawford Trucking, Adam Shouse, Director of Sales & Service, US Cargo Control and AJ Tucker, President, Tucker Freight Lines.
Jerry Bender is one of three folks on the board representing the association’s allied division. Abby Ryan and Adam Shouse are representing the LEAD IMTA council on the IMTA board and AJ Tucker and Chris Hummer are carrier representatives.
“We are excited to welcome this group of new board members to the IMTA Board and look forward to their participation and engagement,” said Jeff Arens, 1st Vice Chair for the association.
“The IMTA Board continues to be a very engaged and active board. We all understand our role in helping shape policies and strategies that will help IMTA members prosper and be successful,” continued Jeff.
The IMTA Board has 40 directors from all over the state representing many different sizes and types of operations. The board meets four times a year with many directors also serving on key committees such as the executive committee, finance committee and strategic priorities committee.
SECRETARY
JOHN SMITH
Chairman of the Board CRST The Transportation Solution, Inc.
ADAM SHOUSE Director of Sales & Service US Cargo Control
AJ TUCKER President Tucker Freight Lines
ABBY RYAN CFO Crawford Trucking
JERRY BENDER Vice President Midwest Wheel Companies
CHRIS HUMMER President Don Hummer Trucking
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FIGHT AGAINST ZEV MANDATE
UNPLUGGED: WASHINGTON'S SUPPLY CHAIN AT RISK WITH EV MANDATES
Sheri Call | WTA President & CEO
The Washington Trucking Associations is working tirelessly against the ZEV mandates. Sheri Call, President & CEO of Washington Trucking Association in Olympia, is the unified voice for the trucking industry in Washington state.
THE FIGHT CONTINUES AGAINST EV MANDATES
New zero emission vehicle (ZEV) mandates on the trucking industry are creating serious challenges for trucking fleets, who face limited and costly options in order to operate legally in Washington state. That should concern all of us, since almost 90% of consumer goods arrive by truck.
At issue is the state’s adoption of California’s Advanced Clean Trucks
Trucking companies are also scrambling to adapt to these new requirements. But supply is limited, and what’s available is expensive and comes with significant operational limits. New ZEV commercial trucks cost more than two-and-a half times more than their clean diesel counterparts. They also lose two-and-a-half tons of payload compared to a clean diesel truck. Electric trucks also compromise range, and fueling infrastructure takes years to permit and construct. Some dealers estimate that ZEV medium-and heavy-duty trucks will not work for 90% of existing routes.
That’s a significant challenge for a state as trade dependent – and geographically diverse – as Washington. These added costs and uncertainties will lead to economic consequences that must be considered. California’s ACT program included a more gradual transition and greater incentives for medium- and heavy-duty trucks than here in Washington. A steeper compliance curve, fewer incentives and competition against California – the fifth largest economy in the
In order to remain viable, operators will either maintain their current fleets, operating older, less efficient trucks longer, or shrink their Washington footprint in favor of states that haven’t adopted the
Despite an effort to support EV transition in the public sector, even state agencies are experiencing the
FIGHT AGAINST ZEV MANDATE
At a recent meeting of the state’s Electric Vehicle Coordinating Council, executives from the Department of Commerce noted that staff are uncomfortable driving long distances or in poor weather in electric vehicles due to concerns about charging availability.
As an alternative, they opt for gas powered rentals from the state motor pool.
In the same meeting, Commerce staff admitted that “vehicle ability has been tough” and that mileage and towing capacity – especially for vehicles needed to haul heavy equipment – are an issue. It was also shared that staffers from the Department of Ecology have expressed “hesitation or concern” about a lack of charging infrastructure, especially for long trips.
This was further underscored by recent findings from EV researchers at the University of Washington. Professor Don McKenzie told CascadePBS the state needs 10 to 100 times more public charging stations – and they need to become as ubiquitous as gas stations. But the economics do not pencil out for that to happen anytime soon, he said.
The trucking industry shares many of these same concerns. Except, the trucking industry won’t have the flexibility of reverting back to legacy vehicles when these issues arise. The future of our supply chain is at stake with ZEV mandates on the commercial trucking industry. And we need a better, more reasoned pathway to successfully migrate to a carbon-free transportation sector.
Our industry trade group, Washington Trucking Associations (WTA), believes this is possible, but forcing the move before the technology is ready will have much larger implications for our supply chain and trade-dependent economy. We need only look to the recent (and
East Coast port strike, when shoppers raided store shelves for basic supplies such as toilet paper – shades of the COVID pandemic all over again.
WTA has repeatedly expressed concerns over the impact of these new regulations to Gov. Inslee and key legislative leaders. ACT’s implementation timeline is too aggressive and does not accommodate for innovation or technological limitations.
Members of Washington’s trucking industry are evaluating how current emission technology fits into their fleet operations and are checking in with utility providers on the availability of adequate power resources and the timelines to install charging stations.
