In May, a group of LMTA leaders helped legislators better understand the impact of trucking in Louisiana, as over two dozen members attended LMTA’s first “Truck Day at the Capitol” in Baton Rouge.
The day started with breakfast at the Lieutenant Governor’s apartment in the Pentagon Barracks. Members of the House and Senate Transportation Committees were invited to join our attendees and had the opportunity to ask questions about our industry and inspect a tractor driven in by Preferred Materials in Sibley.
After watching committee meetings in both the Senate and the House, a lunch buffet was served in the Governor’s Press Room at the Capitol. Members were asked to invite their personal legislators to join them and listened to remarks from House Transportation Chairman, Terry Landry; Senate Transportation Vice Chair, Sharon Hewitt; Sen. Regina Barrow, and long-time LMTA champion, Sen. Danny Martiny.
Members were surprised as Gov. John Bel Edwards joined the group and made special remarks on trucking. He personally delivered a proclamation to Executive Director, Chance McNeely, in which he declared Tuesday, May 1 to be “Trucking Day in Louisiana.”
To close out the day, attendees were introduced on the Senate floor by Senate Transportation Chairman, Page Cortez and Vice Chair, Sharon Hewitt. A resolution expressing gratitude for trucking and welcoming our LMTA members to the Capitol was read and passed as members watched.
One of the attendees, Cully Frisard of Frisard’s in Gramercy spoke about attending Truck Day, “This was a great experience that gave me a newfound respect for what we put our legislators there to do for our state. It was really exciting to hear some of the lawmakers speak to us about how concerned they are for the industry and to share their personal stories on how trucking has been part of their lives. It was a great event and a great education for me, and I think everyone should experience it.”
LMTA plans to continue hosting Truck Day and plans to add to the day in the future.
