21. Introducing New Board Leadership 26. The 2025 Legislative Session INSIDE THIS ISSUE: ADVOCATING, EDUCATING, AND PROMOTING THE TRUCKING INDUSTRY OREGON TRUCK DISPATCH ISSUE 4 | 2024
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 [email protected] Christine Logue Vice President of Operations [email protected] Adam Williamson Director of Training & Development [email protected] Ligia Visan Director of Accounting [email protected] Christa Wendland Communications Consultant [email protected] Jennifer Sitton Communications Consultant [email protected] Mark Gibson Government Relations Policy Advisor [email protected] For information about OTA events and to register online, visit www.ortrucking.org. Published for OTA by Big Red M www.bigredm.com 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 [email protected]. 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 Issue 4 2024 CONTENTS Stay Connected With Us @OTAOregon Oregon Trucking Association @ORTrucking @ORTrucking.org Events 6 OTA Members Gather in Bend for Annual Leadership Convention & Exhibition 1 0 Truck Drivers Receive Statewide Recognition During National Truck Driver Appreciation Week Featured 1 3 Oak Harbor Freight Lines: Leading from the Front for 108 Years 1 6 Oregon Drivers Find Success at National Truck Driving Championships 17 Oregon Delays Implementation of Omnibus NOx Rule 18 Introducing New OTA Board Leadership 21 Meet OTA’s New Board Members 23 Introducing ODOT’s New Commerce and Compliance Division Administrator Carla Phelps 24 Supervisory Mistakes to Avoid 2 6 The 2025 Legislative Session: A Preview Safety 28 Will 2025 Bring Major Changes to FMCSA Regulations
Oregon Trucking Association, Inc. Oregon Truck Dispatch 2 Erik Zander OTA Chair A MESSAGE FROM YOUR NEW OTA BOARD CHAIR CHAIR’S MESSAGE AS I SAT down to put together my first “message from the chair” article, I was overwhelmed by the feeling that Jana and Evan may have pulled off one of the best bait and switches ever! A decade ago, when Jana approached me to fill Steve Bates’ spot on the Highway Policy Committee, I clearly did not expect that I’d be required to—or capable of—putting together 800 words on the trucking industry that would engage and retain the attention of over 550 member companies. And now, to add insult to injury, I must follow in the footsteps of a professional government affairs representative from a Fortune 500 company! My hat is off to Jana and Evan; once again, they have proven they are the best of the best, and I am proud to continue working with them and the rest of the board and staff members through the coming years. Unlike many of our members, I am relatively new to trucking. I started my career—or at least tried to start my career—after graduating from Oregon State University as a farmer. I quickly realized (must have been that great OSU business degree) that without land or capital, being a farmer probably wasn’t the best career choice. After a brief stint working in sales for a small fuel and oil distributor, I found the place that continues to be my dream company in my dream industry, Omega Morgan. Working my way through different divisions and roles in the company, I settled in operations. It was during that time that I started to really get involved in the OTA. Through the OTA, I have met people like Andy Owens and Steve Bates who are essentially the ChatGPT of trucking. They took the time to get to know me and let me utilize them as a sounding board whenever I hit roadblocks in the business. For me, the relationships you can form in this organization and the information that comes with them is priceless. I will do my best over my time as chair to help new members foster these same types of relationships because I truly believe it is one of the biggest benefits of being a member. As for what my focus will be during my time as chair, it’s proven more difficult to pen down than I’d imagined. I want to make sure that my agenda represents the entire organization, which is extremely diverse. I also want to create an agenda that my fellow board members can use as a lens when making decisions over the coming years. As an industry, we are currently fighting some of the biggest battles we have ever fought on multiple fronts, while simultaneously trying to run a profitable business in a less-than-ideal economic environment. As an organization largely dependent on member dues to support our agenda, it is imperative that our members understand the value of our efforts as they prioritize their budgets. That’s why I’m proposing concrete actions we can take that will help both our organization and our members. First and foremost, I want to make sure we develop a plan for the long-term financial stability and growth of this organization, including our PAC and Legal Fund. I want to diversify our income streams to make us more resilient during the down times while continuing to provide valuable added services from this organization to our current and future members. I am extremely excited for the opportunity to serve you all in the coming years. If you need anything, please feel free to reach out to me, because you can be certain I will be reaching out to you!
