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”
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