Truck News East August 2019

Eastern Canada’s Trucking Newspaper Since 1981

August 2019

Delivering daily news at trucknews.com

Volume 39, Issue 7

Page 15

Page 23

Page 34

Page 42

Trouble brewing?

Doing it themselves

It’s a wrap

Straight talk

What Canadian trucking firms need to know about the arrival of legal cannabis edibles this fall.

Challenger is opening a driving academy so it can develop talent for itself, and the industry.

How vehicle graphics and wraps continue to evolve, and gain valuable impressions.

Jim Smith, a straight truck driver with Speedy, discusses a successful career and the toll it has taken.

RET ADVERTAIL ISING P AGES 35 -

40

The Antique and Classic Truck Show in Clifford attracted a record number of rigs this year.

Time’s up Canada’s ELD rule will take effect in 2021 MISSISSAUGA, ONTARIO Canada’s long-awaited electronic logging device (ELD) rule has been published, which the Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA) says will catapult Canada ahead of the U.S. in terms of safety and compliance. The made-in-Canada regulation requires third-party device certification, something the U.S. Continued on page 8

Careers: 24-33 Ad Index: 43

Grant Scott of RJ Trucks.

The biggest yet By Abdul Latheef

PM40063170

Ernie Sager

CLIFFORD, ONTARIO This year’s Antique and Classic Truck Show in Clifford, Ont., saw a record number of vehicles participating in the 10th anniversary event. “It was our largest show to date,” said Chris Hall, coordinator at the Great Lakes Truck Club, which organizes the annual show. He said 305 trucks rolled into Rotary Park for the show, which he said is unlike any other. “We specifically target people who are into classic trucks and like older trucks,” said Hall, 52, himself a passionate trucker who owns six classic trucks including a 1952 Kenworth. “It is more than just a truck show. It’s also a meet-and-greet for veteran truck drivers, and it is their chance once a year to meet up with other truck drivers they met on the road over the years.” Most trucks came from Ontario, but there were rigs

from Quebec and Michigan, too. The 2019 theme truck was the Western Star, a brand which began production in Kelowna, B.C., in 1967. More than 30 trucks, representing every model, were present at the Western Star Corral. Ernie Sager, from St. George, Ont., was one of the many drivers seen admiring trucks at the corral. Now 83, Sager has been on the road for more than 50 years. He said he was just 15 when he quit school and went trucking. In those days you could get a licence when you were 15, he said. In 59 years of accident-free driving, Sager has clocked eight million kilometers, driving “all kinds of trucks” all over Canada and the U.S. He said he was happy that he could meet some of his old friends at the show. The event also featured an exhibit of trucking company logos by award-winning American historian Dale Bridge. Read more about his passion on page 11. TN

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Contents ISSN 0712-2683 (Print) ISSN 1923-3523 (Online)

Lou Smyrlis Managing Director 416-510-6881 lou@newcom.ca Kathy Koras Associate Publisher 416-510-6892 kathy@newcom.ca A. (Tony) Hohenadel Publisher - truckandtrailer.ca 416-614-5800 tony@newcom.ca Dan Robinson Director Digital Marketing 416-510-5123 dan@newcom.ca EDITORIAL James Menzies Editor 416-510-6896 james@newcom.ca

34

Abdul Latheef Associate Editor 416-614-5828 abdul@newcom.ca Derek Clouthier Truck News – West Editor 403-969-1506 derek@newcom.ca DESIGN AND PRODUCTION Michael Chimienti, Beverley Richards, Alicia Lerma, Carolyn Brimer

12

ACCOUNT MANAGERS Anthony Buttino National Accounts Manager 514-292-2297 anthonyb@newcom.ca Nickisha Rashid National Accounts Manager 416-614-5824 nickisha@newcom.ca Denis Arsenault Quebec Accounts Manager 514-938-0639 ext. 2 denis@newcom.ca Doug Copeland Regional Accounts Manager 905-715-9511 doug@newcom.ca Paul Beelien Regional Accounts Manager 416-614-5806 paul@newcom.ca

Truck News is published monthly by

Newcom Media Inc.

CHAIRMAN & FOUNDER: Jim Glionna PRESIDENT Joe Glionna VICE-PRESIDENT Melissa Summerfield Director of Circulation Pat Glionna Subscription Inquiries Lilianna Kantor Phone: 416-614-5815 Fax: 416-614-8861 Email: lily@newcom.ca RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO: CIRCULATION DEPARTMENT, TRUCK NEWS 5353 DUNDAS STREET, WEST, SUITE 400 TORONTO, ON M9B 6H8 PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT NO. 40063170 CUSTOMER NO. 4006214

42

32

16

Joanne Ritchie – Voice of the O/O

Feature Stories

Why Joanne Ritchie thinks the ELD mandate was misguided, and won’t necessarily have the desired effect.

The big picture

33

How fleets and brands are using truck and trailer wraps and graphics to promote their businesses. 34

Straight talk We catch up with Speedy Transport driver Jim Smith, a driving championship winner, to discuss his life as a straight truck city driver. 42

7

25-29

How aspiring trucking company owners are being led down a garden path, only to find their aspirations snuffed out.

Volvo’s driverless, cabless, autonomous truck begins real-world testing, Wabash expands in Atlantic Canada, and Glasvan cleans up Great Dane awards.

Editorial

8-19

Business Purolator announces ambitious growth plan, trucking companies wrestle with the issue of cannabis in the workplace, and why economic red lights are flashing.

20-23

Fleet News Two Ontario fleets branch out. Polaris spins out a tech company, and Challenger creates its own driver academy.

4 Truck News – East • August 2019

Scott Taylor – Tax Talk What’s in a name? A lot, when it comes to your business. Scott provides insights into what you should consider when naming your business.

46

Al Goodhall – The Last Word Why Al thinks ELDs should be thought of as a time management tool for drivers, and not an enforcement tool.

Equipment

30

Karen Bowen – Health Are you well-heeled? Karen explains conditions leading to, and cures for, a common foot ailment among professional drivers.

31

Mike Millian – Industry Examining the electronic logging device (ELD) mandate and its implications for Canada’s private fleet community.

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Inside the Numbers with Lou Smyrlis In RESPONDENT PROFILE – TYPE OF FLEET

Still in a buying mood

PLANNING TO PURCHASE NEW CLASS 8 TRUCK IN 2019

50% 38%

Canadian carriers continue to invest in their fleets despite freight slowdown

For-hire

Private

6%

5%

Government

Lease/Rental

RESPONDENT PROFILE – SIZE OF HD FLEET VEHICLES

Canadian carriers went on an equipment buying spree last year, purchasing close to 35,000 new Class 8 trucks. But with freight volumes slowing from their 2018 peak are carriers still in a buying mood? Our annual Equipment Buying Trends Survey examines the purchasing intentions of motor carriers across the country. This year’s survey found there is still keen interest among carriers to continue updating their fleets. Sixty seven percent of carrier respondents said they plan new Class 8 truck purchases this year.

YES

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NO

3 33%

30% 18%

13% 1-4

16%

15%

5-9

10-24

25-99

100-499

9% 500 or more

PERCENTAGE OF HD VEHICLE FLEET LOOKING TO REPLACE

RESPONDENT PROFILE – FLEET ACTIVITIES

38%

53%

24%

of respondents

15% 6% Long haul

Regional

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Editorial

A dead-end street to owning a fleet The insurance industry’s crackdown on insurability, and its aversity to risk, is making it all but impossible for new ventures to flourish. But unfortunately, a widespread lack of awareness about the changing dynamics in the trucking insurance industry is snuffing out the dreams of some prospective business owners. Lisa Arseneau, with Staebler Insurance, recently explained to me that most insurance companies in Ontario will not insure new CVOR (commercial vehicle operator’s registration) holders with less than three to five years of experience. This makes it all-but-impossible for aspiring trucking business owners to form their own business in Ontario. According to insurers, new ventures where the business has been operating for less than three years constitute “an ineligible risk.” However, this quandary is not well understood. Experienced owner-operators continue to seek, and receive, their own CVORs. And there’s no shortage of consultants willing to help them obtain them, without being completely forthright about their likelihood of obtaining truck insurance afterwards. They’re being led down a garden path. This drives Lisa nuts. Because she, and other insurance brokers like her, are the ones who have to burst these aspiring entrepreneurs’ bubbles and let them know they can’t

be insured. The result is that those looking to start their own trucking company are forced to return to leasing their unit on with an established carrier, and obtaining insurance under their fleet policy. I’m sure the vast majority of established fleet owners are perfectly happy with the current situation. It increases the pool of experienced owner-operators, while stifling competition from upstarts. I’m not smart enough to figure out the solutions to the truck insurance

industry’s problems. Insurers are for-profit enterprises that should not be forced to take on unprofitable and risky business. Lisa’s advice to owner-operators looking to start their own venture under their own authority, is to not do it. To continue driving under a fleet, ensure you’re listed as a driver on their policy, and make sure your truck is listed on the policy while continuing to accumulate experience. It’s not what aspiring trucking company owners want to hear, but

it’s better than the alternative – Lisa taking your call when seeking insurance and crushing your dreams. She says she takes three to five of these calls each week, and she’s tired of it. The dynamics in the trucking insurance industry that are creating this situation won’t change overnight, but what we can do is enhance the awareness about the current landscape and the fact newly-minted CVORs are likely, in the vast majority of cases, to become entirely useless to their holders. Aspiring trucking company owners should not find out, only after they’ve invested the time, money and energy to obtain their own authority, that they won’t be able to get their business out of first gear. If you’re considering applying for a CVOR in Ontario, make sure your truck-specialist insurance broker is among the first people you call, to ensure your insurability. It could save you a lot of disappointment. TN

James Menzies can be reached by phone at (416) 510-6896 or by e-mail at james@newcom.ca. You can also follow him on Twitter @JamesMenzies.

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August 2019 • Truck News – East 7

Business

Canada’s long-awaited ELD mandate is published Continued from page 1

did not pursue, and a detail the Canadian trucking industry lobbied to have included. In the U.S., devices are self-certified, which has led to the arrival in the market of ELDs that can be modified or tampered with.

The rule was announced by government and industry officials at a press briefing at Ontario Trucking Association (OTA) headquarters June 13. Officials said the new rule will be introduced nationally as soon as possible.

