At the midpoint of his chairmanship, Mark Seymour discusses TCA’s advocacy efforts, cross-border trade challenges, the trucking workforce and his hopes for 2027.
At the midpoint of his year as TCA chairman, Mark Seymour is taking stock — of what he’s learned about the association, what engagement in Washington can accomplish, the challenges still facing trucking and why he sees reasons for optimism ahead.
The experience has deepened his appreciation for the staff and volunteers who make the Truckload Carriers Association’s work possible. It has also reinforced his belief that participation should deliver practical value, whether members are meeting with lawmakers or gathering to exchange ideas with fellow carriers.
For Seymour, a Canadian carrier executive, the U.S.-Canada trade dispute remains a pressing concern, disrupting freight patterns and affecting fleets, drivers and owner-operators. Yet he also sees reasons to look ahead with confidence — and plenty of work worth doing together.
In this edition of Chat with the Chairman, Seymour discusses advocacy, cross-border challenges, the industry’s workforce and what members can look forward to in the months ahead.
Question & Answer Session
As you approach the midpoint of your chairmanship, how has the experience changed your perspective on TCA and the value it provides members?
I’m really enjoying all that it has allowed me to participate in. It’s brought me a new level of appreciation for the value of TCA and how hard the staff and committees work to make sure that value is there. I’ve just enjoyed the whole experience. It’s going fast. The chairmanship only lasts a year, and I’ve got lots of things still yet to look forward to.
What stood out to you about this year’s Fall Business Meetings and Call on Washington?
Let’s start with the Fall Business Meetings. First of all, FMCSA Administrator Derek Barrs was there, which was really powerful: We got to hear from the guy who’s leading the charge to make some corrections that are much needed and much anticipated. We also heard from representatives of our new lobbying group, which is providing great value to the organization, its members and the entire industry.
We had a great reception to kick off our political action committee, as well as a visit to the Canadian Embassy. In short, we got a lot done in two short days. It was well worth the time and effort.
Tell us a little about the event hosted by the Canadian Embassy.
We got to enjoy a great view of Capitol Hill from the balcony of the embassy — and I believe everyone enjoyed sampling our Canadian fare. The menu included poutine, smoked meats and a lot of things I’m sure everyone has either heard of or had before, but sampling it all at the Canadian embassy was a lot of fun. Of course, I’m Canadian, and I enjoyed sharing the evening with my TCA colleagues. The fellowship was wonderful, and I want to thank event sponsors Manac and ISAAC.
Of course, the following morning was the Call on Washington. What did your conversations on Capitol Hill tell you about lawmakers’ understanding of trucking’s concerns and the value of continued advocacy?
All of the visits on Capitol Hill are important, and I enjoyed being part of the “boots on the ground” effort. It’s important to note that the legislators wanted to hear what we had to say. Everyone my group visited with was well-versed in the issues we’re facing. The lawmakers genuinely care about our concerns and issues. I’ve got to give an “attaboy” to Dave Heller and our lobbyists for their efforts to keep trucking at the front of the conversation throughout the year.
We’re seeing engagement and collaboration. Some of the actions FMCSA is taking now are due in part to concerns the industry has raised for a long time. FMCSA has also asked TCA, specifically Jim Mullen, to provide a white paper or guideposts on issues where the agency wants our input.
People are engaging and collaborating, and I want to believe that our time at the call on Washington is evidence of that.
How is the current U.S.–Canada trade dispute affecting cross-border freight patterns, fleet operations and the people who depend on that work?
Well, it’s disrupted our traditional engineered solution. Speaking from the perspective of a Canadian carrier, our volume is down. We take merchandise to a destination in the U.S. and we bring merchandise back — but not always from the same city and maybe not always from the same state. And truckers know that empty miles mean you don’t get paid.
When our customers are disrupted, that disruption reaches us and our people, particularly drivers and owner-operators. If they’re not working as much, they’re not getting paid as much.
We are coming out of a freight recession that lasted longer than maybe any that’s ever lasted before, and anyone who owns and operates a truck has been looking forward to a capacity correction that could bring balance into the system. It wasn’t going to be more demand; it was going to be likely less capacity. That started to become reality in early 2026, and it may continue to be the case domestically in the U.S., but our cross-border colleagues have experienced tariff disruption.
Let’s get back to normal, be trading partners. We’ll always be friends, but let’s be trading partners too.
In general, what does a healthier balance between capacity and demand mean for carriers’ pricing decisions and investment in their businesses?
It’s my belief that balance between supply and demand is ideal. Nobody’s threatened when that happens. If I have a choice between too much capacity or too little capacity, I’ll take too little capacity any day, because that puts us in a position of strength where we get to pick the price and pick the customer.
There’s a lot of chatter about the cost of fuel, but our industry has been pretty disciplined about dealing with high fuel costs since 1999; for 27 years now, we’ve had a temporary fuel surcharge. I’m concerned about the cost of fuel’s effect on inflation for the general public because it’s very punitive. And the cost of energy is going to cut into people’s discretionary household spending; it may stop them from traveling or make them cut back on entertainment.
I’m more concerned about capacity being much greater than demand, as we’re seeing north of the border. When that happens, carriers become price takers, not price setters.
TCA’s Truckload Forum, formerly Bridging Border Barriers, is set for November 19 in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. What practical value should carriers expect to take home from this event?
For participants, it will be a day well spent, and there will be a lot of material for them to take home and implement. Every time we present this event, we try to make it as good as or better than the one before. The TCA staff works very intently to make it a good day for carriers engaged in cross-border trade.