We are committed to working with all stakeholders to find a balanced approach that leads to decarbonization, but also protects the backbone of our supply chain for our trade-dependent economy.
Now is the time for thoughtful consideration of our supply chain, our infrastructure network, and the daily needs of Washingtonians met by the trucking industry. Our economy – and way of life – depend on it.
SHERI CALL
President & CEO
Washington Trucking Association
brief)
IOWA MOTOR CARRIERS FOUNDATION
WEST WING RENOVATION NEARS COMPLETION IMTA MEMBER'S GENEROSITY IS ONCE AGAIN IN FULL DISPLAY
In January 2024, a significant project began that features extensive renovations and upgrades. The west wing of the building underwent improvements, the original roof was replaced, the courtyard received a refreshing update, and the IMTA offices we're enhanced with new carpet, window shades, and fresh paint.
The IMTA and IMCF headquarters building has been transformed and caps the final chapter in an ongoing refurbishing effort that began in 2010 when the front entrance was updated.
With the renovation of the west wing, IMTA now has the capability of holding even more of its conferences and events at the headquarters building and expects demands from outside groups to increase with the additional meeting space.
The west wing space will now have two state of the art conference centers, updated and enlarged restroom facilities and access to an impressive courtyard which will also pay tribute to all the past IMTA Chairman. With the beautiful state capital as the perfect backdrop, the IMTA building has become a recognized landmark within the capitol complex.
The official fundraising effort was launched at the 2023 Management Conference, however, given the freight recession that the industry was dealing with the building committee decided to take a very subtle and low-key approach to fundraising. The committee distributed only two direct mail pieces to the membership and did periodic updates to the membership regarding fundraising.
“We decided to take a more subtle approach because we knew things weren’t good in the industry and we were confident that the project would sell itself and it did. Members of all sizes stepped up and made contributions of all sizes and we ended up raising over $2 million for the project,” said Foundation Board Chairman and Chairman of the renovation project, Steve Schuster.
The generosity of the membership has once again been in full display as commitments continued to come in for the renovation efforts. The Foundation intends to hold a grand opening in the spring of 2025.
$2,390,240 RAISED
THANKS TO THESE GENEROUS DONORS * as of 12.01.24
NAMING RIGHTS
$250,000
Jackie Johnsrud
Ruan Foundation
The Gerdin Family Truck Country
Van Wyk, Inc.
$25,000
LEVEL
$10,000
BRONZE LEVEL
$5,000
SUPPORTER LEVEL
$2,500
Dickey Transport
Heyl Truck Lines
LEGACY WALL
$100,000
MHC Kenworth
Midwest Peterbilt Group
Midwest Wheel Companies
Olson Explosives
Schuster Co.
The Hummer Family
The Rasmussen Group
TMC Transportation
Peterson Transportation Inc.
Sukup Manufacturing Co.
PATRON LEVEL
$50,000
Panama Transfer, Inc.
Warren Transport, Inc.
FRIEND OF CAMPAIGN
DMTC, Inc.
Eldon C. Stutsman, Inc.
GTG Peterbilt
Amhof Trucking, Inc.
Barton Solvents, Inc.
Brenda & Joe Neville
Barr-Nunn Transportation LLC
Clausen Companies
Cottingham & Butler
Fareway Stores
Steger Transport Inc.
Casey's General Stores, $1,000
Craftsmen Utility Trailer, $1,000
Crawford Trucking Inc., $1,500
Dave & Maggie Weber, $500
David Zerbe, $100
Delwin & Karen Van Wyk, $500
Frost Brown Todd LLC, $1,000
Hanifen Towing, $1,000
Hueneman Farms L.C.
Rathje Construction Co.
The Ennis Family
Dan & Chris Van Alstine
Hite Trucking, LLC
Keane Thummel Trucking
Star Equipment, Ltd.
Pomp's Tire Service
Rory & Megan Triplett
Simon's Trucking
Ten D, Inc. / Merchants Distribution Service
Ten D, Inc. / Reppert Rigging & Hauling
US Cargo Control
Jeff Martin, $100
Maher Bros. Transfer & Storage, Inc., $500
MHCS, $1,000
Niece Trucking, $500
Wehrle Trucking, Inc., $1,000
Whitfield & Eddy Law, $1,000
Windstar Express, Inc., $500
INDUSTRY TRENDING TOPICS
AI WON’T GIVE YOU A NEW SUSTAINABLE ADVANTAGE
BUT USING IT MAY AMPLIFY THE ONES YOU ALREADY HAVE
Jay B. Barney | Presidential Professor of Strategic Management at University of Utah Martin Reeves | Chairman of Boston Consulting Group's BCG Henderson Institute
History has shown that technological innovation can profoundly change how business is conducted. The steam engine in the 1700s, the electric motor in the 1800s, the personal computer in the 1970s—each transformed many sectors of the economy, unlocking enormous value in the process. But relatively few of these and other technologies went on to become direct sources of sustained competitive advantage for the companies that deployed them, precisely because their effects were so profound and so widespread that virtually every enterprise was compelled to adopt them. Moreover, in many cases they eliminated the advantages that incumbents had enjoyed, allowing new competitors to enter previously stable markets.
empathy, or imagination; to deliver customized professional services— including legal services—formerly available only to the wealthy; and to develop and communicate product and other recommendations to customers in ways that are faster, cheaper, and more informative than was possible with human-driven processes.
