OREGON TRUCK ISSUE 4 2022 ADVOCATING, EDUCATING, AND PROMOTING THE TRUCKING INDUSTRY NOW LEAVING WELCOME TO
A publication of the Oregon Trucking Association, Inc. 4005 SE Naef Rd., Portland, OR 97267 503.513.0005 • 888.293.0005 Fax: 503.513.0008 • www.ortrucking.org Jana Jarvis President/CEO jana@ortrucking.org Christine Logue Vice President of Operations christine@ortrucking.org Gregg Dal Ponte Director of Regulatory Compliance gregg@ortrucking.org Adam Williamson Director of Training & Development adam@ortrucking.org Ligia Visan Director of Accounting accounting@ortrucking.org Christa Wendland Communications Consultant wendland@ortrucking.org Mark Gibson Government Relations Policy Advisor mark@ortrucking.org For information about OTA events and to register online, visit www.ortrucking.org. Published for OTA by LLM Publications PO Box 25120, Portland, OR 97298-0120 503.445.2220 • 800.647.1511 • www.llmpubs.com President Stephen Bloss Design Hope Sudol Advertising Sales Ronnie Jacko For information about advertising in the Oregon Truck Dispatch, please contact Ronnie Jacko at 503.445.2234 or ronnie@llmpubs.com. Thank you, advertisers! Your support makes this publication possible. Please support them and tell them you saw them in the OTA Dispatch. 2 OTA Chair’s Message 3 OTA New Members 4 OTA President’s Message 5 Event Calendar 6 The Great Trucking Reset 16 Time for a Refresh 18 Become an OTA Annual Sponsor Issue 4 2022 CONTENTS Stay Connected With Us @OTAOregon Oregon Trucking Association @ORTrucking @ORTrucking.org Regulatory Compliance 8 Worth the Price of Admission? Events 12 2023 Events 13 TMC Maintenance & Education Fair 14 Annual Southern Oregon Industry Mixer Featured 21 Are You Ready for Paid Oregon Leave? 24 Pay Equity & Hiring Bonuses 26 Knife River Takes Training to the Next Level Safety 28 Getting the New Year Started Right 30 Spring Safety Conference 31 Annual Safety Awards
Oregon Trucking Association, Inc. Oregon Truck Dispatch AS WE BEGIN a new year, we have witnessed a lot of change in the last few months and must ready ourselves for even more to come. We have seen a significant downturn in the market, rising inflation, continued workforce challenges, increasing trade tensions abroad, and a reduction in consumer demand leaving our industry with a surplus in capacity. The political winds of change are blowing as well. After a historic mid-term election, we are left with a divided Congress and a widening partisan divide that will likely result in gridlock until the next contentious presidential election. And that divide and increasing partisanship is often felt out in the states as well, where too little compromise is to be found, and too often the less glamorous work of oversight and governance is neglected in favor of political grandstanding. All of that can be enough to make the strongest optimist feel down at times. But as the old saying goes, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.” And I don’t know of an industry tougher than trucking. We have seen more than our share of challenges before, and each time we have risen to the occasion. So, it seems time once again to show our mettle to meet the demands of the day. OTA stands at the ready to adapt to our changing environment, and help our industry face these headwinds straight on. You may have noticed our new logo. It is a symbol of the innovation and streamlining we seek to deliver at OTA to meet the coming challenges of the 21st Century. For example, our industry is undergoing a technological revolution as manufacturers bring online new alternative fuel vehicles and new advancements in automation; however, like any new technology, there will be some kinks to work out before it is ready for widespread adoption. But that hasn’t stopped regulators from mandating the adoption of these new vehicles without regard to potential near-term limitations in manufacturing or infrastructure upgrades required to support these emerging technologies. Therefore, OTA must be prepared to defend our industry from any such unworkable mandate. Or just take all of the critical infrastructure projects pending in the Portland area alone, where we are already facing funding shortages, uncertain project designs and cost responsibilities, and a widespread tolling mechanism that has yet to be determined. Indeed, a cursory review of just some of the top issues OTA is fighting on our behalf quickly reveals how important this time is in our industry. Government is poised to make critical decisions that affect our industry for decades to come. That is why I have called for the revitalization of our committee structure at OTA. In order for our association to respond effectively, we must have an active, informed committee membership that can provide detailed feedback in real time on how these proposals will affect our daily operations. The committees are the beating heart of our association, where the hard work and tough decisions are made in between board meetings. If you are not already involved in at least one, I encourage you to reach out to staff to see where you can get involved. I believe we have some of the best advocates out there working for us, but they can only be as good as the information and participation we provide them. We must also continue to build