www.ortrucking.org 3 Issue 4 | 2024 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Chair Erik Zander (Omega Morgan) Vice Chair Nick Card (Blackwell Consolidation) Secretary/Treasurer Bart Sherman (Sherman Bros. Trucking) ATA State VP Andy Owens (A&M Transport) Past Chair Evan Oneto (FedEx) ISI Rep Diane DeAutremont (Lile Int. Co.) Chair Appointee Ron Riddle (Leavitt’s Freight Service) DIRECTORS-AT-LARGE Greg Galbraith (Market Express) Paul Graves (Oak Harbor) Heather Hayes (Tradewinds Trans.) David Hopkins (TP Trucking) Charles Ireland (Ireland Trucking) Eric Lourenco (Knife River) 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 Dale Latimer (Ram Trucking) COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVES Safety Management Council (SMC) Jennifer King (WHA Insurance) Technology & Maintenance Council (TMC) Nicole Hawks-Morse (Kool PAK) Standing Committee Representatives Allied Trevin Fountain (Cummins) Government Affairs John Barnes (TEC Equipment) Highway Policy Kirk Watkins (Walmart) Image Michael Card (Combined Transport) Membership Evan Oneto (FedEx) Oregon TruckPAC Nick Card (Blackwell Consolidation) OTA in Action Mark Gibson (Siskiyou Transportation) Workforce Billy Dover (Tyree Oil) COMMITTEES Allied Government Affairs Highway Policy Image Membership Oregon TruckPAC OTA in Action Workforce To learn more about the committees or councils listed above, contact OTA at [email protected] or 503.513.0005. 2024/2025 BOARD OF DIRECTORS OTA Welcomes the Following New Members! All members are listed in our online directory via the member portal. Fisher Roofing and Construction Forslund Crane Service, Inc. Landboat Moving Live Junkless Milann Farms, Inc. Pacific Truck Colors Inc. Pomp’s Tire and Service For those that were at the OTA Annual Conference, this important work of adding additional value for our members has already started with the new Saif (workers’ comp) discount that you will receive if you are an OTA member in good standing, meeting all requirements. It literally pays to be part of this organization! Next, we need to make sure we win the battles I referenced above. For years, we have been paying more than our fair share of taxes (weight-mile) in this industry, and the state needs to fix this. We have gotten their attention through the lawsuit we filed against the state of Oregon several months ago, but we need to see this through; we must not only fix the sins of the past but also make sure they don’t happen in the future. I believe there is an opportunity to leverage our overpayment to make sure the industry is represented well in the upcoming transportation package which will be a major focus of the 2025 Legislative Session. Finally, we need to make sure our members in the state of Oregon can purchase a truck in 2025 and in coming years. There are rules being developed this very moment around vehicle emissions that will be devastating if we cannot come to a more workable solution with decisionmakers. Jana and our lobby team have been working hard to get the attention of the state, starting at the top, to understand what this regulation will do to our industry. I hope to share some positive news with you regarding this issue in the months ahead. I am extremely excited for the opportunity to serve you all in the coming years. If you need anything, please feel free to reach out to me, because you can be certain I will be reaching out to you! Erik
4 Oregon Trucking Association, Inc. Oregon Truck Dispatch FROM THE PRESIDENT Jana Jarvis AS 2024 COMES to an end and I reflect on both the progress we’ve made and the challenges we’ve faced this year, I was reminded of a quote from Eleanor Roosevelt, who said, “You must do the things you think you cannot do.” That simple statement describes the journey that we have been on for all of 2024— After surviving the prolonged economic shutdown resulting from the pandemic with our membership and programming intact, OTA joined the rest of the country in facing the inevitable challenges that the post-pandemic, two-year recession brought to Oregon’s economy. We saw a number of our members go out of business, and many of our longtime active members had to refocus their energy on their businesses instead of on association activities. In the association world, declining membership and increasing costs are a dangerous combination that have the potential to lead to reduced member benefits and member participation. And yet, despite the economic and regulatory challenges we have faced, as I reflect on what we have accomplished this year, and what we need to focus on as we prepare for 2025, I am incredibly proud of the work our OTA team has put in to expanding our member offerings in 2024 This year, we expanded our training programs and had record participation in our Fleet Safety and Fleet Maintenance programs that continue to better prepare your teams for the challenges ahead. We continue to offer virtual training to other states, most recently adding the Idaho Trucking Association to that list. And we were selected by the State of Oregon to provide the New Carrier Education program to every newly registered trucking company in Oregon which has allowed us to not only help them succeed but also exposed them to OTA’s offerings. Training has been and will continue to be a priority for OTA. You recently received a brochure of our training offerings in the member packets that were mailed to the primary contact in your company—I encourage you to take a moment to peruse this and reach out to us if there is something you need that is not on the list! Hopefully you have heard by now that we were able to secure for our members a substantial discount through our SAIF Workers’ Compensation Program. Our team has worked for years to negotiate for our members a program with SAIF and I am proud to share that this coming year we are offering a 10 percent discount to OTA members who qualify for our program. Talk to your broker to see if you qualify and help us spread the message to those who aren’t OTA members. The more participation, the better the program will get! We continued to host our ever-popular annual member events including the Southern Oregon Mixer, our Truck Driving Championship, our Spring Safety Conference, our Annual Leadership Convention and our Maintenance Fair. All of these events create the opportunity for members like you to learn, network, and invest in your employees. We will continue to provide first-rate programming to make your investment worthwhile. We also delivered box lunches to drivers during National Truck Driver Appreciation Week, expanding our program to five weigh stations across the state. Thank you to those who contributed to this program both financially and by showing up to help—the surprise and thank-yous we see from drivers always makes this one of my favorite events of the year. We also invested in our association. We brought in a new database and updated our website allowing us to better communicate with you, our members. Take a moment to update your contact information if you haven’t in a while so that our outreach to you doesn’t get caught up in your spam filter! Member participation has also been a goal of our Board of Directors, so we expanded our committee offerings and continue to do outreach for committee participation. We also added new members to our Board of Directors. If you would like a say in what OTA is offering, or doing, get involved! There are lots of different ways for you to participate, but volunteering for one of our committees helps the industry, the association, and your business. One of our most critical committees is our Government Affairs Committee, which works closely with our advocacy team in Salem on policies that have the potential to significantly impact our industry. As many of you already know, 2024 was a challenging year for our industry on the government affairs front. In January, we sued the State of Oregon over the inequity in our trucking tax rates when it became clear that we were overpaying in excess of 32 percent and the legislature declined to fix it. The lawsuit is ongoing, but its existence ensures that the voice of trucking has an even greater voice in the transportation discussions that are already underway to pass a new transportation package during the 2025 legislative session. Ahead of the introduction of that package, this summer, the Joint Transportation Committee (JCT) held Reflecting on Growth in the Face of Existential Challenges in 2024 and for the last few years.
