The new rail reality

At CITT’s recent Reposition 2012 conference, I heard something during a C-Suite discussion on shipping by rail that caught my attention and should interest all motor carriers, whether they see railways as competitors or partners. Until...

Eassons introduces performance management system

BERWICK, N.S. – Who wants to write company policies and procedures, only to have them ignored? Who wants to do their job well, yet see low performers get the same pay? A tool called performance management solves these problems. Its...

Sixty-foot trailers: The Ontario experience so far

By now, most everyone in the trucking industry – not just in Ontario but certainly across Canada and perhaps in the US, too – knows that Walmart Canada recently announced it was seeking a permit from the Ontario Ministry of...

Walmart should be lauded, not criticized, for its supercube innovation

Sometimes writing this column is so easy, it becomes difficult. Huh? What do I mean by that? My challenge is to make my long-winded opinions fit in the allotted space, which is a struggle because the subject matter is so plentiful it’s...

Finding Christmas spirit through film

So here we are, Christmas 2012. Once again, I find myself spending my evenings surfing up and down the digital remote looking for a holiday movie that will help me find the spirit of Christmas.

Out-of-service rates for new engines tough trade-off for cleaner air

It’s that time of year again. Hopefully you have all overindulged over the holidays and are now starting your New Year’s Resolutions. I have a couple.

Coping with stress at home and on the road

I’ve been feeling pretty stressed out over the last couple of weeks. The reason being, our 16-month-old grandson was undergoing a major surgical procedure.

More flags than in a pennant factory

In something of a New Year’s tradition around here, we once again take a look at Canada Revenue Agency’s blotter of tax fraud convictions. The agency posts these summaries on its Web site and releases them to the media hoping that...

This holiday season, try sleeping in

Take advantage of your holidays this New Year’s and sleep in. Getting enough sleep is vital for maintaining a healthy body and mind, according to the National Sleep Foundation (NSF). Even so, millions of people do not regularly get enough...

Keep an eye out for this potential health problem

Professional truck drivers rely heavily on their eyes to perform their jobs safely and effectively. Therefore, eye conditions can be devastating or even career ending. This month I am going to discuss cataracts, which are a common eye condition...

Better smile if driving in Quebec

Quebec’s recent announcement that it will deploy photo radar in specific locations throughout the province is likely to raise as much ire among truckers who transgress speed laws as did the introduction of speed limiters a few years ago....

Carrier report cards deserve some added attention

Fleets can learn a lot from the report cards that emerge through carrier safety rating systems. The underlying data can be used to track everything from how well a business complies with regulations, to trends in mechanical problems that are...

Collision Course: Part 3

THE STORY SO FAR...Mark is driving along Steeles Avenue in Brampton with a clear road ahead of him. Suddenly a car pulls in front of him and slams on the brakes. Mark rear-ends the car and five people get out, all injured. Mark calls Bud for...

TSQ: What do you think of Walmart’s 60.5-ft. trailer?

MILTON, Ont. – Walmart Canada has raised eyebrows with the introduction of its “supercube” trailer which increases capacity almost 30% and extends the length of a dry van from 53-ft. to 60.5-ft. Ontario’s Ministry of...

Bee healthier with honey

Honey is a delicious, natural sweetener made by bees in one of the world’s most efficient facilities: the beehive. Each mature hive has around 60,000 bees; these bees may collectively travel as many as 55,000 miles and visit more than two...