on our political programs. I am grateful for the progress we have made at TruckPAC in recent years, but we must not let up or get complacent—our opponents surely are not. If we are to succeed, we must keep our industry and our priorities in front of legislators, and this is a vital mechanism to do that. I am also reminded that due to COVID and renovations at the Capitol, it has been almost four years since we’ve been able to do our annual Trucking Day at the Capitol. It still remains to be seen if we are able to do one during the upcoming session due to potential ongoing restrictions. But if we are able to get one scheduled, I hope you will consider joining us. There are many new faces in Salem after the last 2 Evan Onteto OTA Chair OTA stands at the ready to adapt to our changing environment, and help our industry face these headwinds straight on. When the Going Gets Tough…
www.ortrucking.org 3 Issue 4 | 2022 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Chair & ATA State VP Evan Oneto (FedEx) Vice Chair Erik Zander (Omega Morgan) Secretary/Treasurer Bart Sherman (Sherman Bros. Trucking) ATA State VP Nick Card (Blackwell Consolidation) Past Chair Andy Owens (A&M Transport) ISI Rep Diane DeAutremont (Lile Int. Co.) Chair Appointee Ron Riddle (Leavitt’s Freight Service) DIRECTORS-AT-LARGE John Barnes (TEC Equipment) Greg Galbraith (Market Express) Scott Hammond (Knife River Corp.) Heather Hayes (Tradewinds Trans.) David Hopkins (TP Trucking) Charles Ireland (Ireland Trucking) Kirk Watkins (Western Heavy Haul) Regional Representatives Central Oregon Ron Cholin (Stinger Transport) Eastern Oregon Roni Shaw (Bowman Trucking) Metro Region Tim Love (Carson Oil Co.) Southern Oregon Ryan Hutchens (F.V. Martin Trucking) Willamette Valley Ron Bowers (Ron Bowers Inc.) COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVES Safety Management Council (SMC) Jennifer King (WHA Insurance) Technology & Maintenance Council (TMC) Mike Vallery (Oak Harbor Freight Lines, Inc.) Standing Committee Representatives Allied Trevin Fountain (Cummins) Government Affairs Kristal Fiser (UPS) Highway Policy Erik Zander, Omega Morgan Image Michael Card (Combined Transport) Membership Nick Card (Combined Transport) OTA in Action Mark Gibson (Siskiyou Transportation) Truck PAC Erik Zander (Omega Morgan) COMMITTEES Allied Government Affairs Highway Policy Image Membership Oregon TruckPAC OTA in Action To learn more about the committees or councils listed above, contact OTA at membership@ortrucking.org or 503.513.0005. 2022/2023 BOARD OF DIRECTORS OTA Welcomes the Following New Members! DOT Compliance Experts, LLC Great Northwest Transport United Rentals Transportation Compliance, LLC two elections who will make decisions on the issues important to us, and they have yet to even meet truckers from their own districts. Please come and introduce yourself, give them a name and a face to associate with trucking so they can gain a more personal understanding that we are not just voters and constituents, but local businesses that connect their entire economy. Teddy Roosevelt is famed for popularizing the phrase, “Speak softly and carry a big stick.” His wise words are no less relevant today than when he spoke them more than 100 years ago. It is that principle which prompted OTA leadership to prioritize growing TruckPAC in recent years and it has helped make a difference. Our active participation in the political and legislative process has helped us score some important victories in recent years. But as important policy decisions are being increasingly delegated to regulatory agencies, our presence must be equally strong in this arena as well. Unfortunately, trucking’s voice is assigned a minority position in the discussions that are making decisions directly affecting our industry. That is why we must increase giving to our Legal Fund. While a tool of last resort, it is one nearly all business associations in Oregon are becoming more reliant on, and so we must as well. Sometimes an important legal victory can help remind lawmakers and regulators alike that our concerns must not be ignored, and certain processes must be respected when crafting new rules and regulations. Therefore, I will be asking you to make this important cause a priority as in the coming year. I know it may seem this is a lot to ask during a time when each of us is busier in our own businesses to help them succeed during these uncertain times, watching our costs and trying to plan for what’s next. It is precisely during challenging times that our hard work and investments pay the most dividends down the road. Our strength as an industry comes form our culture of hard work and unity. While trucking is known for its rugged independence and fierce competition, we look out for each other on the road and watch each other’s back from shared threats. In that spirit, we must come together at this time and work to defend our collective interests. We all have different sets of skills, assets, and perspectives to share with OTA to make our industry stronger and better able navigate this time of profound change. I hope you consider bringing your company’s unique skill set to the table in 2023. See you down the road, Evan. All members are listed in our online directory via the member portal.
