Heller: How to make meetings valuable

We've all faced a calendar full of meetings, wondering how to get anything else done, yet we persevere. Some meetings, like the Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) Safety & Security Division, coupled with the North American Transportation Management Institute (NATMI) Annual Meeting in Oklahoma City, June 7-10, are worth attending.

The proverbial gold of this combined meeting is the person-to-person contact, which has become the most valuable tool in any association’s toolbox. Traditionally, this event is a must-attend because it provides the opportunity to connect with your trucking industry peers who face the same challenges you do.

It is no secret that the regulatory and legislative landscape is moving at a pace that has not been experienced by this industry before. By surrounding yourself with like-minded individuals, any in-touch safety professional can reap the benefits of what others are going through. This meeting provides take-home content so that your fleet can adjust to the ever-changing regulatory environment at the rate at which these rules are being developed, whether it is English language enforcement issues, non-domiciled CDL problems, or uncertainty regarding your entry-level driver training curriculum.

Regulatory change and peer networking drive fleet safety priorities

Make no mistake, the regulatory process is just one avenue for those who attend to digest the takeaways. Even as we adjust to the cadence that changes the way we operate, technology is also changing at a similar rate. The electronic logging device, itself a toddler since its mandate in 2019, is going through its own metamorphosis.

The devices themselves are changing. If you pay any attention to the industry trade press, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) appears to be revoking devices from operation so rapidly that no one can keep up, resulting in new versions of the devices that are intended to prevent fraud. Safety professionals must stay informed to ensure compliance with the federal hours-of-service (HOS) regulations.

Technology shifts in ELDs, AI, and cameras reshape compliance and safety

Of course, technology in our industry should never just be relegated to ELDs. Cameras and artificial intelligence (AI) are becoming more prevalent than ever before, and their benefits can be innumerable. We can dramatically improve safety performance and reduce accidents by embracing innovations that consistently strive to make our membership safer. Attending this meeting provides an opportunity to walk the exhibit show floor and find solutions to the pressing needs of your fleet.

Networking, exhibit floors, and regulatory updates aside, the educational aspects of this meeting can be second to none, compounding current issues and questions that the safety division leadership has deemed the most relevant for the current environment in which we operate. Attendees come to the meeting because they want to be educated on the issues that are pertinent to them today and take home valuable pieces of information that can improve the safety operations of their fleet.

While the meeting is valuable to all, you get out what you put in. Be involved, meet people, and participate in a manner that gets answers to the questions you might have. Studies have shown that motor carriers involved in either state or national associations are inherently safer than those that are not. In other words, the proof is in the pudding. 

Education and know-how are always going to be popular choices, and there is no time like the present to be part of a national event than the combined TCA/NATMI meetings in June. Take advantage, earn your credits toward recertification, or take a step toward your certification by attending these meetings and surrounding yourself with like-minded individuals who have experienced the same issue you are currently having.

After all, with a calendar full of meetings, choose one that makes the most sense to attend and derives value for those who come. See you in Oklahoma City.