What is the Bill Tucker Memorial Scholarship?
If you’re considering pursuing your Certified Transportation Broker (CTB) credential, you should know about the Bill Tucker Memorial Scholarship—a prestigious award that recognizes the top-performing candidates on the CTB prerequisite exam. This scholarship honors one of the transportation industry’s most dedicated advocates while providing financial support to the next generation of transportation professionals.
Bill Tucker was a founding figure in the Transportation Intermediaries Association (TIA), attending the organization’s earliest gatherings when the industry was just beginning to take shape. His sons, Jeff and Jim Tucker, recall attending TIA events in 1978, 1979, and 1980, when perhaps 30 people filled the room. Today, TIA events draw thousands of attendees, a testament to the growth and maturation of an industry that Bill Tucker helped build.
Throughout his career, Bill Tucker demonstrated an unwavering commitment to TIA and the broader transportation brokerage community. He brought his family along on business trips, exposing his sons to the association from the time they were seven years old. This early exposure instilled in them the same passion for the industry and professional development that defined their father’s career.
Even as his memory began to fade in later years, Bill Tucker would still ask, “How’s TIA doing?” The association remained near and dear to his heart until the end, reflecting a lifetime of dedication to building a professional, ethical industry.
The Bill Tucker Memorial Scholarship is awarded to the two candidates who achieve the highest scores on the CTB prerequisite exam. This merit-based recognition supports those who demonstrate exceptional knowledge and preparation as they pursue the full CTB certification, which has been earned by over 3,000 transportation professionals. The CTB credential represents a commitment to industry excellence, ethical business practices, and professional knowledge spanning the history, regulations, and operational requirements of freight brokerage.
Jeff Tucker, who earned his CTB over 20 years ago and later served on the CTB committee, became passionate about preserving the historical component of the certification. When some suggested eliminating the history portion of the three-part exam, he argued that history matters. As Henry Ford said, “The further backward you can look, the further forward you can see.” Without understanding the hard-fought battles won and lost, the industry risks repeating past mistakes.
This philosophy—that professional excellence requires understanding where we came from—is central to both the CTB program and the Bill Tucker Memorial Scholarship. The scholarship doesn’t just provide financial assistance; it carries forward Bill Tucker’s belief that investing in education and professional development strengthens the entire industry.
For those preparing to take the CTB prerequisite exam, the Bill Tucker Memorial Scholarship represents an additional incentive to study thoroughly and demonstrate your commitment to professional excellence. By achieving one of the top two scores, you’re not just receiving financial support for your CTB certification. You’re becoming part of a legacy of professionalism, ethics, and commitment to industry advancement that Bill Tucker championed throughout his life.
The scholarship represents TIA’s ongoing dedication to developing transportation professionals who will uphold the standards and values that industry pioneers like Bill Tucker worked so hard to establish. As you prepare for your CTB journey, know that excellence is both recognized and rewarded—a fitting tribute to a man who dedicated his career to elevating the entire transportation brokerage profession.
