Ribbon-cutting ceremony for American Trucking and Industry Leader Hall of Fame opens with first inductees announced during the American Truck Historical Society’s 50th anniversary celebration

Four big names in the trucking industry will be inducted into the American Trucking and Industry Leader Hall of Fame (ATIL HoF) on Friday, October 15, 2021.

• Clessie Lyle Cummins, founder of the Cummins Engine Co.,
• Jack and Gus Mack, founders of Mack Trucks, Inc., 
• Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, and 
• Dave Nemo, trucking icon.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony officially announcing the opening of the ATIL Hall of Fame by the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce is on Friday, October 15, 2021.The inaugural ATIL Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will be held in conjunction with the American Truck Historical Society’s 50^th Anniversary celebration at the ATHS home office in Kansas City. Local and state dignitaries, along with trucking industry leaders, are invited.

The ATIL HoF is housed within the American Truck Historical Society (ATHS) in Kansas City, Missouri — the crossroads of America. “This is a wonderful opportunity for visitors to learn both about the history and pioneers of this great industry through both ATHS and the ATIL Hall of Fame, says Tom Mullen, ATIL HoF Chair.

On Saturday, October 16, ATHS celebrates its 50^th Anniversary with an Open House, inviting its members to visit the Zoe James Memorial Library, the Visitor’s Center, and the newly developed American Trucking Industry and Leader Hall of Fame.

American Truck Historical Society Milestones

March 1971: ATHS was founded in Dearborn Heights, Michigan, relocated to Birmingham, Alabama in 1977, and in 2001, moved to Kansas City, Missouri, where it is today.

October 1972: ATHS is recognized as the authorized organization to collect/preserve trucking history. Today the ATHS houses the Zoe James Memorial Library, which hosts a collection of more than 100,000 digitized and original photographs, 35,000 pieces of sales literature, and 45,000 books and periodicals. 

October 1980: The first Wheels of Time magazine is published. 

• 1972: First annual convention. 

• 1980: First historic truck show. The shows have grown from 23 trucks in 1980 to over 1,000 trucks today! The ATHS National Convention & Truck Show now rotates between four U.S. locations.

• May 2021: To honor the trucking industry and the companies and professionals who have gone above and beyond, ATHS developed the American Trucking and Industry Leader Hall of Fame (ATIL HoF). The trucking industry is crucial to the U.S. and its economic success. 

October 15, 2021: A ribbon-cutting ceremony announcing the official opening of the ATIL HoF. The first ATIL HoF induction ceremony welcomes four icons. 

“No transport industry Hall of Fame could exist without paying homage to these elite inductees. The impact they have on the industry is ongoing and everlasting. The American Trucking and Industry Leader Hall of Fame honors the pioneers of the trucking industry, whether they are drivers, company owners, or innovators to the industry,” said Mullen.

ATHS recognizes its 50^th Anniversary Celebration sponsors: Hagerty Insurance, Vander Haag’s Inc., Bridgestone, Inland Truck Parts & Service, Sercombe Trucking Co., and Big Rig Upholstery.