27 www.ortrucking.org Issue 3 | 2022 filling the same number of seats in a hearing or providing testimony. Those on the other side will notice. Members need to step up on lobbying day and participate in calls to action,” Evan concluded. ` Increase the OTA legal fund. This is an important tool for OTA to have and will continue to be needed more in the future. As a business organization we need to challenge specific things and not allow a precedent to be set. Democratic and governmental practices must be kept in balance and we must deter executive order overreach. There will be more regulatory fights coming and we must be prepared to challenge them legally. ` Increase involvement of younger members of OTA. Ask companies to have at least two participants in OTA activities. Encourage them to participate in committees, etc. Legislative representatives are increasingly of the younger generation. We need our younger trucking representatives to connect with these legislators. This is essentially succession planning for OTA. There is a lot of collective knowledge that we can transfer to those coming up through the industry, while also learning from them. ` Strengthen committee structure. Member involvement is extremely important. OTA is a member-driven organization and we need members to participate. Each member should know what is happening at OTA and what committees are doing. The committees are the meat of OTA. If you want to influence decisions and day-to-day operations, you first have to participate and understand OTA. On why he decided to take a greater leadership role: “I got more involved with OTA because of the energy among the staff, leadership, and Board. There’s a definite sense of momentum that I wanted to be part of, and I hope to encourage others to join in. We need that inspiration and invigoration to meet the challenges ahead. There is an appetite for change in our industry. OTA leadership and our members can be that driving force.” Memorable Moments With OTA ` Being a volunteer and judge at the Oregon Truck Driving Championships (TDC). Oregon is one of Evan’s favorite TDC events, pointing to the level of excitement and camaraderie within teams and drivers. “Drivers are really what it is all about.” ` Bringing some local FedEx management to Trucking Day at the Capitol so they could see the value of participation and support for their issues. It was a great showcase of government affairs and operations. ` Timber Unity Rally—It was a great example of what even just a portion of the trucking industry can do when they come together. It was great to see all of the trucks and support from people at the Capitol. If you haven’t had a chance to see OTA’s new board line-up, you might not know that Evan is our new Board Chair. We asked him about some of his goals as he begins his term.
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