Issue 1, 2018

20 Oregon Truck Dispatch Mike Card, cont. While he believes getting involved is the best way to make a difference, he also wants to give other members a chance to step up. “Being a part of business associations not only helps the organization and the industry, but you also improve your leadership skills and can be a valuable resource to others. If you want to make a difference, you have to get involved.” From an image standpoint, he believes trucking members need to effectively communicate the essentiality of the trucking industry. At an ATA meeting, he conducted an exercise with a group of trucking industry marketing professionals and ATA board members, where he asked everyone to name their favorite superhero. “Not one person named a truck driver. The point is drivers deliver essential goods to everyone in the country. We need elected officials and the general public to understand that and view our drivers as professionals.” He uses the example of a hero-focused video campaign for the Oregon Ducks. “We need to be more like this as an industry.” ATA has since added new marketing campaigns, such as the “Knights of the Road,” “If you bought it, a truck brought it,” and “Trucking Drives America Forward,” but funding continues to be a problem, especially with larger- scale initiatives. That’s why it’s so important for trucking members to belong to state trucking associations and ATA. “We need to utilize new methods of communication, like social media, to influence mainstream culture, and we need better laws to protect us.” His own company’s family-oriented YouTube video titled “Home” portrays a trucker that hauls a variety of products—to emphasize the importance of trucking to the economy. Combined has a strong presence on Facebook and has even more “followers” than some (larger) competitors. Mike is glad to see OTA pushing for a stronger, more positive image for trucking, but thinks everyone needs to work together. At OTA Image Committee meetings, Mike encourages other members to share each other’s posts more frequently and communicate successes with OTA. That way, we can hold each other accountable and learn from each other. Earlier this year, the Image Committee launched a brand-new Image Award. “The award is great if it raises trucking to a higher light.” Mike stresses the importance of the Truck PAC, and has been member/supporter of the “Leadership Circle” at OTA. He’s attended OTA’s annual events like the Leadership Convention and Safety Conference, Oregon’s Trucking Day at the Capitol event in Salem, OTA’s Call on Washington (D.C.) event, and is often willing to make a three-hour commute to represent the trucking industry at Capitol hearings. He is a true example of a member that gets involved. Outside of the business, Mike likes to spend time with his family and travel all over the world. His wife, Pam, is the owner of Mrs. Card’s Cakes, his daughter, Stephanie, is opening a new food truck business, and his son, Nick, works at Combined Transport. All five of Mike’s siblings and other family members have worked for the company at one point, including his brother John Card, current Vice President, and his nephew Jason Card. He’d like to see his son take over the business in the future, but wants to make sure Nick is well-trained and prepared. As for Combined Transport, Mike still has plans to grow his business. Although it’s possible for freight to increase, it’s challenging to grow organically. His goal is to fill all his existing trucks, but there’s still a driver shortage. He’s actively seeking new companies to purchase, if the location is close to home and business model fits within the company’s niche market. Mike replaces his trucks every four years to make sure his trucks are in top-shape and as efficient as possible. At the end of the company tour, he points to an area on the property (next to his trucks for sale) where he’d like to relocate the headquarters. “I just don’t like being away from the trucks.” Although the drivers get along well with the operations team, he thinks it would make it easier and more cost-effective to have everyone in one place. In the meantime, Combined Transport continues to excel in specialized shipping, and with Mike’s leadership, it will stay one step ahead. Oregon Trucking Associations, Inc.