November 2016 Volume 36, Issue 11
TRUCK NEWS Hometown pride wins the day
Super savings Volvo shows off its SuperTruck, which improved freight efficiency by nearly twice the target of 50%.
Delivering daily news at trucknews.com
A new International International recently unveiled its LT series, which the company says significantly improves fuel economy.
Page 25
A leading economist says fear factor and uncertainty are curtailing economic and freight growth.
Page 21
Fear factor
Page 19
Page 7
Canada’s Trucking Newspaper Since 1981
Golden anniversary Consolidated Fastfrate turns 50 and reinvents itself to become a supply chain powerhouse. e
Photo by James Vaughan
RE T ADVERTAIL ISING PAGES 3
9 -4 5
Team Ontario puts in strong showing at national championships By Sonia Straface BRANTFORD, ONTARIO It was Ontario’s turn to host the National Professional Truck Driving Championships (NPTDC) this year and competitors from the province brought their A-game. The NPTDC was held at Brantford’s Municipal Airport Sept. 16-17, and drivers from Team Ontario not only took home the Team Award, but competitors placed in all but one category. The grand champion was also from Ontario. Like the other championships, competitors had to compete and place regionally and provincially to make it to the national level. On Sept. 16, all 29 competing drivers wrote a 50-question exam about trucking safety and knowledge and then completed a pre-trip inspection of a tractor-trailer, during which they had to identify five defects in eight minutes while an MTO enforcement officer looked over their shoulder. For many, the most nerve-racking part of the competition took place on Saturday, Sept. 17 – the driving course – Continued on page 31
Careers:
8, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37
PM40063170
Ad Index: 49
pg 1, 31, 47 tn nov v3.indd 1
Or go to List of Advertisers at trucknews.com
The Convoy for Hope
It’s convoy season
Atlantic Canada convoys attract celebrity truckers, raise record funds for Special Olympics DARTMOUTH, NOVA SCOTIA
I
t was a record-breaking convoy season for both major convoys in Atlantic Canada this year. In Nova Scotia, the World’s Largest Truck Convoy in support of Special Olympics hit a record 200 trucks participating in the convoy, which proceeded through Dartmouth, Cole Harbour and the Eastern Passage on Sept. 24. The event raised more than $114,000 – way up from last year’s funds raised. “We were beyond excited about that,” said Anne-Marie Shannon, director of events and communications for Special Olympics Nova Scotia. “And I think that’s pretty much our maximum since we were bursting at the seams in the convoy. But it’s been our largest convoy since we started five years ago…our first convoy we had 52 trucks and to hit 200 is amazing.” What made the event even more special was that it was the convoy’s fifth anniversary, and going from 175 trucks and $75,000 to 200 trucks raising more than $114,000 in just one year’s time. “It amazes me so much each year,” Shannon said. This convoy gets a lot of attention from trucking celebrities of all kinds, and this year, the convoy wanted to treat attendees with Darrell Ward of Ice Road Truckers. Unfortunately, Ward passed away suddenly on Aug. 28, so the organizers of the convoy decided to make the event a sort of memorial for Ward. “We had a couple of stops along the convoy and branded it the Darrell Ward Tribute Tour and we invited folks to
come out and pay their respects to his son Reno,” she said. Reno Ward joined the convoy along with Shipping Wars’ Todd and Tamera Sturgis and Marc Springer. Overall, Shannon said that the day was an exceptional event that will help numerous special athletes. “So it was an emotional day, but at the same time it was an exciting day because we honored (Ward’s) memory and we did something that was important to him which was to raise money for Special Olympics Nova Scotia,” she said. “In the end, I don’t think we could have asked for a better turnout when you have to turn something tragic into something good.” In New Brunswick, the Convoy for Hope – Atlantic also hit some major milestones. Last year, the convoy had 23 trucks registered, and this year, the sixth year of the convoy, it saw 73 trucks participate. The convoy, that took place on Aug. 20, raised just about $40,000 for breast, colon, lung and prostate cancer education, prevention, research and treatment in the Atlantic chapter. The convoy also saw three fire trucks, one ambulance, three RCMP units and 18 CAV motorcycle units participate as well. The convoy’s co-organizer, Jo-Anne Phillips said that the convoy bolstered its participants this year by advertising that 90% of the funds raised for the convoy go right to the cause. “I think that helped us gained a lot of momentum,” she said. “Especially when you see a lot of other fundraisers Continued on page 47
2016-10-11 1:13 PM