4 Oregon Trucking Association, Inc. Oregon Truck Dispatch FROM THE PRESIDENT Jana Jarvis OTA President/CEO AS 2022 DRAWS to a close, it gives me the perfect opportunity to reflect on what we accomplished this year. It also provides perspective on what the industry has been through over the past three years of the pandemic, and how it has changed the way business is conducted and what our members need to meet the changing demands in our industry. This year started as a “return to normal” year, only it took some time to understand the “new normal.” COVID restrictions were lifted, but the illness still spread and nearly everyone was touched by its implications. In-person meetings resumed, but many provided hybrid options for those unable or unwilling to risk the interactions. After two years of avoiding the risk, I finally succumbed to the illness after traveling to three consecutive meetings that involved airline travel and interaction! COVID deaths continued, but it wasn’t front page news anymore. We were learning how to live with the risk. We resumed our “normal” event calendar, albeit with some nominal scheduling changes. And you came…and it was great to see you again! We had, all throughout COVID, maintained our Annual Convention and our Safety Conference, but many of our premier events such as our Truck Driving Championships were either cancelled or realigned as a virtual event. Much of our training had become virtual with limited in-person meetings. And much of this was because our industry was overwhelmed with demand and time became the premier commodity. The guidance and input from OTA’s Board of Directors offered keen insight into what members were seeing and experiencing “on the ground” during the pandemic and while we were emerging from the fog of COVID. From supply chain disruptions that were not only impacting what was being hauled, but also the ability to keep their own equipment running, to labor constraints that were hard to plan for in a fluctuating market. Our board and committee members assisted in getting us to the other side, as well as anticipate what we’ll continue to face in the years ahead. As your lobbyist, this “new normal” had even more significant changes. Legislative sessions We are rolling out our new website at the first of the year that will allow for an easier way to access the information you need and present a more inviting look. Thriving in the “New Normal”
5 www.ortrucking.org Issue 4 | 2022 ADVOCATING, EDUCATING, AND PROMOTING THE TRUCKING INDUSTRY EVENTS UPCOMING EVENTS were primarily virtual which didn’t allow for the casual interaction that builds trust between policymakers and advocates. Oregon’s State Capitol is under construction and is largely closed to the public at present—if you drive in front of the building cement barriers and chain-link fence block the entrance. This harsh visual embodies the sentiment that the public is blocked from participating in the process. When the bill passed that supported seismically retrofitting Oregon’s Capitol no one knew what was coming with COVID, but the timing couldn’t have been more fitting given what transpired. And yet…given all we have been through your association has thrived during this crisis! We retained our membership, grew our training, improved our events, and built on our past success. And now we are ready to start a new chapter beginning with a new look! We begin this transition with a “new” name. The Board of Directors this past fall changed our name by dropping the “s” from association so that we are now one unified organization known as the Oregon Trucking Association. And with that, we decided to emphasize this new look with a new logo. This edition of the Dispatch includes that new logo with a cleaner, more streamlined look. We are rolling out our new website at the first of the year that will allow for an easier way to access the information you need and present a more inviting look. This coming fall we will roll out a new database that will be easier for us to manage and easier for you to provide updated member information. We have other plans for updates and improvements—this is just a teaser—so watch for these changes in the coming months! We will also be reaching out to you in 2023 to hear what you like, what you need, and what you think. This is your association, and we want you to value your membership. We have challenges in front of us—policy issues, business challenges, economic change—but we have been through this before and we will meet these challenges head on. Our new OTA Chair, Evan Oneto, wants to build on our success by formalizing our committee structure which gives members more of an opportunity to provide direction to the association. We have several task forces convening to look at improvements to the way business is conducted in our state, so there will be multiple opportunities for your involvement in our future. If you have an interest, concern, or an idea, please reach out to us. Oregon’s trucking industry carries a heavy load as the backbone of the economy— Get the latest on OTA training & events online at www.ortrucking.org/events. while paying more to operate than in any other state! OTA can share the burden and work to define what trucking’s next chapter will look like, but we need your help and input to write that future. Just imagine what we could accomplish when all of our members are actively involved, and our voices can’t be ignored! I’m looking forward to seeing what we can accomplish in 2023. And I’m hoping you will be with me as we face these challenges and opportunities together! With the Capitol building still closed for construction, we’re not yet sure what a 2023 Trucking Day at the Capitol event will look like. We are hoping to get our members and Oregon’s trucking industry together in Salem to remind legislators and others of why trucking is so vital!
6 Oregon Trucking Associations, Inc. Oregon Truck Dispatch Mark Gibson, Chair OTA in Action Committee/ President, Siskiyou Transportation THE ELECTION HAS concluded, most of the results are either confirmed or likely decided. Many of us didn’t get exactly what we wanted; however, we at least have an idea of where we are, who we must deal with and where we need to go. Now we need to sit down and evaluate our strong points as well as our week points and how we can utilize them both to their fullest. Weak points ` We still are not operating in a necessarily business-friendly political climate ` We will likely have even more climate mandates imposed on our industry ` We are more than likely headed into a recessionary period sometime next year Strong points ` We have developed coalitions with other groups that feel squeezed by the same political agendas ` OTA, through our Government Affairs program, has built strong relationships with those lawmakers we find on our side of the issues, as well as a strong presence in transportation mobility ` Most importantly, and the thing we can capitalize on the most, is the greater change in the positive image of trucking since the pandemic We in the industry know what trucking does for this country. We know what it did for this country before the Covid pandemic. One of the biggest strengths we gained from making it through the past few years was the fact that the general public began to realize the important role trucking plays in each of our daily lives. Many people found out that nearly everything in their lives was touched by trucking. This is a strength we need to capitalize on today and continue to grow moving forward into the future. How can we capitalize on that positive image today? We capitalize by continuing to educate the public, lawmakers, and regulators on the demands on trucking companies and their drivers to deliver goods and services to all members of society. With that, most members of society vote, lawmakers know that and listen to their constituents. We as an industry need to utilize our regained positive impression and value to help educate lawmakers and regulators to effect change, as well as to help form a realistic approach as to how we can care for our environment. One of the most productive ways we can do this is through our grassroots efforts. Now that the elections are mostly decided, we can begin to move forward with a plan to educate, build and strengthen relationships. I encourage every one of you to know your state representative and your state senator, as well as being at least informed of what is going on around you locally. OTA will again be reaching out to key contacts and the membership for help with this networking and relationship building. Our goal is to reinstitute our Annual Day at the Capitol during this next full legislative session. With another four years of what appears to be a very similar gubernatorial administration, yet a slightly positive change with a few more business friendly legislators, we know our work is cut out for us…again. This year’s Day at the Capitol will still look different. The Capitol will be closed, to a certain extent, with a continued construction project. But our intent is to still rally and make our presence known to lawmakers. Please, start thinking about what 2023 will look like. The upcoming year is a full legislative session and will likely be another challenging endeavor. Think about the upcoming year. We can no longer lament on who did or did not win the elections, we simply need to roll up our sleeves and move forward the best we can, with all the resources we can muster. Be ready to get involved in 2023!! The Great Trucking Reset Leveraging Trucking’s New Positive Impression to Educate and Influence One of the biggest strengths we gained from making it through the past few years was the fact that the general public began to realize the important role trucking plays in each of our daily lives.