By June 2021, third-party-certified ELDs will have to be used by all federally-regulated truck drivers currently required to maintain a logbook. (The provinces and territories are also expected to adopt the mandate for provincially-regu-

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lated drivers). The announcement was greeted with enthusiasm by industry associations. “The vast majority of our companies and drivers in our industry fully comply with hours-of-service rules, but, undoubtedly, the implementation of tamper-proof, third-party ELD devices will further enhance safety and help ensure all drivers and companies hold themselves to the highest levels of compliance,” said CTA chairman Scott Smith. The hours-of-service rules themselves will not be changed; they’ll simply have to be recorded using an ELD. “Third-party certification of ELDs is critical for hours-of-service compliance and fatigue management as the technology behind ELD devices is key to ensuring drivers and companies follow their work-rest cycles,” said Stephen Laskowski, CTA president. “As we learned from the previous era of paper logbooks, the non-compliant segment of our industry, while a minority, have a history of finding workarounds of the rules. We must ensure that there are no gaps or opportunities to manipulate the technology and that compliance is the only option.” The final rule also accelerates the implementation timeframe, from the initially proposed four years, to two. But unlike in the U.S., existing automatic on-board recording

Transport Minister Marc Garneau checks out an ELD. devices will not be grandfathered. That worries Mike Millian, head of the Private Motor Truck Council of Canada (PMTC). “The PMTC is in agreement with the two-year compliance date attached to the posting, however we do have concerns with the removal of the grandfather clause that was posted in Canada Gazette 1,” Millian told Truck News. “The removal of the grandfather clause may actually place fleets who implemented devices years prior to a mandate, in a worse position than those who did nothing. These fleets will have to work with their

supplier and hope that the device they purchased can be updated to be third-party-certified, or replaced with new devices. As a certifying body has yet to be determined, they may have to wait to find out the status of their device, which reduces their lead time to plan a transition if their current device is not certified. That can be problematic and time-consuming if the device is integrated into back office systems.” But despite concerns about the removal of a grandfather clause, Millian welcomed the rule. “This file has been in the works for many years, and it is good to see it

THIS MONTH’S CROSSWORD PUZZLE

finally see the light of day,” he said. “We are also thrilled to see that Transport Canada listened to industry and is making third-party certification of devices mandatory, and not going down the same self-certification mandate that is causing many problems south of the border. This is a huge step in ensuring devices are actually compliant and will have the desired effect of improving compliance with hours-of-service regulations.” The CTA’s Laskowski noted the requirement for third-party certification meant the grandfather clause had to go. “After Gazette 1 was published, it became very clear that there were challenges in the self-certification world,” he told Truck News. “How can we have grandfathering of non-third-party-certified devices? We were originally asking for 24 months plus grandfathering. It became very clear to us that a 12to 18-month period was sufficient.” The CTA has hosted several meetings with more than a half dozen device suppliers since January 2018. It says it will be embarking on an education campaign to ensure the industry is ready for the mandate. It is also working with ELD manufacturers and suppliers to ensure they are aware of their requirements to become third-party-certified. Initial reaction from ELD suppliers was positive.

“A reliable and well-supervised third-party certification process will lead to better compliance and global practices across the industry,” said Jacques DeLarochelliere, president, Isaac Instruments. “Unlike the self-certification authorized by the U.S. FMCSA, which has revealed some weaknesses, thirdparty certification will ensure a universal standard for ELD providers and allow the regulation to achieve its objective: to make the roads safer. The responsibility for device compliance will lie with those who should be accountable – the suppliers and not the carriers.” “EROAD fully supports the thirdparty certification requirement for ELDs in Canada. EROAD voluntarily completed third-party certification of our U.S. ELD product, which gives confidence to carriers that the ELD solution they use complies with the requirements and assures compliance,” added Norm Ellis, president, EROAD North America. It’s not yet clear who will provide third-party certification. “The government has consulted with the ELD suppliers with regards to how they would see a third-party regime working – and that’s not just the technical elements from the tests, but their wants from the flexibility of a thirdparty supplier with different labs,” Laskowski said. TN

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August 2019 • Truck News – East 9

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Business

Logo collector tells the story of ‘fallen flags’ By Abdul Latheef CLIFFORD, ONTARIO Dale Bridge has been collecting trucking company logos for nearly 45 years, and for the first time, the American historian brought thousands of them to the Antique and Classic Truck Show in Clifford, Ont. “I’ve 3,000 here at this exhibit, and I have another 1,500 at home,� said Bridge, from Oswego, Ill. “And I have at least that many more I know I have to get.� Bridge said his goal is to help preserve a portion of the trucking industry’s history. He said a number of events such as deregulation, fuel price surges, and economic slowdowns over the past several decades impacted trucking companies in North Dale Bridge America, resulting in the quick demise of some of them. “For all of these events, I just felt a need to save some part of the ‘fallen flags’, and that is what the patches do.� Indeed, nearly 70% of the companies in his patch portfolio are no longer in business. Bridge began collecting the crests in the 1970s when he was working as a finance development program trainee at International Harvester in Fort Wayne, Ind. That is a company he was already familiar with as his father and grandfather were IH employees. Over the years, IH has transitioned itself to Navistar International. Bridge now has the largest collection of logos of U.S. and Canadian common carriers. Most of the patches were bought over the internet or collected via trading, but some were donated to him by the carriers themselves, he said. “This one here is probably my favor-

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ite,� Bridge said, pointing to the logo of the now-defunct Mushroom Transportation, which was based in Philadelphia, Pa. The red patch features a stylized M and T, forming the shape of the cargo the company carried. The oldest patch in his collection is that of Associate Transport from the 1940s. Bridge’s efforts to get the logo of a company called Conway Now, which existed for just under two years, has

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been unsuccessful. “I know one exists. I’ve put out a bounty of $95, but no one has collected the bounty yet,� he said. His collection is bequeathed to the American Truck Historical Society (ATHS) and to the Iowa 80 Trucking Museum. At this year’s ATHS convention in Reno, Nev., Bridge was honored with the prestigious Historian of the Industry Award. In its citation, the society praised his “tireless efforts� to further the goal of preserving the history of the trucking industry. Fewer than 25 people have received the award in its 50-year history. Bridge has limited himself to collecting U.S. and Canadian crests. There is one collector in Connecticut who has 13,000 patches and one in Indiana with 11,000, but they collect international logos as well. “I am the only one who travels with it. They just keep it at home,� Bridge said. TN

Home Hardware shines again at CORTDC KITCHENER, ONTARIO Home Hardware driver Shawn Matheson was named Grand Champion at the Central Ontario Regional Truck Driving Championships on June 8. Home Hardware also took the team award. Matheson won the tandem-tandem division at the competition, held at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium. Other winners included: Stewart Jutzi, Erb Transport, straight truck; Joe Kuntz, Home Hardware, sin-

12:30

Shawn Matheson gle-single; Jeff Lambkin, Erb Transport, single-tandem; David Chambers, Country Transport, B-train. Matheson also took home the safety award, while Jutzi scored the most points. The rookie award went to Kyle Hutchinson of Home Hardware. TN

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August 2019 • Truck News – East 11

Business

Quick Truck Lube opens Napanee location NAPANEE, ONTARIO Who says there’s no such thing as a free lunch? Truckers visiting the newest Quick Truck Lube at Exit 579 on Hwy. 401 in Napanee, Ont., June 18 were treated to burgers and sausages as part of the company’s grand opening celebration. The newest location is located adjacent to the Flying J truck stop. Owner Gurjinder Johal said the goal is to create a one-stopshopping experience for drivers who visit the truck stop for food, fuel or rest. No appointments are necessary and trucks are serviced within half an hour. During the open house, promotions included $100 off oil changes

and free grease jobs for every truck. The 14,000 sq.-ft. facility features three bays for oil service, which can fit three tractor-trailers or six bobtail tractors. There’s also a wash bay. The new location was four years in the making, Johal told Truck News, and construction took one year. He invested about $5 million into the facility. One of the highlights is that there are 11 types of oil on reels, Johal noted, which he said is a first in Canada. The Napanee location is open Monday to Friday from 7 a.m. till 10 p.m., and Saturdays from 8 a.m. till 3 p.m. Fourteen people are currently working at the facility, and Johal said that number will be increased. TN

A new Quick Truck Lube is now open beside the Flying J in Napanee.

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Purolator to build $330-million ‘super hub’ in Toronto By Abdul Latheef TORONTO, ONTARIO Canadian courier giant Purolator has announced what it calls the “most ambitious” growth and investment strategy in the company’s 60-year history. The centerpiece of the fiveyear, $1-billion investment plan is the creation of a national “super hub” in Toronto, the freight and logistics solutions provider said June 25. The $330-million, 430,000-sq.-ft. hub will be built on 60 acres, and will become operational in 2021, Purolator said. “The facility will triple capacity and step-change Purolator’s network with world-class automation to help more customers get even more packages to their destinations quickly, safely and reliably,” the company said. The hub will be built to leading environmental standards, following the Toronto Green Standards program, it said. “Today’s announcement is one of the most ambitious in our company’s history and will future-proof our business,” said John Ferguson, president and CEO.

John Ferguson “Purolator has experienced record growth over the past three years. We picked up and delivered over one quarter of a billion packages in 2018 and we expect our growth trajectory to continue.” Ferguson told Truck News that the funding for the investment will come from the company’s internal reserves. Purolator is 91% owned by Canada Post, a Crown corporation. The company operates the most extensive courier network in the Greater Toronto Area, Ontario’s fastest-growing region. Purolator said the investment decision follows a surge in e-com-

merce business in the past few years. E-commerce sales are expected to reach $4.88 trillion worldwide by 2021, it said. In Canada, the retail e-commerce sector is growing at a rate of 30-40% annually, Ferguson said. Purolator’s investment plan also includes a fleet upgrade, a 110,000-sq.-ft. terminal in the Toronto suburb of North York, and the opening of more consumer access points across Canada. “In 2019 and 2020, more than 1,000 new vehicles with advanced technology will be introduced across the country to improve delivery perfor-

Peel extends truck restrictions BRAMPTON, ONTARIO The Region of Peel has extended restrictions on heavy trucks on Winston Churchill Boulevard north from 10 Sideroad to Mayfield Road. Current restrictions include: heavy truck restriction from Steeles Avenue to 10 Sideroad; seasonal (March/April) axle load restriction from Steeles Avenue to Bovaird Drive/Guelph Street; and axle load restriction (all year) from Bovaird Drive to Bush Street. Winston Churchill Boulevard is a boundary road shared with Halton Region. In 2017, the Town of Halton Hills received a petition from residents of Norval regarding concerns with truck traffic through Norval, and requesting truck restrictions. A study found that 87% of truck traffic through Norval and through the intersection of Bovaird Drive/ Guelph Street and Winston Churchill Boulevard moves directly east-west on Bovaird Drive/Guelph Street, the region said. Truck volumes on Winston Churchill Boulevard were correspondingly low with all other traffic through the intersection making up the remaining 13% of truck movements, it said. “Road safety is a priority for the region,” an official said. TN

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mance and safety,” the company said. Asked how Purolator is going to find the drivers needed to operate all those new vehicles amid an acute driver shortage, Ferguson said the company has a history of attracting workers. “We’re actually a very attractive place to work for drivers,” he said, pointing out that Purolator is a Canadian iconic brand loved by its employees because of stable working conditions. “It’s almost run like a family business, in a way. People love to work here. So, we haven’t had any problems attracting people. Last year we hired, imagine, 2,000 people,” Ferguson said. Purolator also said it will continue to advance sustainability throughout its operations, including maintaining its position as the express courier company with the largest green fleet in Canada. It plans to roll out its first wave of fully electric vehicles in 2020 to complement its hybrid-electric fleet. Purolator, which began as Trans Canadian Couriers, with two employees in 1960 now has a workforce of 12,000. The company is based in Mississauga, Ont. TN

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Employers bracing for more pot problems: Expert By Abdul Latheef NIAGARA FALLS, ONTARIO Eight months after recreational cannabis was legalized in Canada, employers are still grappling with issues related to marijuana use in the workplace. Now, an addiction expert is warning that the problem could get much worse when edibles and concentrates become legally available, probably by October this year. “Once we have edibles, once we have concentrates, that is when we may see some differences in the workplace,â€? Dr. Melissa Snider-Adler of DriverCheck told delegates at the Private Motor Truck Council of Canada’s (PMTC) annual conference in Niagara Falls, Ont., on June 14. Concentrates contain 60-90% of THC, the main psychoactive component in marijuana, and the problem with edibles is that people overconsume, she said. “One dose of an edible is one gummy bear, one square of a chocolate, one potato chip, one sip of a drink‌but what happens is people overindulge.â€? Over the years, the percentage of THC in pot has increased dramatically, Snider-Adler said. Until the 1980s, people used marijuana that contained between 1% and 5% THC. Now products with up to 30% are legally available in Canada, she said.

