The State of the Nation's Economy Eclipses Other Concerns in Annual Trucking Industry Survey

The State of the Nation's Economy Eclipses Other Concerns in Annual Trucking
Industry Survey

Research Organization's Findings Will be Used to Develop Strategies

LAS VEGAS, Oct. 5 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Transportation
Research Institute (ATRI), the trucking industry's not-for-profit research
institute, today unveiled its list of the top ten critical issues facing the
North American trucking industry.

The state of the nation's economy tops the list in ATRI's survey of more than
5,000 trucking industry executives. The complete results were released at the
2009 Management Conference and Exhibition of the American Trucking
Associations (ATA) meeting in Las Vegas, the nation's largest gathering of
motor carrier executives. The ATRI Top Industry Issues report also solicited
and tabulated specific strategies for addressing each issue.

Government regulation, which has been on a steady climb since the inaugural
survey in 2005, came in as the second most pressing issue this year. In
addition to the economy and government regulation, other "Top Ten" issues
include fuel, congestion, Hours-of-Service and the environment, among others.
Truck size and weight appeared for the first time in the 2009 survey as a key
productivity issue that many industry stakeholders feel must be addressed.

The ATA-commissioned survey results and proposed strategies will be utilized
by the ATA Federation to better focus its advocacy role on behalf of the U.S.
trucking industry and ATA Federation stakeholders.

"The annual ATRI survey proves invaluable in helping us chart a course of
action for the future," said ATA Chairman Charles "Shorty" Whittington
(Grammer Industries, Grammer, IN).

"On every legislative and regulatory topic, issues come and go so quickly
today," said Bill Graves, ATA President and CEO. "If we're not at the table
with sound, science-based information and a common sense plan of action, then
we're going to get left behind, and saddled with solutions that have no
bearing on moving America's freight safely and efficiently."

ATRI is the trucking industry's 501(c)(3) not-for-profit research
organization. It is engaged in critical research relating to freight
transportation's essential role in maintaining a safe, secure and efficient
transportation system. A copy of the survey results is available from ATRI at
www.atri-online.org.

SOURCE American Trucking Associations

Rebecca Brewster of the American Trucking Associations, +1-404-247-8787