ATA Secures Major Win for Trucking as Pima County Withdraws Illegal and Ill-advised Ordinance
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tolleson, AZ — The Arizona Trucking Association (ATA) announced that Pima County has removed its proposed ordinance from the Board of Supervisors’ agenda, marking a significant victory for Arizona’s trucking industry and the principle of lawful, reasonable truck access.
The proposed ordinance would have imposed a 75-trip daily limit on commercial vehicles using certain unpaved roads and required special permits for truck access—restrictions that ATA’s legal analysis found violated both federal and state standards governing reasonable access for commercial vehicles.
The ordinance emerged amid the Board of Supervisors’ ongoing opposition to mining operations that would have been directly impacted by the proposed truck restrictions. Rather than pursuing actual dust mitigation strategies, Pima County attempted to weaponize truck access restrictions to achieve an unrelated goal—stopping mining operations by cutting off their ability to move materials—placing Arizona’s trucking industry in the middle of a political dispute that had nothing to do with trucking.
“The law matters, especially when it comes to access and commerce,” said Tony Bradley, President and CEO of the Arizona Trucking Association. “This ordinance conflicted with established federal standards under 23 CFR 658.19 requiring reasonable access for commercial vehicles. ATA submitted detailed legal analysis to the Board of Supervisors and engaged directly with stakeholders to demonstrate why arbitrary trip caps and additional permit schemes violate both federal and state law.”
ATA emphasized that the outcome reflects the value of strong, proactive advocacy backed by clear legal standards. By engaging early and providing comprehensive analysis, ATA ensured that trucking interests—and the legal requirements protecting them—were clearly understood.
“ATA’s mission is clear: promote, advocate for, and defend our members against unlawful overreach,” said Parker Hancock, Chairman of the ATA Board of Directors. “We will not stand by and allow local governments to violate federal and state law, no matter how well-intentioned their goals may be. We’ve seen this playbook before—jurisdictions using access restrictions as a backdoor to shut down legitimate commercial operations. This victory shows what happens when the industry speaks with one voice and prevents a precedent that could have spread statewide. This is exactly why engagement and membership matter.”
While the ordinance was framed around dust mitigation on unpaved roads, ATA made clear that Arizona’s trucking industry supports lawful, data-driven environmental strategies. However, those solutions must comply with federal and state law—not circumvent it through arbitrary access restrictions that undermine supply chains and economic activity.
ATA considers the withdrawal of the ordinance a definitive end to this proposal but will continue monitoring Pima County and other jurisdictions to ensure similar unlawful measures are not reintroduced.
“Victories like this are possible only when the industry stands together,” Bradley added. “ATA will continue defending reasonable access and working collaboratively with local governments on solutions that respect both the law and Arizona’s economy.”
About the Arizona Trucking Association
The Arizona Trucking Association defends and advances the interests of Arizona’s trucking industry through proactive advocacy, legal analysis, and policy leadership. ATA ensures its members can operate under lawful regulations while safely and efficiently moving the goods essential to Arizona’s economy and quality of life.