Mark Colson Takes the Helm as American Trucking Associations' 10th President & CEO
Big changes are coming to Washington.
On October 15, the American Trucking Associations dropped major news. Mark Colson is stepping up as the group's 10th president and CEO. His official start date is December 1, 2026. The announcement came right before the trade group's 2026 Management Conference & Exhibition in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Colson steps into a role left empty when Chris Spear left abruptly on August 21 after leading for over ten years. Taking over the nation's largest trucking trade group is no small job. Motor carriers are crawling out of one of the longest freight recessions ever recorded. Bad policy ideas keep popping up in statehouses and federal agencies. Rogue actors keep trying to game the system.
Colson isn't backing down from the fight. He spent over two decades fighting for motor carriers, small businesses, and working drivers. His mission now is taking that fight straight to Capitol Hill.
From Changing Truck Tires to Leading in Washington
You can't fake a background in trucking.
Colson grew up working inside his family's second generation tire shop, Blow Out Tire Company. He spent his early years changing heavy truck tires by hand. That hands on experience grounded his perspective long before he ever stepped foot inside legislative hearing rooms.
He knows the sweat, grease, and long hours that keep fleets rolling.
This is a unique moment for ATA to make a renewed commitment to the trucking industry and the professionals who call our industry home," Colson stated. "It’s a commitment built first on earned trust, a sense of family and purpose, and an unrelenting passion to fight for the issues that matter most to trucking.
That local experience led him into major policy battles across Alabama. Before taking over the state's trucking group, Colson spent over ten years at the Business Council of Alabama. He served in key leadership positions there, working as chief of staff, senior vice president of governmental affairs, and interim president. During that time, he worked side-by-side with national groups like the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the National Association of Manufacturers.
In 2019, Colson became president and CEO of the Alabama Trucking Association. Trucking isn't just a side business in Alabama; it provides roughly 1 in 13 jobs across the state. Under his watch, the state association broke revenue records, expanded its membership, and built one of the most effective political action committees in Alabama.
Scott Smith, chairman of the Alabama group and CEO of flatbed carrier PS Logistics, praised Colson’s track record:
Mark has proven during his leadership at Alabama Trucking that he truly cares about truckers, small businesses and the people he works with. From cleaning out the bad actors to fighting for lawsuit abuse reform, he took on every major battle that motor carriers are concerned about.
Driving the Trucking Resurgence Action Plan
Colson isn't new to national strategy.
He has already served on key committees within the ATA Federation, including the Strategic Priorities Committee, the Truck PAC Board of Directors, and the American Transportation Research Institute’s Research Advisory Committee. In July 2026, his state association peers elected him vice chairman of the Trucking Association Executives Council (TAEC).
While leading a TAEC task force, Colson spearheaded the creation of the Trucking Resurgence action plan, which was released in December 2025.
The seven-point plan targets regulatory gaps that let noncompliant carriers and unqualified drivers operate illegally on public roads. Closing those dangerous loopholes remains a top priority for legitimate motor carriers across the country.
State trucking associations and the dedicated staffs that support them are the boots on the ground when it comes to advancing and defending the trucking industry," Colson said. "We are on the verge of a trucking resurgence, but we must keep fighting and advocating as our industry leaders continue to climb out of one of the deepest and longest freight recessions in history.
Industry Leaders Rally Behind New Leadership
The response across the trucking sector has been immediate and supportive.
ATA Chairman Greg Hodgen, CEO of Groendyke Transport, highlighted the foundation laid over the association's 90-year history, pointing out that Colson brings fresh energy to push member priorities forward. Incoming ATA Chairman Derek Leathers, chairman and CEO of Werner Enterprises, emphasized why unified representation matters in the nation's capital.
'The decisions made in Washington don’t stay in Washington,' Leathers noted. 'They affect how we operate, how we invest, and how we serve our customers every day. Our industry needs a strong, unified voice at the table to make sure policymakers understand those realities.'
Chris Maxwell, TAEC chairman and president of the Rhode Island Trucking Association, noted that Colson's deep roots in state level advocacy give him a distinct advantage. Because few motor carriers operate strictly inside one state, dangerous state level regulations quickly spread nationwide.
William Canary, who served as ATA's 7th president from 2001 to 2003, worked alongside Colson at the Business Council of Alabama for over a decade. He voiced full confidence in Colson's integrity, character, and ability to lead the organization into its next chapter.
Colson holds a bachelor's degree from Huntingdon College where he was inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame for football and earned his MBA from Troy University. He continues to serve on Huntingdon College’s Board of Trustees and Executive Committee.
With a massive federal policy agenda ahead, can Colson's state tested federation strategy successfully unite motor carriers and clean up regulatory loopholes nationwide?
