DIEPPE, N.B. – In a move that has shocked the East Coast trucking community, Ralph Boyd has left the Atlantic Provinces Trucking Association (APTA).

The former president’s Sept. 22 exit from the association was confirmed by both APTA project officer Heather MacLean and executive chair LeeAnn McConnell, but they remain tight-lipped as to reasons for his departure.

When Truck News asked McConnell why Boyd left the association, she simply said, “No comment.”

Boyd had not returned calls to Truck News to say why he is no longer with the APTA at the time of publication.

The APTA released a short statement September 30 outlining Boyd’s departure and McConnell said they will not be expanding beyond the four-sentence brief.

“Ralph Boyd is no longer in the employ of the Atlantic Provinces Trucking Association (APTA),” the statement read.

The statement also said Boyd’s departure was unrelated to the three-day protest which blocked many of New Brunswick’s highways Sept. 6-8.

“The APTA’s position relative to Ralph Boyd is unrelated to the road closures/blockades which took place in early September 2005.

“The Association’s position with respect to the road closures/ blockades remains unchanged,” it read.

Media coverage brought both Boyd and the APTA under fire, with critics angered by their lack of support of the protest. The APTA eventually sought a court injunction to dismantle the blockade.

“Woody,” as Boyd was known to friends, had been in charge of overseeing the day-to-day operation of the association, working alongside government and industry officials to help resolve pertinent issues. During Boyd’s time with the association, the APTA had “witnessed significant growth in membership … (and Boyd helped) increase the APTA’s leadership role in the trucking community and improve its credibility in the eyes of government officials,” according to Boyd’s biography on the APTA Web site.

Boyd left the association just weeks prior to its 55th annual convention in Saint John, N.B. Oct. 27-29.

His exit also came the same month the APTA said goodbye to their communications and publications representative, Chris McKee. McKee has moved on to a job with Rogers radio, though APTA said he will continue to work with them part-time. The association said McKee’s exit was unrelated to Boyd’s.