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!
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