I’m not going to say we’ll find a solution to the tariff dispute during the meetings, but the agenda promises to cover issues and topics that are of vital interest to both sides.
We’re going to hear from Bob Costello, who’s chief economist for the American Trucking Associations, and he’s always got valuable insights. Of course, TCA’s Dave Heller always gives good information and updates about regulations. And there will be content from the Canadian side too, with the Ontario Trucking Association and Canadian Trucking Alliance — and there will also be a small carrier panel.
It’s going to be a very good day.
Finding and retaining safe, qualified drivers is a priority for any motor carrier. How do driver qualifications and an aging workforce affect responsible carriers’ ability to find the skilled people they need?
If you’re looking for properly trained, properly qualified drivers, you can find yourself fishing in a pond that’s been fished out. There are ponds full of unqualified, untrained — but yet licensed — drivers. We won’t hire those drivers, but there are those who will.
For responsible carriers, the greatest concern is that we have an older population of highly skilled and trained drivers that are aging out or rusting out, one or the other. We’re going to have a hard time replacing them with drivers that are equally trained and skilled and have a comparable work ethic.
We don’t have a driver shortage right now in Canada; we have a work shortage. We need more loads, not more people. But that’s only a moment in time, and everything will cycle back around. We will very likely have a labor shortage, and that won’t be limited to driving a truck. Just about every role, like skilled technicians to work on equipment, is going to get more difficult to fill, simply because of natural attrition.
In the U.S., carriers are probably experiencing a labor shortage for numerous reasons, from English language proficiency and non-domiciled CDL enforcement efforts to the federal efforts to shut down fraudulent CDL schools. Canada is also working to regulate these issues.
How can motor carriers and other industry stakeholders make trucking jobs attractive to the younger generation, and how can we keep qualified drivers?
To me, the solution is simple … but getting there is very complex. The solution is pay.
People will be attracted to a difficult job if the pay makes it worth their while. I’m not suggesting that truck driving is a bad job by any means, but it does require time away from family and sleeping in a truck a lot of times. If you’re an over-the-road driver, there are some things that simply can’t be changed. We can’t change the distance between, say, Toronto and Chicago, which is about a 13-hour drive. And if you leave at night and you’ve got to be there in the morning, you’re going to drive all night.
We can’t change the distances, the time it takes to cover them or the need to work nights, weekends and holidays, sometimes in bad weather.
What we can change is pay. What we pay our drivers and owner-operators is less a matter of what we want to pay them and more a matter of what we’re able to pay them. If we’re going to exponentially increase pay to attract people and keep people in this industry, that money is going to have to come from the customers, not from the company.
The shipper has to see the value of paying for quality service — and quality drivers to move their cargo.
How do orientation and driver-finishing programs reflect a carrier’s priorities?
Quite frankly, if “speed to market” is what matters most to you, you’re going to get drivers into the company, behind the wheel and out on the road — and hope and pray they don’t have an accident, and hope and pray they come back. You’re not going to spend a dime on finishing or orientation for them.
These things matter, and it all goes back to what a carrier charges for what they do, and if they’re able to budget for orientation and driver training. If you create the budget to do the extra things, you’re probably gonna do it.
Alternatively, if you just want to win the bid for the load, you’re likely going to win it at the lowest price, and the lowest price doesn’t give you the bandwidth to do anything other than the basic minimum.
Here’s my philosophy: Treat drivers well, so they stay, so you don’t have to replace them. So, Canadians are no different than Americans. Some of us take extra time and care to do it right. And some carriers do the opposite.
Looking ahead to TCA’s 2027 convention, set for February 28-March 3, 2027, at Caesars Forum in Las Vegas, what can attendees expect?
I think people are feeling better about the quarters and years ahead, and that optimism will help set the tone for this convention. Domestic investment and what it could mean for trucking give us reasons to look forward.
As always, we want attendees to take something valuable back to their businesses. That means strong educational content, opportunities to network and time in the exhibit halls to see what’s new and what might help their operations.
There’ll be plenty of time for fun, too. I’ve got a couple of ideas that might bring a little Canadian flavor to the gathering, but those haven’t been agreed to yet, so I’ll save them as possible surprises.
It’s going to be fun, educational and worth your time.
As we head into the fall and winter holiday season, what message would you like to share with our readers?
Trucking is a great industry, and it’s served many of us and our families well for a long time. We have a lot to be thankful and grateful for. As we come into the holiday season — both Canadian and U.S. Thanksgiving celebrations, followed by Christmas and other special days — it’s a time for family and reflection.
You know, I can bellyache with the best of them and find things to complain about, but at the end of the day, I’m blessed to have spent my whole life in this industry.
What is your greatest hope for 2027, and what would greater certainty in trade mean for carriers, customers and employees on both sides of the border?
What’s top of mind for me is the trade matter between Canada and the U.S.
All other things the industry has experienced and might experience, we can figure out. I believe we’re better off together. I really hope 2027 brings an end to the trade dispute so we can get back to running our businesses with an element of clarity.
There are issues. Let’s figure them out and move forward.
Thank you for your time, Mr. Chairman. I look forward to our next visit!
This article first appeared in the November/December 2026 print edition of Truckload Authority, the official publication of the Truckload Carriers Association.
Linda Garner-Bunch has been with The Trucker since 2020, picking up the reins as managing editor in 2022. Linda has nearly 40 years of experience in the publishing industry, covering topics from the trucking and automotive industry to employment, real estate, home decor, crafts, cooking, weddings, high school sports — you name it, she’s written about it. She is also an experienced photographer, designer and copy editor who has a heartfelt love for the trucking industry, from the driver’s seat to the C-suite.
