During the Monday, March 21, general session at Truckload 2022: Las Vegas, the Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) bestowed its prestigious Past Chairmen’s Award upon long-time industry professional Ray Haight of Lambeth, Ontario, Canada.
Haight has amassed more than 30 years of experience in the trucking industry. Most recently he joined Dunbar, Pennsylvania-based truckload carrier, JLE Industries, as its Executive Performance Impact Coach. This role spurs from his successful stint as the TCA Profitability Program’s (TPP) Carrier Retention Coach.
Haight was instrumental in creating the TPP’s Driver Retention Project Plan, an educational series that resulted in reduced driver turnover in numerous fleets throughout the trucking industry.
Haight was also the co-founder of StakUp Inc., an online transportation benchmarking service and the operating platform of TPP.
Haight served as TCA’s chairman from 2008-09 and was instrumental in changing Professional Truck Driver Institute’s (PTDI) board of directors to a fully functioning board that took an active role in moving PTDI forward.
Additionally, he served as chairman of the PTDI; North American Training and Management Institute (NATMI); Industry Committee for Apprenticeship; as well as a commercial tractor-trailer driver appointed by The Ontario Ministry of Training Colleges and Universities.
Aside from currently serving as the chairman of TCA’s Recruitment and Retention Human Relations Committee, he has been an active member of the association’s board of directors, Executive Committee, Nominating Committee, and Membership Committee.
Haight has received numerous awards for his contributions to the industry including the 2008 Lee Crittenden Award for his service and dedication to PTDI.
Other personal and professional accolades include alumni of the UWO’s Ivey School of Business’s Quantum Shift Program; winning team member of the Top 50 Best Managed Companies of Canada (2002-2007); winning team member of the Shipper’s Choice award (2003-2007); winning team member of the Truckload Carriers Association’s National Fleet Safety Award (1999, 2001, and 2003); and winning team member of the Over the Road Retention Award (2003).
Haight is a second-generation trucker. His parents ran a small four-truck fleet operation that worked for a local shipper into the U.S. market.
Haight took to the road for 10 years as a driver and an owner-operator, logging over 1 million accident-free miles prior to starting his own company, Southwestern Express, Inc., based in London, Ontario, in 1984, which serviced long haul lanes with both dry van and refrigerated equipment. In 1990, MacKinnon Transport Ltd. was brought in as a partner and Southwestern Express moved from London to Guelph, Ontario. Shortly after, in January of 2000, MacKinnon Transport Ltd., and Southwestern Express, Inc., were amalgamated.
Haight held the position of President and COO until May of 2005; at that time MacKinnon Transport, Inc., was a 275-truck fleet, warehousing and logistics company.
The Past Chairmen’s Award is TCA’s highest honor. Recipients are leaders who have made a significant contribution to the business community, the trucking industry, and the organization. Contrary to the name of the award, the awardee does not have to be a past chairman of the association.
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