5 www.ortrucking.org Issue 4 | 2024 ADVOCATING, EDUCATING, AND PROMOTING THE TRUCKING INDUSTRY EVENTS UPCOMING EVENTS JANUARY 2025 23 Southern Oregon Industry Mixer MARCH 2025 18 Trucking Day at the Capitol APRIL 2025 16–18 Spring Safety Conference TBD 2025 TBD Oregon Truck Driving Championships JULY 2025 22 TruckPAC Golf Tournament AUGUST 2025 11–13 Annual Leadership Convention TBD 2025 TBD TMC Maintenance & Education Fair 12 roundtable meetings and hearings around the state focused on ODOT’s budget woes and their inability to finish the commitments of the previous transportation package, HB 2017, due to financial constraints. OTA had two seats at each of these meetings and many of you volunteered to help us share our message. The JTC has now begun a series of workgroups focused on key issues in the transportation arena, and OTA continues to hold two seats at each of these workgroups. It is too early to predict what will come out of all of this, but be assured that your association has a strong voice in these discussions and will continue to advocate for equity and fairness as new taxes are proposed. Even more concerning than new taxes, however, are the challenges coming to us from the regulatory arena. The Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) passed a requirement during the pandemic that Oregon adopt the California Air Resources Board (CARB) standards for zero-emission trucks that will severely limit your ability to purchase a new diesel truck beginning January 2025. These standards require a certain percentage of battery electric trucks sold in each class of vehicle BEFORE diesel trucks can be sold. Given Oregon has not subsidized battery electric trucks and that most of our companies cannot make them work in the majority of their applications, very few battery-electric trucks have been sold, so the dealer community will be constrained from selling you a new truck next year. We have met repeatedly with the Governor, her staff, and legislators but have yet to see a change to this regulation. The environmental community is pushing this issue hard as a solution to greenhouse gas emissions even though their solution is inevitably destined for failure. As a result of these new regulations, many Oregon-based trucking companies are looking at other (more trucking friendly) states to open an office in order to be able to purchase equipment—at the very Get the latest on OTA training & events online at www.ortrucking.org/events. Watch our calendar for updates on other annual events. moment that ODOT is sounding the alarm on their financial stability! As we all know fewer business taxes and fewer registration dollars certainly will not help ODOT become financially solvent. I continue to share this message with decisionmakers in Salem. With our industry facing multi-pronged, arguably existential challenges on the legislative, regulatory, and economic fronts all at the same time, deciding which fire to focus our attention on first can be overwhelming, particularly as we enter the 2025 legislative session. What we have to do can seem insurmountable some days. We have to see changes to these environmental regulations so that the trucking industry can survive in Oregon. We have to fix our overpayment issue at the same time that the agency is looking for additional revenue. We can face these challenges and improve the landscape for our industry—but we will need your help to do it. Be ready, when OTA asks, to meet with your legislators and help us communicate the urgency of our issues. Volunteer for one of our committees to help us find better solutions to the issues of the day. Spread the message that OTA membership is an investment worth making to your friends in the industry who aren’t already a member. The issues are big. The challenges are great. But together, we will succeed and build a better environment for trucking in Oregon, beginning in 2025.
6 Oregon Trucking Association, Inc. Oregon Truck Dispatch EVENTS 6 OTA HOSTED ITS 73rd Annual Leadership Convention & Exhibition in Bend from August 19–21, bringing together carrier members, allied partners, and speakers representing a variety of important perspectives and topics. Those who were able to arrive in Bend a day early had the opportunity to participate in a golf tournament fundraiser benefitting OTA’s legal fund, as well as to join association committee meetings. OTA was pleased to have a representative from the No on Measure 118 campaign on hand to talk about the significant impact the measure could have on our industry, as well as how OTA’s members could help support the campaign. Day one of the convention began with a panel of experts including Mike Tunnell, Sr. Director of Environmental Affairs from ATRI, Steve Gordon, Principal with Gordon Truck Centers, Dave Laird, President with Papé Kenworth, and Chris Thompson, Vice President of Truck Sales at TEC Equipment. The panel discussed new regulations and how they will limit truck sales and how dealers are addressing the coming challenges. Joint Transportation Committee Chairs Senator Chris Gorsek and Representative Susan McLain spoke with attendees in the afternoon about the upcoming transportation package and other legislative issues that they anticipate coming up in the 2025 session that will impact trucking. OTA was grateful to both Sen. Gorsek and Rep. McLain for taking the time to attend the meeting in Bend. In the evening, those who attended the TruckPAC dinner had the opportunity to hear from longtime political reporter for Willamette Week, Nigel Jaquiss, who spoke with the group about the current political landscape in Oregon and what he sees for the state going forward. Day two included a lively discussion with former State Senator Betsy Johnson and attorney and Oregon Roundup author Jeff Eager, who shared their always colorful perspectives on what they believe Oregon’s future looks like. Attendees also officially approved at the convention new members of the OTA board of directors, as well as new leadership, including newly elected Board Chair Erik Zander of Omega Morgan. After thanking immediate past chair Evan Oneto of FedEx for his years of service, Erik spoke to the group about his vision for OTA and Oregon’s trucking industry, emphasizing his commitment to the association and its membership. Finally, OTA recognized annual award winners. Ram Trucking was honored as OTA’s Carrier Member of the Year, while Papé Kenworth received the Allied Member OTA Members Gather in Bend for Annual Leadership Convention & Exhibition By Jennifer Sitton | OTA Communications Consultant
7 www.ortrucking.org Issue 4 | 2024 OTA hosted its 73rd Annual Leadership Convention & Exhibition in Bend from August 19–21, bringing together carrier members, allied partners, and speakers representing a variety of important perspectives and topics.