“And, it wasn’t like people in the ’60s and ’70s were not getting high. They were.� Soaring usage of marijuana in the wake of legalization is posing an array of challenges to safety-sensitive industries including the trucking sector, with potential impairment being the main concern.

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Studies in B.C. and Ontario have shown that cannabis use prior to driving increases the risk of being involved in a motor vehicle accident. Many truck drivers still turn to pot when they have pain because they believe their pain impairs them more than the joint, Snider-Adler said. She said the cannabis problem in the trucking industry is just as big as in any other industry. Some provinces have adopted a zero-tolerance policy for commer-

Dr. Melissa Snider-Adler of DriverCheck addresses the Private Motor Truck Council of Canada. cial drivers as a deterrent but the rules in Canada are as not as strict as in the U.S. “For DOT drivers, it is black and white. No cannabis use is accepted, legal or not, medical or not. It is an absolute zero tolerance. DOT does regular drug testing – pre-employment, random, etc. With testing, many individuals using cannabis will not even apply to be a DOT driver,� Snider-Adler later explained. So, those who want to drive a truck and use cannabis then choose to be non-DOT drivers as there are at the moment no federal regulations and no mandate to test, she said. If they get caught, many obtain an authorization for medical purposes to avoid the issues of testing above the blood levels as in some provinces there are exceptions made if there is medical authorization. “This puts the employers in a difficult position. They cannot just institute testing and certainly not necessarily random testing. So, the issue with cannabis use is much greater in non-DOT drivers,� Snider-Adler said.

The Canadian Cannabis Survey of 2018 showed that 22% of those polled reported using non-medical cannabis in the previous 12 months, while 13% said they used medical cannabis. Of those using medical marijuana, 66% did so without permission from a physician, Snider-Adler pointed out. The number of medical marijuana users in Canada has skyrocketed from a mere 477 in 2002 to nearly 360,000 in 2018, she said, citing Cannabis Market Data released by the federal government. That number is expected to top 400,000 by 2024, dealing a major blow to safety-sensitive industries, where 22% of Canadians are employed. PMTC president Mike Millian said his association and other industry lobbying groups have been pushing for tough regulation for quite a few years, but human rights questions have complicated the issue. While the government has been receptive to their ideas lately, Millian doesn’t expect any new legislation until after October’s federal election. TN

Driver issues remain top concern for private fleets NIAGARA FALLS, ONTARIO Driver recruiting, hiring and retention continue to be the top concern for private fleet operators, the 2019 Private Motor Truck Council of Canada benchmark survey has revealed. Equipment and maintenance issues have also moved up the list of concerns, the poll showed.

Partial results of the months-long survey, which was conducted in collaboration with the U.S. National Private Truck Council (NPTC), were released at the PMTC annual conference in Niagara Falls, Ont. “The study creates a working dashboard of standards to measure, monitor and improve individual private fleet performance,� said Tom

Moore, senior vice-president, NPTC. In his presentation, Moore focused on various labor issues including an aging workforce and the need to retool the hiring process. He warned against lowering hiring standards, saying that would compromise safety. The full results of the survey will be released to PMTC mem-

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bers, Moore said. A special webcast will also be held to explain the results. Benchmarking allows operators to validate their performance based on comparative peer data, identify areas of improvement and opportunity, and to highlight significant trends affecting fleet operations, PMTC said. TN

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August 2019 • Truck News – East 15

Business

Volvo Group sponsors tree planting for Canadian soldiers WHITBY, ONTARIO Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was among the attendees at a tree planting ceremony June 14, sponsored by Volvo Group. The event was part of the Highway of Heroes Tree Campaign, an initiative that will see two million trees planted along the Highway of Heroes. The section of highway runs 170 kilometers between the Trenton, Ont., air force base and the coroner’s office in Toronto. It’s the route taken by all 159 Canadians who lost their lives during the war in Afghanistan. Mark Cullen, campaign chairman, said the project will become the largest living tribute in the world. But it relies on corporate sponsorships and government funding. Trudeau said the fed-

eral government committed $2.9 million during its latest budget to support the initiative. Cullen noted the trees not only pay tribute to Canadian servicemen and women, but also clean the air along the heavily traveled Hwy. 401. There will be 117,000 trees planted along the highway, representing each Canadian life lost at war since 1812. Another 1.8 million will be planted in the communities that flank the highway. Leo Hawkes, managing director of Volvo Financial Services, represented Volvo Group at the event. “We feel truly privileged to have this opportunity to acknowledge the sacrifice made by Canadian servicemen and women,” he said. “Our customers travel and work along this highway every

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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau joins Volvo Group reps for a ceremonial tree planting. day. We also strongly believe in the preservation of the environment and minimizing our carbon footprint.” Following speeches, including remarks from the Prime Minister, volunteers gathered to plant more than 300 trees paid for by Volvo Group. TN

Driving academy boss recalls futile India school bid By Abdul Latheef OTTAWA, ONTARIO Ontario is said to be considering opening a training center for heavy-duty drivers in the northern Indian state of Punjab, home to thousands of truckers working in Canada. The province recently announced that the trucking industry will now have access to the Immigration Nominee Program through the In-Demand Skills Stream to ease the problem of the driver shortage. Under the program, a foreign worker with a job offer in an in-demand occupation such as truck driving or construction can apply for permanent residence in Ontario. By training drivers in India, officials believe, the province can get a steady supply of truckers, while at the same time plugging any loopholes in the new immigration program. Easier said than done, according to one Canadian, who has first-hand experience in exploring training opportunities in India, long before the industry started reporting a shortage of drivers. In 2005, Brian Adams said he was approached by a company in Chandigarh, the capital of Punjab, to discuss the possibility of opening a school there. At the time it sounded like a win-win situation because Adams was running the Crossroads Truck Training Academy in Ottawa, Ont., and the Indian company was already involved in training nurses for North America. What followed was anything but smooth, the president of Crossroads recalled in an interview with Truck News. “The idea was that we would train to a certain level people in India and then they would come to Canada to finish the training on our roads. Then they would be very marketable here,” he said. The road ahead was bumpy, though. The vehicles in Punjab were different and the roads were different, but ultimately immigration issues derailed the plan because the Canadian government had no interest in expediting the process as it didn’t want foreigners to take what were considered Canadian jobs. And, bureaucrats in New Delhi were not helpful either, he said. One official even told him to go to the Indian High Commission in Ottawa, instead. “‘The only person you should be talking to now is the person who lives five kilometers from your house,’ he told me,” Adams said. After about six months, he gave up. While he enjoyed the trip, Adams said it was a complete waste of time, energy and money. A study published late last year by Newcom Media revealed that Indians accounted for 43.7% of immigrant drivers in 2016, up sharply from 8.7% in 1991. During the same period, the number of Punjabi-speaking drivers rose from 725 to 27,475, the survey said. Many of them are owneroperators.

Adams attributed the success of the Punjabi community in the industry to their entrepreneurship. “They all get together. They get a truck, then another truck, then another truck. So, rather than wanting to work for someone else, they want to work for themselves,” Adams said. The driver shortage has been a major topic of discussion in the industry for years. Stephen Laskowski, president of the Canadian Trucking Alliance and Ontario Trucking Association, told guests at the opening of a driver training academy in Cambridge, Ont., in June (see pg. 23) that the sector will face a shortage of close to 50,000 drivers by 2024. Some people argue that young Canadians are not interested in the career because of the long hours and what they consider as the “low pay” in the industry. Adams, 74, whose school has trained some 10,000 drivers, disagrees. “Let me tell you this…I can take a person in six weeks from making no money to $55,000 to $65,000 a year with full benefits and have the course cost paid back to him,” he said. Which other industry can match that? he asked. In fact, a lot of people coming out of universities with post-graduate degrees are now opting to drive trucks because there are no jobs waiting for them in their fields, he said. At the same time, placement rates at driving training centers are close to 100%, Adams said. TN

Brian Adams, president and CEO of Crossroads Truck Training Academy.

August 2019 • Truck News – East 17

Business

Spot market load volumes increase in May

Truck and trailer orders cooling

TORONTO, ONTARIO The Canadian spot market heated up in May, with load volumes rising against a lesser increase in truck volumes. TransCore Link Logistics reported daily average load postings surged 9% the week after an announcement to end steel and aluminum tariffs between Canada and the U.S. Load volumes on the month were up 12% from April, but down 35% year-over-year. Intra-Canada loads accounted for 32% of overall volumes. Equipment postings increased for the third consecutive month, reaching a record high in Loadlink’s history. Year-over-year, truck postings were up 52%. The truck-to-load ratio hit 3.57 in May, a 5% decrease from 3.78 in April. But year-over-year the average ratio was up 134% from 1.52 in May 2018. TN

TORONTO, ONTARIO New Class 8 truck orders remained subdued in June, with FTR reporting preliminary orders of 13,000 units and ACT Research reporting 13,100. FTR reports orders were up 24% from May, but continue to track well below 20,000 units. June concluded the weakest six-month start to a year since 2010. Fleets are currently moving around previously placed orders and adjusting delivery times, while small fleets and dealers are placing small fill-in orders as production slots become available, according to FTR. “The orders are truly a mixed bag,” said Don Ake, vice-president of commercial vehicles, FTR. “One OEM reportedly started to take orders for 2020, but the other OEMs apparently did not. Without the 2020 orders, the total would have dipped below the 10,000-unit mark. Most OEMs are reluctant to quote future trucks due to uncertainty over material costs. Until the tariff situation is resolved, it is risky to quote prices for 2020. Fleets are also reluctant to accept material surcharges with this much ambiguity present.” Ake noted the economy and freight are still growing, but manufacturing data is not promising. FTR anticipates freight growth will moderate over the rest of the year. “Weak freight market and rate conditions across North America and a still-large Class 8 backlog continue to bedev il new Class 8 orders,” said Kenny Vieth, ACT’s president and senior analyst.

