Alabama Trucking Association's Colson Takes ATA Presidency
Chris Colson, who led Alabama's trucking group through lawsuit reform and membership growth, steps into the national role after Chris Spear's departure.
Chris Colson, president of the Alabama Trucking Association since 2016, has been named president and CEO of the American Trucking Associations. He replaces Chris Spear, who stepped down in August after a decade leading the federation.
What does Colson bring from his Alabama record?
Colson grew membership and set revenue records at the Alabama association, according to Scott Smith, the group's chairman and co-founder of PS Logistics. Smith also credited Colson with strengthening the state association's political action committee.
On the policy side, Colson pushed for lawsuit reform in Alabama while working with a broader business coalition. In a 2024 interview with Alabama Daily News, he said the discussion did not have to pit business against trial lawyers. That approach offers a preview of how he has handled contentious issues.
What national trucking work has Colson already done?
Colson chaired the Trucking Association Executives Council task force that developed the seven-point Trucking Resurgence action plan, released in December 2025. The plan addresses regulatory gaps exploited by noncompliant carriers and unqualified drivers.
His fellow state association executives elected him vice chairman of the council in July. He has also served on ATA's Strategic Priorities Committee, the Truck PAC Board of Directors, and the American Transportation Research Institute's Research Advisory Committee.
What does this mean for fleets and owner-operators?
Colson inherits an ATA agenda that includes tort reform, the 2027 EPA NOx emissions deadline, and enforcement gaps at FMCSA. His record in Alabama suggests a willingness to work across traditional dividing lines, but how that translates to the national stage remains to be seen. The lawsuit-reform push matters directly to small fleets facing nuclear-verdict exposure, and the Trucking Resurgence plan he helped write targets the compliance gaps that undercut legitimate carriers on rates.
The transition comes as ATA schedules its 2026 Management Conference in Charlotte, where Colson will likely outline his priorities for the federation.
