2025 MTC Q4 Meeting

Register for the fourth quarter meeting of the Arkansas Trucking Association Maintenance & Technology Council to be held Tuesday, October 7 at 10:30 am at J.B. Hunt Transport, 215 J.B. Hunt Corporate Dr, Building E, Lowell, AR 72745.

Session 1: Addressing the Shortage of Qualified Diesel Technicians

Presented by Dr. Alex Leslie, American Transportation Research Institute

The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) recently released new research on causes and solutions for the current gaps in diesel technician training, recruitment, and retention. Qualified techs are indispensable to a safe and efficient trucking industry, yet 65.5 percent of shops were understaffed in 2025 with an average of 19.3 percent of positions unfilled. The research synthesized findings from techs, shops and training programs. 

Dr. Alex Leslie is a senior research associate with the American Transportation Research Institute. His research combines a variety of qualitative and data science techniques to analyze industry economics, performance measurement, and labor issues.

Alex serves as the primary author of ATRI’s annual Analysis of the Operational Costs of Trucking, and he has led recent reports on driver-facing cameras, predatory towing, driver detention, and the cost of congestion. He is currently engaged in ATRI research on nuclear verdicts in the trucking industry. He also contributes to general data collection, programming, and editing across ATRI projects in addition to collaborating with government and industry task forces.

Alex holds a B.A. from the University of Notre Dame and a Ph.D. from Rutgers University, where he previously worked as an Instructor of English and Data Science.      

Session 2: Fleet Labor and Cost Reduction Opportunities through Education and Best Practices

Bruce McKie is a principal owner and the chairman of Tectran Group Inc., a designer and manufacturer of “connections” products for the heavy-duty commercial vehicle industry, primarily for the North American market and increasingly other global markets.

Tectran started over 50-years ago and McKie, having managed a manufacturing supplier of hose, tubing and cable products for a wide variety of mobile equipment industries, joined Tectran 30+ years ago and steered it to 25 times its size by following the simple philosophy of designing solutions for heavy-duty fleet operating and maintenance needs. 

For his entire career, McKie has been involved with engineering and technical standards groups. He presently leads a variety of SAE Standards development teams, predominantly in areas involving connections, and is deeply involved in the brake hose, fittings and electrical cable and connector groups. Much of his time today is devoted to the SAE Next-Gen and Automatic Tractor-Trailer Connection Systems groups and actively participates in RP development for TMC in these same areas.

Council Attendance Policy

In order to provide proper accommodations, we must guarantee a headcount in advance.

For ATA members who submit meeting registration by Friday, October 3 deadline and attend, there is no fee. ATA members who attend without registering or register but do not attend will be charged $25. Out of courtesy, if you decide to attend after the registration deadline, please contact ATA. ATA welcomes guests and non-members to Council meetings for $50.

Refunds and Cancellations:

Deadline to register is Friday, October 3. For more information regarding administrative policies such as refunds and/or complaints, please contact our office at 501-372-3462 or send an email.