LA, Chicago Meetings with Upcoming Summits; NY Legislative Conf. May 3

Posted March 25, 2022 at 12:40 pm




TRSA’s 2022 schedule of in-person state/local meetings begins Tuesday, May 3, with a Legislative Conference in Albany, NY, then continues on each of the following Mondays with Town Hall discussions in Long Beach, CA, and Chicago.

Focused on New York State legislative and regulatory activity, the Albany meeting begins at 2:30 p.m. with an orientation session on Department of Labor issues and other topics. This will bring participants up to speed on these and prepare them to build legislators’ support. TRSA Legislative Conferences raise awareness and educate legislators and regulators about the tax, workplace safety, labor, energy and water concerns affecting the industry.

Town Halls discuss advocacy issues as well, but cover broader subjects, enabling members from host cities and surrounding areas/states to share information regarding best-management practices, trends, innovations and issues impacting their businesses.

The Long Beach (near Los Angeles) meeting starts with lunch May 9. It will feature extensive discussion on government relations, given the state’s difficult regulatory environment. TRSA members from everywhere benefit from learning about new rules in national-trend-setting California that place a heavy burden on businesses and specifically the linen, uniform and facility services industry.

The 2021 TRSA Town Halls in California prompted this one to be scheduled with the TRSA Fleet Summit, May 9-10, in Long Beach. Discussion during the September 2021 TRSA meetings in Los Angeles and Sacramento of regulatory activity in the state regarding alternative-fuel vehicles encouraged TRSA to align the Summit with the Advanced Clean Transportation (ACT) Expo at the Long Beach Convention Center. Summit registration includes exhibit hall registration for the Expo.

It’s anticipated the Summit will draw members from across the continent, given the interest in alternative fueling everywhere. Also, participants will share experience about other fleet operations issues, including:

  • Use of equipment to monitor driving – and the resulting data to manage drivers
  • Impacts of driver labor shortage on fleet and service management
  • Leasing and owning vehicles: delicate balance
  • Who in a laundry should be responsible for what between fleet, service, general and regional management

Summit participants from outside California are encouraged to participate in the Town Hall; it’s included in the Summit registration, too.

Like all Town Halls, the Chicago meeting (2 p.m., May 16) will cover federal issues. Concern about city officials’ interest in congestion pricing (charging additional fees for driving at peak traffic hours) will be the leading local issue. This meeting coincides with TRSA’s HR, Health and Safety Summit (May 17) and Production Summit and Plant Tours (May 18-19). The latter features tours of local Alsco and UniFirst plants on the second day, returning to the hotel by 1 p.m.

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