Cargo theft: IBC’s cargo theft prevention program expands into Western Canada.
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Extended border hours: Committee works to get Wild Horse border crossing open for commercial use 24/7.
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Western Canada’s Trucking Newspaper Since 1989
February 2016 Volume 27, Issue 2
Moving on: After nine years, STA executive director, Al Rosseker, decides it’s time for something new.
truckwest.ca
RETAIL A DV E R T I S IN G PAGES 27 -3
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A driver retention crisis
How one driver went through four trucking jobs in four weeks By Derek Clouthier
A recent report suggests tolling lanes in Alberta could help the province pay for planned infrastructure.
Toll lanes in Alberta a ‘HOT’ topic
Reach us at our Western Canada news bureau
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Contact Derek Clouthier at: Derek@ Newcom.ca or call 403-969-1506
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Report says toll lanes would raise funds and would be good for trucking industry By Derek Clouthier EDMONTON, Alta. – With toll lanes expected to pop up on Ontario this coming summer, some are questioning whether Alberta should do the same to help alleviate some of the province’s shortcomings when it comes to infrastructure funding. One of those posing this question is Benjamin Dachis, a senior policy analyst with the C.D. Howe Institute who recently released a report titled Getting More Buildings for our Bucks: Canadian Infrastructure Policy in 2016. In the report, Dachis suggests that Alberta, which he says plans to directly spend nearly $7 billion on road and bridge infrastructure over the next five years, should follow Ontario’s lead and look at creating HOT (high occupancy toll) lanes to help reap extra revenue, a move he feels would be beneficial to the trucking industry. “A HOT lane would be good for the trucking industry because it would enable truckers the choice of whether to use the HOT lanes or not,” Dachis said. “If they are travelling at
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night with little demand, then they would still be able to pay nothing for high-speed travel. If they have a strict deadline to meet during rush hours, then HOT lanes would help truckers, albeit indirectly.” Dachis said HOT lanes are usually not available to trucks in other locations where they have already been implemented. “But HOT lanes would improve overall traffic flow,” he said, “which means fewer cars in the general purpose lanes that truckers are using.” In his report, Dachis indicates that gas taxes (which make up around 85% of road-related revenues), vehicle licences and other revenues from motorists have covered less than 70% of roadway expenses country-wide since 2008, and the implementation of HOT lanes could bring that number closer to the real cost of infrastructure. There is, however, one stigma Dachis says the public must shed. “Getting over the perception that HOT lanes are double taxation,” he said, “which Continued on page 10
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RED DEER, Alta. – The importance of driver retention cannot be overstated with the expectation of a profound driver shortage looming on the Canadian horizon. A study completed by the Conference Board of Canada in February 2013 titled ‘Understanding the Truck Driver Supply and Demand Gap and its Implications for the Canadian Economy’ estimated that by the year 2020 the nationwide gap between supply and demand for drivers would be a shortfall of 24,700, or about 14% of the anticipated driver population, with the possibility of that number being pushed to over 33,000. The study also indicated that the largest deficit would be seen in Alberta, with a shortage of 6,200 drivers. A Red Deer, Alta. man, who requested that Truck West refer to him simply as Mike ‘Luki’, knows all about the importance of driver retention. Having learned to drive in B.C.’s Okanogan area in the bush, Luki said it was his battle against addiction problems that led him to get his Class 1 licence and eventually relocate to Wild Rose country. “I hauled in Vancouver before moving to Alberta and worked in the oil patch,” Luki said. “I started hauling lime and then sand, but settled in bulk fluid chemicals.” During his time in Northern Alberta, Luki said he fell through a set of stairs while on a hydraulic fracturing site and broke his shoulder, but continued to work until the spring break-up. “I’m a loyal driver if I have respect for and from my employer,” he said. “I love to drive and do about 7580,000 kms a year in personal travel. My dad was an amazing driver and taught me a respect for the road Continued on page 40
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