John G Smith

John G. Smith is Newcom Media's vice-president - editorial, and the editorial director of its trucking publications -- including Today's Trucking, trucknews.com, and Transport Routier. The award-winning journalist has covered the trucking industry since 1995.

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OTA defends industry record in wake of crashes

TORONTO, ON - The Ontario Trucking Association is coming to the defense of the industry's reputation following a series of high-profile commercial vehicle collisions. Citing figures from the Ontario Ministry of Transportation, it notes that mechanical fitness plays a role in fewer than 2% of fatal collisions involving trucks, and of those collisions the truck driver was driving properly 70% of the time. "This data reflects the elevated level of commitment to road safety by both professional truck drivers and fleet managers, but it also shows that if we are going to improve truck safety in any meaningful sense, the opportunities are related to human factors," said association president Stephen Laskowski.

Fuel-saving, safety training should be refreshed: study

MONTREAL, QC - A recent study by PIT Group has found that training in fuel efficiency and safety are only effective when it includes refresher courses, while real-time in-vehicle technologies help to reinforce good practices. "While vehicle technology designed to improve fuel economy continues to advance, driver training is the element that has the largest impact on fuel consumption," says Yves Provencher, director - market and business development. "Our studies show that various ways to train drivers - including classroom, in-cab and simulator training - all have their advantages."