Smart early movers in sectors adopting gen AI have certainly captured some of this value in the short term. But relatively soon all surviving companies in those sectors will have applied gen AI, and it won’t be a source of competitive advantage for any one of them, even where its impact on business and business practices will probably be profound. In fact, it will be more likely to remove a competitive advantage than to
The latest technology with the potential to radically alter how business is conducted is, of course, generative artificial intelligence. Gen AI identifies patterns in data to create new content—including text, images, and sound—that closely mimics human creations. And because the results it creates are fed back into the datasets it analyzes, it can learn over time to create content that is more innovative, more valuable, and more humanlike. Understanding the strategic implications of this technology must encompass not just what gen AI can do now but also what it might be able to do in the future—because it’s getting “smarter” all the time.
There’s no doubt that gen AI will create a lot of value. Companies have used this technology to identify entirely new product opportunities and business models; to automate routine decisions, freeing humans to focus on higher-stakes decisions that involve ethical trade-offs,
confer one. But here’s a silver lining: If you already have a competitive advantage that rivals cannot replicate using AI, the technology may serve to amplify the value you derive from that advantage. Let’s begin by looking at how gen AI is unlocking value for customers while leveling the playing field for the companies competing to serve them.
VALUE CREATION IS NOT VALUE CAPTURE
Gen AI is certainly making companies more efficient. At a 2024 conference of chief information officers, executives from dozens of companies spoke about the ways in which the technology was reducing costs for their organizations. Ally Financial’s CIO described how gen AI had lowered the cost of summarizing interactions between its service people and its customers; Cisco’s CIO related that gen AI
INDUSTRY TRENDING TOPICS
was generating computer code in increasingly efficient ways; and the CIO at Dow outlined how his company was using it to reduce the costs of handling materials and evaluating whether a new product was patentable. In February 2024 Klarna, a financial services company, reported that two-thirds of its customer-service chats had been handled by an AI-driven assistant in the program’s first month, with significant reductions in cost and increases in speed and no decline in customer satisfaction.
The trouble is that gen AI can deliver similar savings to any company that deploys it. Value is created but not captured—at least not for long.
The technology can also be used to drive innovation. In fact, empirical studies have shown that gen AI may actually be more adept than experienced professionals at conceiving new products and other valuable business ideas. It would seem to follow that introducing those products and ideas could be a source of sustained competitive advantage. But again, when most rivals also have access to gen AI, they can generate the same (or similar) innovative results.
Try this simple experiment: Ask the members of your management team to use a gen AI program to create a list of new types of toothbrushes. The results might include biodegradable toothbrushes, electric toothbrushes with ultraviolet sanitizers, silicone toothbrushes for people with sensitive teeth and gums, and so forth. These are all potentially valuable ideas. But any other enterprise that does the experiment will come up with more or less the same list. Why? Because the lists will have been generated by similar algorithms identifying patterns in similar databases.
We don’t mean to suggest that companies shouldn’t use gen AI to identify promising innovations. Quite the contrary. But its learning capabilities turn the very idea of gaining advantage from the technology upside down. Because gen AI uses constantly updated data, your “first mover” applications of the technology are absorbed in the data that is analyzed when your competitors apply gen AI as “late movers.” They benefit not only from their own efforts to advance but also from your prior efforts to do so.
Suppose you’re the first in your sector to ask gen AI, “What should our strategy be?” The program will produce a number of interesting possibilities. You may decide to implement some of them and disregard others. But in any case, your actions will create information about your strategic choices that will be incorporated in the dataset that later applications of gen AI analyze—either because you publicly announce your choices or because gen AI will be able to derive what they were from the actions you take. So if one of your competitors subsequently asks AI the same question, it will benefit from an analysis of both a large generic dataset and your specific strategic choices, along with their implications for your company’s performance.
Thus gen AI should be an integral part of your ongoing decision-making processes so that you can gain any temporary advantages that might be created from early applications of the technology while also benefiting from its ability to learn. Your first-mover advantages aren’t likely to last very long, however, since all your competitors can use gen AI in the same way.
COULD YOU BUILD A BETTER PROGRAM?
It’s probably true that an organization could benefit from developing and applying a customized version of the technology that has been optimized for its industry or sector. That could be helpful, for example, when pattern recognition in a particular industry has some unique attributes or requires unusual data that doesn’t work well with general-purpose gen AI.
