The Truckload Carriers Association said on October 2, 2025, that President Jim Ward will retire “in the coming months,” setting in motion a leadership search at one of trucking’s most influential trade groups. The announcement initiates a transition at the organization Ward has led since 2022, with a committee now tasked to identify his successor.
TCA has formalized the hunt with a published position profile and a clear application window. Candidates are being asked to submit materials to a dedicated email, and the association set November 1, 2025, as the application deadline—signaling an intent to move briskly on a handoff. The job specification emphasizes strategic leadership, advocacy in Washington, membership engagement, and technology-forward thinking.
The timing matters. Just a day after TCA disclosed Ward’s planned exit, the association applauded the U.S. Senate’s October 3 confirmation of Derek Barrs as FMCSA Administrator. The next TCA president will inherit a fresh working relationship with the nation’s top motor carrier regulator—an immediate proving ground for the government-relations focus highlighted in the job posting.
Ward’s successor will take the helm of a nearly 90-year-old group that speaks for truckload carriers across North America. Recent coverage from industry outlets underscores the breadth of that platform: TCA says its members operate more than 220,000 trucks spanning dry van, reefer, flatbed, tanker and intermodal operations—scale that gives the organization considerable weight in policy debates and best-practice adoption.
Ward, a familiar voice to carriers and policymakers alike, arrived at TCA’s top job after three decades in trucking, including two decades leading D.M. Bowman. Under his tenure at TCA, the association expanded programs and deepened member engagement, according to this week’s statements from the group and industry press. That track record sets a high bar for the incoming chief executive.
What should carriers watch for in the selection? The criteria themselves are a tell. TCA is prioritizing a leader who can grow membership value, strengthen ties on Capitol Hill and with federal agencies, and champion innovation that boosts safety and efficiency. That portfolio reflects the industry’s near-term realities: navigating enforcement priorities under a new FMCSA chief, sharpening safety outcomes, and filtering technology investments for measurable ROI.
There’s also a funding and stewardship dimension: the next president is expected to secure resources through sponsorships and partnerships while maintaining financial discipline—an acknowledgment that associations, like carriers, must be resilient through freight cycles and regulatory churn. For fleets, this suggests TCA will continue to lean into benchmarking, education, and policy work that directly support operating performance.
Industry reaction has been steady and forward-looking. Reports on October 3 reiterated that Ward’s decision is part of a deliberate succession plan, with current Chair Karen Smerchek emphasizing continuity while crediting Ward for stabilizing and elevating the organization’s voice. The message to members: the search aims to carry momentum, not reset it.
For prospective candidates—and the fleets evaluating what comes next—the near-term cadence is clear: applications by November 1, selection thereafter, and a transition aligned with advocacy milestones now on the federal docket. For carriers, the practical takeaway is to engage early and often: the next TCA president’s agenda will be shaped by the operational pain points and policy priorities members bring to the table this fall.
Sources: FreightWaves, Truckload Carriers Association, Transport Topics, DC Velocity, FleetOwner, Truck News
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