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ACT Research’s Transportation Digest indicated Class 8 retail sales and build rates are at near record high levels, but evidence indicates a change in direction is coming. “The key message that has dominated our Class 8 outlook remains unchanged: the heavy-duty market is now at the inflection point we have been anticipating, and signs of decline will become apparent as we move through 2019’s second half,” said Vieth. “Regarding other commercial vehicle segments, we saw medium-duty build and sales falter sequentially in April, though longer-term comparisons remained positive, with orders growing monthover-month, but remaining below build rates in the longer term.” It was a similar story when it came to trailers, with May orders of 11,700 units marking the lowest total since July 2016. FTR reports orders for 2019 production have come to a halt, as most build slots are already filled. Trailer build rates remain elevated, but production numbers are expected to moderate in the second half of 2019. The flatbed segment is showing signs of weakening due to an easing in manufacturing and industrial activity, FTR reports. “Orders ought to rise in June as OEMs begin taking orders for 2020,” said Ake. “June orders will be a good indication of how the larger fleets view the freight market for next year. Carriers may be cautious as long as the tariff situation is disrupting freight flows and creating significant business uncertainty.” TN

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Loadings growth slowing, rates on the decline: FTR BLOOMINGTON, INDIANA Trucking rates are expected to decrease about 7% this year, primarily driven by the spot market, with contract rates flat to down 1%. That’s the projection from industry forecaster FTR, which held a State of Freight webinar focused on key issues in transportation June 13. Avery Vise, vice-president of trucking, said the trucking market is softening, with significantly lower loadings growth this year and into 2020 than seen in 2017-2018. Loadings were up 3.4% in 2018, which is expected to pull back to an increase of 1.6% this year, Vise said. The dry van outlook is flat, while refrigerated and bulk loadings should offset some of that weakness. “Most of the economic indicators tied to freight are slowing,” Vise said. Truck utilization is weakening, but remains higher than the historical average. “The trend is for softer utilization for the rest of the year,” said Vise. The webinar explored three regulatory issues that will affect trucking. First, was the full transition to electronic logging devices (ELDs) in the U.S. in mid-December 2019. Fleets using automatic on-board recording devices (AOBRDs) were grandfathered in until 2019 when the ELD mandate was passed in 2017. But Vise isn’t expecting a major impact as the grandfather period comes to an end. “The productivity hit we had and the disruption we had was almost certainly greater a year ago than what we will see from this,” he said, adding most AOBRDs will be updated to meet the ELD standard through software updates, and not hardware replacements. An FTR analysis shows there are still carriers not complying with the ELD mandate, as there are about 500 violations a week reported by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). “We shouldn’t kid ourselves that ELDs totally eliminated non-compliance with hours-of-service rules,” he said. Another regulation to watch for, is the drug-and-alcohol clearinghouse coming into effect in January, 2020. It will track drivers who have failed, or refused to take, drug tests. But Vise doesn’t expect it to strip a lot of labor from the market, as fewer than 1% of drug tests are currently failed. An FTR analysis predicted only about 14,000 drivers will be taken off the roads through the clearinghouse. That is, however, unless carriers are currently not disclosing failed tests.

“We are assuming employers are fully complying with the regulations today,” said Vise. “Rules require motor carriers to disclose positive test results or refusals to prospective future employers when asked in background checks. To the extent that isn’t happening, the clearinghouse would correct that and there could be a much bigger impact.” That said, the increasingly widespread legalization of marijuana at the state level could have an impact on drug test failure rates, Vise noted. “It could become a serious issue for trucking, but is not directly related to the clearinghouse,” he said. Another regulatory issue that could affect trucking capacity and labor is the move toward mandatory training for entry-level drivers, something that’s been widely rolled out in Canada in recent months. The U.S. is looking to create standards by next February. But again, Vise isn’t expecting a huge impact. “The rules frankly aren’t that stringent for new training and the FMCSA estimates the vast majority

of CDL training programs right now could qualify,” he said. FTR anticipates the training requirements to have a “negligible impact on the driver supply.” Reforms to U.S. hours-of-service are in the works, and they will have an impact on fleets and drivers. Four areas are under consideration: a slightly longer workday for shorthaul operators; elimination of the mandatory 30-minute break;

more flexibility in adverse driving conditions; and restoring full flexibility to how drivers manage their sleeper berth time. But it’ll be quite some time before these changes are in effect, Vise warned. “Every hours-of-service rule we’ve had since 2003 has been challenged in court, and several have actually been blocked, so this could take quite a while,” he concluded. TN

Ryder names Canadian Ken Bilyea Top Tech of 2019 LONDON, ONTARIO A Canadian has been named the 2019 Ryder Top Technician at the 18th annual competition in Indianapolis. Ken Bilyea of London, Ont., was selected from a pool of eight finalists, the company announced. He received a cash prize of $50,000. Another Canadian, Wade Robinson, also of London, and Cody Morris of Hebron, Ky., placed second and third, respectively. “Congratulations to Ken Bilyea for earning this year’s Top Tech honor,” said Robert Sanchez, Ryder chairman and CEO. “Ken’s dedication to excellence is a shining example of why customers trust Ryder to deliver high qual-

ity, reputable customer service, and vehicle uptime rooted in knowledge and continuous education.” Of Ryder’s 6,300 U.S. and Canada-based technicians, more than 2,800 applied to be measured on their technical training qualifications, customer service performance, and quality workmanship, the company said. Bilyea and the other finalists advanced through three rounds of written tests and hands-on competitions to compete for the top honor. For the final round, participants went head-to-head in a series of rigorous hands-on skills tests across 10 truck workstations. Each finalist received a $10,000 cash prize. TN

August 2019 • Truck News – East 19

Fleet News

Technology for sale Polaris spins out a tech company to help digitize the transportation industry By James Menzies MISSISSAUGA, ONTARIO Polaris Transportation has prided itself on its technological innovation, and has now spun out a tech company through which it will market some of its homebuilt technologies. NorthStar Digital Solutions, operated out of Polaris’ headquarters with eight dedicated staff, offers custom-built technologies that will help fleets digitize their businesses and benefit from emerging technologies. During a recent visit to Polaris, Dave Brajkovich, chief technical officer, and Dave Cox, president of Polaris, told Truck News why the company is looking to share with its competitors some of the proprietary competitive advantages it has built in-house. “Our ultimate goal is to digitize our supply chain,” said Cox. But rather than buying off-theshelf products to do so, Polaris has invested in developing its own technologies. It brought in Brajkovich, who has a tech background and was serving on the company’s board, and began building its own customized platforms. It also saw an opportunity to sell these systems to other carriers, and so NorthStar Digital Solutions was born. Cox describes NorthStar as a “digital factory.” Polaris is currently its main customer, but it’s looking to branch out within the transportation industry, and beyond. The focus will be robotic processing, automation, artificial intelligence, and distributed ledgers (aka blockchain). Polaris handles 300,000 cross-border shipments per year,

Dave Brajkovich, chief technical officer (left) and Dave Cox, Polaris president, in the NorthStar Digital lab. and Cox envisioned digitizing that supply chain and reducing monotonous labor for his staff. Rather than processing paperwork, he wants them focused on solving exceptions. Brajkovich said NorthStar Digital has built bots to handle “straight-through” processing, freeing up staff to focus on exceptions. He said the bots can handle up to 80% of the straightthrough processing at Polaris. “I want to have people who can use the creative sides of their brains to find solutions for internal customers or external customers,” said Cox. “I want them to be able to watch gauges and pull levers when required.” Polaris was the first to implement NorthStar Digital’s technologies, and it bore the cost of developing them. One of the biggest advantages

so far, said Brajkovich, is a reduction in errors. He claimed bots are less prone to errors and they also identify and flag bad data. “The data that’s collected is very clean,” he said. “They won’t process things in a dirty state…If there are three accounts for the same company, the bot will see there’s three and say ‘These two are irrelevant, let’s clean that up.’ They cleanse the data for more accurate reporting.” Polaris now sees data reports hourly, which Cox and Brajkovich said is more accurate than in the past. Order entry is one of the first functions to have been digitized. Next to come, is a distributed ledger, widely known as blockchain. NorthStar Digital is building a blockchain platform it will offer to customers on a click charge or subscription fee model.

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“We provide the tool and the platform,” Brajkovich said. This will bring to users benefits such as smart contracts – including the ability to receive payment the moment the delivery is made, and to reduce disputes with shippers due to the centralized nature of the contract. Next up, NorthStar plans to offer Internet of Things products. It’s looking to add GPS tracking to individual shipments, which can be disposed of when the delivery is completed. “We are working with vendors right now to get to the point where it becomes throw-away GPS tracking and at the end of life, the battery dies and is disposable,” Brajkovich said. “It doesn’t need to be sent back, and from a last-mile perspective, that becomes complicated if you have to send the tracking units back into the fold.”

“I want to have people who can use the creative sides of their brains to find solutions for internal customers or external customers.” – Dave Cox NorthStar is looking beyond the transportation industry for customers, as it feels its technologies can be adapted to other industries as well. Ultimately, said Cox, the technology allows for scalability. Automating workflow allows customers to more easily scale up in busy times without adding more staff, and down in slower times, by simply reducing the number of bots handling certain processes. A customer looking to implement its currently available digitization technologies is looking at about a three-month implementation period, at which time the company says about 60-80% of straight-through processing can be automated, and error rates significantly reduced. It is looking to reduce that implementation period down to two months. Various pricing models are offered. The company is actively demonstrating its technologies to interested prospective customers. Cox said the NorthStar concept has been in the works for about two years, and “took Polaris into the next world.” TN

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Fleet News

Challenger opens own driver training academy

Geoff Topping

By Abdul Latheef CAMBRIDGE, ONTARIO A major Ontario transportation company is addressing the problem of an acute driver shortage in a unique way – it has opened its own driver training school in the presence of leaders from the trucking industry. Cha l lenger Motor Freig ht launched the Challenger Transportation Training Academy at the company’s main campus in Cambridge, Ont., on June 20. Classes open on July 15. Industry groups have repeatedly raised the issue of the driver shortage, calling it the most pressing problem facing the sector. Stephen Laskowski, president of the Canadian Trucking Alliance and Ontario Trucking Association, told guests at the event that the industry will face a shortage of close to 50,000 drivers by 2024. He said the opening of the academy showed Challenger’s ability to take issues head on. The school has been approved by the Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities as a registered private career college. It will run two ministry-approved courses, meeting all requirements under the mandatory entry-level training (MELT) criteria, the company said. Students can choose either a fiveweek tractor-trailer program costing $7,500 or a six-week A/Z licence course costing $8,170 in tuition. There will be additional costs for books and tests. Training will be offered in partnership with KRTS Transportation Specialists, a leading provider of education for the transportation industry. KRTS, which has been in school business since 1989, has trained all of the Challenger trainers, said Matt

Richardson, sales and operations manager at the company. “Students of the academy can expect a truly first-class experience, learning on quality equipment and state-of-the art simulators,” Richardson said. Steve Newton, Challenger’s director of safety and compliance, noted that the company has been involved in training for years. “For over a decade, we’ve been committed to training newly-licensed drivers. This is a natural path for us,” he said, referring to the launch of the academy. Geoff Topping, vice-president of human resources at Challenger, said the response has been amazing, and the academy aims to train drivers both for the company and for others who need them. “The main reason for doing this is to start growing our own, helping people get their licences.” The company employs about 1,200 drivers, but people are getting out of the industry because of aging demographics, he said. Topping also referred to a number of initiatives Challenger has taken over the years to train and retain drivers. They include mentorship and training programs, peer-to-peer recognition initiatives, substantial pay raises and retirement programs, he said. To attract more women to the industry, Challenger also offers female drivers free memberships to the Women’s Trucking Federation of Canada. The company also honors drivers who have clocked a million miles, and an official said there were at least 15 drivers in that category. “We’ve a people-first culture, and our people are our strength,” Topping said. “We believe that if we take care of our people, they will take care of our business and that in turn will make us successful.” TN

Shipper – Carrier Collaboration – Becoming a “Shipper of Choice” Many shippers with inefficient practices experienced some painful lessons during 2018. This pain was reflected in capacity shortages, rate increases or even demarketing from their core carriers. This track will provide shippers will an overview of the best areas for efficiency improvement in their freight transportation operations. Four shippers and carriers will share their tips on changes that shippers can make to incentivize carriers to provide them with consistent capacity at competitive rates.

