The brief

National Road Carriers, the progressive national trucking association representing 1800 members who collectively have 16,000 trucks on the nation’s roads, briefed Wright Communications to improve both its internal and external communications.

This work was undertaken on the back of public indifference and hostility to the road transport industry and little or no positive coverage in the media.

Key objectives included providing more engaging stories for members in the inhouse “Full Throttle” magazine and the E-news newsletter. An underlying objective was to increase the NRC’s membership.

The brief also required raising the profile of National Road Carriers and its CEO David Aitken in specialist transport and general media and giving the organisation a stronger public “voice”.

It was intended this higher profile would show existing and future members the NRC was working diligently on their behalf to improve the position of the industry and its members.

The Wright approach

Wright Communications’ approach was to survey members to ascertain the best way to approach internal communications and then recommend the adoption of a regular monthly E-news to replace a document that was circulated about every three weeks.

Wright also took over the writing of David Aitken’s internal and external columns which appear in magazines and websites.

A media campaign articulating the NRC’s stance on important issues such as major infrastructure projects; the shortage of qualified drivers; road vs rail/sea transport and the importance of freight road transport to the economy is an on-going focus. NRC now comments regularly on national road transport issues.

The national media now defer to David Aitken for comment on road freight transport. The industry’s point of view on issues with David as the spokesman is often broadcast and published by national media.

Client satisfaction

National Road Carriers CEO David Aitken says the partnership with Wright Communications has been a productive experience. “Our members are receiving more positive information internally and through the major media, who in turn are treating us in a more positive way and understand our importance to the wider community and economy.”