26 Oregon Trucking Associations, Inc. Oregon Truck Dispatch OTA Carrier Member, cont. Can Trucking Do More? According to Evan—absolutely. He believes that the opportunity to influence is more prevalent when working with lawmakers, as opposed to regulators. Elected legislators are more open to hearing from constituents, whereas regulators create and implement based on their own interpretation, often without the benefit of true industry input. “True regulatory impact comes by showing up and telling your story— especially in rulemaking policy. We need to fill the room so that the regulators see and hear the industry. Unfortunately, opposing groups often show up more and that can influence the outcome.” Based on his experience, Evan suggests showing up and giving tangible and easy to understand examples of how the proposed rule or regulation will impact your business. Also, avoid rhetoric, as you are very unlikely to change someone’s political perspective in 30 minutes. As the expert on your business, you can change opinions by providing solid examples and advocating for yourself. Provide an answer, not just a complaint. Be willing to compromise and provide an alternate solution. Don’t Hesitate—Make Your Voice Matter When it comes to advocacy, Evan shares this, “Given the number and extreme challenges and changes coming to the industry—you cannot afford to not be involved. Trucking is so regulated. It is important from an advocacy standpoint, and as a business owner, to understand compliance and having a front-row seat to the issues. Regulatory decisions ultimately impact business decisions and there shouldn’t be any surprises in that process. If you know what’s on the horizon, you know how to plan for it.” Evan continued, “I know it’s easy to get discouraged and feel like your voice doesn’t matter. But I like to challenge those in the industry that claim that. The truth is we do a lot with a relatively small amount of resources. Trucking needs to step up to match the opposition’s presence. We are always outnumbered in hearings, outspent in campaigns. Until we begin to match those numbers—and the opponent’s volume—we truly cannot say whether or not our voice is given equal consideration as our opponents.” If 20% of our membership showed up on lobbying day that would result in an incredible presence. While we have successfully thwarted agendas with a fraction of the base, what would happen if we had a bigger base? “Your voice does matter and a difference will be noticeable when we have participation at the same level and are
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