ATA Announces Major Executive Team Changes

American Trucking Associations is making some changes in its executive team in conjunction with Chris Spear taking over as president and CEO.

In an announcement from Spear to ATA members Friday, Spear thanked Dave Osiecki, Karla Hulett and Jeff Mason for their years of service to the trucking industry and to the association and wished them well in their future endeavors, saying "the leadership of ATA has taken a first step in driving ATA in a new direction."

Spear officially takes over July 9, succeeding Bill Graves, who is retiring after more than 13 years with ATA. Spear left ATA in October 2015 for a position with Hyundai after joining ATA in 2013.

Osiecki was executive vice president and chief of national advocacy. He started at ATA in 1998 as vice president for safety policy after working as a team leader at the Federal Highway Administration's Office of Motor Carriers (the predecessor of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration) for more than nine years.

Hulett was executive vice president, finance and operations and COO. She had been with ATA nearly five years, coming to the association from Accenture, and was responsible for financial management, information systems management and meetings and conventions.

Mason was executive vice president, communications and public affairs, having joined ATA in 2013 as senior vice president of image and communications after a career in trucking publishing.

Osiecki, Hulett and Mason were promoted to their current positions in January 2014 as part of a restructuring designed to reorganize and streamline a number of the association's core functions.

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Kenworth Offers Automatic Transmission on T880 Short Hood

Photo: Kenworth

Kenworth has announced the option for a 7-speed Allison 4700 Rugged Duty Series fully automatic transmission on its 116.5-inch BBC T880 short hood.

The Allison transmission is available with the Paccar MX-13 engine as well as the lighter MX-11 engine. The transmission is designed to improve drivability by allowing truck operators to creep slowly and perform other low-speed maneuvers.

The Allison 4700 RDS gives a level of control that is aimed at ready-mix applications where drivers need a truck with good speed control for job site maneuverability in steep and difficult terrain. It also benefits mixer trucks that move slowly while pouring concrete for street curbs, driveways or other projects in confined spaces.

A lower first gear ratio and an optional second ‘deep reverse' make the truck more maneuverable on steep grades and in tight settings, per Kenworth. The transmission features no-power interrupts, providing full power shifts and allowing full use of an engine's horsepower.

“With the Allison 4700 RDS, customers can spec a highly maneuverable mixer of any type and benefit from greater precision of concrete delivery with no shifting required, enabling ready-mix drivers to focus on the road ahead and the jobsite around them,” said Kurt Swihart, Kenworth marketing director. “By coupling the Allison 4700 RDS with the Paccar MX-11 and the T880 short hood, truck operators get a truck with a lighter gross combination weight and an additional 6 inches of body space on the chassis for more payload.”

Related: Test Drive: Kenworth T880 Heavy-Haul

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