The American Moving and Storage Association has agreed to become part of American Trucking Associations, a federation of state trucking associations, vocational councils and industry segment groups similar to AMSA

AMSA, with more than 3,000 members, is slated to become the the ATA Moving & Storage Conference once the merger process is complete. A Moving & Storage Council also will be created to serve as the new group’s training and education arm.

“The move to join the ATA federation will benefit AMSA’s small and independent members as well as the large van lines,” AMSA Board of Directors Chairman Bill Paxton said.

“Both ATA and AMSA have been strong advocates of highway safety along with representing their members before Congress and regulatory agencies. Our combined efforts will certainly strengthen our reach and impact.”

AMSA leadership has formed a transition team who will work closely with ATA, once final approval has been granted by the ATA board of directors as well as by AMSA’s governing body.

“ATA is excited about the opportunity to join with the moving and storage industry and expand our industry’s footprint and advocacy voice,” said ATA President Chris Spear.

“Welcoming this new group of key members into the federation will significantly increase our ability to reach decision makers at both the federal and state level. We look forward to bringing our mutual interests together for the collective good of our industry and membership.”

AMSA was created in 1998 by the merger of the Household Goods Carriers Bureau, the industry collective ratemaking body; the National Moving and Storage Association, which represented primarily smaller movers and van line agents; and the the American Movers Conference, which had been the industry’s represettative body within the ATA federation before that time.