Trucking is Unique
I’ve spent the better part of three and a half decades in the trenches of this industry. If there is one thing I’ve learned between my time at H-E-B, Target, and Walgreens, it’s that trucking is basically a small town, no matter how many thousands of units you’re running. You could have the biggest fleet in North America, but you’re still subject to the same physics and the same market conditions as a fleet with ten trucks.
In other industries, people treat their operations like a state secret, but our industry has always been a different breed. We’re all fighting the same uphill battles: a technician shortage that’s stretching shops to the breaking point, fuel prices that move like a roller coaster, and the constant pressure to improve safety without making the job impossible for the folks behind the wheel.
Next month, a good chunk of the industry is heading to Nashville for the ATA’s TMC Annual Conference. I’ve been to enough of these to know that if you’re just going for the music on Broadway, you’re missing out. The real value of a meeting like this isn’t the venue; it’s the fact that it’s the one time a year where competitors sit down, swap notes, and act like partners for the good of the industry.
The Power of Swapping Notes
I’ve seen it happen a hundred times at these workshops and roundtables. You’ll have two people from competing fleets sitting together over coffee, swapping ideas about how to solve key issues. We work together because we know that if the whole industry gets safer and more efficient, we all have a better shot at sticking around.
That collaborative spirit is what moves the needle. Whether you’re a manufacturer, a distributor, or a fleet executive, you need to walk into Nashville ready to be straight with people. Don’t just show up to TMC to listen; share your ideas. If you found a way to streamline your shop flow or a better way to communicate with your drivers, put it out there. Your peers can learn from your mistakes just as much as you can learn from theirs.
Don’t Let the TMC Exhibit Hall Own You
The exhibit hall can be a total circus if you don’t have a plan. You’ve got hundreds of companies all promising they’ve got the next big thing that’s going to save your business. But you’ve got to be shrewd with your time. Before you even land in Tennessee, research who’s going to be there.
I’m a fan of keeping things simple, and in my experience, the best ideas aren’t always the flashiest ones. Look for the teams focused on taking the hassle out of the day-to-day. If a new process or a piece of equipment adds five more steps to your already crowded to-do list, you’ve got to ask yourself if it’s truly an improvement worth a conversation, or just more noise.
Leave the “Fireman” at Home
I know the feeling. You’re at a session, but your phone is vibrating every five minutes because a truck is down or something went sideways. It is incredibly tempting to spend the whole conference hiding in the lobby on your laptop, putting out fires back home.
But here is the deal: You’re paying to be in Nashville to find ways to stop those fires from starting in the first place. If you let the daily grind interfere with the learning process, you’re going to miss that one conversation or that one new perspective that could fundamentally change how your organization operates in 2026. Give yourself the permission to actually be present. The inbox will be there when you get back, but the opportunity to talk face-to-face with an expert who’s handled your exact situation is only there for a few days.
Bring the Knowledge Back to the Yard
One of the most important things you can do at TMC is make sure the trip benefits the people who didn’t get to go. Take notes that are helpful for others on your team. Use your phone to snap pictures of a new tool or a better shop layout. When you get back to the yard, have a huddle. Your technicians and your drivers are the ones who have to live with the decisions we make at these conferences, so they need to be part of the conversation.
I’ll be there in Nashville, and I’m looking for the folks who want to talk straight about where this industry is going. We’ve got plenty of challenges ahead of us, but I’m a big believer that there’s nothing we can’t problem-solve if we’re honest with each other.
See y’all in Nashville.