The African-American Trucking Association of Construction Contractors in Detroit is training African-Americans to become successful business owners in the construction trucking business. The association also provides smaller trucking firms the opportunity to pool their resources with other trucking firms in order to bid on larger projects and have buying power when purchasing equipment.
"With the banning of Affirmative Action in Michigan, it makes it much more difficult for African-American contractors in construction to receive serious consideration for bids because you don't have the legal enforcement, but you still have it on federal road projects," Sharon Richards-Truvillion, president of Richards-Truvillion Trucking Company and founder of the African-American Trucking Association of Construction Contractors, said.
"I have been in the construction trucking business since 1998, but I was reared in the business due to the fact that my father was in the business." While the African-American Trucking Association trains individuals to become successful business owners, the association is collaborating with U.S. Truck Driver Training School, Inc. in Detroit, which provides training for the Michigan commercial driver's license (CDL).
"We just placed two people in jobs with one of my former trainees, Craig Robinson, who owns Rock 'n Rubble, of Detroit, and who is now successful in gravel hauling. That's what we're trying to promote," Richards-Truvillion said. Robinson is also acting vice president of the African-American Trucking Association of Construction Contractors.
Those interested in getting involved with the African-American Trucking Association of Construction Contractors can contact Sharon Richards-Truvillion at (313) 962-8967.
