Welcome to 2022!

Each year our Foundation does tremendous work to accomplish our mission. As we start the new year off, I wanted to highlight what our Foundation did in 2021. Thanks to your support we raised $63,162 with the Big Rigs golf outings to go towards Tennessee children’s charities and our scholarship program. Since its inception, we have raised $2.1 million. Thanks to all that sign up, play, and sponsor. We couldn’t do it without your support!  

The charities we supported last year were:

• Ronald McDonald House of Nashville – Their mission is to keep families close by providing essential resources and a “home-away-from-home” for families of critically ill children receiving inpatient or outpatient medical care at Nashville area hospitals.

• Alhambra’s Shriners, helping kids live their dreams in the Chattanooga area since 1890. Shriners Hospitals aim to achieve; piece of mind for you and advanced care for your little one. You can take comfort in knowing that their physicians and staff deliver the compassion and enterprise necessary to keep your child healthy. 

• East Tennessee Children’s Hospital - Because children are special... they deserve the best possible health care given in a positive, family-centered atmosphere of friendliness, cooperation, and support - regardless of race, religion, or ability to pay. Their medical needs are closely related to their emotional and informational needs; therefore, the total child must be considered in treating any illness or injury. 

Bob Pemberton was honored for his work on the East Tennessee Big Rigs for Little Kids golf event with an honorary sign on an emergency room entrance at the hospital. Bob loved this event and for many years spearheaded the effort to raise thousands of dollars for the hospital. We were proud to honor his memory with this recognition.

In 2021, we awarded 5 College Scholarships totaling $7,500.00. We are proud to say that since we started our scholarship program, we have awarded 152 scholarships totaling $243,227.

The goal of Tennessee’s Road Team is to create a safe driving environment and save lives on our highways by educating motorists on how to safely share the road with large trucks. Road Team Captains stress the need for all motorists to demonstrate professionalism and courtesy on the road. They also discuss the importance of trucking in our nation’s economy and the opportunities presented by a career in transportation. Our Road Team Captains were able to attend more events during 2021 and hope that continues in 2022. We are so proud of our Captains! 

The Tennessee Trucking Foundation is dedicated to:

• Advancing highway safety
• Educating the public through programs designed to make our roads safer
• Providing Tennessee children’s charities with funds to improve the lives of our state’s children
• The TTF Scholarship, administered annually by the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee

We will continue to look for ways to improve our efforts. One of the items on our radar this year is to increase the number of scholarships awarded.

I would like to highlight our Young Professionals for their efforts, enthusiasm, and engagement. Their meetings and events for 2021 had great participation. We are proud of all the work they have done related to the Haulin' for the Holidays Toy Drive. This year they were able to raise more than $25,000 for the charities they support across our great state!

On November 22, 2021, Governor Lee signed executive order 93, to promote deregulation of the trucking industry. Tennessee Governor and Chairman of the Republican Governors Public Policy Committee, Bill Lee, launched “Operation Open Road,” calling on the Biden Administration to address the supply chain crisis by suspending burdensome regulations. Governor Lee, along with 14 other governors, pledged to take action at the state level to assist the trucking industry.

We have been working with the Tennessee Department of Safety, CDL Division on several issues with a focus to implement changes that will improve the ability to put more drivers on the road.

I was honored to deliver an update on the trucking industry to the Senate Transportation Committee a few weeks ago. I mentioned several critical issues in our industry such as driver shortage, truck parking, and the driver apprenticeship program. Dale Allen and his team have been on top of all the bills that are being introduced. We will receive an update from them in the upcoming newsletter. 

We have partnered with 4 other associations on the BE PRO BE PROUD workforce movement. Tennessee Road Builders, Tennessee Forestry Association, Associated Builders & Contractors, and Tennessee State Chamber of Commerce & Industry. This initiative is the best opportunity to reach high school students who will make up the skilled workforce of the future. The workforce mobile unit provides virtual experience with skilled professions which can highlight 10-15 career options. 

Approximately 93.8 percent of manufactured tonnage is transported by trucks in Tennessee, displaying the importance of the trucking industry to businesses and jobs throughout the state. About 90.5 percent of the state’s communities depend exclusively on trucks to move their goods, illustrating the importance of the industry in supplying Tennesseans with needed products.

As we kick off the new year, we are excited to share our calendar of events with you. We will have more items to add as we go. We are looking forward to seeing you at our events!

The TTA staff is here if you ever need us!