Presented by: Genevieve Gagnon, President, XTL Transport

Jim Peeples, President & COO, Challenger Group of Companies

James Johnstone, Director of Transportation, Giant Tiger Stores

Dave Corcoran, Director, Transportation and Distributor Management, Nestle

October 16, 2019 International Centre, Mississauga

surfacetransportationsummit.com August 2019 • Truck News – East 23

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Equipment

Kenworth T270 marks milestone at Ste-Therese truck plant STE-THERESE, QUEBEC Paccar has produced its 200,000th truck at the company’s medium-duty plant in Ste-Therese, Que. The Kenworth T270 was presented to Miller Industries, a longtime Kenworth customer. It came equipped with a Paccar PX-7 engine rated at 300 hp and an Allison automatic transmission. Chakib Toubal-Seghir, plant manager, presented the keys to Miller Industries executives at a special ceremony. “The production of 200,000 medium-duty trucks at Paccar Ste-Therese is the result of a long history of exceptional performance and strong commitment to quality by our employees here at the plant. We take great pride in producing the world’s best trucks for such excellent customers like Miller Industries,” said Toubal-Seghir. TN

Miller Industries took delivery of the 200,000th medium-duty truck produced at Paccar’s Quebec truck plant.

Volvo’s Vera making driverless deliveries

CONTRANS IS GROWING AGAIN!

GOTHENBURG, SWEDEN Volvo’s driverless, cabless, electric truck has been put to work shuttling containers between a port and logistics center. Dubbed Vera, the truck is operating for ferry and logistics company DFDS. The objective is to put Vera into a real application. Volvo says the truck is suited for short distances, delivering large volumes of goods with high precision. It is monitored by an operator in a control tower. “Now we have the opportunity to implement Vera in an ideal setting and further develop her poten-

We are looking for an energetic, self-motivated on the road recruiter to partner with all of our Ontario divisions.

tial for other similar operations,” says Mikael Karlsson, vice-president autonomous solutions at Volvo Trucks. “We want to be at the forefront of connected, autonomous transportation. This collaboration will help us develop an efficient, flexible and sustainable long-term solution for receiving autonomous vehicles arriving at our gates, benefitting our customers, the environment and our business,” added Torben Carlsen, CEO of DFDS. The truck has a top speed of 40 km/h on its route. TN

LEASE

This position will require you to be on the road for 75% of your work week.

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August 2019 • Truck News – East 25

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Wabash Canada building new Moncton facility

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Moncton Mayor Dawn Arnold, Wabash Canada CEO Brent Larson and other Wabash executives at the groundbreaking ceremony. MONCTON, NEW BRUNSWICK Wabash Canada has begun the construction of its new sales and service location in Moncton, N.B. The Fernette Avenue site will be home to both the Wabash National trailer dealership and the company’s fleet maintenance business, GoRight. The facility will host four double-wide service bays on four acres, including a truck wash bay and fullwidth overhead crane for bulk tanks and truck bodies, the company said. More than 10 full-time sales and service positions will be created as a result of the expansion. The construction project will create an additional 25 jobs, and is expected to be completed in December. “The groundbreaking at our newest location in Moncton represents an exciting additional milestone in the growth of the company,” said Brent Larson, CEO of Wabash Canada and GoRight. “We are very excited about our investment in Moncton and Atlantic Canada. We will be able to better serve our customers and our rapidly-growing base of Wabash trailers domiciled in the region.” Wabash Canada is the exclusive

dealership in Eastern Canada for trailers manufactured by Wabash National. TN

CONTACT: jobs@sgt.ca 1-888-748-4213 Ontario Based: recruiting@sgt.ca 1-800-267-2000 ext 4237 Text to inquire: 647-551-6665

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Have an opinion? We’d like to hear it. Please send letters to the editor to james@newcom.ca. Letters should not exceed 200 words and are subject to editing for length and style.

Call 905-677-0111 or e-mail info to recruiting@tbmgroup.ca

August 2019 • Truck News – East 27

Owner/Operators Wanted

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Equipment

Glasvan wins three Great Dane dealer awards MISSISSAUGA, ONTARIO Glasvan Great Dane collected three top honors at the 2018 Great Dane Dealer of the Year awards celebration. The Mississauga, Ont., dealer won International Flatbed Dealer of the Year, International Refrigerated Dealer of the Year, and International Parts Dealer of the Year. It marked the 16th consecutive year Glasvan has received top dealer awards from Great Dane. Tom Pepper of Glasvan received special recognition for being a 10-time winner for high sales achievement. “We would not be where we are without our customers. These awards

are focused on the key elements of our core business, which is selling quality products and our promise of excellent customer service,” said George Cobham Sr., founder of Glasvan. “These awards have been running for many years and in the Great Dane community we take great pride on awarding them to dealers who raise the bar and deliver a customer-first care experience,” added Rob Ulsh, vice-president, dealer and international sales for Great Dane. “Glasvan winning for many years in a row is testament to their team’s sales accomplishments and their goal in helping their customers get the most out of our products.” TN

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August 2019 • Truck News – East 29

Health Preventive Maintenance

Becoming well-heeled How to combat plantar fasciitis Is your heel painful when you step out of your rig after driving a few hours, or when you first get out of bed? If so, you may have plantar fasciitis. Four to 7% of North Americans experience heel pain at any given time – 80% caused by plantar fasciitis. Ten per cent of the population will be affected by plantar fasciitis, especially between the ages of 40 and 60. Plantar fasciitis is inflammation of the thick band of tissue (plantar fascia) that runs along the bottom of your sole, connecting your toes to your heel bone. Stabbing heel pain caused by this inflammation usually occurs with your first steps after

sleeping or prolonged sitting, and often decreases after walking. Because the plantar fascia supports the arch in your foot by acting like a shock-absorbing bowstring, when its bowstring tension becomes too great, small tears form. Repeated stretching and tearing causing irritation and inflammation, leads to plantar fasciitis pain, which feels worse after exercise, but not during exercise. Although runners commonly get plantar fasciitis, other factors can increase your risk, such as improper foot movement and mechanics. Being flat-footed, having a high or fallen arch, or using an abnor-

mal pattern of walking can impact weight distribution while standing, walking or exercising – putting extra stress on the plantar fascia, especially if you carry a bit of extra weight. Standing for hours on hard surfaces can also be damaging. Even regularly jumping out of your rig or trailer can place a lot of stress on your heel, causing you to develop plantar fasciitis at a younger age. People with plantar fasciitis who continue with their regular activities by adopting an irregular gait to minimize the pain may develop problems with their feet, knees, hips or back as a result.

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To avoid these issues, try following a conservative, self-treatment plan, consisting of: rest; icing the painful area to reduce inflammation and pain; massage; and gently stretching the foot’s sole by placing the toes against a wall three to six inches above the floor and gently leaning forward a few times a day. As well, take ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) or naproxen sodium (Aleve), as needed. By following this plan, usually 90% of cases are resolved within six months. However, when more focused therapy is required, a physical therapist could guide you though exercises to stretch the plantar fascia and the Achilles tendon, and to strengthen your lower leg muscles and stabilize your heel and ankle, and could also show you how to support the bottom of your foot with athletic tape. A therapist or doctor may recommend that you stretch your calf and support the arch of your foot overnight while sleeping using a foot splint, or you might be prescribed custom-fitted or off-the-shelf orthotics (arch supports) to help equally distribute pressure across your feet during the day. If your pain continues, more extreme treatments might include having steroids injected into the painful area for temporary pain relief. However, ongoing injections should be avoided since they can weaken the plantar fascia and lead to a rupture. As well, shock wave therapy, where soundwaves are directed toward the painful area, may be used to stimulate healing for chronic plantar fasciitis, but possible side-effects include bruising, swelling, pain, tingling, and numbness. You can take the following steps to avoid or reduce the pain of plantar fasciitis: maintain an appropriate weight to minimize the stress on your feet; and wear supportive work boots and shoes with a low to moderate heel, and with good shock absorbency and arch support. When exercising, wear supportive, cushioning athletic shoes. Participate in low-impact sports like bicycling and swimming. Keep your arches and plantar fascia limber by stretching your feet – point your toes and flex your heels a few times before you jump out of your rig or out of bed. Don’t allow painful feet to impact your day – stay well-heeled. TN

Insights Private Matters

What does the ELD mandate mean to you? On June 12, Canada’s long-awaited electronic logging device (ELD) posting in Canada Gazette Part 2 finally occurred. As far as the Private Motor Truck Council (PMTC) and its members are concerned, this announcement is a positive step forward for the industry, and one that brings us into the modern age of hours-of-service recording. It replaces the antiquated, and fraught with opportunities for creative writing, that is currently in place with paper hours-of-service record-keeping. The ELD file is one the PMTC has been heavily involved in with Transport Canada and the Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators (CCMTA) from the very beginning, dating back to 2010, and we congratulate both groups on the work that has been done over the years to get us to this place. This regulation affects federally-regulated carriers whose drivers are required to keep logbooks, with a few exemptions in place for engines manufactured before the year 2000, as well as for those operating a rental vehicle on a short-term rental of 30 days or less, and those operating under an HOS permit or an MVTA exemption. When provincial and territorial-regulated carriers will be required to comply, and who will be required among them, will depend on when each individual jurisdiction decides to adopt the regulations, and if they make any adjustments to the regs before they adopt them. Initial indications from most provinces and territories are that they will adopt them, but until they do their own consultations, they can’t commit to a timeline or whether amendments will be made. The PMTC and the rest of the industry will continue to work with the CCMTA and regulators in hopes of seeing harmonization across the land. The original posting occurred in Canada Gazette Part 1 on Dec. 16, 2017. In the original proposal, there was to be no third-party device certification, allowing manufacturers to self-certify (a regime that is in place in the U.S. and has resulted in many devices being self-certified that are in no way compliant). The PMTC was very vocal on this type of certification regime not being repeated in Canada, and we are happy that in the Gazette 2 posting this was addressed. All manufactured ELDs that are going to be operated in Canada will have to be certified by an accredited certification body, which is approved by Transport Canada. While the accredited third-party or parties have yet to be approved, Transport Canada is working through this process, as well as the testing procedures, and is aware that this process must be completed in a short time to allow the certification

process to begin, and to allow certified, compliant devices to hit the market as soon as possible. Although this is the case, the technical standard that devices are going to have to meet has been posted, and this is something you can talk about with your current or potential supplier to determine their knowledge level, and if they are prepared to meet the standard. The other big change in this file is in regards to the compliance date and grandfather period for existing devices. In the Gazette 1 posting, this was a two-year period. While the compliance date remains at two years, coming into effect on June 12, 2021, the grandfather period has been removed.

