In pursuit of better braking

It was an introduction to Canadian trucking that Mark Lee, Truck News columnist and a longtime professional driver imported from the United Kingdom, will never forget.

Riding shotgun with a paraplegic truck driver

BELLEVILLE, Ont. – On a mild mid-April day, owner/operator Mike Dingler is shooting the breeze with fellow drivers, while waiting for his paperwork before setting out on an afternoon run. Paperwork in hand, he says his farewells and then...

Big man, little trucks

HANOVER, Ont. – For many truck drivers, the trucks themselves hold no special meaning, nothing but mere metal and glass and rubber and the rest, a literal and figurative vehicle for them to perform their professional duties. But for some,...

Getting to the core of the driver shortage problem

In my column last month, I introduced the report of the Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA) Blue Ribbon Task Force on the Driver Shortage in Trucking.

Ontario’s Ministry of Transportation goes to work

Ontario’s Ministry of Transportation, under a relatively new Minister in Bob Chiarelli, recently moved on several initiatives that the industry has supported or proposed and, after what in some cases seemed like years of waiting under...

A dash of salt: Not just a matter of taste

As you’re driving down the road during the long, hot days of summer, how can you make sure you won’t become dehydrated? Pack enough water, for sure. But also monitor your salt intake. Make sure you get enough salt to replace what...

For truck drivers, an overactive bladder is more than an inconvenience

An overactive bladder can be a debilitating problem for a professional truck driver as washroom facilities are not always readily available.

It’s truck show season

So May is finally here and we find ourselves once again smack dab in the middle of show season.

WATCH for the signs

Truck drivers have been watching out for years, calling in drunk drivers, traffic accidents, and suspicious activity at rest areas and truck stops. Now PACT-Ottawa, a non-profit organization committed to preventing human trafficking, is calling...

Anticipating a faster bus

TAMPA, Fla. – The SAE J1939 data bus is about to get a whole lot faster. And that, according to Ken DeGrant, field applications engineering manager with Dearborn Group Technology, is a development that should be welcomed by technicians.

Idling alternatives

TAMPA, Fla. – Anti-idling laws may be good for the environment and bids to save fuel, but they represent a challenge for trucks that have traditionally put the power of an idling engine to work. Even the largest alternators can struggle...

Taxes can be so taxing: Part 3

The Story So Far…

TSQ: Is allowing automatic transmissions for A/Z tests good or bad for the industry?

BRADFORD, Ont. – May 1 marked the start of what – for some – may be the end of an era for the trucking industry. In an attempt to contemporize the Class A road test in Ontario, all applicants now have the option to use trucks...

Feeding the fears of drivers is easy; leadership requires embracing change and guiding them through it

For an association that takes pride in fighting for the rights of truckers, I find it hard to understand why the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) remains vehemently opposed to electronic onboard recorders.

Carriers already experiencing difficulties finding drivers and O/Os CTHRC study show

About six in 10 Canadian fleets are experiencing difficulties filling vacancies for Class 1/AZ drivers while more than half are having trouble finding owner/operators, according to research released by the Canadian Trucking Human Resources...