7 Issue 4 | 2022 www.ortrucking.org
8 Oregon Trucking Association, Inc. Oregon Truck Dispatch Oregon Trucking As ociations Worth the Price of Admission? By Gregg Dal Ponte, OTA’s Director of Regulatory Compliance REGULATORY COMPLIANCE YOU ARE UNDOUBTEDLY familiar with this idiom. To be worth the price of admission means something must offer enough value for the price one must pay to participate. This would apply to activities in which someone voluntarily participates. A movie, for example, might or might not be worth the cost of admission depending on whether or not it was a very entertaining movie. A ticket to a college football game could similarly be worth the price of admission if it was a well-played, closely contested game and your team wins. You get the idea. How might this apply to something in which you do not voluntarily choose to participate? For instance, could one ask if the Weight Mile Tax is worth the cost of admission? Here the better question might be, “Is weight mile tax worth the cost of administration?” Oregon tends to distinguish itself. Every state in the nation has a diesel fuel tax for heavy trucks except Oregon. Three other states have a weight mile tax for trucks— New York, New Mexico, and Kentucky— but these are smaller taxes assessed in addition to a diesel fuel tax which is the primary highway use taxing mechanism. Only two states disallow self-service gasoline sales. They are Oregon and New Jersey. Oregon continues to be one of only five states that does not have a sales tax. Oregon is one of only ten states that has a bottle bill. Despite an apparent penchant for being conspicuously different, is there anything about a weight mile tax that inclines Oregon to aggressively defend it in the face of legislative efforts to eliminate it and when litigation seeks to end it? The history of highway use taxation in Oregon is interesting. 1919—Oregon first to use fuel taxes to finance roads 1933—First to implement truck weight/ mileage tax, a Ton-mile tax was based on the changing loaded weight of each truck 1937—Completed first cost responsibility study proportionally allocating the cost of roads to all highway users 1947—Change from ton-mile to weightmile tax charging a single tax rate for all miles traveled based on a truck’s highest operating weight 1990—First to factor axles into weightmile tax rates so tax on trucks over 80,000 lbs. is based on the number of axles Oregon government policy wonks are quick to assert that the advantage of weight mile tax as opposed to diesel fuel tax is that it is extremely accurate in discriminating costs between all classes of users because the weight mile tax rates vary by 2,000-pound weight increments. Such accurate, fair distribution of costs is impossible in a fuel tax system because fuel consumption doesn’t go up proportionately as vehicle weight increases. A 1986 study found that the cost responsibility of an 80,000-pound truck is twice that of a 50,000-pound truck but the 80,000-pound truck only consumes 14 % more fuel. Therefore, fuel taxes are equitable as similar vehicles pay more or less fuel tax based on variations in the amount of miles traveled; however, fuel taxes are inequitable as dissimilar vehicles traveling the same annual miles pay different amounts. Also, the government argues that improving fuel efficiency of trucks can offset diesel fuel tax revenue gains that would otherwise result from increases in annual miles from growing industry. Here the trucking industry would reasonably argue that the glaring disadvantage of a weight mile tax compared to a diesel fuel tax is the much greater administrative costs for both government and industry imposed by the weight mile tax. A reasonable question to be considered is “How much is too great a price for equity?” Circling back to the beginning of this article, the question becomes is weight mile tax worth the cost of admission, and to answer that question, we need to calculate how much more a weight mile tax costs to administer. I believe I can answer that question by providing a construct for what identifiable cost categories could be eliminated by the adoption of a fuels tax for heavy vehicles and elimination of the weight mile tax. It would then be simple to monetize such a construct by inquiring of ODOT for current costs associated with each identified line item. To begin, you must understand that ODOT CCD auditors are responsible for auditing WMT, IRP, and IFTA. So, the question becomes what percentage of auditor time is devoted to each type of audit. In the past it would have been easy to establish the amount of time devoted to each audit function because auditors were specialized and sorted into two groups: WMT auditors and IRP/ IFTA auditors. Today that is not the case, and all auditors are expected to be cross trained to perform any manner of audit. However, my recollection is that the ratio
9 www.ortrucking.org Issue 4 | 2022 originally was about 2/3 of the auditors were WMT specialists and 1/3 were IRP/ IFTA specialists. Looking at recent (2019) org charts for both the audit offices in Salem, Umatilla, Springfield, and Portland, these charts reflect 32 auditors and two managers. Very simplistically, you could apply the 2/3–1/3 ratio and conclude that that 20 auditor FTE and one Manager FTE could be reduced by eliminating weight mile tax and substituting a fuels tax like what is done in all 49 other states. Unlike for weight mile tax auditors who must be regionally distributed to perform their audits, the IFTA/IRP audits could all be reasonably done in the Salem central office. The leased Portland office space could be eliminated. The Springfield leased office space could be eliminated. The Umatilla audit staff work out of the Port of Entry in an ODOT owned building. In addition to salary savings for 21 reduced FTE, there would also be the associated savings in OPE—other payroll expenses. All employing units must pay Other Payroll Expenses (OPE). OPE is the cost to the department of an employee in addition to the gross pay. OPE is charged proportionately to each index an employee is paid from. OPE costs can include any of the following items: ` Health Insurance ` Medicare ` Retirements ` State Accident Insurance Fund ` Social Security ` Mass Transit Taxing Districts ` Unemployment Insurance ` Workers’ Compensation Also, other indirect costs need to be included in the calculation of savings resulting from workforce reduction. Indirect labor cost is the cost of labor that is not directly related to the production of goods and the performance of services. It refers to the wages paid to workers whose duties enable others to produce goods and perform services. Unlike direct labor cost, indirect labor costs are not so readily associated with specific units. Employees that make up this group include managerial and administrative staff such as supervisors, accountants, and in the instance ODOT and a weight mile tax they would include some percentage of the cost of motor carrier enforcement officers and also some percentage of the cost of registration staff as well as the Bond/Insurance Unit, Carrier Maintenance Unit, Tax Help Unit, and Support Services. For the less obvious connection to motor carrier enforcement officers (MCEO) you need to understand that there are more MCEO staff employed than would be necessary to simply manage a size and weight