8 Oregon Trucking Association, Inc. Oregon Truck Dispatch 8 of the Year award. Carrier and Allied Members of the Year are recognized for their outstanding support of the association and its members, as well as their contributions to the industry. Organically Grown received the 2024 Image Award, recognizing a company whose actions and efforts make a positive impression and enhance trucking’s overall image to the general public, decisionmakers, and other industry members. Old Dominion Freight Line received OTA’s Fleet Safety Grand Champion award for exemplifying our industry’s commitment to safety in everything they do. Thank you to all OTA members who attended this year’s convention, to the dozens of allied members who participated in the exhibition, and to all the speakers who helped make this year’s event a success! Thank you to all OTA members who attended this year’s convention, to the dozens of allied members who participated in the exhibition, and to all the speakers who helped make this year’s event a success!
9 www.ortrucking.org Issue 4 | 2024 JOIN OTA FOR... TRUCKING DAY AT THE CAPITOL MARCH 18, 2025 SALEM, OREGON SALEM CONVENTION CENTER REGISTER: ORTRUCKING.ORG/EVENTS With all the threats facing our industry, it has never been more important to make your voice heard in Salem! What to expect: Meet with legislators at the Capitol Hear priorities from legislative leadership Promote the industry Share your story
10 Truck Drivers Receive Statewide Recognition During National Truck Driver Appreciation Week By Jennifer Sitton | OTA Communications Consultant 10 Oregon Trucking Association, Inc. Oregon Truck Dispatch
THE OREGON TRUCKING Association (OTA) partnered with the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) to celebrate drivers across the state during National Truck Driver Appreciation Week from September 16–19. Thanks to the generous support of OTA’s members, OTA was able to provide hundreds of free meals to drivers at weigh stations across the state including Cascade Locks, Juniper Butte, Klamath Falls, Ashland, and Woodburn. “Driver Appreciation Week is one of our favorite events of the year,” said Jana Jarvis, President & CEO of the OTA. “It gives us a chance to thank the hard-working truck drivers who keep Oregon’s economy moving every day.” OTA also was pleased to see truck drivers recognized by local TV stations across the state, with media crews attending our events in Cascade Locks and Ashland. You can find links to all four of the TV stories about Driver Appreciation Week on OTA’s Facebook page. “Without truck drivers, food, clothes and other important deliveries wouldn’t make it to people’s doorsteps,” said Robert “Scooter” Engle III, a driver with A&M Transport. “Driver Appreciation Week is a good reminder to thank the hardworking men and women who keep things moving where they need to go every day.” Thank you to all of our members who donated to help OTA provide free meals, helped hand out meals, or otherwise supported your drivers during Truck Driver Appreciation Week and thank you, as always, to the hard-working truck drivers who we celebrate every day for their hard work and dedication. “Without truck drivers, food, clothes and other important deliveries wouldn’t make it to people’s doorsteps,” said Robert “Scooter” Engle III, a driver with A&M Transport. “Driver Appreciation Week is a good reminder to thank the hardworking men and women who keep things moving where they need to go every day.” 11 www.ortrucking.org Issue 4 | 2024
12 Oregon Trucking Association, Inc. Oregon Truck Dispatch ortrucking.org/events SOUTHERN OREGON Industry Mixer T H U R S DAY JAN. 2320 25 SEVEN FEATHERS CASINO RESORT
13 www.ortrucking.org Issue 4 | 2024 CORPORATE LONGEVITY, FAMILY values, and employee-centric culture are all common in the trucking industry, but while many trucking companies talk at length about their values, Oak Harbor Freight Lines and their leadership embody them every day. A family-owned and operated business since its inception in 1916, Oak Harbor Freight Lines has prioritized its values in all aspects of its business, even as it has grown and expanded outside of its home state of Washington. Today Oak Harbor Freight Lines operates 40 terminals across seven states, offering customers LTL (Less Than Truckload) and truckload services. The story of what is today one of the biggest trucking companies operating in the western United States began in 1910, when the Vander Pol family crossed the Atlantic Ocean for America thanks to a sponsorship from Holland American Land Company. After working for two years in North Dakota to pay off their sponsorship to America, the family settled in Oak Harbor, Washington, where the former Dutch farm laborers achieved their goal of owning their own farm. Brothers Gus and John Vander Pol branched out from the family farm and joined the trucking industry in 1936 when they purchased Oak Harbor Transfer, which, at the time, primarily made deliveries around Whidbey Island, Washington. Their brother Henry joined the company a year later and helped start Oak Harbor’s daily run into Seattle, while managing a new terminal there. As the company grew, Oak Harbor Transfer purchased Oak Harbor Freight Lines in 1942 and retained the name. Like so many others across the world, the brothers faced challenges during World War II with gasoline rationing, an inability to get truck parts, and increased costs for tires and labor, all while adhering to strict national embargoes on increasing the price of delivery rates. Henry Vander Pol recalled that war period as one that was extraordinarily trying for the company. After the passing of his brother John, Gus sold his portion of Oak Harbor Freight Lines to Henry in the late 1960s and Henry’s sons, Ed and David Vander Pol, began taking a larger role in the family business. Following the deregulation of the trucking industry through the Motor Carrier Act in 1979, Oak Harbor Freight Lines expanded significantly in the 1980s through the purchase of existing lines and authorities in both Eastern and Western Washington. The company also received approval for their first terminal outside of Washington in Portland, Oregon. Oak Harbor Freight Lines was soon able to serve the entire I-5 corridor in Oregon. “We believe in using partners to serve regions we cannot,” said Ed. “We couldn’t find a partner with the same level of service as ours, so we opened our own Oak Harbor Freight Lines: Leading from the Front for 108 Years By Jennifer Sitton | OTA Communications Consultant OHFL ELECTRIC TRUCKS—Oak Harbor Freight Lines’ new E-trucks to service the California area.
