Monitoring the pulse of transportation: an interview with Rebecca Brewster

It is said that knowledge is power. And if you happen to be a trucking industry executive or policymaker, it’s a good bet that at least some of your professional knowledge is derived from studies by the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI). Founded in 1954 as the research arm of the American Trucking Associations, ATRI says its primary mission is to conduct data-driven transportation research with a specific emphasis on “the trucking industry’s essential role in maintaining a safe, efficient, and viable transportation system.” As for what that might entail, recent reports have focused on topics like highway congestion, truckers’ operating costs, top industry issues, driver demographics, the shortage of diesel technicians, and sustainable freight practices.

Rebecca Brewster is the group’s president and chief operating officer and has been with ATRI for 34 years. She is the recipient of several awards, including the 2013 Influential Woman In Trucking award from the Women In Trucking Association and the 2010 J.R. Bob Halladay award, which recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to supporting the work of the 50 state trucking associations. She was also selected as a DC Velocity Rainmaker in 2025.

Before joining ATRI, Brewster was the public and governmental affairs director for the Cary, North Carolina, Chamber of Commerce and a fleet analyst with faucet manufacturer Moen Inc. She holds a bachelor of arts degree in English from Wofford College in Spartanburg, South Carolina, and she is a fellow of the North Carolina Institute of Political Leadership.

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