10 Oregon Trucking Association, Inc. Oregon Truck Dispatch Oregon Trucking As ociations regulatory program. An excess number of MCEO staff have been employed and distributed statewide for the express purpose of garnering more weighing events than actually necessary in order to provide audit data points for weight mile tax auditors. Registration staff perform certain functions that are uniquely associated with administering a weight mile tax, i.e., issuing temporary passes, managing weight mile tax bonding requirements, collecting delinquent weight mile tax accounts, etc. The Pre-Audit section of ODOT exists exclusively to prep files for weight mile tax auditors and houses one manager, one office coordinator, and eight preauditors. Some number of those positions could be eliminated as well. The demonstrable additional cost required to administer the weight mile tax as opposed to a diesel fuel tax is enormous. In the current day and age in which ODOT is experiencing significant cash flow problems as the debts of past bonded highway construction projects are coming due it strains credulity to wonder why ODOT has not undertaken these cost saving policy changes on its own initiative. What is possibly influencing the maintenance of that status quo? Quite possibly it is nothing other than institutional inertia. “Institutional is defined as, “of or relating to an institution or institutions.” Inertia in the sense of physics is defined as, “the property of matter by which it retains its state of rest or its velocity along a straight line so long as it is not acted upon by an external force.” With those definitions of the two words individually, institutional inertia to me is the fact that an organization will remain at rest or if already moving it will continue on the same path unless acted upon by another force. The larger the organization, the more force required. In modern-day governmental agencies such as law enforcement or military organizations, this is a big deal. The world changes daily meaning missions and requirements change daily, yet we see organizations often change their course to meet the need or to incorporate best practices with the agility of a battleship turning in a bathtub. Some changes are quicker than others and some made rapidly, especially within smaller or more specialized organizations, but to the majority out there it seems change is impossible at worst and extremely difficult at best.” Every other state in the USA has a fuel tax for heavy vehicles over 26,000 pounds. Oregon’s insistence to carry on with a weight mile tax is not only conspicuously unique, but also extraordinarily costly to administer and maintain. Here we have only discussed the cost of WMT administration for the government. It is also worth mentioning that the industry subject to Oregon’s unique weight mile tax also is required additional administrative costs to comply. In this matter it is my earnest hope that someone in the public or private sector will stand up and emulate General Matthew Ridgway. It is well past time for a change. We need a maverick to step up. “My greatest contribution as the chief of staff was to nourish the mavericks.”— GEN Matthew Ridgway, Commander, 82ND Airborne Division (1942–1945) and Chief of Staff, United States Army (1953–1955). Regulatory Compliance, cont.
12 Oregon Trucking Association, Inc. Oregon Truck Dispatch EVENTS 2023 EVENTS INFO: ORTRUCKING.ORG/EVENTS Southern Oregon Industry Mixer Spring Safety Conference TBD:TMC Maintenance & Education Fair TruckPAC Golf Tournament Truck Driving Championships Annual OTA Convention & Exhibition TruckPAC Golf Tournament Thursday, January 19 Seven Feathers - Canyonville April 6 & 7 Salem Convention Center June Location TBD Tuesday, July 18 Langdon Farms - Aurora August 14 - 16 Riverhouse on the Deschutes - Bend
13 www.ortrucking.org Issue 4 | 2022 SUPPORTING SPONSORS t h a n k y o u s p o n s o r s SCHEDULE OF EVENTS REGISTRATION SPONSOR MEAL SPONSOR PARTNER/VENDOR TMC Maintenance & Education Fair Takes Over the Pacific NW Truck Museum IN MANY WAYS, keeping engaged with our service technicians and fleet managers was doubly hard during the pandemic, especially when in-person workshops and events weren’t a possibility. Afterall, maintenance is a hands-on endeavor and remote work is not an option. Learning and collaborating are also a challenge for service technicians and fleet managers who are looking to expand their knowledge and exchange ideas. This is why OTA and the Technology & Maintenance Council were happy to welcome attendees back for the in-person, day-long TMC Maintenance & Education Fair. A group of attendees, speakers and vendor sponsors gathered on Nov. 4 at the Pacific NW Truck Museum in Salem. Sessions started in the morning with a lengthy discussion on viable alternative fuels, with a focus on advantages, disadvantages, maintenance issues and shop infrastructure requirements. This was followed by a look at maintenance asset management and what to consider when evaluating in-house and outsourcing. Attendees then broke for lunch and the chance to get an up-close look at the products and services from OTA supplier partners that took part in the Vendor Fair. This was also the perfect opportunity for technicians to exchange ideas and discuss common challenges. Plus, there was plenty of trucking history to explore at the museum! Sessions continued in the afternoon with a presentation on the legal obligations and responsibilities specific to a maintenance setting, an update on the tire industry and the SmartWay tire rating changes and finally a look at current events (backordered parts, service delays and software fixes) and some tips to keep fleets running. Once raffle prizes were drawn at the end of the day, technicians and fleet managers left with more knowledge to apply in their own shops now and things to think about in the future. We want to thank all of our attendees, speakers and sponsors who participated. We know schedules are tight for everyone these days, so thank you for taking the time show your support for our service technicians and the valuable work they do! Take a look at some more photos from the event.