14 Oregon Trucking Association, Inc. Oregon Truck Dispatch terminal. Our goal through expansion is to bring our customers peace of mind.” After the construction of a new—and the current—freight terminal in Auburn, Washington, Oak Harbor Freight Lines saw a need to better integrate and connect its multi-state operations and installed an IBM computer system in the early 1990s. The new system modernized their operations and helped them to better serve their customers. Oak Harbor Freight Lines continued its expansion throughout the 1990s and 2000s, including into the very large California market. “California is a demanding market,” said David Vander Pol. “The state is large enough that we needed a few partners to serve the whole state. But just like in Oregon, we found the level of service we were getting was just not good enough to bring peace of mind to us or our customers. Our first terminal was in Sacramento. Over the next 20 years, we would add 11 more terminals to create a strategic network capable of serving the state at the Oak Harbor standard.” As the company has grown and expanded over the last 108 years, it has remained committed to its values and ensuring that its leaders remain engaged and connected to its employees across its seven-state footprint. According to current Chairman Ed Vander Pol, “Oak Harbor exists for one primary purpose; to take care of our families.” That includes not only the Vander Pol family, but also the families of Oak Harbor Freight Lines employees and the families of the customers they serve. Ed and his brother David, who worked at the company until his passing in 2021, said that after taking over Oak Harbor Freight Lines, they always tried to exemplify their father’s values of 1) family comes first; 2) take care of the customer; 3) lead from the front; and 4) expect exceptionalism. “As leaders, we need to be the first to listen, to be humble, to admit fault, and to apologize,” said Co-President Dan Vander Pol. “We have to make hard choices to serve those we lead.” Today, Dan serves the company as CoPresident alongside Co-President Eric Vander Pol. Both Dan and Eric exemplify their grandfather’s motto of “look them in the eye and tell them the truth” as the next generation of Vander Pols take over management of the company. It isn’t unusual for Oak Harbor Freight Lines employees to see Dan and Eric at every company terminal at least a couple times a year, speaking with them about what their plans are and asking what employees need. They then take that feedback back to the leadership team to ensure that everyone has the tools they need to be as successful as possible. “We have a really open environment here where, even if you’re a guy on the dock, leadership values what you have to say and your opinions on how things should go,” said Elizabeth Brocious, marketing coordinator at Oak Harbor Freight Lines. “I always joke that we could never participate in one of those undercover bosses shows because everyone knows who all the leaders are and sees them all the time.” That commitment to workplace culture means that employees often stay at Oak Harbor Freight Lines for decades, including many who started at the company at 18 years old on the dock and retire from the company in their 60s. The company is committed to promoting from within and providing opportunities for employees to grow their career at Oak Harbor Freight Lines. “We’ve focused a lot these last three years on expanding our learning and development programs to build a bench Left to right: Mark Vander Pol, Ed Vander Pol, Dan Vander Pol, Henry Vander Pol, David Vander Pol, and Eric Vander Pol. Photo of the Cedar City terminal opening day team. Ribbon cutting ceremony of Oak Harbor Freight Lines’ 40th terminal in Cedar City, Utah. The Vander Pols circa 2006, standing in front of a retro version of the Oak Harbor Freight Lines trucks. Left to right: David Vander Pol, Henry Vander Pol, and Ed Vander Pol.
15 www.ortrucking.org Issue 4 | 2024 of leaders so we can promote from within,” said Elizabeth. One of those leadership and development programs is Oak Harbor University, which offers a handful of employees an opportunity to spend nine months talking with leadership, shadowing different positions within the company, and seeing every aspect of the business. At the end of the program, they present to leadership on an issue that they identified within the company and what they plan to do to fix it. Oak Harbor University “students” have included everyone from dock workers to drivers to dispatchers, allowing those with different perspectives the opportunity to learn more about and weigh in on the business. Even as the company continues to grow and expand to meet the challenges of the modern trucking industry, Oak Harbor Freight Lines is committed to keeping that family culture in all of its terminals and operations. It was important for Henry Vander Pol to know every person who worked for him and what they stood for. The next generation of Vander Pols have made it clear they plan to lead just as their grandfather would: from the front.
16 Oregon Trucking Association, Inc. Oregon Truck Dispatch Oregon Drivers Find Success at National Truck Driving Championships By Jennifer Sitton | OTA Communications Consultant TWO OREGON DRIVERS came home from the 2024 National Truck Driving & Step Van Championships with third place trophies, an impressive feat given the 422 drivers from 49 states who competed in this year’s event. Daniel Shamrell from FedEx Freight, this year’s Oregon Truck Driving Championships Grand Champion and longtime advocate for the Truck Driving Championships, earned third place in the 3-Axle category, while Travis Hutchinson from FedEx took home third place in the Step Van category. Professional truck drivers who place first in their division at their respective state Truck Driving Championships have the opportunity to represent their state at the National Truck Driving & Step Van Championships, which is held in a different location every year. This year’s event included driving competitions across nine vehicle classes, vehicle inspection and a written exam. Known as the “Super Bowl of Safety,” this year’s participants boasted a total of nearly 685 million accident-free miles among all participants. Drivers with eligible safety records will have the opportunity to compete in the Oregon Truck Driving Championships this coming spring, with the chance to represent Oregon at the national TDC in 2025. Daniel Shamrell from FedEx Freight, this year’s Oregon Truck Driving Championships Grand Champion and longtime advocate for the Truck Driving Championships, earned third place in the 3-Axle category, while Travis Hutchinson from FedEx took home third place in the Step Van category.