The PMTC has concerns about the removal of the grandfather period for those who have previously installed devices, as we believe this may leave carriers who previously installed devices prior to the regulations in a disadvantaged position to those who did nothing. We have made Transport Canada aware of our concerns and will continue to monitor the progress of the industry as this file progresses, and will work with PMTC members, the industry, and Transport Canada to keep them informed of the transition status. I personally hope it does not become an issue and that the industry is able to transition in time. One more note, if you are a carrier running into the U.S., the date

Mike Millian is president of the Private Motor Truck Council of Canada, the only national association that represents the views and interests of the private fleet industry. He can be reached at trucks@pmtc.ca

you are required to transition from an automatic on-board recording device, to a compliant ELD is approaching quickly, coming into effect on Dec. 16. If you have not begun this process yet, you may want to get started. All indications are that the FMCSA has no plans to extend this, and their stats show a large portion of the industry has yet to begin this process. TN

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August 2019 • Truck News – East 31

Insights Voice of the owner-operator

Asleep at the ELD switch Trucking has its own language, and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m not talking about CB chatter or the unique jargon every industry develops. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more about the way trucking uses certain words that have a completely different meaning in the minds of most non-trucking people. After all these years Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve learned the lingo, but it still drives me wild when people take two related words and use them interchangeably, as if they mean the same thing. Safety and compliance is one of my pet peeves.

Yes, they are complementary, and yes, both are important components of a safety management system, but too often we hear about safety and compliance as a single notion. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a discussion Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been involved in many times: is it possible for someone to be compliant, and still be unsafe? This discussion often takes place in the context of hours-of-service. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a common scenario: you might be perfectly rested, alert and safe, but canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get behind the wheel because

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youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re out of hours. Compliance wins. Conversely, you can have lots of hours left, but are so drowsy your eyelids are fluttering, yet you have to keep going. Compliance wins again, but safety could be the big loser. But wait. Can it be that Canadaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s recently published electronic logging device (ELD) rule will once and for all resolve the issue of driver fatigue? Transport Minister Marc Garneauâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s announcement, especially the made-in-Canada requirement for third-party device certification, was greeted with enthusiasm by many. The â&#x20AC;&#x153;letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s get the cheaters off the roadâ&#x20AC;? theme ran in the background, but front and center in all the media coverage was the implication that the ELD mandate was primarily a fatigue-mitigation measure. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Federal government takes steps to curb bus, truck driver fatigue in Canada,â&#x20AC;? proclaimed one mainstream media outlet, while another announced that Canada was making the devices mandatory in an effort to â&#x20AC;&#x153;combat driver fatigue and improve road safety.â&#x20AC;? While I often fault the mainstream media for missing the mark when reporting on trucking issues, in this case, they are only echoing industry leaders who describe ELDs as key in fighting fatigue, and indeed on what Garneau himself announced: that in mandating ELDs â&#x20AC;&#x153;we are looking to reduce truck and bus crashes due to fatigue.â&#x20AC;? And just to be clear, the ELD mandate addresses only the electronic monitoring and enforcement of our current HoS regime. The somewhat flawed, inflexible HoS rules themselves will not be changed; theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll simply have to be recorded using an electronic device. Once again, Transport Canada has overlooked one of the most important pieces of research that includes a forthright discussion of fatigue and road safety â&#x20AC;&#x201C; its own paper titled Addressing Human Factors in the Motor Carrier Industry in Canada published in 2011 by Pierre Thiffault, a senior research analyst with the department. Thiffault stressed that while HoS regulations theoretically address important risk factors, they have

Joanne Ritchie is executive director of OBAC. Weary waiting for change? E-mail her at jritchie@obac.ca or call toll-free at 888-794-9990.

significant limitations. While necessary, and perhaps enhanced by electronic enforcement, HoS regulations are not sufficient to address fatigue in the motor carrier industry. Thiffault stressed the importance of making stakeholders understand this reality: HoS rules form the foundation of fatigue management, but they need to be complemented by various initiatives to generate a comprehensive and efficient fatigue management approach. In theory, support of the North American Fatigue Management Program (NAFMP), which outlines an all-encompassing approach to dealing with the problem of driver fatigue, signals that our government is on top of the issue. As a reminder, NAFMP, a Canada-U.S. initiative, is comprised of educational components for drivers, dispatchers, company management, and family members â&#x20AC;&#x201C; all available free to the industry â&#x20AC;&#x201C; as well as a plethora of guidelines and tools with respect to obstructive sleep apnea, napping strategies, scheduling, fatigue monitoring technologies, and much more. It is telling to note, though, that all of these interventions, which are central for fatigue management, are not part of the HoS regulations. This provides another example of how an approach solely based on complying with the rules falls short in terms of oversight, and most likely effectiveness. In amending HoS to require ELDs, Transport Canada stressed that regulations exist to reduce fatigue-related crashes, injuries and fatalities. Why then, when given the opportunity, did federal regulators not address the greatest shortcoming of HoS rules â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the failure to evolve along with our understanding of fatigue â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and leave us with a prescriptive regime focused more on compliance than on fatigue management and mitigation? Asleep at the switch on that one. TN

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Schneider is an equal opportunity employer.

32 Truck News â&#x20AC;&#x201C; East â&#x20AC;˘ August 2019

Insights Tax Talk

What’s in a name? How to effectively get your name out there Every new business owner dreams of turning their company into a household name. But long before that can happen, it’s important to establish a legal or registered name that will appear on essential documents like Articles of Incorporation, business licences, and of course tax returns and other government paperwork. Some companies also use a trade name or a DBA, which is an acronym for “doing business as.” A trade name is like a nickname for marketing: for instance, “Ford Motor Company of Canada Ltd.” is long and cumbersome, while “Ford” is quick, easy, and memorable. It’s not a requirement, but there are advantages to registering a trade name when you set up your business.

Sometimes I run into people who think that simply registering a trade name will accomplish the same thing as incorporation. Not true. Legally, you and your company are one and the same if you’re a sole proprietor. For example, having a legal name (“Scott Taylor Trucking Inc.”) and a trade name (“Scott’s Trucking”) means you can list both on your business bank account. Clients can use whatever name they’re familiar with when they make out a check. It’s different if you’re a sole proprietor. You and your business are the same entity for tax and legal purposes. Whether or not I have “Scott’s Trucking” registered as a trade name does not change the fact that my legal business name is “Scott Taylor.” Sometimes I run into people who think that simply registering a trade name will accomplish the same thing as incorporation. Not true. Legally, you and your company are one and the same if you’re a sole proprietor. That said, when you incorporate you can put a Ltd., Inc., or Corp. on the end and they all mean the same thing. Which one you choose is a matter of personal choice. Why do I bring this up? A case of mistaken identity is time-consuming and confusing to sort out. For example, in our business we help clients get their Canadian and

U.S. operating authorities. I have a sole-proprietor client who goes by his middle name. He put that name down as his given name when he applied for his operating authorities. An honest mistake, but one that’s taken hours to correct. You know that shop you’ve been dealing with for years, where everybody knows your name? When you incorporated, did you give them a copy of your Corporate Certificate so they can update their records and make sure your business’s legal name is on the invoices and statements? They didn’t? The GST/HST input tax credits for the engine job and new

steer tires you bought this year are going to be denied. What about the new trailer you’re about to lease or buy? Will the folks at the dealer’s finance department put your legal name on the documentation? Check it twice, because Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) is going to ask questions if your personal name or a DBA is on the paperwork and the payments are coming out of a corporate bank account. No matter how your operation is structured, make it a habit to put your legal business name on everything you provide to clients, vendors, or a government office. 1234567 Ontario Inc./DBA Frank’s Haulage isn’t catchy. But when you’re named personally in a lawsuit because the plaintiff did not know (or claims not to know) that you do business as a corporate entity, or you

Scott Taylor is vice-president of TFS Group, providing accounting, bookkeeping, tax return preparation, and other business services for owner-operators. Learn more at www.tfsgroup.com or call 800-461-5970.

rush to the bank to cash a check but get turned away because it doesn’t have your legal business name on it, you’ll wish you’d put it on every invoice, contract, business card, letterhead, website, and registration form you’ve ever filled out. TN

We are a small in house carrier for a steel manufacturer and have been working with this company for 18+ years. We are currently expanding and are seeking professional drivers to run steel out of Scarborough ON, into various eastern to mid U.S. points NOT including New York. We also offer a lease-to-own trailer purchasing of aluminum trailers with a roll-tite system and a one year warranty. Option also includes in house servicing for those interested.

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MUST HAVE: 3 YEARS OF STEEL HAUL EXPERIENCE CLEAN ABSTRACT CLEAN CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECK OVER 25 YEARS OF AGE

Please call Tracy 416 291-0354 ext 23 or email tracy@gbtrans.ca August 2019 • Truck News – East 33

Graphics & Decals

A million impressions Truck and trailer graphics offer an effective marketing medium By Abdul Latheef Mobile advertising has come a long way since “Hershey’s Cocoa” was emblazoned on a Riker Electric Vehicle owned by the American chocolate pioneer Milton Hershey in 1900. It all began with painting, followed by hand-cutting, die-cutting, laser-cutting and screen printing before reaching digital production, but the technology is still evolving. The global vehicle graphics industry is now worth billions of dollars and growing at a fast pace. Companies such as 3M, Avery Dennison, Hexis, Orafol and Ritrama are some of the major players in the adhesive film market. “The global automotive wrap films market size was valued at US$2.87 billion in 2018 and is anticipated to progress at a compounded annual growth rate of 22.2% from 2019 to 2025,” U.S. consulting firm Grand View Research said in a report released in April. So, what’s behind this spectacular growth? The answer is simple, according to 3M, a leader in North America. A recent survey conducted by the company in the U.S. revealed that fleet graphics attract much more attention than traditional advertising. Each of the 10 Snapple trucks used in the three-month 3M study generated six million daily views on average. Even better, the cost per 1,000 impressions was just 48 cents, while other options cost between $3.56 and $23.70 for the same number of impressions. The company estimates that more than 100,000 trucks are wrapped every year in North America. “The way I look at it is, everything that is blank is an opportunity,” said Andrew Grougrou, national sales manager for graphics markets at 3M Canada, referring to the unmarked trailers on Canadian highways. And, there are so many of them. Other studies have also pointed out that using vehicles as mobile billboards offer a better return on investment than other methods of advertising. Graphics awards Grougrou spoke to Truck News on the sidelines of the Private Motor Truck Council of Canada’s annual conference in Niagara Falls, Ont., in June. At the event, 3M was the sponsor of the Vehicle Graphics Design Awards, which have been honoring designers excelling in the production of truck graphics for more than 30 years. The number of entries for the 2019 awards exceeded expectations, the organizers said.