14 Oregon Trucking Association, Inc. Oregon Truck Dispatch ROCK TOUR SOUTHERN OREGON INDUSTRYMIXER REGISTER J O I N O T A F O R T H E A N N U A L . . . w w w . o r t r u c k i n g . o r g / e v e n t s J a n u a r y 1 9 , 2 0 2 3 S e v e n F e a t h e r R e s o r t C a s i n o C a n y o n v i l l e , OR Kick off the new year with one of OTA's most popular events as we celebrate the industry and discuss the road ahead!
15 www.ortrucking.org Issue 4 | 2022 OTA Member Michael Card & Retiring Rep. Peter DeFazio Receive Awards at ATA MCE22 DURING ITS MANAGEMENT Conference & Exhibition that took place in October in San Diego, American Trucking Associations highlighted the important work individuals are doing for the trucking industry. Among these was Combined Transport Inc. President Michael Card, who received the 2022 Cathy Evans Highway to Victory Award. The award recognizes an individual who’s led the fight for trucking by helping to score victories in Congress, courtrooms, and federal agencies. “Cathy Evans has spent an amazing career fighting on behalf of ATA members, representing a dynamic industry with remarkable enthusiasm for a decade,” Bill Sullivan, executive vice president of advocacy at ATA, said. “Like Cathy this year’s honoree is someone who always leads the charge and answers the call for trucking on key issues.” Card is a former ATA chairman, past OTA board chair and is currently chairing OTA’s Image Committee. Issues he’s tackled include existential challenges to the industry from lawsuit abuse, discriminatory tolling, hours of service, ELD implementation, drug screening mandates and workforce development issues. “This is a great honor and Cathy Evans is one of my truly great friends,” Card said. “I just want to thank ATA for all the support that they’ve given me and my family.” Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-OR), the outgoing leader of the U.S. House Transportation Committee, was honored with the ATA Highway Diamond Award in recognition of his role securing national infrastructure improvement funds and for his overall work on behalf the transportation sector. During his speech, DeFazio praised the trucking industry for its perseverance during the pandemic, and for supporting communities and their own people as regions locked down and businesses shuttered. “All of you and all your employees—without you the country would grind to a halt,” Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) said during an Oct. 24 luncheon address at American Trucking Associations’ Management Conference & Exhibition. “I’ve been with you every step of the way to move America forward for 36 years working on the committee,” he said. “We didn’t agree every time, but we worked a lot of stuff out over those years.” DeFazio also pointed to the early relief packages passed at the start of the pandemic to save industries that were hanging in the balance, saying he supported a number of applications from trucking companies for the lending programs. He acknowledged that supply chains were tested as freight patterns and the economy felt the lingering effects of shutdowns, while also creating record demand for consumer goods. Something the trucking industry quickly and efficiently responded to. “My grocery store shelves were never empty,” DeFazio said. “Your drivers were subjected to very difficult conditions, but they kept the freight moving. I know it was an incredible challenge, and you met that challenge and you kept the country going.” DeFazio noted that the trucking industry faces challenges such as traffic bottlenecks, congestion, rising fuel prices, delays at shipper and receiver facilities, deteriorating infrastructure, and driver turnover. While touting the $1 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, he also warned that new challenges are looming, pointing to the need for a national infrastructure grid for charging electric trucks and cars, as well as the need to find new funding mechanisms for vehicles that do not burn fuel.