But it would be surprising if a user had the resources and capabilities needed to develop a “better” general-purpose gen-AI platform that could compete with OpenAI, Midjourney, and similar providers. After all, those companies have years of experience developing, scaling up, and optimizing their general-purpose systems. Users of generalpurpose gen AI would almost always be better off outsourcing to one of them, just as it is almost always better to outsource the development of general-purpose word-processing software to Microsoft or another company that specializes in the technology. Furthermore, gen AI algorithms are often open-source, facilitating the rapid spread of knowledge and competence.
Even if a company could design a special-purpose gen AI, its competitors would no doubt conclude that they, too, should have such a system and would develop their own, cooperate with competitors to create one, modify general-purpose gen AI to optimize it for their sector, or pay outside developers to create a customized version. So the innovative company might gain an advantage from its specialpurpose gen AI, but it would be temporary.
APPLYING GEN AI TO PROPRIETARY DATA
Many users point to their ability to apply gen AI to proprietary datasets as a potential source of sustained competitive advantage. If similar algorithms are applied to different datasets, they may generate different results—and may give some companies an advantage. And because proprietary datasets have often been built up over many years, companies that lack them can find them costly to duplicate. So in theory, any competitive advantage created by applying gen AI to a proprietary dataset might be sustainable.
In practice, however, several problems might arise. To begin with, your competitors would have to currently or prospectively lack any data that was functionally equivalent to yours that they could analyze with gen AI. For example, you may have been collecting data on your employees, suppliers, and customers for years—information that
may be unique to your firm. But your competitors may have been doing the same. Although the two datasets would be different, the patterns captured in them might be very similar, so gen AI’s analysis would most likely generate similar results for both—thus eliminating any source of competitive advantage.
Although it’s true that big datasets may be better than smaller ones when it comes to training gen AI, having a bigger one isn’t necessarily a source of advantage. Your dataset may have a billion data points, while your chief competitor’s has only 50 million. But if the patterns identified by gen AI algorithms are apparent with a sample of 50 million, the additional information in your dataset won’t have much of an impact on the results.
And even if your data is proprietary and your competitors have no functional equivalents, relying on data as a source of sustained competitive advantage creates another problem. As gen AI becomes more sophisticated and incorporates larger and more-diverse datasets in its analyses, it may be able to identify the kind of data a company must have to be making the kinds of decisions it is making. It may even simply imitate your strategy after observing the favorable results. Your competitors could copy your successes without access to the primary data on which your strategy was based.
Finally, proprietary datasets are remarkably difficult to protect. Even those that are supposedly very secure are routinely breached. You could be one disgruntled employee away from having yours shared with the entire world. And often it’s not a disgruntled employee who is the source of a breach but a well-meaning one who makes a security mistake.
THE SILVER LINING: LEVERAGE YOUR EXISTING ADVANTAGES
Even though gen AI is likely to “change everything,” it is—either by itself or using data that isn’t functionally unique and can be inferred—
INDUSTRY TRENDING TOPICS
unlikely to be a source of sustained competitive advantage for any one company that deploys it. But what if your organization has valuable capabilities and unique resources that cannot be replicated? In that case, applying gen AI to improve how you take advantage of those assets may generate business ideas that wouldn’t emerge when gen AI was applied to more-generic resources and capabilities. If your assets are rare and difficult for others to imitate, gen AI’s insights can be a source of sustained competitive advantage for you—assuming that you’re agile enough to act on them (itself a rare capability).
Consider Amazon. Its success depends on leveraging a variety of unusual resources and capabilities—relationships with millions of suppliers, software that links those suppliers with customers, multiple information systems that interconnect and work holistically, complex warehousing and delivery operations, and mechanisms for managing returns—all of which operate within a cultural context that rewards efficiency and initiative. Gen AI could no doubt improve many aspects of Amazon’s business model in ways that would decrease its costs or increase its revenues. Indeed, reports suggest that the company is now aggressively applying gen AI to up its already impressive game.
But those specific benefits could accrue only to companies with resources and capabilities similar to Amazon’s. Walmart and Carrefour may come close, but few others exist. And it would be very difficult for competitors seeking to leverage gen AI in this way to build equivalent assets. So gen AI applications at Amazon—or at other enterprises with unique and costly-to-imitate resources and capabilities—may generate insights that are of use primarily internally, putting those companies ever further ahead.
If you lack rare capabilities and resources, you do have one way to possibly create an advantage with gen AI: You could build your business model around it. That would involve more than just creating a proprietary gen-AI platform: By itself, such a platform can usually be imitated. To build your entire business model around gen AI, every business process in your organization would
If you already have a competitive advantage that rivals cannot replicate using AI, the technology may serve to amplify the value you derive from that advantage.
have to integrate insights from gen AI, and the data you used to train your gen AI would have to incorporate all those insights.