Plaid for Dad raises cancer awareness.

Rachel David on a tractor promoting her speech at the TTC Ladies’ Lunch. Big winners this year included Turbo Images and Motive Media of Toronto, Ont., and Rosenau Transport of Edmonton, Alta. Turbo swept the awards, taking home honors in several categories, including Night Time Safety and Fleet Identity. “We were thrilled with Turbo’s success this year,” said Shelagh Morrison, executive director of business development and marketing. “The awards are selected by a blind panel of industry professionals. It really validates our work.” Turbo uses 3M’s vinyl products to make graphics because the company provides what is known as the Match Component System Warranty, the most comprehensive in the industry, said Morrison. Vehicle graphics are created for a variety of reasons, she said. “Sometimes graphics are done because the company bought new units, sometimes graphics are done because they changed the branding or are launching a different product, or sometimes because they had an accident and are replacing the vehicle,” she said. Motive Media won in the Tractor-Trailer, Straight Truck and Light Truck categories. The company has been involved in several recent high-profile projects, such as Rap-

34 Truck News – East • August 2019

tors branding, which included 19 parade vehicles, one trailer and one retro TTC bus. “Fleet branding can have a huge impact on your business because not only are you moving the goods, you are promoting your brand, your company and your message in a huge way,” said Kathy Cartan, president. “It provides an opportunity to build business and brand awareness from coast to coast at a minimal cost per impression.” The company was also behind the specially-wrapped Cervus Peterbilt tractor at the recent Ladies’ Lunch hosted by the Toronto Transportation Club. It featured celebrity speaker Rachel David, who delivered the keynote address at the event. “It was the perfect opportunity to promote the event and Rachel in a big way in a big city, with big traffic,” Cartan said. Plaid for Dad Rosenau Transport was the winner in the Human Interest category. The Alberta company wrapped one of its tractor-trailers in support of the Plaid for Dad campaign, which raises prostate cancer awareness among the trucking community. Studies have suggested that truck drivers are particularly vulnerable to prostate cancer because of the

body vibration they endure during longhaul trips. “The president of our company approached us to come up with something that is cool and that would stand out to support Plaid for Dad,” said designer Trevor Adrian of Rosenau Transport, which has its own in-house graphics production team. “That truck is seen by thousands of people…most people really love the truck.” The livery is in teal, which is also the company’s color. It is not the first time one of Rosenau’s vehicles has drawn public admiration. Its Support Our Troops trailer, which paid tribute to Canadian soldiers, was a runaway success two years ago. “Many troops contacted us saying, ‘We really appreciate what you guys have done,’” Adrian said. Cheaper alternative One American company is offering a cheaper alternative to traditional truck wrapping, which on average costs about $4,000 per truck. Epic Worldwide, based in Las Vegas, Nev., claims its Kwik Zip Changeable Graphic System provides a quick and cost-effective solution. “While the initial cost of Kwik Zip could be higher, any extra money spent on it is compensated by the fact that the vehicle doesn’t lose any productive days for installation,” said David Falk, national account manager for Canada. “There is only marginal cost and time involved in removing it (one hour of labor), but most importantly, it can be re-installed on a new piece of equipment.” He said the company wraps between 4,000 and 6,000 vehicles a year. Going green The industry is also witnessing the emergence of a niche green market, said Grougrou of 3M Canada. “We have a line of green products that offers flexibility, and many, many companies are opting for that solution.” Such sustainable products were first used by 3M during the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, he said. “The industry itself has not taken off to the level where you could just apply graphics and then recycle it because there are a lot of components,” Grougrou said. At the Vancouver Olympics, however, 3M was able to “repurpose” the products through a complicated process, thereby helping reduce the Game’s carbon footprint, he said. Glenn Pattison, an account executive at 3M, said Canada Post is one of the company’s biggest green customers. “We do all theirs with green products, all their delivery vehicles. They’re a real implementer of going green.” TN

August 2019

35

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Note: Action Trailer Sales Inc. is responsible to impose a cost recovery fee under the Resource Productivity & Recovery Authority (RPRA). It is being used to cover the cost of collecting and recycling the tires our customers purchase today when those tires reach their end of life and are returned by our customers.

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Profile

The trucker who wants to make his customers smile By Abdul Latheef There were many “good moments” in Jim Smith’s 26-year trucking career, but one stands out. That happened a couple of years ago when his employer received a call from a man who said he wanted to thank Smith for a “fantastic service” provided to his mother. “The driver that showed up treated my mom so well,” the man told Smith’s colleague at Speedy Transport, based in Brampton, Ont. Smith said he then remembered what was it all about. He was making a routine house delivery in Ham-

ilton, Ont., and an elderly, blind lady answered the door. He put the package in the garage on her request and also helped her sign the shipping documents. “I was just doing my job. If we can make the customers smile before we leave, that’s fantastic,” Smith told Truck News in an interview after another day of his Brampton-Hamilton-Brampton run in his Hino straight truck. He clocks between 300 and 400 kilometers, driving up to 12 hours every day, five days a week. While Smith likes his current route, he began his career in downtown

Toronto where driving in the alleyways was not always easy. “On many occasions, I had to fold the mirror in.” In all, he has driven almost two million kilometers. Except for a few inadvertent detours into no-truck streets, Smith said his driving record is pretty good. The job has taken its toll on his family, though. A father of two sons, 22 and 21, Smith has been separated from his wife for five years now. “She complained a couple of times that she had to raise our children alone.” Smith now lives with his girl-

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42 Truck News – East • August 2019

Jim Smith friend in Burlington, Ont. He estimates that the divorce rate in the trucking community is about 50%. He said he came up with that number from his interaction with other drivers. “So, the key is probably finding an understanding woman,” Smith said, quickly adding that “not too many of those are there.” Smith’s father was a truck driver, but his sons seem to have no interest in pursuing a career in the industry. That’s disappointing because the job is still lucrative, he said. “For a single guy, going on the road (longhaul) is fantastic. You go, drive for a couple of years, make money and come home,” Smith said. His advice to young drivers: “Treat the customers the way you like to be treated.” Smith was named the Toronto Regional Truck Driving champion this year and the Ontario champion last year. The national championship was abolished by the time he won the provincial title. Smith is happy that he won the truck rodeos, but he’s not bragging about his victories. The annual championships offer truck drivers an opportunity to showcase their skills. The competition involves a written test, an obstacle course and a truck inspection. Smith believes participating in the competitions has helped him to get closer to the management and “hang out” with the bosses. “I respect my bosses more…I think I am also getting more respect, but I have also been here 26 years,” he said. “I still work the same. I don’t slack. I work hard, and they appreciate that. They know that.” They do. James Temple, vice-president of human resources at Speedy Transport, said the company has received numerous compliments about Smith’s service and is fortunate to have him. Andre Poirier, vice-president of transportation, called him the “King of Hamilton,” who has been to every area imaginable, and probably to areas that a truck has no business being. TN

Announcements

Ad Index

Two drivers added to the PMTC Hall of Fame; Mack Trucks has new v.p., national accounts; and Ontario gets (another) a new transport minister.

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Morgan’s Diesel ................................ 36

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Allan Huf fman and David Judge, who have clocked 13 million ticket-free kilometers between them, have been added to the Private Motor Truck Council’s Hall of Fame for Professional Drivers.

Huffman, a driver assigned to John Deere’s private fleet, has run more than eight million kilometers without an accident or violation during his 46 years on the road. Judge, of Praxair Canada, has been driving for 39 years, 33 of which have been at Praxair. He has traveled more than 4.8 million accident- and violation-free kilometers. The PMTC also honored Tim Dreyer of Patene Building Supplies, naming him the 2019 Rick Austin Memorial Dispatcher of the Year. The award was established in memory of CPC Logistics Canada dispatcher Rick Austin, who passed away suddenly in March 2017. • Mack Trucks has named industry veteran Maxsle (Max) Butler vice-president of national accounts. Butler, who has been in the industry for 30 years, will be responsible for all national accounts activities in North America. He will also lead efforts to grow this segment of Mack’s business, the company said. Butler has served in various leadership positions within Mack, most recently as vice-president of parts sales. Prior to this position, he was vice-president of sales and marketing for parts sales, director of regional parts and manager of proprietary parts marketing. • Mitsubishi Fuso Truck of America has named Peter Young the director of dealer network development.

In his new role, Young will focus on the development of the Fuso dealership network for Canada and the U.S. He will be accountable for the dealerships’ success in key markets, and he, along with his team, will be responsible for further developing the performance of the dealerships to ensure value for the franchise. Brian Shantz, who manages the Canadian operations for Fuso, also had the responsibilities of leading the network development and operations group. Under his leadership, Shantz was instrumental in launching a new key performance indicator (KPI) dashboard for dealerships, the company said. • Women in Trucking Association (WIT) has welcomed a new board of directors. Laura Roan Hays, regional sales manager, Great Dane, is the new chairwoman of the board. She replaces Mary Aufdemberg, director, acquisitions and operations, Daimler Trucks North America and Daimler Trucks Remarketing, who reached the end of her term. Roan Hays has been in the transportation industry for more than 30 years. She began her career in 1989 as an administrative assistant and worked her way up to branch manager, leading the Great Dane Tampa and Miami branches. • Caroline Mulroney – a lawyer and one-time contender for the leadership of Ontario’s Progressive Conservative party – has been named minister of transportation in a cabinet shuffle by Premier Doug Ford. She will hold a dual role as minister of francophone affairs. This makes her the third person to oversee the transportation portfolio in just a year. Mulroney replaces Jeff Yurek, who takes on the role as minister of the environment. Prior to the shuffle, Mulroney was attorney general of Ontario. She is the daughter of former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney. TN

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Products Mack and Volvo have both announced new warranty programs for pre-owned trucks. The Volvo Certified Warranty provides engine and transmission coverage based on its Volvo Engine Plan 2 Protection Plan for new trucks. It offers fully inspected, reconditioned and warrantied Volvo trucks at a significant savings, according to the company. The certified warranty is offered through Volvo’s internal systems, eliminating the need for third-party vendors. Qualifying trucks are four model years or newer with 450,000 miles or less on them. They undergo a 150-point inspection and reconditioning process. They come with up to 24 months and 250,000 miles of coverage. Similarly, Mack is now offering a Certified Used Truck program, with a fully integrated warranty managed by the truckmaker. TN

