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Who is the WV Trucking Association?  The West Virginia Trucking Association is a statewide, non-profit, association of trucking companies, private fleet operators, industry suppliers, and other firms and individuals interested in the well-being of motor transportation at the local, state and national level. We represent businesses engaged in the transport of goods and services throughout the state. We represent both family owned and corporate trucking businesses with interstate operations. We are an association owned and operated by its members for their mutual benefit, governed by a board of directors elected from the general membership. We provide programs and activities specifically designed to assist members in finding solutions to day-to-day and long range problems and needs. Overall, an association whose members belong to an association that belongs to its members.
The mission of the WVTA is to serve and represent the interests of the trucking industry with One United Voice by: - Promoting safety and security on our highways and among our drivers;
- Advancing the trucking industry’s image;
- Providing educational programs;
- Influencing in a positive manner state governmental actions; and
Promoting a healthy business environment in our state
The association was formed to bring about an organized and uniform effort within the trucking industry for increased highway safety as well as public education on the importance and value of commercial vehicle transportation. This includes but is not limited to: - To increase awareness within the industry of federal, state and local laws and regulations involving the industry and to lobby for the passage of laws and regulations favorable to the industries.
- To sponsor and promote conventions and truck driving championship events.
- To create and maintain higher standards for business dealings within the industry and to combat trade abuses within the industry.
- To increase highway safety by educating the public about our industry and how to safely share the road.
- To make the public better aware of the issues involving the industry and to improve relations between the public and the industry.
 Trucks transport the "tangible" goods portion of the economy, which is nearly everything consumed by households and businesses. In West Virginia, nearly everything we use is transported by truck including building materials, machines, food, logs and lumber, mining equipment and other industrial products.
Nearly every good consumed in West Virginia is put on a truck at some point. As a result, the West Virginia trucking industry hauls nearly 70% of all freight transported. Nationally, the trucking industry is an astounding $610 billion industry (in 2003), representing 86.9% of the nation's freight bill. In addition, trucks transported 81.36% of total manufactured tonnage in sthe state in 2003. History The West Virginia Trucking Association was formed in 1932 to bring about an organized and uniform effort within the trucking industry for increased highway safety as well as public education on the importance and value of commercial vehicle transportation. To that end, the Association has some 260 member companies and is involved in legislative representation, government relations and many highway safety programs. The WVTA is an integral part of the American Trucking Associations (ATA) headquartered in Washington, DC.
Trucking Drives the Economy
Employment: 45,451 jobs in the trucking industry in West Virginia, or one out of 16 in the state.
Wages: Trucking industry wages exceeded $1.7 billion, with an average annual trucking industry salary of $37,059.
(Truck drivers held 17,950 of these jobs at an annual salary of $31,605.)
Transportation of Essential Products: Trucks transported 76.1 percent of total manufactured tonnage in the state or 164,514 tons per day. Over 84 percent of communities depend exclusively on trucks to move their goods.
Trucking pays the Freight
As an Industry: In 2007, the trucking industry in WV paid approximately $269.3 million in federal and state roadway taxes and fees. The industry paid 42 percent of all taxes and fees owed by West Virginia motorists, despite trucks representing only 11.6 percent of vehicle miles traveled in the state.
Individual Companies: A typical five-axle tractor semi-trailer combination paid $9,021 in state highway user fees and taxes in addition to $8,959 in federal user fees and taxes. These taxes were over and above the typical taxes paid by businesses in West Virginia.
Safety Matters
Continually Improving: At the national level, the truck-involved fatal crash rate for 2007 was 1.85 fatal crashes per 100 million vehicle miles of travel (VMT). This rate is at its lowest point since the U. S. Department of Transportation (DOT) began keeping these records in 1975. The injury crash rate was 31.8 injury crashes per 100 million VMT, also at its lowest point since DOT recordkeeping began.
Sharing the Road: The trucking industry is committed to sharing the road safely with all vehicles. The Share the Road program sends a team of professional truck drivers to communities around the country to teach car drivers about truck blind spots, stopping distances and safe merging around large trucks, all designed to reduce the number of car-truck accidents. The West Virginia Trucking Association has entered into a partnership with the WV Superintendents of Schools where by they have endorsed the showing of the Share the Road video to all high school students. We travel to give demonstrations to students each year.
Safety First: The West Virginia Trucking Association put safety first through improved driver training, investment in advanced safety technologies and active participation in safety initiatives at the local, state and national levels. Annually the Association holds a Truck Driving Championship and a Safety Banquet. These events promote safety and recognize professionals in our industry for their expertise.
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