17 www.ortrucking.org Issue 4 | 2024 Oregon Delays Implementation of Omnibus NOx Rule Advanced Clean Truck Rule still expected to go into effect on Jan. 1, 2025 By Jennifer Sitton | OTA Communications Consultant THE OREGON DEPARTMENT of Environmental Quality announced in October that it would delay its upcoming omnibus NOx rule that would enact stricter emission standards for new heavyduty vehicles until 2026 due to a shortage of new trucks with engines that meet the standards. The rule was set to go into effect in January 2025 and would have required that new diesel trucks, buses, and vans sold in Oregon have engines that produce lower levels of nitrogen oxide and fine particulate matter. The first phase of the rule aimed for a 75% cut in nitrogen oxides and 50% cut in particulate pollution when compared to 2023 standards. The second phase, to launch in 2027, would require diesel engine manufacturers to reduce nitrogen oxides by 90% when compared with the 2023 standard, with no additional requirements for fine particulate matter. ODOT directly attributed the delay to the lack of available compliant trucks. “The current lack of compliancebased diesel engines means diesel truck manufacturers can’t make any vehicles available for sale,” said DEQ spokesperson Susan Mills. Oregon is one of several states that have adopted an emissions regulation based on similar standards in California. Many of those states have already delayed their implementation timelines due to similar concerns about the availability of zero emission trucks. The federal clean truck rules, which would similarly require nitrogen oxide and particulate matter reductions, will go into effect in 2027. Separately, at the time of this writing, Oregon’s Advanced Clean Truck (ACT) Rule, which requires manufacturers to sell a growing percentage of zero-emission heavy-duty trucks, buses, and vans, is still slated to go into effect January 1, 2025. Even with the delay of the omnibus NOx rule, the ACT will significantly limit a company’s ability—if not make it impossible—to purchase a new truck in the state of Oregon beginning in 2025. “The current lack of compliance-based diesel engines means diesel truck manufacturers can’t make any vehicles available for sale,” said DEQ spokesperson Susan Mills. OTA’s lobby team has been deeply engaged in conversations with legislators, regulators, and the governor about these rules since their adoption and continues to advocate for a delay until the necessary electric infrastructure is in place and truck manufacturers can effectively meet the needs of trucking companies seeking to purchase new vehicles for their fleets.
18 Oregon Trucking Association, Inc. Oregon Truck Dispatch INTRODUCING NEW OTA BOARD LEADERSHIP PLEASE JOIN US in welcoming the new executive committee and new directors and thanking them for their leadership and commitment to Oregon’s trucking industry! The Oregon Trucking Association membership officially voted to approve new board leadership at the 2024 Annual Convention in August. Attendees thanked Evan Oneto (FedEx) for his outstanding service as OTA’s Board Chair for the last two years and welcomed Erik Zander (Omega Morgan) as the new Chair of the organization. Erik brings with him many years of experience working with the OTA and a wealth of knowledge about issues impacting trucking. In his speech at the convention, Erik recognized that our industry is facing many challenges at the moment and said that he looks forward to getting more of our members more engaged to advocate for trucking. His energy and enthusiasm for OTA and the industry made it abundantly clear that the organization is in good hands moving into 2025! Joining Erik on the 2024/2026 executive committee is new Vice Chair Nick Card (Blackwell Consolidation), Secretary/Treasurer Bart Sherman (Sherman Bros. Trucking), ATA State VP Andy Owens (A&M Transport), ISI Rep Diane DeAutremont (Lile Int. Co.), Chair Appointee Ron Riddle (Leavitt’s Freight Service), and Past Chair Evan Oneto (FedEx). Erik Zander, OTA Chair—Omega Morgan
19 www.ortrucking.org Issue 4 | 2024 Gold Level GREAT WEST CASUALTY COMPANY Diamond Level Silver Level Bronze Level
20 Oregon Trucking Association, Inc. Oregon Truck Dispatch
21 www.ortrucking.org Issue 4 | 2024 MEET OTA’S NEW BOARD MEMBERS! The OTA Board of Directors voted to accept two new Board Members for 2024–25 at the Annual Convention in August. Please join us in welcoming Paul Graves and Eric Lourenco to the OTA Board! Q: Why do you believe it’s important to be involved with the OTA? Paul Graves— General Counsel, Oak Harbor A: Oak Harbor Freight Lines has seven terminals in Oregon. What happens in Salem directly impacts our ability to provide our customers peace of mind, and the OTA is the voice for the trucking industry in the state. Q: Do you have any goals for OTA over the next year? A: Even though we face challenges with state and local governments in Oregon, I would like to see us be viewed as a trusted advocate for the industry and a source of high-quality information for policy makers and agencies. Q: Why do you believe it’s important to be involved with the OTA? A: It’s important to work together as an industry group to make sure our common goals are achieved while supporting each other. We have the opportunity to improve conditions for drivers, while helping the public understand our industry’s unique needs. Q: What did you want to take on a bigger role with the OTA and join the board? A: I see the need to help the industry and fellow OTA partners with the challenges we face daily. From workforce shortages to new regulatory initiatives, we can learn and support each other. Eric Lourenco— Regional Asset Manager, Knife River
22 Oregon Trucking Association, Inc. Oregon Truck Dispatch
23 www.ortrucking.org Issue 4 | 2024 INTRODUCING ODOT’S NEW COMMERCE AND COMPLIANCE DIVISION ADMINISTRATOR CARLA PHELPS CARLA PHELPS, WHO most recently served as ODOT’s Commerce and Compliance Division (CCD) Roadside Safety and Compliance branch manger, recently took over the role of CCD Administrator until ODOT completes a competitive recruitment process next year. Carla previously served as ODOT’s Field Motor Carrier Services Section manager, working with amazing field staff at the Port of Entries and weigh stations throughout the state. Prior to this position, she served as Transportation Leadership Program Manager within Strategic Business Services and spent several years within the maintenance and Operations Branch in Fleet Services. She brings 30 plus years of business management experience to ODOT from the private sector. Carla Phelps—Commerce and Compliance Division Administrator, ODOT