Bridgestone Americas’ new R123 Ecopia tire emerges as a SmartWay-verified option for trailers, promising lower rolling resistance than the Ecopia R197. Features include what’s known as an IntelliShape sidewall, designed to reduce overall weight and minimize rolling resistance. Patented NanoPro-Tech polymers also limit energy losses and help to improve fuel economy. The tread pattern increases traction and grip on wet roads while also absorbing stress on tread edges to promote even wear, the company says. A special defense groove structure also helps to establish even pressure at the tire shoulder. TN

Volvo has unveiled the latest generation of its Volvo Active Driver Assist (VADA) collision mitigation system, which will be standard in VNR and VNL models and also available in the VNX. VADA 2.0 integrates radar and camera readings to monitor surrounding traffic, and activate alerts or emergency braking if required. The system is available in the third quarter of 2019, while several updates will roll out through the year to follow. The latest version of automatic emergency braking will operate across multiple lanes of traffic, while updated lane departure warnings include adjustable volume and mute settings and will allow drivers to turn the system off for up to 10 minutes. Highway departure warning and braking will slow a vehicle by a pre-defined speed if a driver doesn’t act on a lane departure warning. Adaptive cruise control with Cruise Auto Resume will automatically return a truck to cruise speeds when the vehicle begins to move above 16 km/h. A driver awareness support system builds on this with an in-cab windshield-mounted camera that combines images with data to support activities like driver coaching. TN

Stemco’s wireless monitoring technology is now being integrated into Truck-Lite’s Road Ready telematics system through a second-generation SmartBridge Integrator. The integration means fleets will be able to access information about Stemco’s wireless products through Road Ready’s web portal, which will now offer alerts about low tire pressure, inflation, and mileage events. The wireless products themselves include the AirBat tire pressure monitoring system, Aeris automatic tire inflation system, and TracBat hubodometer. The Road Ready system wirelessly monitors trailers, delivering real-time alerts, notifications and reports. The data is even available when trailers are untethered. TN

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Alcoa Wheels is offering a way to upgrade the look of wheel-ends on new and older trucks, through a new one-piece hub cover that holds in place with “secure fit retention.” The system adds three threaded nylon nuts per cover, offering consistent contact points to secure the cover to the wheel-end. Trailer lug nut towers accommodate the increased stud standout found on wide-base wheels, disc brakes, and other new truck variations, the company says. TN

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Fiction Mark Dalton: Owner-Operator

THE STORY SO FAR Mark is driving across the Prairies and comes across a truck like no other he’s ever seen before. He pulls up alongside of it and realizes the man behind the wheel isn’t driving, but rather he’s reading a magazine. It’s one of those autonomous trucks that operated without a driver and Mark was awestruck… • As Mark followed the autonomous truck down the highway, perfectly matching the machine’s perfect obeyance of the speed limit and traffic laws, he thought long and hard about what the future held for truckers if such futuristic machines were nearly ready to take over the roadways. If there was one good thing about the march of technology – at least in this case – it was that while it was progressing, it wasn’t doing it quickly enough to put drivers out of work any time soon. They weren’t going to take over within the year, probably not even in five. Maybe it’ll be like the cure for diabetes which always seems to be “five years away.” That’s because for all of its high-tech wizardry and space-age technology, someone was still required to sit in the truck and monitor the thing’s progress. And so, if anything should go wrong, there was always a big red button on the dashboard that allowed the monitor to take over complete control of the truck. The thought of things getting too hectic or too real for the truck’s computer to handle put a smile on Mark’s face. But a second thought crossed his mind and wiped the smile right off. How close was a self-driving truck with a computer that could think for itself to the apocalyptic image Stephen King offered up in his short-story-turned-horror-film Trucks. And while these trucks needed monitors to oversee their performance in the short-term, what’s to say that even that job might be taken away from a trucker and handed to some engineer or technician who had never driven a truck before but who could evaluate and correct whatever is going wrong with truck’s guidance system? So, one less driver, one more technician… as if those highly trained individuals needed to take over the trucking industry, too. But it wasn’t all bad. A big issue in the driver’s favor is road conditions and knowledge of a city or delivery locale that is nowhere close to simply backing up to a loading dock and having computer-guided forklifts unload cargo. Mark had delivered countless loads in city environ-

Illustration by Glenn McEvoy

By Edo van Belkom

The Truck Without a Driver – Part 2 – ments where the streets made no sense and the addresses seemed all wrong, yet loads were delivered to these places daily without problem. After all, a driverless truck can’t read a ‘Use Side Door’ sign, decipher bizarre street numbering, or back down a long one-way street to save half an hour’s driving time. It was quite possible that truck drivers could take on the job that harbor pilots do for large ocean-going ships. A driver’s knowledge of the city or local driving styles could require them to take over an autonomous truck on a city’s outskirts, then navigate the truck through traffic to its final destination. Finally – and perhaps the most significant issue in all of this – are the other aspects of a driver’s job that have nothing to do with driving. Sure, you can design a truck that bills its clients the second it reaches its destination, that can probably also prevent a load being unloaded until its paid for, but what about the actual delivery of goods. Mark had delivered hundreds, maybe even thousands, of loads where there was no one around to unload his truck, or very few people

at least, and he had to pitch in if he wanted to get away in any kind of timely manner. A driverless truck couldn’t do that. A computer can make decisions of logic, but never one of common sense. In fact, this obstacle even has a name: The Fifty Foot Problem. It basically revolves around the question of how an autonomous truck delivers its cargo to a residential home, or business on the second floor, or a door on the other side of a fence. In other words, the last 50 feet before a load’s final destination. Mark had read about automaker Ford’s efforts to develop a robot named Digit, which features stork-like legs, looks a lot like a droid you might see in a Star Wars battle scene, and can carry a 40-lb load. They are so far along on its development that the company is hoping to roll it out in 2021 as part of its autonomous fleet offering. So, science is not only trying to get rid of drivers, but delivery men too. It made Mark wonder, if so many people were going to be replaced by computers and robots, who would still have a job to earn enough money to afford the things that were going to be delivered by these machines? But Mark was hopeful that for the cost of putting one autonomous truck on the road, a company could employ 100 owner-operators, with everyone still making a nice profit. Finally, were the nation’s highways even ready for trucks rumbling down the road without someone behind the wheel? And what about the public? Would people feel safe driving down the road knowing there wasn’t someone in control of the giant semi sharing the roadway with them and their families. But as much as Mark could argue the pros and cons of autonomous trucks and the onslaught of technology, the bottom line was that these things would eventually be safe enough, and cheap enough, to make financial sense to the majority of companies moving goods on the nation’s highways. It was going to happen, and the job of truck driver – the most common job in more than half of all U.S. states – might no longer be a viable occupation. Mark was intrigued and wanted to know more, and to see how these trucks actually worked. TN Mark Dalton returns next month in Part 3 of The Truck Without a Driver.

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August 2019 • Truck News – East 45

The Last Word

ELDs as a time management tool What if electronic logging devices (ELDs) were used as time management tools rather than enforcement devices? Sure, they would still limit the amount of time you are able to drive each day, but the primary intent of the device would be to improve a driver’s quality of life, enhance safety in his or her workspace, and improve productivity. That sounds a little like magical thinking, doesn’t it? First, we have to talk a little bit about applying the rules. I don’t mean work-to-rule by industrial action, to reduce output and efficiency by following official working rules and hours; I’m interested in how we follow the rules in terms of simply reporting all on-duty time as on-duty time. We’ve spent many years reporting a driver’s on-duty time in 15-minute increments while dumping the bulk of the on-duty time we actually do work into the off-duty or sleeper berth categories. This is an ongoing garbage-in/garbage-out scenario (GIGO). Techopedia.com gives a simple definition of GIGO: the output quality of a system usually can’t be any better than the quality of inputs. That’s exactly where we are at today. A system based on a pick-up that takes 15 minutes, a delivery that takes 15 minutes, a border crossing that takes 15 minutes, a fuel stop that takes 15 minutes, a pre-trip inspection that takes 15 minutes, and so on. This is actually where the magical thinking lives and it has for the full 20 years that I have worked as a longhaul highway driver. At some point, we have to stop thinking we can successfully hammer that square peg into a round hole labeled “safety and compliance.” It’s never worked and it’s never going to, especially under the pending universal implementation of ELDs. As painful as it sounds (and it is) to drivers, the only way to lance this boil is to give the decision makers – the legislators, safety organizations, and mega-carriers – the information

We’ve spent many years reporting a driver’s on-duty time in 15-minute increments while dumping the bulk of the on-duty time we actually do work into the off-duty or sleeper berth categories. they need to make the right decisions for drivers. That means logging all your on-duty time as it happens. At this point you may be thinking, ‘Goodhall, you’re a dreamer, that’s never going to happen.’ You’re right, but here is what I do know from my experience about applying the rules: It works in my organization. I log all my on-duty time. If I show up at a delivery and it is a driver assist and I’m working in the trailer for 90 minutes, that’s on-duty. If I sit at the border for two hours, that’s on-duty. If I pick up a full load and it takes three hours to load, I will be on-duty to check in and once I bump the dock and have to wait in

nances II e t n i a M ractice Best P

my truck until loaded, I go off-duty. Basically, when I work, I log it. But here’s the catch: I work for a company where executives are licensed and often jump in a truck to do deliveries or switches. They are passionate about trucking and as a result, are close to their drivers and to their customers. We don’t have excessive waiting time or have to deal with “time vampires” feeding on drivers. Basically, I work for a great carrier that manages its business in a very hands-on manner and is not data-dependent, as so many carriers seem to be these days, thus avoiding the GIGO information trap. Not surprisingly, this model of leadership through integrity allows us to run by the rules, making the data captured by ELDs meaningful to those same hands-on leaders. So, it’s how our leaders lead that is really at issue when we look at ELDs and ask the question, is it a time management tool or is it an enforcement tool? For me, it has become a tool of empowerment I can use – not a tool used by others to impose control over my day. Believe it or not, this approach makes it easier for me to deal with motor carrier inspectors and police enforcement. When you’re not spending your day trying

to appease everyone but yourself, life gets a whole lot easier and you can enjoy what you do. Life isn’t perfect where I work; we have our challenges. In the high-pressure world of trucking, this is the reality of daily life. What we get right is the understanding that drivers are the focal point of the business, while remaining dependent on every other branch of the company for their individual success and security. It is in this light that the ELD can be used by a driver to manage their time to their benefit rather than view it as a gun that is held to their head to enforce compliance. TN

Al Goodhall has been a professional longhaul driver since 1998. He shares his experiences via his blog at www.truckingacross canada.blogspot.com. You can follow him on Twitter at @Al_Goodhall.

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