Proven practices: What are the top fleets doing to be recognized as a Best Fleet to Drive For?
Page 39
First Class: Driver training school does its part to bring in new recruits to replace the old guard.
Page 14
Page 9
Western Canada’s Trucking Newspaper Since 1989
May 2016 Volume 27, Issue 5
The power of platooning: Daimler shows off its semiautonomous truck platooning in Germany.
truckwest.ca
RETAIL A DV E R T I S IN G PAGES 25 -3
7
Trucking outlook for Manitoba MTA executive director Terry Shaw sits down with Truck West
Gene Orlick, owner of Orlicks Inc. in Calgary, Alta., was recently named the new chairman of the Canadian Trucking Alliance, and the Albertan intends to take on several industry matters during his four-year term.
Albertan named CTA chairman
Reach us at our Western Canada news bureau
Gene Orlick eager to lead the CTA as it enters transitional period
Contact Derek Clouthier Derek@ Newcom.ca or call 403-969-1506
PM40063170
By Derek Clouthier
pg 01, 16-17, 45 tw may v3.indd 1
CALGARY, Alta. – With the current oil slump creating a ripple effect across the Canada-wide economy, Gene Orlick, who was recently promoted to the position of chairman with the Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA), believes the time is ripe for the trucking industry to strive for new heights of success. “We’ve got all the movers and shakers in the industry under this umbrella in the CTA and they’re all very influential in their own right,” Orlick said. “The intellect, energy, ability to lead, push and lobby government to help get what we need has never been better, so let’s maximize that effort and get it to work.” The Orlick name is a popular one in the trucking world. Gene’s father, Max, and uncle, Tom, started Orlick Transport in 1965, with Gene carrying on the family name in the trucking business with Orlicks Inc., located in Calgary, Alta. Gene is the first Albertan to sit in the CTA’s chairman seat since 2008, when Bruno Muller
Careers: 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23
of Caron Transportation out of Sherwood Park assumed the title. It seems, at least in recent history, that those from Wild Rose country get their crack at the CTA chairmanship during rough economic times in the energy-rich province. But with a slew of issues he’s eager to tackle, Gene told Truck West that he is ready to get his hands dirty and lead the CTA to the next level. “I’m really a facilitator to get everybody talking and moving in the right direction and not stumbling on negative issues,” he said. “I’m inheriting an awesome association. It’s done very well. It’s financially sound, it’s staffed very well…there’s an incredible group of people there that know what they’re doing.” Gene, who also moved into the role of chairman of the Alberta Motor Transport Association much sooner than he expected, said that when it came to the CTA, there were a good 20 issues he would like to address during his two-year tenure. One of the immediate challenges will be Continued on page 45
To view list of advertisers see pg. 41
WINNIPEG, Man. – Leading up to its annual general meeting in Winnipeg April 8, Manitoba Trucking Association (MTA) executive director Terry Shaw sat down with Truck West’s editor to talk about some of the issues the trucking industry is facing in the Keystone Province and throughout Canada today. TW: Start by giving us an overview of the state of the trucking industry as it stands right now in Manitoba. Shaw: We’re doing well. I think you’ll hear consistently across Western Canada, and all of Canada, that business is depressed right now. That’s not a surprise to anybody. The highs and lows you see as you get further out west, we’re certainly not experiencing those in Manitoba as dramatically. That said, anybody you ask, the consensus would be that they’re not as busy as they would like to be, but overall we’re holding our own. We’re hearing from members that things are going well, we are still getting calls regularly on our MPI (Manitoba Public Insurance) driver-training program; again, not in the volumes we were when things were really cooking, but it’s not at a complete standstill by any stretch. TW: Expand a little bit on how the economic downturn, particularly in Alberta, has had an effect on the industry in Manitoba, and if it has had any affect on the MTA’s membership. Shaw: To be honest with you, there are upsides and downsides. The downside is just the general volumes. It’s not Albertan trucking companies that service Alberta, obviously there’s a lot of inter-provincial work that goes on, but they also source product from all over, and Manitoba companies are certainly involved in moving that product in and out. So with the decline in activity, it’s certainly impacting members across Canada. Quite frankly, one of the positives, is a lot of the people who we lost out west on the job front are coming Continued on page 16
16-04-13 2:30 PM