OTA Dispatch Issue 3, 2020

16 Oregon Trucking Associations, Inc. Oregon Truck Dispatch professional truck drivers moving America forward today. They save lives and help amplify trucking’s story. There have been many accomplishments and highlights over the years to help repair and rebuild the image of the trucking industry. ATA has been a leader in the industry-wide image movement, Trucking Moves America Forward (TMAF). Over six years ago, a group of industry leaders developed TMAF with the mission to establish a long-term, industry-wide image movement. TMAF just celebrated its sixth anniversary, and we could not be more proud of what the program has accomplished. We have built a foundation of fans—an incredible grassroots network—and highlighted our industry through programs like Meet the Truckers, Women of Trucking, and our trailer-wrap program. We have honored drivers during Black History Month, participated in Infrastructure Week, and have an incredible, robust social media presence. We have placed impactful op- eds and letters to editors around the country about issues affecting trucking, have over 344 million advertising impressions, and have over 200 earned media placements totaling 162 million impressions. We developed an annual holiday ornament and have a successful billboard campaign. We have built self- respect within the industry and introduced our industry mascot, Safety Sammy. Safety Sammy was created to offer a human and safety touch to the campaign as part of an effort to more broadly and creatively tell its story of safety and responsibility. The mascot aims to evoke a sense of pride, create excitement and solicit industry participation in the movement. Sharing trucking’s story with our policymakers, the motoring public, and the media, we hope we will produce better laws and regulations, better driving decisions, and more fair and balanced media stories. There is proof that the image-building work has resonated. New research commissioned by TMAF in February 2019 confirmed that the industry perception is shifting toward a more positive image. 67% of Americans have a favorable view of the trucking industry, and 74% of drivers believe the trucking industry plays a very important role in our nation’s economy. Why is it important that we grow our fan base while we advance our industry’s goals and put wins on the board? Because 7.8 million people in the trucking industry earn more than just a paycheck— they earn our respect. STAYING STRONG DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC As COVID-19 hit the U.S. earlier this year, the trucking industry was once again the first to respond, and was certainly on the frontlines delivering not just toilet paper and groceries, but personal protective equipment and life-saving medicine and medical equipment. Professional drivers continued to deliver freight as they do every day, but under very different circumstances. Restaurants were closed or limited to take-out service only, rest areas and facilities were limited, and PPE was hard to find for themselves. The drivers left their own families to provide for other families while stay-at-home orders quickly turned into stay-in-the- truck orders. The public quickly took notice that our drivers were on the frontline and they depended on them. As respect began to trend upwards, the professional drivers became heroes to the American public. Trucking’s Image, cont.