16 Oregon Trucking Association, Inc. Oregon Truck Dispatch Time for a Refresh By Christa Wendland, OTA Communications Consultant AFTER SURVIVING TWO-PLUS years of a pandemic, with much of life put on hold, we emerged with new perspectives and a new list of priorities. Of course, the trucking industry moved through the pandemic as it has so many times before, with commitment to our communities and dedication to delivering what was needed. We had to adjust and adapt along the way and are now taking time to evaluate what changes will take a permanent place in how we operate. Trucking’s current list of challenges also include the latest developments in climate policies that are poised to “transform” our industry, whether we, the infrastructure and the technology involved are ready or not. Many were anticipating a bit of change at the top here in Oregon, with the hope for some fresh executive leadership. We will have a new governor in 2023, but there’s still a question of just how different (for better or worse) things will be. Without question, trucking faces a challenging path forward. Still, once you put everything in the right perspective, even bad times can be an opportunity to refresh. OTA Mission Statement—“Advocate, Influence and Promote to help our members succeed” With that in mind, like many of you, OTA took some time to reflect and think about what our next chapter will look like. It might seem a bit on the nose, but our first step involved a bit of an image makeover. You’ll notice in this issue of the Dispatch that we’re featuring a brandnew logo intended to brighten things up as we rededicate efforts to promote our shared goals and mission. Working Together is Success If you’re not familiar with OTA’s origin story, here’s a quick recap. In 1939, the Oregon Motor Transport Association, Inc. was formed to represent interstate and intrastate truck carriers in policymaking and development of a positive public image. In time, other associations cropped up, often sharing similar goals but with slightly different areas of focus. Then, in the 1950s, understanding that there is strength in numbers, the Oregon Motor Transport Association joined forces with the other specialty trucking organizations and became the Oregon Trucking Associations—plural. For over 60 years all of these past “associations” were represented under the OTA umbrella, even as we operated as a single entity. “Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success.”—Edward Everett Hale. As our ideas for a refresh continued, we decided to drop the “s” and become simply Oregon Trucking Association. While OTA members represent diverse segments of the industry and all have unique perspectives, as an organization our strength comes from our singular commitment to protecting and promoting an industry that drives Oregon’s economy on every level. Recalibrating for the Digital World Another impact of a lengthy pandemic was even more reliance on technology, especially when it comes to how we communicate and interact. There are any number of tools that are meant to streamline how we do business, with new innovations popping up every day. Not all of them may fit our needs, but existing in the virtual world requires a
17 www.ortrucking.org Issue 4 | 2022 different tool set from operating in real life—or IRL for the tech savvy crowd. OTA members consist of everyone from individual owner-operators who spend most of their time behind the wheel to executives who spend most of their time behind a desk. Some spend their work lives online. Others spend it out in the shop or on the road. As a result, we communicate with members in a number of ways—email, traditional mailings, meetings (in-person or online) and more. The one standard has always been our website. Like our logo, for the past decade it has remained relatively unchanged. Of course, we update the content as frequently as we can. In some cases, we may have added more information than you need, or put it someplace that’s hard to find. We again took inspiration from another popular pandemic pastime—the closet purge. In this case, we have “purged” the OTA website and brought in a new “organization system.” OTA’s new website will launch in early 2023. It has a fresh new look to match our fresh new logo. It offers streamlined access to what most visitors are looking for—members, non-members, and the general public. We’re also planning to have new, interactive features that will keep you up to date on what exactly OTA is up to and how you can get involved. We’ll expand our member-only content and find new ways to inform the public and promote the industry. We also want to hear from members when you have news to share. Our intent is to use the website to both educate and celebrate Oregon’s trucking industry. It’s now December, and 2022 is coming to a close. As we put winter coats on for the first time, we’ll likely find some leftover COVID masks in the pockets and remember when and think never again. But, with the right perspective, we can take the lessons learned and build on trucking’s many successes to move into the new year with a firm resolve to reaffirm our place in keeping this country moving and a fresh focus on where we want to go.
18 Oregon Trucking Association, Inc. Oregon Truck Dispatch Plan Your Impact for 2023— Become an OTA Annual Sponsor Today! OTA MEMBERSHIP IS about making connections, showing support and having an impact on Oregon’s trucking industry. Our carrier members rely on the services and products provided by our allied partners to help smooth the road ahead. This is why OTA created our Annual Sponsor program a few years ago, to offer an even more direct connection to those who looking trusted providers and makers of the products and services they use in the course of their business. Our annual sponsors are strategic in their approach and mindful of the best ways to get noticed in a competitive market. They’re also dedicated to supporting OTA’s mission and bolstering the industry. OTA’s Annual Sponsor program offers allied partners the opportunity to customize and personalize their promotional and outreach efforts through OTA. Packages can be created to meet any budget and focus on the areas that make the most impact. While we’re always open to creative ideas, some of the common elements include: Event Sponsorship OTA holds several annual events throughout the year, many of which focus on specific segments of the industry. If you want to get in front of key decisionmakers, include one event or more in your package. Advertising Digital advertising is another option for annual sponsors. Get a banner on the OTA home page. Place an ad in the OTA Weekly Express. Choose one of our focused e-newsletters for the greatest impact. Mailers & Materials OTA does frequent mailings to members and non-members, with packets full of information. If you have a message to share that looks better in print, we can accommodate your request. With the end of 2022 approaching, now is the perfect time to plan your promotional & outreach efforts for 2023! Contact Christine to discuss and develop a yearlong plan that’s well-rounded and fits your budget—christine@ortrucking.org or 503.513.0005. Thanks once again to our 2022 Annual Sponsors!
19 www.ortrucking.org Issue 4 | 2022
20 Oregon Trucking Association, Inc. Oregon Truck Dispatch The End of the Year Means Renewals are Near Get Your Annual Over-Dimensional Permits from OTA—No Added Fees! There’s a lot of end-of-year paperwork to process and a fair amount of scrambling to get everything done. OTA can take some of that off of your plate when it comes to Annual Over-dimensional Permits. OTA has been an authorized agent on behalf of ODOT for over 25 years. Rather than trying to navigate a the somewhat confusing permit process, take advantage of OTA’s knowledge and experience. The best part is—there is no additional cost to you! Ordering your annual OD permits through OTA offers: ` Streamlined process—order by email, fax or phone ` Fast and accurate ordering— knowledgeable agent removes the guesswork ` What you need when you need it— renewal reminders, quick turnaround times Contact OTA Go to ortrucking.org/permits permits@ortrucking.org Phone: 503.513.0005 Fax: 503.513.9541 Using OTA for your Annual OD Permits supports the work that we do on behalf of our members and Oregon’s trucking industry—and it doesn’t cost you anything extra!
