A Letter From Our CEO Josh Turley
Dear Friends and RTA Family,
What a whirlwind these past few months have been! While the month of March seemed to drag on, with each day bringing new announcements and changes, April and May have seemingly picked up the pace in a maddening rush to make up for lost time!
My heart is full of concern and compassion for those who have been so affected by this outbreak. How many of you have had to temporarily cease operations, or have seen your businesses close for good? Have you been one of those who have seen their budgets frozen, or their staff furloughed? Or are you someone who has lost loved ones to COVID-19? These times have been dark -- full of uncertainty and fear -- under the relentless attack of an unseen enemy with no respite in sight.
But even amidst all the fear and uncertainty, I am hopeful. I see stories of heroes everywhere. I read stories of your technicians and support staff making sure that life continues, that some semblance of normalcy carries forward. I talk to you, and you give me peace as you share things that you are tackling, and ideas that you have been able to implement. I see silver linings all around during this situation and find myself grateful to be alive in such a time as this.
We at RTA were so fortunate that we were able to shift to 100-percent remote work in mid-March. It took some adjusting, but it has been seamless, and we have been able to carry out our purpose to help fleets succeed, both effectively and safely! In small ways, we were able to aid those fleets who were facing closure and extend terms for those who faced dire circumstances. I am so grateful that we were in the right position for that opportunity!
Personally, I have been enjoying the time at home. My meetings are accompanied by the background noise of children, and though I give it a 50/50 split between playing and fighting, it is nice to be around it. I have enjoyed the frequent lunch breaks with my wife, and the much shorter commute. My beard became a victim of quarantine, and I am not sure what my one-year-old is going to think when Dad has to go to the office again.
I have missed the in-person interactions -- not just with my staff -- but also with our clients. I miss meeting customers when you come in each month for training and cooking up a meal for you on the grill. I have missed going to NAFA and GFX events, and meeting you out in the wild, so to speak. I am looking forward to those opportunities again.
I have heard many of you experiencing similar things, and I am comforted by this. I know that even though we may be distanced, and some of us may literally be at home alone, I want you to know that you are never truly alone. There are so many of us experiencing the same things right alongside you.
I look toward the future and see hope. I feel strongly that we will overcome this, adjust, adapt, and return stronger than before, to create a new normal for ourselves and our communities. My ask is simple in word, but difficult in deed: it is that you also find that hope inside yourself and share it with those around you. Do not let the fear and uncertainty dominate your thoughts. Know that hope and resiliency will carry the day, and will find us solving problem after problem, be it budget cuts, staff reductions, or dealing with the effects of a booming economy!
Stay safe, stay healthy, we will rise stronger together. God bless.
Josh Turley, CEO