Then gen AI would become more than a program to improve your business model. It would enable your whole business to adapt to a changing environment, automatically and very quickly. That could create agility that might be difficult for competitors to duplicate—at least until they, too, rebuilt their models around gen AI. But so far no company has managed to do that. And it’s not clear as yet that the technology is mature enough to warrant the investment and the risk.
Jay B. Barney is a presidential professor of strategic management and the Lassonde chair of social entrepreneurship at the University of Utah’s David Eccles School of Business. He is a co-author, with Manoel Amorim and Carlos Júlio, of “The Secret of Culture Change.” Martin Reeves is the chairman of Boston Consulting Group’s BCG Henderson Institute. He is a co-author, with Jack Fuller, of “The Imagination Machine” and a co-author, with Bob Goodson, of “Like: The Button That Changed the World.”
c.2024 Harvard Business Review. Distributed by The New York Times Licensing Group.
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IMTA MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE
DRIVING THROUGH INDUSTRY CHALLENGES: HIGHLIGHTS FROM THIS YEAR'S MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE
The recent Annual Management Conference brought together over 230 carriers and 150 vendors for a dynamic celebration of achievements, challenges, and camaraderie within Iowa's trucking industry. This year’s main goal of celebrating accomplishments, addressing industry challenges, and fostering connections was brought to life through a mix of informative sessions, engaging events, and heartfelt recognition of industry leaders.
Wednesday evening’s Foundation Live Auction marked a triumphant return, setting the tone for an event full of energy and enthusiasm. Collectively, attendees raised over $53,000 for the IMTA Foundation and Show Trailer efforts. These funds will support outreach programs and updates to the Show Trailer, which reached over 15,000 people at 60+ events this past year.
Thursday’s sessions tackled critical topics, from the political landscape of an election year to safeguarding businesses against cybersecurity threats. Insights into mergers and acquisitions, regulatory compliance, and HR strategies rounded out a robust agenda designed to educate and empower attendees.
Thursday evening capped off the two-day event with the prestigious Awards Gala, celebrating the exceptional individuals who embody the spirit of the trucking industry in Iowa. This year, with a streamlined nomination process, participation soared, reflecting the commitment to recognizing and rewarding the IMTA membership’s incredible talent. Over $15,000 in cash prizes were distributed to nominees and winners, making it a night to remember.
"This evening is a testament to the incredible individuals who drive the success of our industry. It’s inspiring to see so many deserving nominees and winners celebrated for their hard work and dedication," said IMTA Chairman of the Board Scott Szymanek with Eldon C. Stutsman, Inc.
EVENT PHOTOS
Scan the QR code to access & download photos from the 2024 IMTA Management Conference
2024 MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE COMMITTEE
MIKE SPALLA Chairman Kunkel & Associates
LIZ KRAUSE Co-Chairman MHCS
ERICA BELLACH Thompson Truck & Trailer
KENDRA KLOOSTER West Side Transport, Inc.
CONNOR LEWIS Truck Center Companies
KEN REIF Valley Distribution Corp
DAVID RIGGAN
TanTara Transportation Corp.
ABBY RYAN Crawford Trucking
ADAM SHOUSE US Cargo Control
SCOTT SZYMANEK Eldon C. Stutsman, Inc.
FROM LEFT TO RIGHT Connor Lewis (Truck Center Companies); Abby Ryan (Crawford Trucking); Adam Shouse (US Cargo Control); Erica Bellach (Thompson Truck & Trailer); David Riggan (TanTara Transportation Corp.); Kendra Klooster (West Side Transport, Inc.); Scott Szymanek (Eldon C. Stutsman, Inc.); Liz Krause (MHCS); Mike Spalla (Kunkel & Associates) Not Pictured: Ken Reif (Valley Distribution Corp.)
IMTA MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE
IOWA MOTOR CARRIERS FOUNDATION LIVE AUCTION
2025 IMTA OFFICERS
FROM LEFT TO RIGHT Vice Chairman, Darla Arends (Van Wyk, Inc.); 1st Vice Chairman, Jeff Arens (Schuster Co.); Chairman, Scott Szymanek (Eldon C. Stutsman, Inc.); 2nd Vice Chairman (Hirschbach Motor Lines); Treasurer, Steve Schuster (Schuster Co.); IMTA President & CEO, Brenda Neville Not Pictured: Secretary, John Smith (CRST The Transportation Solution, Inc.)
IMTA MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE
EVENT SPONSORS
SILVER BRONZE PLATINUM THANK YOU!
Central Trailer Service
Cottingham & Butler
Hendrickson
Interstate PowerSystems
Love's Travel Stops & Country Stores
MHCS
Pilot Flying J
PrePass Safety Alliance
RDO Truck Centers
Bauer Built Tire & Service
BMO Transportation Finance
Clifton Larson Allen, LLP
Comdata
Craftsmen Utility Trailer
Eastern Iowa Tire, Inc.
Federated Insurance
FirstLine Funding Group
GATR Truck Center
Hanifen Towing
Housby
Iowa 80 Truckstop Inc.
