OTA Dispatch Issue 4 2019

4 Oregon Trucking Associations, Inc. Oregon Truck Dispatch FROM THE PRESIDENT Jana Jarvis OTA President/CEO AS I WRITE this column there is a chill in the air and the leaves are beginning to fall. Change. Seasonal changes can remind us that change, in and of itself, is a constant. It’s how we react and plan for change that makes all the difference. The Oregon Trucking Associations has been undergoing massive changes over the past three or four years. From building programming to meeting your business’ needs to staffing the association for success, change has been our constant. And as I come to the end of 2019, it is easy for me to think that all of our members know about and understand what OTA membership offers to both our carrier and allied members. In talking to many of you, however, I begin to see that the value proposition of membership varies depending on your involvement with the association. While we try to keep all of members as informed as possible through our various methods of communication, there’s always so much happening that we often just hit the highlights. So, let me wrap up 2019 by reminding you why you are a member of the Oregon Trucking Associations and why participating in our variety of offerings not only supports your business, but financially supports the trade association representing your interests in Salem. First and foremost, we represent trucking ! As a trucking company, you may be a member of a variety of associations for a variety of reasons. As one of our allied members, you are likely a member of a number of other associations, potentially in other industries. Either way, you most certainly analyze these memberships each year and ascribe a value to your ongoing participation. What you get in return for paying your dues to these associations may not always be something tangible, but with OTA it is always something impactful. Simply put, if you care about the trucking industry, if your business is dependent on the success of the trucking industry, then you need to be an OTA member. Beginning January 2020, OTA will be offering a SAIF Workers’ Compensation program to members—the Transportation and Trucking Workers’ Comp Group! As witnessed with this year’s legislative process, trucking, always a popular target during climate and environmental discussions, became the primary focus of the carbon debate. While the organic, grassroots movement that grew out of these legislative interactions effectively put the brakes on the topic (for now), it was the clear and undeniable fact that trucking costs in Oregon are already the most expensive in the nation, and that gave weight to the actions that followed. OTA was able to bring this point and others into play because of your membership dollars and continued support for OTA’s advocacy efforts. Because of your investment and participation in OTA, we had the leverage to shift this discussion into a more equitable avenue that offers the opportunity to find a carbon solution that doesn’t cripple the trucking industry. Of course, OTA is much more than the official public face of Oregon’s trucking industry. We are dedicated to offering our members the resources and solutions they need to succeed, starting with the enormous value members can find through our training offerings. Have you seen our ever- expanding training catalog? We offer a wide variety of classes ranging from professional development offerings with our NW Fleet Safety and NW Fleet Maintenance programs, to our topical classes offered frequently around the state. Most state associations don’t have the wide variety of class offerings that OTA provides. This year we added the Ongoing Carrier Education classes and Train the Trainer classes to help your business operate efficiently and your employees to operate effectively. OTA has positioned itself to meet the wide range of training needs our members have, from the required federal training that everyone faces to the supplemental sessions that can enhance employee performance and streamline company policies. Training is an investment and OTA is here to help direct your investment to the areas that matter most. If there’s a topic of issue that we don’t cover, please let us know. We are constantly upgrading our class offerings to keep our topics current and relevant. And, of course, membership should have its privileges—or benefits, as the case may be. Do you utilize oversize/overweight permits in your operation? If so, then look to OTA to provide these for you—it benefits both of us. We are an agent for the state and receive compensation for this at no