24 Oregon Trucking Association, Inc. Oregon Truck Dispatch IT CAN BE stressful to figure out the dos and don’ts of a supervisory role in your organization especially if there has been no formal training program. So how do you know if you’re on the right track as you lead your team? Don’t Fail to Define Goals for Your Team Employees show up each day to fulfill a purpose and help meet your organization’s mission, but that’s difficult to do if there are no standards or benchmarks. It is always a good idea to help your boss look good and meet their goals. Setting performance and behavior expectations helps when it comes time to give performance feedback and reviews. Don’t Be Afraid to Know Your People It is important to be friendly with your staff. Learn about their interests and a little about some likes and dislikes. It is especially important to know what motivates your employees. This helps in understanding how to encourage them, what prompts can be used if you are not seeing the level of production you need, or if they are feeling discouraged what you can do to tap into your emotions or empathy to be supportive and encouraging. You must learn how to communicate with them and flex your style and approach to best suit theirs for the most effective communication possible. Don’t Avoid Giving Feedback It is important to remember feedback lets people know that the work they’re doing matters. It is key for employees to understand that they are part of something bigger than themselves. Giving feedback is a skill. You cannot give Supervisory Mistakes to Avoid By Deborah Jeffries, HR Answers
25 www.ortrucking.org Issue 4 | 2024 feedback the same way to every employee because they are not the same. Learning to flex to your people is important and being able to communicate in a way they can hear your messages both positive items (recognizing when they have met those expectations and standards and providing praise) and where there are areas for improvement. One of the best times to do this is during regular check-in meetings. Don’t Avoid Challenging Conversations/Conflict Letting things fester can kill team morale quickly. When it comes to preparing for a challenging conversation and practicing what you need to say, use a colleague as a sounding board to help you get perspective on the effectiveness of your words, tone, and overall message. “Scripting” your conversations with a series of bullet points to address the concern and to stay on task is a good idea. Don’t Avoid Delegating Taking on everything yourself is not sustainable. If you’re taking on all the tasks, what you are really telling others is they are not needed. Delegation is a wonderful development tool for employees. This helps them grow, stretch, prepare for the future, and even helps when you’re out of the office. Don’t Forget to be an Active Listener This is so important. When you truly listen to staff you build rapport and trust. When you ask open-ended questions during the day and during your regular check-in meetings and wait for answers you will learn what is going on with the employee both in their work and personally on the job. You will discover where they need help and how you can assist. You will know when they need your support, when to show encouragement, when to celebrate and when they just need an ear to vent in the best way possible to you and not a coworker where gossip begins. LISTENING is a major piece of an effective supervisoremployee working relationship.
26 Oregon Trucking Association, Inc. Oregon Truck Dispatch The 2025 Legislative Session: A Preview By Jordan Bice, Oxley & Associates THE OREGON TRUCKING Association takes great pride in advocating for its member companies in the Oregon State legislature. Particularly in our state, which is the most expensive state to operate a trucking company, our industry faces tremendous challenges both on the road and in the Capitol. While we spend every session defending against policies that could make it harder to get goods to market by truck in Oregon, we also foresee some opportunities in the 2025 legislative session to keep our economy moving. The last time Oregon passed a large transportation package was 2017. At that time, the transportation coalition consisting of OTA, the Associated General Contractors, and AAA, acquiesced to the cost increases in the bill because it directed the construction of several major projects to relieve congestion, including on Interstate 205 at the Abernethy Bridge, Interstate 217, and Interstate 5 at the Rose Quarter. The Rose Quarter project was and is a top priority, as it is still the most significant bottleneck in the state—and is regularly recognized as one of the worst bottlenecks in the country. Though construction is underway on the first two projects, the Rose Quarter project has yet to turn over a single shovel of dirt. OTA has made it very clear that the organization will not support any new transportation package without a guarantee that the Rose Quarter project will be completed. Though progress has been made, and both legislative leadership and the Oregon Department of Transportation anticipate construction to begin, OTA will stay vigilant on this priority for its members. Another key part of any deal on a transportation package in 2025 must include a remedy to the overpayments by the trucking industry. The Oregon Trucking Association, along with fleets A&M Transport, Sherman Bros. Trucking and Combined Transport, sued the state of Oregon and top Oregon officials earlier this year, alleging that truckers are paying disproportionately more highway taxes in the state. Oregon’s state constitution requires the state to impose taxes on vehicles to fund highway and road maintenance, which are required to be “fair and proportionate to the costs incurred for the highway system because of each class of vehicle.” In the 2019–2021 study, heavy vehicle users overpaid by approximately 3%, then 16% for 2021– 2023. The most recent allocation study, for years 2023–2025, had heavy vehicles overpaying by 32%. This overpayment equates to roughly $193 million per year, or more than $528,000 per day. Until and unless the legislature passes a bill to correct the overpayment methodology, the State will continue to collect payments from the trucking industry at this same rate. “For too long, Oregon trucking companies, the vast majority of which are small, family-owned businesses, have paid far more than their fair share “For too long, Oregon trucking companies, the vast majority of which are small, family-owned businesses, have paid far more than their fair share of transportation taxes,” said OTA President and CEO Jana Jarvis.