Iowa Council of Safety Management
Katz, Sapper & Miller
Kunkel & Associates, Inc.
Lube-Tech
Mid-States Utility Trailer Sales, Inc.
National Interstate Insurance Company
Ottsen Oil Company
ProCircular
RelaDyne
Saige Partners LLC
Sanco Thermo King
Sioux City Truck & Trailer, Inc.
Tenstreet
Thermo King Christensen
Truckers Insurance Associates
US Cargo Control
USI Insurance Group
Valley Distribution Corp.
Wilson Trailer Company
2024 IMTA AWARDS PROGRAM
MASTER DRIVER AWARD WINNERS
DISPATCHER OF THE YEAR
PATTI COLE, Don Hummer Trucking
Patti Cole has been honored as Dispatcher of the Year for her remarkable 40-year career of excellence and dedication in the trucking industry. Known for her kindness, resilience, wit, and honesty, Patti’s ability to connect with drivers and their families sets her apart. She meticulously builds trust from the first encounter, serving as a loyal advocate and an essential lifeline for drivers every day. Patti’s calm, empathetic demeanor and unwavering commitment to making a difference in others’ lives exemplify the unique qualities that define an exceptional dispatcher. Her impact is felt company-wide and beyond.
The award-winning dispatchers received a $250 cash prize to accompany a custom award recognizing this important achievement. The dispatcher of the year received a $1,000 cash prize to accompany a crystal champions cup.
BOB SCHMITT
Tucker Freight Lines
BRENDA SHELTON
Ruan Transportation
CLAYTON BURKLE
Warren Transport, Inc.
JAMES STURGEON
CRST The Transportation Solution, Inc.
JENNIFER BEAVERS
Heyl Truck Lines, Inc.
MIKE JUHL
Peterson Transportation, Inc.
PATTI COLE
Don Hummer Trucking
ROBERT SEIVERT
Panama Transfer, Inc.
RYAN ARMSTRONG
West Side Transport, Inc.
SAFETY ADVOCATE OF THE YEAR
CODY MCCLAIN, Tucker Freight Lines
Cody McClain has been named Safety Advocate of the Year for his exceptional leadership and transformative impact as Vice President of Safety and HR at Tucker Freight Lines. With a background in education and a lifelong connection to trucking, Cody brings a unique perspective to safety, focusing on empowering individuals to control their controllables. His dedication to fostering positive healthy relationships with drivers, management, and owners alike, has redefined what it means to “live and operate” with safety as a top priority. Cody’s passion and innovative approach set a new benchmark for excellence in the industry.
The award-winning safety advocates received a $250 cash prize to accompany a custom award recognizing this important achievement. The safety advocate of the year received a $1,000 cash prize to accompany a crystal champions cup.
BEN CAUGHRON
Warren Transport, Inc.
BERT MAYO
TrueNorth Companies
CODY MCCLAIN
Tucker Freight Lines
JACOB MUNSON
Foodliner, Inc.
JOHN MEEKS
Stutsman Transportation, Inc.
JON STENZEL
Foodliner / Quest Liner, Inc.
KEITH LAMFERS
Casey's General Stores, Inc.
KEVIN FLANNERY
Midwest Wheel Companies
LEXI SINDT
Simon's Trucking, Inc.
MIKE HINES
TanTara Transportation Corp.
ROBERT DUNCAN
CRST The Transportation Solution, Inc.
2024 IMTA AWARDS PROGRAM
MASTER DRIVER
AWARD WINNERS
MASTER DRIVER OF THE YEAR
LEE BLOCK, Don Hummer Trucking
Lee Block has earned the prestigious title of Master Truck Driver of the Year, celebrating an extraordinary 40-year career with over four million safe driving miles. A quiet and humble professional, Lee's record speaks volumes about his unwavering commitment to safety and excellence on and off the road. His daily goal is simple yet profound: ensuring timely delivery of goods while prioritizing the safety of all drivers. Loved and respected by colleagues and the community alike, Lee’s humility and dedication exemplify the highest standards of professionalism in the trucking industry. His remarkable achievements are a true playbook for excellence.
The award-winning master drivers received a $500 cash prize to accompany a custom award recognizing this important achievement. The master driver of the year received a $1,500 cash prize to accompany a crystal champions cup.
BRETT BOWMAN Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc.
BRIAN HEARD
Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc.
DALE STERN Casey's General Stores, Inc.
ED YODER West Side Transport, Inc.
JUAN VIVEROS Don Hummer Trucking
LEE BLOCK Don Hummer Trucking
RHONDA HARTMAN Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc.
STEVE BRADOUR Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc.
TERRY LAMBE
Tucker Freight Lines
TERRY OWENS
Ruan Transportation
PROFESSIONAL DRIVER OF THE YEAR
JASON PAVELCHIK, West Side Transport, Inc.
