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Oregon Trucking Associations, Inc.
Oregon Truck Dispatch
HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVES
By 1914, there were close to 100,000 trucks on American roadways (many of them unpaved),
largely replacing horse-powered delivery methods to get goods to their final destination. Top
speed: 15 mph. Once paved roads became the norm and a highway infrastructure system was
built in the 1950s and 1960s, trucking truly become a driving force behind economic progress.
Each year, the American Truck Historical Society (ATHS) holds their national truck show to
celebrate the evolution of trucking. The show will be held May 26–28 at the Oregon State Fair &
Expo Center in Salem. OTA will be hosting the ice cream social during the event to support the
Pacific NW Truck Museum, the largest museum of its kind in the west.
OTA has a longstanding commitment to the trucking industry in Oregon, as evidenced by the brief
history below of its founding Chief Executive Officer.
Robert R. Knipe
OTA Chief Executive Officer, 1951 to 1985
Trucking
The Heart of Transportation History
TRUCKING HISTORY
Mr. Knipe was born August 8, 1915, in Seattle and
lived most of his life in Oregon. A World War II
veteran of the US Navy, he went to work for the
Public Utilities Commission in Salem after his
discharge.
In 1951, he moved to the Portland area to become the
managing director of the Oregon Motor Transport
Associations. In 1953, the associations name was
changed to Oregon Trucking Associations, and in
1954, the OTA was recognized by American Trucking
Associations as an Affiliate Member.
In 1963, Gov. Mark O. Hatfield stated “Bob gave as
much to the state as any other man I have ever known.
At Salem, he was just like he was playing baseball—he
was in the game until the last out and he believed in
fair play all the way.”
Mr. Knipe was a prominent lobbyist for the trucking
industry on the national and state levels. He served
on numerous boards and councils related to the
trucking industry, including the Portland Chamber
of Commerce, Oregon Food Share, and on the Agri-
Business Council.
He was the president of this organization until his
retirement in 1985. After his retirement he continued
as a consultant, and was an administrative assistant
to Oregon Sen. Mike Thorne during the 1987 and
1989 legislative sessions.
Mr. Knipe passed away from lung cancer in 1991, at
the age of 75. We honor and celebrate Mr. Knipe, and
his accomplishments in the trucking industry.