A leader of the Queensland trucking industry, Tim Squires, was elected to the board of the Australian Trucking Association (ATA) at its annual general meeting today.

The ATA is the peak body that represents the trucking industry throughout Australia. Its members include state and sector trucking associations, the Transport Workers’ Union and some of Australia’s major logistics companies.

Mr Squires owns and directs two trucking companies, the Tothag Transport Group and Auto Pacific Freightlines. He has been the president of the Queensland Trucking Association since 2008, and was first elected to its board in 2001.

Mr Squires said he had become involved in industry associations because he wanted to have a voice.

“At the QTA, I have particularly focused on fatigue management issues. I was also invited by the then Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard to join the Government’s safe rates advisory group. I took this responsibility very seriously and devoted a great deal time to it, because I was the only person on the group with actual skin in the game,” he said.

“As a member of the ATA board of management, I aim to have an input into the direction the ATA takes over the next few years.

“There is so much going on, and small to medium operators need to understand the impact that issues like registration charges and the proposed carbon tax could have if they go against us.”

Also at the meeting, Kathy Williams was re-elected unopposed as the ATA’s Secretary/Treasurer. ATA Chairman David Simon was re-elected to the board unopposed, as were Doug McMillan, Noelene Watson, Gemma Gordon and Derek Nathan.