Jason Pavelchik has been honored as this year’s Professional Driver of the Year for exemplifying the highest standards of professionalism, safety, and dedication in the trucking industry. Described as the cornerstone of his company, Jason is celebrated for his unparalleled work ethic and unwavering commitment to excellence. A natural leader and favorite among colleagues, he inspires others with his professionalism and integrity. The selection committee was profoundly impressed by his remarkable career and the glowing nomination that highlighted his deep impact. Jason truly embodies the qualities that define this prestigious award.
The award-winning professional drivers received a $250 cash prize to accompany a custom award recognizing this important achievement. The professional driver of the year received a $1,000 cash prize to accompany a crystal champions cup.
DAN SWANK JT Logistics
FREDDY MARTINEZ Warren Transport, Inc.
GENE GODFREY Tucker Freight Lines
JEFF PETERSON
Perishable Distributors of Iowa, Ltd.
JASON PAVELCHIK West Side Transport, Inc.
JOHN WAHLBERG Olson Explosives, Inc.
KEITH PATTERSON Casey's General Stores, Inc.
LONNIE RUMBLE
Peterson Transportation, Inc.
MARK GRAY Don Hummer Trucking
MELVIN "BIG COUNTRY' HAMLIN CRST The Transportation Solution, Inc.
MELI DIZDAREVIC Don Hummer Trucking
STEVE WINK
Casey's General Stores, Inc.
February 3 – Cedar Falls
March 1 – Jefferson
March 8 – Waterloo
March 11 – Ankeny
March 27 – Earlham
April 2 – Lamoni
April 14-15 – Ames
April 16 – Des Moines
April 22 – Ottumwa
April 24 – Muscatine
April 29 – Cedar Rapids
May 8 – Clinton
2024 IMTA AWARDS PROGRAM
MASTER DRIVER AWARD WINNERS
MAINTENANCE PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR
TRACY RENKEN, Hy-Vee, Inc.
With nearly 30 years of dedication to the trucking industry, Tracy Renken has left a lasting impact on the safety and performance of every truck he’s worked on. His commitment to staying ahead of industry advancements, especially in new truck technology, has been key to his success. Tracy’s expertise and experience have earned him a seat at the table in critical purchasing decisions for his company. Known for his professionalism and genuine rapport with colleagues, he’s a respected industry leader and a valued friend to all at Hy-Vee. This recognition is a testament to his outstanding contributions.
The award-winning maintenance professionals received a $250 cash prize to accompany a custom award recognizing this important achievement. The maintenance professional of the year received a $1,000 cash
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE 2024 MAINTENANCE PROFESSIONALS OF THE YEAR NOMINEES
AARON MOE CRST The Transportation Solution, Inc.
ADAM STAHELI Tucker Freight Lines
DARREN CLIFTON Casey's General Stores, Inc.
MICHAEL STOKES West Side Transport, Inc.
FLEET SAFETY COMPANY OF THE YEAR PANAMA TRANSFER, INC.
MITCH SHOPPA Ruan Transportation
TRACY RENKEN Hy-Vee, Inc.
Panama Transfer, Inc. has earned the prestigious Grand Trophy for exemplifying an exceptional safety culture within the transportation industry. By investing in cutting-edge safety technologies and fostering open communication, the company ensures that every driver returns home safely. With zero DOT accidents and only one fleet accident last year, Panama Transfer’s commitment to safety is both remarkable and inspiring. Their dedication sets a high standard for safety excellence, making an impact far beyond the road.
The award-winning
TUCKER
WARREN
2024 IMTA AWARDS PROGRAM
MASTER DRIVER AWARD WINNERS
FLEET
MAINTENANCE
COMPANY OF THE YEAR TANTARA TRANSPORTATION CORP.
TanTara Transportation Corp. has been honored with this year's distinguished award for their unwavering commitment to creating a premier maintenance program. By inspecting every truck that enters their shop and repairing everything without shortcuts, they ensure top-notch vehicle performance and safety. Their disciplined approach to timely preventative maintenance minimizes driver downtime and boosts productivity. Investments in their facility and cutting-edge technologies have not only enhanced efficiency but also attracted skilled technicians eager to join a successful and highly respected company. TanTara's dedication sets a high standard in fleet maintenance excellence.
The award-winning companies received a custom award recognizing this important achievement. The operation of the year received a $1,000 cash prize to accompany a crystal champions cup.
CASEY'S GENERAL STORES, INC.
DICKEY TRANSPORT
OLSON EXPLOSIVES, INC.
SCHUSTER CO.
SULLY TRANSPORT, INC.
TANTARA TRANSPORTATION CORP.
TUCKER FREIGHT LINES
IMTA IMAGE AWARD
CRST THE TRANSPORTATION SOLUTION, INC.
