Stronger together
From the start, the founders of OOIDA recognized that when you go to Washington, D.C., and you talk about issues, you become immediately aware that lots and lots of other groups and economic entities view the world from a very, very, very different perspective.
The number of interest groups that are now vying for focus and attention and favorable treatment in Washington, D.C., has grown exponentially. Virtually every entity is an interest group, and they’re at the table. Too often they are pushing an agenda opposite of anything you’d like to see.
It’s foolhardy to think someone else is going to accurately and adequately share your concerns in the policymaking arena. They don’t. Their concerns are their priorities.
It was abundantly clear from the very beginning that, if you wanted to have your voice heard, you had to have a presence in Washington, D.C. And, that doesn’t just mean a physical presence. It also means you have to build up credibility so lawmakers and their staff can rely on the information you provide. So they know that you know what you’re talking about and that you’re telling them the truth.
What gives our Washington, D.C., staff the ability to knock on doors and be heard by lawmakers is the army of members who are willing to send emails and make phone calls when needed.
Our strength comes from the number of people who are engaged and that know what’s going on and that will reach out and communicate the message that needs to be communicated on a broad scale. Size matters, engagement matters.
If you want the system to treat you fairly, you’ve got to be a participant. You have to be a player. You have to be involved. OOIDA gives you the means and the information to do all of that.
When you’re going up against large corporate interests with tons of money to throw around in political campaigns, you have to level the playing field any way you can. And of course, there aren’t a lot of truckers around with tons of disposable cash for that kind of battle. So we use our voices. Your voice should have the most credibility with lawmakers.
None of us would be hearing from the news media and elected officials about a driver shortage if they were actually talking to real truckers.
While it’s critical to have that engagement when legislation is hot and moving or a regulation is open for comment, it’s that consistent engagement with lawmakers that can earn us the big wins. We have a number of lawmakers who champion our issues, both Republican and Democratic, because one OOIDA member spent the time cultivating a meaningful relationship with their lawmaker.
The message you deliver has to be an honest one.
It’s got to be a sincere one. And it has to recognize the reality that we live with. You are the real experts because you deal with these issues every day. Talk to your lawmakers. Give them the reason to take your concerns seriously.
Small business will always have to work harder. What OOIDA offers is the opportunity to come together, to talk and sing out of the same hymn book. Let’s work together. Let’s push in the same direction. If we do that, we will always be much more likely to get the due consideration that we should.
We have so many tools you can use to stay informed on the issues of the day. FightingForTruckers.com is a one-stop shop for information on the hottest issues at hand. We have the magazine and radio show to help you stay in the know. You can always call. We have folks here who can talk through your issues and answer your questions.
We’re never going to solve everything. But, if we have more members who are participating in the system and moving in the same direction, we’re going to certainly be more likely to resolve more issues at a faster pace.
As we work together on issues like truck parking, overtime pay, restroom access, and fighting speed limiters, the clearer our united voice is, the more successful we will be. We will always be STRONGER TOGETHER. LL