21 www.ortrucking.org Issue 4 | 2022 Are You Ready for Paid Leave Oregon? From HR Answers, Inc. PAID LEAVE OREGON impacts every Oregon employer and employers with employees working in Oregon the majority of the time. If this is news to you it’s not too late to prepare. Paid Leave Oregon is an insurance benefit available to all to all employees in Oregon, when certain conditions are met. On January 1, 2023, employers will either participate in the state insurance, purchase 3rd party insurance, or selfinsure. In any case employers will begin reporting additional information that will be used for the administration of the benefit plan. Employees will be eligible to claim benefits beginning September 1, 2023. Benefits include up to 12 weeks of leave annually, with full or partial wage replacement depending on their pay at the time of the claim. Employers are required to allow for the leave and will need to evaluate their leave polices to provide notice of this benefit and interactions with other mandatory and discretionary leave choices. Four steps to get you started: 1. Decide if you will use the state plan, an outside insurance plan, or self-insure. If choosing an outside insurance plan or self-insuring you will need to file a plan for confirmation of equivalency and approval. See more at paidleave. oregon.gov/employers/Pages/ equivalent-plan.aspx 2. Make sure your organization is registered on Frances. This is the state system for related tracking and reporting. This will be required regardless of the option chosen in #1 above. The only difference may be who is using the system. Get started at www.oregon.gov/employ/frances/ Pages/default.aspx 3. Decide the deduction/contributions amounts for your organization. Employees cannot be required to contribute more than .006% of gross wages. Employers with 25 or more employees are required to contribute at least .004% of gross wages. Employers with fewer than 25 employees are not required to contribute, however they will give up some assistance grant eligibility if not contributing. More details at: paidleave.oregon.gov/ Documents/Program%20Resources/ Contributions-Fact-Sheet-EN.pdf 4. Provide notice to employees about the program and how deduction/contributions will be made. Employees are not able to opt out of this benefit. Get the poster at: paidleave.oregon.gov/ DocumentsForms/Paid-LeaveModelNotice-Poster-EN.pdf For more information on all of this and more, visit the Paid Leave Oregon website at https://paidleave.oregon.gov/Pages/ default.aspx. HR Answers, Inc. is a well-known provider of HR specialty services and products, with a vision to approach human resources with originality and the goal to greater understanding and knowledge about positive employment practice and compliance to lessen the risk of lawsuits and regulatory concerns. Find out more about HR Answers, Inc. at hranswers.com.
22 Oregon Trucking Association, Inc. Oregon Truck Dispatch The Breakdown: Midterm Election Results & the Upcoming Legislative Session By Samantha Siegner Opie, Senior Associate & Jordan Bice, Vice-President - Oxley & Associates, Inc. NOVEMBER 8, 2022 marked election day. While national pollsters and politicos were projecting a wave of Republicans replacing incumbent Democrats, Oregon’s balance of power shifted very little. Democrats will continue to hold the Oregon Governor’s office and both chambers in the state legislature. While Democrats will retain control, they will no longer enjoy supermajorities, which had previously allowed them to pass new taxes without any Republican votes. At the federal level, Republicans will gain a seat in the U.S. House in Oregon’s 5th Congressional District (SE Portland to Bend) with Republican Lori ChavezDeRemer defeating progressive candidate Jamie McLeod Skinner. McLeod Skinner had unseated seven-term incumbent Rep. Kurt Schrader during the primary. Former Rep. Andrea Salinas (D) will continue her political career in Washington D.C. after defeating Republican Mike Erickson in the race for Oregon’s new 6th Congressional District seat. The U.S. Senate will remain in the hands of the Democratic Party, and Republicans will now hold one of the slimmest U.S. House majorities in history. Roughly 64% of Oregon voters participated in voting during the 2022 General Election, down from 78.5% during the 2020 election cycle. Lower than average turnout could be due to several factors, like the absence of a Presidential election or a sense of despondency driven by an unhappiness with the direction of the state. Perhaps more likely is the implementation of Oregon’s Motor Voter law that was passed in 2016. Now, individuals who obtain or renew their driver’s license permit or identification card are automatically registered to vote. So, while the number of eligible voters has increased over time, these individuals may have less interest to participate in Oregon’s election process than those who register voluntarily. All eyes were on the hotly contested gubernatorial race that saw a record $67 million in spending among the three leading candidates, Tina Kotek (D), Christine Drazan (R), and Betsy Johnson (unaffiliated). Former House Speaker Tina Kotek was elected to serve as Oregon’s next governor, defeating Christine Drazan by roughly 3.5% or 66,600 votes. Trailing far behind was Betsy Johnson who has received 8.6% or roughly 164,000 votes. There has been a lot of speculation as to what Johnson’s impact was on the race, but a recent analysis by DHM Research showed that in counties won by Drazan, Johnson saw roughly 10% of the vote, and in counties won by Kotek, she received 8% of the vote. Going into the 2023 Oregon legislative session, OTA is hopeful that a businessfriendly and common-sense approach can be brought to policy discussions regarding our most important issues. We expect robust discussion about fuel, the efficacy of our state agencies, workforce issues, and transportation infrastructure, including the Interstate-5 bridge replacement project. We maintain the position that adding further burden on the compounding cost of doing business or the capacity issues we experience every day on the highway would not be in the best interest of Oregonians. The legislative session will commence January 17, 2023 and conclude no later than June 25, 2023.
ortrucking.orgRkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTY1NDIzOQ==