CRST The Transportation Solution, Inc. earned this year’s IMTA Image Award for its innovative safety initiative that transformed safety from a policy into a deeply ingrained company commitment. This campaign emphasized shared and personal accountability, fostering a culture that humanizes safety protocols across all levels of the organization. The results speak volumes, with a 10% reduction in total accidents and a remarkable 24% drop in DOT-recordable accidents year over year. CRST’s dedication to safety showcases their leadership in building a safer, stronger transportation industry.
The award-winning companies received a custom award recognizing this important achievement. The company of the year received a $1,000 cash prize to accompany a crystal champions cup.
CRST THE TRANSPORTATION SOLUTION, INC.
THOMPSON TRUCK & TRAILER
TRUENORTH COMPANIES
TUCKER FREIGHT LINES
WEST SIDE TRANSPORT, INC.
FINAL THOUGHT
FIGHTING FOR IOWA'S TRUCKERS: ATTORNEY GENERAL BIRD'S FIERCE ADVOCACY
The backbone of America’s economy, the trucking industry, faces increasing pressures from federal mandates and state-imposed regulations. Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird has made it her mission to fight against these challenges, protecting Iowa truckers and ensuring the industry remains strong.
DEFENDING TRUCKERS AGAINST MANDATES
Attorney General Bird’s office has taken on significant legal battles to challenge overreaching mandates that threaten truckers and their livelihoods. One notable victory was defeating the Federal Highway Administration’s illegal "net-zero" emissions restrictions for vehicles on national highways. These restrictions could have increased costs and logistical challenges for truckers and the industry at large.
Bird’s office has also been on the front lines against California’s aggressive regulatory mandates. California’s "radical truck ban" and requirement for all fleets to be electric by 2042—if even a single truck hauls through the state—were met with lawsuits led by Bird. She argues that such measures not only raise costs for truckers but also hike consumer prices and infringe upon Iowa’s rights.
In another case, Bird opposed the Biden Administration’s electric vehicle incentives, which she said disproportionately harm ethanol producers and farmers in Iowa. The Attorney General’s efforts send a clear message: states like Iowa will not stand by as others impose costly and impractical measures on hardworking industries.
ADVANCING CLEAN, HOMEGROWN ENERGY
While battling harmful mandates, Bird has championed year-round availability of E15 gasoline. This initiative supports Iowa’s farmers and biofuel producers while offering financial relief to consumers. By making E15 a
year-round option, Bird has positioned Iowa as a leader in promoting clean, homegrown energy solutions. Iowa truckers now benefit from more affordable and sustainable fuel choices, which also strengthens the state’s economy.
FIGHTING FOR PORK PRODUCERS AND TRANSPORTERS
California and Massachusetts have enacted regulations that impact Iowa’s agriculture industry, including bans and restrictions that complicate the transportation and sale of Iowa pork. Bird has joined lawsuits to challenge these measures, arguing that they unfairly target Iowa farmers and increase costs for everyone along the supply chain. Such efforts showcase her dedication to defending the agricultural backbone of Iowa’s economy.
LOOKING AHEAD
Attorney General Bird has made it clear that her fight is far from over. “As long as I am Attorney General, I will never stop fighting to defend the law and fight for truckers,” she stated. She pledges to hold both the federal government and other states accountable for mandates that harm Iowa’s trucking industry and economy.
From securing energy solutions to defending against restrictive regulations, Bird’s efforts reinforce her commitment to Iowa’s truckers and farmers. Her work ensures that these essential industries remain competitive and resilient, protecting livelihoods, consumer prices, and the rights of Iowans.
ATTORNEY GENERAL BIRD'S EFFORTS IN SUPPORTING IOWA'S TRUCKING INDUSTRY
» Defeated the illegal Federal Highway Administration mandate that forced every state to set “net-zero” emissions restrictions for vehicles traveling on national highways.
» Secured year-round E15 gasoline to unleash clean, homegrown energy and give Iowans the financial relief they deserve.
» Led lawsuit challenging California’s radical truck ban that eliminates traditional trucks, hikes prices, and devastates the trucking industry with increased costs and regulations.
» Sued California for mandating that truck fleets be all-electric by 2042 if even one truck hauls through California one time.
» Led lawsuit challenging a BidenHarris electric vehicle handout that hurts farmers and ethanol producers.
» Supported Ohio’s lawsuit against the EPA for giving California permission to mandate that all cars, trucks, and SUVs sold be electric by 2035.
» Supported appeal to stop Massachusetts’ pork ban that prevents states like Iowa from selling pork in, or even transporting it through, Massachusetts if farmers do.
Brenna Bird | Iowa Attorney General
Des Moines, IA (800) 888-0248
Davenport, IA (800) 553-1886
Joplin, MO (866) 318-9111
Cedar Rapids, IA (800) 332-5435
Sioux City, IA (800) 943-3534
Springfield, MO (800) 785-3705
Clear Lake, IA (800) 397-5630
Kansas City, MO (800) 821-7402
Omaha, NE (800) 322-8757
