Heavy-haul carrier Michael Anderson named OTA chair as the association marks its 100th year

Michael Anderson, president of Gormley, Ont.-based heavy-haul carrier Don Anderson Haulage, is the new chair of the Ontario Trucking Association. He was named to a two-year term at the association's annual general meeting in Toronto on Nov. 10, the OTA said.

Anderson succeeds Mark Bylsma. He has served for years on the OTA board of directors and executive committee, most recently as first vice-chair.

A family carrier

His father, Don Anderson, founded the company in 1960 with a single gravel truck. As demand grew for heavy and specialized transport, the business moved beyond gravel hauling into infrastructure, oil and gas, and energy work. Michael Anderson took over as president in 2002 and still runs the company.

Don Anderson also sat on the OTA board and received the association's Service to Industry Award in 2006. He died in 2017 at age 80.

The appointment comes as the OTA marks its 100th anniversary. The association was founded in 1926.

"Our fight is far from over"

Anderson said trucking is working in a difficult environment, pointing to economic pressures, trade uncertainty, rising costs and pressure on legitimate businesses from operators who do not follow the law.

"I want to be clear. Our fight is far from over. We cannot accept a system in which compliance becomes a competitive disadvantage," he said. "This is why I will ensure OTA will continue confronting lawlessness in trucking and demanding accountability from governments."

He also said the industry's commitment to "safe, responsible and lawful trucking" must not change, even as technology, regulations and economic pressures do.

New officers

The OTA also named two other officers:

• Vice chair: Wayne Cooney, Cooney Transit Inc.
• Secretary treasurer: Jonathan Neeb, Frontier Distribution Services Inc.

Anderson thanked Bylsma, OTA president Stephen Laskowski and the association's staff for the work completed over the past two years.