If you ask Hailey Betham, manager of government affairs for the Truckload Carriers Association (TCA), who she roots for most, you’ll get two answers — truckers and the Philadelphia Eagles.
“Dave is an avid Cowboys fan, and I’m an avid Eagles fan — so you can only imagine what the football season is like in this office,” Betham said referring to Dave Heller, TCA’s senior vice president of safety and government affairs.
“If you talk to me about anything, I’ll mention Philadelphia loud and proud!” she continued. “It’s where I’m from, and where I grew up.”
An avid reader with a love of history and theater, Betham’s passion for the trucking industry and making sure motor carriers and drivers are supported is infectious. Her love of history was born while watching her mother teach history — and this interest instilled in her an interest in governmental affairs. And her love for trucking? Her husband’s family has trucking lineage, which piqued her interest in the industry.
But she didn’t start out working in the trucking industry. After earning a degree in political science, she began her career as the director of governmental affairs for four local realtor associations in Pennsylvania.
“I was doing ‘boots on the ground’ district lobbying at the state and federal level for seven counties I represented,” Betham said of her time in the real estate industry. “I was a political field representative, and it was nice being able to have a taste of government affairs at the state, local and federal level.
“It also gave me an all-around sense of the world of government affairs, meaning grassroots organizing, PAC fundraising, stakeholder engagement and collaboration,” she continued. “I touched on very broad and wide issues — some of them regarding infrastructure, which I still get to handle with TCA.”
If you ask Betham why she’s so passionate about TCA and the trucking industry, the answer is simple.
“It’s the people,” she said. “It’s making the building those relationships and being able to put a face to the name and being able to say, ‘Hey, I thought of you today while I’m downtown because of an issue that you’re struggling with as a carrier.’”
She says she thrives on helping trucking industry stakeholders find solutions to challenges.
“When carrier members feel frustrated, I feel frustrated too. I’m frustrated for them that they’re handling issues, from cargo theft and freight fraud to finding ways for sufficient truck parking,” she said.
What really inspires Betham about trucking, she says, is getting to know the drivers and finding out what makes them tick.
“It fuels my fire of being able to represent an industry that really did a lot, especially during the COVID pandemic,” she said. “Drivers deserve recognition for what they did!
“The people make you addicted to the industry,” she continued. “They are the most down-to-earth, welcoming people that you’ll ever come across.”
For motor carriers and other trucking industry stakeholders, Betham strongly recommends getting involved with TCA and taking advantage of its benefits, from educational offerings to advocacy on the federal level.
“You get to advocate for yourself — what you do the day to day, your frustrations,” she said. “(If you’re not active in TCA) you’re missing out on being able to communicate with folks like me and Dave Heller.
“It’s important for members to take part in the Call on Washington and talk to folks in Washington about a day in the life of a carrier member — because not everyone understands it,” she continued.
Betham says she can’t say enough about the impact of TCA on its members and on the industry as a whole.
“When I got to TCA, I really did fall in love with the trucking industry. It’s a very addictive industry,” she said.
“I’ve made a lot of friends here. I’ve gotten to know so many folks from all different aspects of trucking — whether it’s someone who hauls heavy haul or flatbed or reefer, or the safety folks that handle everything with the regulatory side as well,” she continued. “I came in knowing not much about the industry and then falling in love with it because of the people.”
Outside of work, Betham says she loves to spend time with her husband and children, going hiking and doing other outdoor activities. For herself, Betham loves nothing more than catching a theater production or curling up with a good book.
“Musicals, reading and hiking,” Betham said. “Those are the Big 3 for me.”
Betham truly loves her family and the industry, but to bring things full circle, the Pennsylvania native shares one last thought:
“GO BIRDS!”
This story first appeared in the May/June 2026 print edition of Truckload Authority, the official publication of the Truckload Carriers Association.
Dana Guthrie is an award-winning journalist who has been featured in multiple newspapers, books and magazines across the globe. She is currently based in the Atlanta, Georgia, area.
