Fleet Management News & Business Info | Commercial Carrier Journal
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/721587
DIRECTOR OF INDUSTRY RELATIONS, TRUCKSTOP.COM MRS. COLLINS GOES TO WASHINGTON M y phone began to vibrate. Not the long, drawn-out vibrations some people have. No. My phone was set for the short, pulsating vibrations to alert me I had an incoming call. is, according to my cellular phone's owner's manual, was silent mode. By the time I looked down at the screen, the phone had turned a quarter circle from the vibration on the desktop. e name on the screen: Brent Hutto. Brent is the Chief Marketing Officer of our company, Truckstop.com. "Susan!" the voice on the other end rang out aer I answered. "Susan, I am registered for the TIA Policy Forum in D.C. and I have a conflict. It's really important that we be there. Can you attend on our behalf ?" Washington, D.C.? Transportation Intermediaries Association? Are you kidding me? It took me about a half second to formulate my response. "Of course I can!" What a wonderful opportunity. is was serious business. I would be representing Truckstop.com. e TIA, along with myself and 65 other TIA members (145 people total) would be spending two full days in congressional meetings. We were there to show our support of the Safety Fitness Determination Rulemaking and the Protecting Workplace Advancement & Opportunity Act to help the logistics industry. Our time with the legislators would include one-on-one sessions and team meetings with senators and their staffs. ere were 15 teams. As we began our team meetings, however, it was quickly obvious that I would become the butt of many jokes. We would always introduce ourselves during the meetings and when it came my opportunity to introduce myself, the response was oen, "You mean Sen. Susan Collins." e response came because of the four- term Republican senator from Maine, Sen. Susan Collins, a powerful figure on Capitol Hill who just happens to have the same name as myself. Nonetheless, we came through unscathed. Our final meeting was scheduled for 3:30 that aernoon and it was a fantastic discussion on the topic. Of course the Susan Collins reference came up and at the conclusion of the meeting, I mentioned I would love to meet the Senator. As luck would have it, the gentleman with whom we were meeting mentioned that Sen. Collins' office was situated adjacent to his building and he believed her office was located on the third floor. Aer putting on my best begging face, my special team agreed to move on with me. We took the elevator to the third floor and exited into a long corridor. Aer traversing the hall, we never saw the Senator's office, so we opted to check the directory. Sen. Collins was on the fourth floor. We climbed back in the elevator for the short ride up one story. As we came off the elevator, there were voices coming from around the corner. As we turned the corner, there was a gentleman and a lady conversing in the hall just steps away from us. "at's Sen. Susan Collins," our team leader whispered to me. Could it be? What were the odds? "No way!" I whispered back in excitement. He then proceeded to show me a picture on his cell phone to confirm his statement. (Isn't technology wonderful?) We respectfully waited until the Senator's conversation finished and then my chance presented itself. "Good aernoon Sen. Collins," I said. "I'm Susan Collins with Truckstop.com." Oddly, I wasn't the first "other" Susan Collins the Senator had met. She asked if I was the Susan Collins from somewhere in the Midwest and I assured her I wasn't and that I was, indeed, from the South. We exchanged pleasantries and I asked Sen. Collins if she would be so kind to pose for a photo with me. Sen. Collins was gracious beyond words. As we parted, she told me, "Susan, I promise never to bring shame to our name." Of course, I agreed to do the same. e few days that I spent in our nation's Capital went by very quickly. Not only was it an honor to join the TIA Policy Forum Task Force on a very special mission, but I also managed to form a pact — a pinky swear and a cross your heart — with Sen. Susan Collins. It just doesn't get any better than that. Susan Collins and Sen. Susan Collins BY SUSAN COLLINS Susan Collins is based in Gainesville, GA, and is director of industry relations for Truckstop.com. Vo l . 1 0 , N o . 5 TRUCKSTOP.COM 13