27 www.ortrucking.org Issue 4 | 2024 of transportation taxes,” said OTA President and CEO Jana Jarvis. “By 2025, the trucking industry is expected to have overpaid by half a billion dollars. Trucking companies in Oregon simply cannot sustain paying the highest transportation taxes of any state in the country any longer.” Though the 2017 transportation package was geared more toward individual projects, the discussion in 2025 will focus more on the sustainability and fairness of the transportation system itself. In addition to the overpayment issue, the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) will need a solution to its own considerable funding troubles. Increased costs of construction, maintenance, and inflation combined with rapidly declining revenue from gas taxes has left the agency on a disastrous trajectory. Even though the actual gas taxes have gone up, the rise of electric and more fuel-efficient vehicles has meant fewer dollars for ODOT and their programs. Last February, ODOT told legislators that it expects a $205 million shortfall for basic operations and maintenance and a nearly $1 billion shortfall to repair roads and increase safety on the roadways. In total, ODOT claims it will need an additional $1.8 billion per year. To resolve these issues, members of the Joint Transportation Committee, the House and Senate revenue committees, legislative leadership, and the Governor’s office have been working during the 2024 interim to develop possible funding solutions, which could potentially include an increase to the gas tax, registration fees, employee payroll taxes, a pay- per-mile program, and more. Jana Jarvis, the OTA Board, and the lobbyists at Oxley & Associates have been working diligently throughout 2024 to inform lawmakers, staff, and agencies about the issues affecting our industry. With the support of our members, we can work with the legislature in 2025 for fairness, equity, and a financially
28 Oregon Trucking Association, Inc. Oregon Truck Dispatch Will 2025 Bring Major Changes to FMCSA Regulations? By Adam Williamson | OTA’s Director of Training & Development SAFETY THE REGULATORY PROCESS can often be frustrating for all involved. To begin, it is frequently difficult for an agency to get the ball rolling with formal proposals for adding or revising rules. Considerable research and data analysis must be done to identify significant deficiency in the current framework that warrants overhaul. When changes are proposed, a period of public comment is required. Once this comment period is concluded, the feedback received must then go through a review process to see if the proposals can be refined. When the final version of a rule is approved, advance industry notice must be announced before it goes into effect. The process can literally take years in some cases. Whew! And you thought that Congress moved slowly! The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is a perfect example of this slow grinding bureaucracy. The result is often prolonged periods of review that leave proposed rule changes in an indefinite state of limbo. Everybody is left waiting for the other shoe to drop. Sometimes it is difficult to make long term business plans when there is so much uncertainty hanging over the trucking industry. Will everything continue under essentially the same regulatory framework for the time being? Or will major improvisation be needed to adjust to the imminent arrival of a new set of rules? The year 2025 is shaping up to be rather interesting in this regard. A series of proposed FMCSA rules have begun to overlap in the review process to the point where the trucking industry could be facing a barrage of new rules in the next year. Here are some of the changes that could very well be on the table: 1. Safety Measurement System Revisions. Currently, there is a three-tiered safety rating system for carriers based on the direct results of a safety audit (Satisfactory/ Conditional/ Unsatisfactory). This system might end up being preserved, but it could also be replaced with a simplified system assigning more straightforward “Fit/Unfit” status to carriers. Roadside inspection data can also become a contributing factor in this evaluation. With a comment period that has been closed to the public for over a year now, a final decision is expected to be announced sooner rather than later. 2. Electronic Logging Device Revisions. Think that your pre-2000 engine trucks are grandfathered in as exempt from the ELD mandate? Think again. This exemption might be removed entirely under a proposed expansion of the rule that could also end up redefining how ELD malfunctions must be addressed by carriers. 3. Speed Limiter Mandate. This rule is currently on hold until 2025 as specifics are still being ironed out. Initially, a top speed of 68 mph for large trucks was recommended by FMCSA but this recommendation was withdrawn after key voices advocated for greater flexibility. Discussions for the proposal are scheduled to be resumed in May of next year. 4. Automatic Emergency Braking Standardization. FMCSA has proposed standardizing Class 3 and larger AEB systems with the anticipation that a rule will be announced sometime in 2025. 5. Approved Clinics for Oral Saliva Testing. Oral saliva fluid for controlled substance testing has already been approved by FMCSA as a discretionary alternative to urinalysis. However, the industry has been awaiting the certification of clinics to provide this testing methodology since the original announcement was made earlier this year. It is expected that the delay in clinic certification could end as early as January 2025. This is a particularly heavy regulatory agenda to drag across the finish line in one calendar year. Will the trucking industry see a tsunami of changing rules go into effect over the next 12 months? Or will most of these proposed rules end up being delayed yet again if not altogether discarded? If you have a crystal ball to gaze into, now might be a good time to dust it off. Alas, I fear that most of us will just have to wait for the pending announcements as they are issued by FMCSA. The year 2025 will be here before we know it, and it could be the start of some major regulatory changes in the trucking industry. Everybody, stay tuned!
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