At his desk in Wright Transportation’s Mobile headquarters, company President Daniel Wright reflects on the role he’s just stepped into — Chairman of the Alabama Trucking Association. At 39, he’s leading an industry that’s both vital and vulnerable.

“Trucking is not for the faint of heart,” he says. “I look at my involvement with groups like the American Trucking Associations, the Alabama Trucking Associations, and even local business groups here along the Gulf Coast as a way to make my business and those who work with me better, but it’s also my contribution to solving issues that many small businesses face every day.”

For his term as Chairman, Wright has one mission: uniting Alabama’s trucking leaders to prepare the industry for the next decade. Rising insurance costs, equipment prices, and the battle to attract skilled professionals loom large. But it’s the bigger threats — nuclear verdicts, cargo theft, and federal turbulence — that keep him awake at night.

Wright Transportation at a Glance

• Founded: 1999 by Pat Wright
• HQ: Mobile, Ala.
• Fleet: 200+ trucks (average age < 3 years)
• Terminals: Mobile, Ala.; Pensacola, Fla.; Pascagoula, Miss.; Daphne, Ala. (Logistics)
• Services: Dry van, regional logistics

Sleepless Nights

“The constant threat of lawsuits is the big one for me,” he says. “I could lose everything my family has worked so hard to build. More importantly, I worry for the people who work at Wright Transportation… The impact of just one large settlement could cause people to lose their jobs and the life they have built for their families. It’s scary stuff.”

And then there’s cargo theft — something Wright Transportation has experienced firsthand. “We recently had a large shipment of retail goods stolen in a sophisticated scheme involving fraudulent brokers, driver misrepresentation, and untraceable transfers,” he says.

Frustrated by the lack of coordination among law enforcement, Wright even tracked down the thief himself. “He told me there was nothing wrong with what he did because he believed he was robbing from the rich to help the poor. He also said we’d never find him or our freight.”

Stories like this are common, and ATA, working with law enforcement and national partners, is pushing for stronger laws. A bipartisan group of lawmakers has reintroduced the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act to empower federal agencies to coordinate across jurisdictions and strengthen enforcement.

Building Wright Transportation

Wright Transportation’s story begins in 1999, when Pat Wright set out with five trucks and a simple promise: deliver on time and do it the right way. Today, the company operates over 200 trucks and a growing logistics division. Daniel, alongside his brother Cameron, now oversees operations, carrying forward their father’s legacy with a forward-thinking and strategic approach.

That same mindset guides Daniel at ATA. Over the next year, he plans to recruit fresh voices — particularly from South Alabama — and re-engage members who’ve joined but haven’t fully plugged in.

“Here on the Gulf Coast, for instance, I’d like to see more trucking companies become involved with ATA,” he says. “We have a great network here… I like to say we don’t really compete for business; we compete for drivers.”

He points to the Association’s many benefits, from safety insights to networking, and credits ATA’s Mark Colson and SMMC and Safety Director Tim Frazier for supporting his company for years. With the recent hiring of Clinton Seymour as Senior Director for Safety Intelligence and Regulatory Affairs, Wright believes ATA members now have an even stronger link to key regulatory agencies.

“Our industry is blessed to have someone of Clinton’s caliber to call on as a direct resource,” he says.

Looking Ahead

For Wright, leadership is about building the next generation. “If we don’t invest in developing young leaders now — through mentorship, education, and opportunities — we won’t have the strong, capable leaders we need for tomorrow,” he says.

“We have a great leadership board. It’s our responsibility to prepare now for the challenges ahead. Just like a legacy passed down to future generations, we must ensure our Association is strong and ready to support those who come after us. It’s about building something lasting — for our industry, our families, and our communities.”