The real costs of rising fuel prices by James Menzies Whether it be local dump truck drivers, long-haul owner/operators or soccer moms – everyone’s been griping about the cost of fuel lately. And for good reason, it’s costing all of…
Mudslinging over speed-limiter debate has gone too far by Lou Smyrlis What has been most disappointing during the past couple of years is seeing the discussion about speed limiters become polarized and degenerate to mudslinging. How else can I categorize…
Rolling protests are not the answer by James Menzies As I write this, hundreds of dump truck operators are planning rolling protests throughout the GTA. They plan to slow down traffic on well-travelled routes to bring attention to their…
Understanding the science behind global warming by Lou Smyrlis I would like to spend my next few blogs discussing the risks and opportunities presented by the need to move to more environmentally sustainable supply chains. But first I…
Alberta continues to hold out on speed limiters, hours-of-service by James Menzies The Alberta Motor Transport Association (AMTA) must have been mildly disappointed last week when their keynote speaker and provincial Transport Minister showed no interest in following the leads of Ontario…
Fuel costs having a trickle-down effect on store prices by James Menzies I stopped by my local Tim Horton’s the other day and noticed my coffee had increased in price from $1.56 to $1.65. A sign in the window said the price…
Competing engine technologies will offer fleets a choice by James Menzies With the next round of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) emission standards for heavy-duty engines on the horizon, the battle lines have clearly been drawn. EPA2010 emissions standards call for further…
Speed limiters: Non-compliance by O/Os may be costly for carriers by James Menzies So here’s another twist to the speed limiter issue which may not have received due consideration when the Ontario Trucking Association (OTA) was developing the proposal. According to a…
It’s good to finally hear from you! by James Menzies For weeks now, I’ve been wondering if anybody reads this blog. I posted an entry on speed limiters, and that’s usually guaranteed to get a reaction out of our readers.
Taking a position on Ontario’s speed limiter legislation by James Menzies As expected, the Ontario government finally tabled legislation that would require all trucks operating in the province to be mechanically limited to 105 km/h. The writing has been on the…
Want to clear the air? Show us the money by James Menzies I just returned from the National Truck Equipment Associations’ Work Truck Show in Hotlanta, Ga. (The city failed to live up to that nickname during my stay, by the way…
Cost increases are becoming a worrisome and long-lasting trend by Lou Smyrlis Just received the latest financial statistics on the nation’s motor carriers, and, frankly, they are worrisome. The trend towards costs growing faster than revenues, which first appeared back in…
Is B.C.’s “carbon” tax little more than a thinly-veiled fuel tax? by James Menzies While environmental groups laud B.C. for becoming the first North American jurisdiction to announce a full-fledged “carbon” tax, the trucking industry must feel like it will be shouldering an unfair…
Stability systems: Is the CTA initiative a moot point? by James Menzies The CTA is forging ahead with its attempt to have stability systems made standard on all new Class 8 trucks sold in Canada. Frankly, I think it’s a policy that…
HDAW Report: Why fleets buy by James Menzies Between them, they make buying decisions for more than 100,000 vehicles: Sid Gooch, FedEx Express; Kevin Tomlinson, South Shore Transport; Steve Duley, Schneider National; and Carl Lyth, Pepsi Americas. So…
