Live from Louisville: TMAF Turns 3
Celebrating our industry movement’s anniversary at the 2017 Mid-America Trucking Show
Greetings from Louisville: home of the Kentucky Derby, pork chops and, of course, the annual Mid-America Trucking Show (MATS).
MATS is an important event for every member of the trucking industry – an opportunity to engage with our peers and see all that the industry has in mind for now and the future. But for those of us involved with Trucking Moves America Forward, MATS holds a special place in our hearts.
It was here at MATS, three years ago, that the industry-wide image and education movement officially launched.
Over the past three years, we’ve worked hard to tell the powerful story of trucking and its role to the economy and the livelihood of every community. Our success is all thanks to a dedicated support base of drivers, companies, owner-operators and others who contribute to the industry in so many ways.
As we celebrate each anniversary at MATS, we take the time to reflect on everything we’ve accomplished over the previous year. In 2016, as our Annual Report title says, we’ve been “Reaching New Heights.” We’ve grown our online subscribers and donor bases to ramp up our digital media presence and marketing.
There’s a lot to be proud this year, including expanding our branding efforts with nearly 150 TMAF trailer wraps rolled out on the road. These “moving billboards” are a great educational tool for the motoring public, demonstrating the value that trucks deliver. In 2017, we’ve set our sights on developing trailer wraps with 3-D images and new messages.
Our online subscriber database continues to expand year after year, and we’ve grown at impressive rates on social media. In addition to growing our Facebook and Twitter followers this year, we’re excited to be on Instagram and LinkedIn (and Medium!) for the first time.
With every effort, we’re continuing to tell the story of why trucking is a vital industry. We launched a creative advertising campaign during National Truck Driver Appreciation Week in September, demonstrating how drivers are not only keeping America moving by delivering necessary goods – they are also our friends, neighbors and family members.
But appreciation for truckers and the industry goes far beyond a single week. It is something that we think about every day.
We’ve accomplished a lot these past three years, but there is always work to be done. As for the rest of 2017, we plan to keep the momentum going in a big way. We will soon launch a new industry branding video to further demonstrate the value of trucking. And soon, we’ll be introducing a new “member of the TMAF team” – stay tuned next month for that exciting news.
If you’re at MATS this year, you’ll find TMAF has a large presence – we’re at the American Trucking Associations, OOIDA and Pilot Flying J booths. Come speak with us, learn more and sign the pledge to be a part of the movement. Be sure to stop by to see the TMAF-wrapped Jet Express truck in the parking lot outside the exhibition entrance.
And throughout 2017, look for us at the next trade shows, online, in the news and on the road. I can’t wait to see what we’ve accomplished by MATS 2018.
–Norita Taylor, Director of Public Relations, Marketing; Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association
