Fleet managers and suppliers join forces

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Everyone involved with truck transportation should recognize the need to stay current with regulatory changes, with technology, and with new concepts in the world of trucking. My discussions with PMTC members indicate to me that they are at the forefront when it comes to seeking out information and in sharing what they know with other members. That’s why so many people take advantage of the best, most informative event of its kind for the private carrier community – the PMTC’s annual conference.

Participants who return year after year will tell you that the PMTC conference consistently delivers expert speakers on a wide variety of current topics along with the opportunity to meet and exchange knowledge and experience with fellow members. The conference is the highlight of the PMTC education calendar and if you have not participated in the past you are very definitely missing a learning opportunity. Mark your calendar now: June 18-19, Kingbridge Conference Centre, King City, Ont. No one can effectively operate a truck fleet in a knowledge vacuum – it is a critical part of the job to keep up to date with changes and learn about new products and services. Some people may honestly feel they lack the time to leave the office and attend events like the PMTC conference, but that mindset can leave you falling behind very quickly. Industry professionals recognize the importance of continuous learning and have a commitment to being the best that includes participation in learning opportunities and, in particular, exchanging ideas with their colleagues.

If you’re looking for reasons to take in your first PMTC conference, consider that those who make the time return year after year – a testament to the value of the experience. Consider also that post-conference surveys of participants consistently provide very high ratings to the speakers, topics, Exhibitors’ Showcase, and the venue. This year we return once again to the Kingbridge Conference Centre, just north of the Toronto airport. The venue is outstanding and its amenities and service are an important part of the success of our conferences – that’s why we’re going back.

Elsewhere in this issue of Truck News, you will find the full agenda for the conference, which I’m sure you will agree, covers a wide variety of important subjects. However, the educational seminars are but one of the learning opportunities the conference offers: this is the single best opportunity of the year to meet with industry colleagues and share experiences and information that will make your operations even better.

The 2014 lineup includes no less than seven informative seminars on topics chosen by your conference committee for their impact on fleet operators.Day one begins with an important human resources topic: Managing in a Multi-Generational Workplace. This program will be led by Trucking HR Canada, the go-to resource for information on all human resources issues in trucking. The topic is timely as we all face the challenge of effectively integrating a workforce that can include several generations, each with their own ideas and styles.

Additional seminars on that first day include a look at how one major private fleet deals with the issue of driver fatigue. Despite the regulation of hours-of-service, fatigue is a safety concern that cannot be ignored, and this progressive fleet has found an effective way to combat its effects. We’ll also take a look at a popular topic – truck technology. Want to see what’s available now and what the techies are thinking about that will improve truck safety? This is always an intriguing session.

Next up we’ve engaged a panel of experts to describe a variety of ways that fleet managers can acquire the equipment they need. You may have been doing it the same way for years without considering some of the available alternatives, and this seminar will definitely give you some alternatives to think about. Day one also includes networking and receptions in the Conference Exhibitors’ Showcase – another sell-out this year – and of course the inductions into the Hall of Fame for Professional Drivers and the Private Fleet Safety Awards.

And this year we are excited to include a very special “Champagne Reception” that will precede the presentation of the private fleet safety awards during the Chairman’s Dinner Evening. This addition to the annual program will give everyone a chance to socialize.

Day two begins with a review of Canada’s newly proposed EOBR standard. This standard, and the one being developed in the US, will lead us into a new era of compliance with, among other things, hours-of-service. This is your chance to learn what Canada will require and to ensure that your system, or the one you will acquire, meets the standard.

Another important session will reveal the results of Deloitte’s recently submitted report on the effectiveness of Ontario’s CVOR system. That report contained a number of recommendations for changes and improvements, relying to a large extent on input from the trucking community. We’ll review that report and hear from MTO about their planned responses. We then conclude the seminar series with a presentation that will explain exactly what goes on during a CVSA inspection. And of course we will be distributing the PMTC annual vehicle graphics design awards – always a highlight of the conference.

You don’t even need to be a PMTC member to attend. Our aim is to educate and for that reason we open the conference to everyone with an interest. We’re in the education business – come on out and get some.

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Truck News is Canada's leading trucking newspaper - news and information for trucking companies, owner/operators, truck drivers and logistics professionals working in the Canadian trucking industry.


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