• Health & Safety

Truck inspection quotas raise safety concerns

by James Menzies

Many Ontario transportation enforcement officers (TEOs) are unhappy with working conditions that they say compromise safety on the job. But are these workplace concerns compromising road safety as well? There's reason to believe that they are.

• Health & Safety

Mental health in trucking needs serious attention

by Rolf Lockwood

The mental health of truck drivers remains one of my biggest concerns. Ten years ago, I first wrote about what I thought was a monster issue hiding just below the surface of daily trucking life. “Hiding” was the key word there, and it still is. Are we making progress? Yes, but there’s much more to do.

• Business Management

Prepare your fleet for a pandemic

by Mike McCarron

Little did I know while writing last month’s column on “potential speed bumps for supply chains in 2020” that we’d start the year on the cusp of a pandemic. Hopefully…

• Transportation

Those who sell truck parts must prepare for a changing world

by John G Smith

The business of selling truck parts is, well, a big business by every measure. The aftermarket that cares for Canada’s Class 6-8 trucks, trailers and container chassis was worth an estimated $4.06 billion last year, according to analysts at MacKay and Company. And the mergers and acquisitions among component suppliers are underway at a breakneck pace.

• Regulations

14 things to know about cannabis and trucking

by Kim E. Stoll

Canada has legalized recreational cannabis, but there are still plenty of questions surrounding the drug’s use within the context of trucking. Here are 14 key takeaways you should know.

• Health & Safety

Taking time to enjoy the drive

by Al Goodhall

I’ve recently taken to letting go of everything and falling into the rhythm of driving whenever I can. Muting and dimming all the non-essential electronics and just letting the…

• Human Resources

A couple of ruminations from a career coach

by Ray Haight

Surveys and studies consistently say the same things when it comes to driver turnover: the number one reason a driver leaves a company is money. A couple of problems with…

Petroleum commentary: Cooperation eludes politicians

by Roger McKnight

One thing I really like about our Canadian winters is that it lets me watch sun-soaked tennis on TV during the Australian Open, so we can see there’s balance…

Auditor General reports confirm gaps in safety enforcement

by Mike Millian

Auditor general reports in Manitoba and Ontario, released last fall, uncovered some major shortcomings when it comes to enforcement of regulations governing commercial motor vehicle carriers and drivers. Not to…

We’re looking for Canada’s top truck driver

by James Menzies

Trucking can be a thankless job. Every day, professional drivers are expected to deliver their loads safely and on time, despite myriad challenges that seemingly pop up with the sole…

• Transportation

Semi-retirement beckons for Rolf Lockwood

by Rolf Lockwood

Well, strange as it seems to me, I have retired. Mostly. After 41 years of writing about trucks and trucking, 33 since launching Today’s Trucking, I’ve pulled into the yard…

• Health & Safety

Feeling blue? It could be SAD!

by Andrea Morley

We’re in the thick of winter, and you might be feeling the effects of it, including the low energy, irritable mood, or the struggle to get out of…

• Transportation

Supply chain faces speed bumps in 2020

by Mike McCarron

My favorite quote from The Irishman is when legendary Teamster boss Jimmy Hoffa, played by Al Pacino, bellows to a group of truck drivers at an organizing meeting, “If you got it, a truck brought it!” Ironically, until I watched the trucking/mob flick over the holidays, I thought that iconic saying was a trucking association tagline. The quote also speaks to the realities of being a trucker.

• Equipment

How far should Ontario’s emissions crackdown go?

by John G Smith

Cleaner air comes with a price tag. It’s paid every time equipment evolves in the name of controlling emissions. A tighter focus on particulate matter gave us diesel particulate filters. When regulators squeezed the allowable levels of NOx, we saw the widespread introduction of exhaust gas recirculation and diesel exhaust fluid. The current push to reduce greenhouse gas emissions has led to the rollout of everything from new oil categories to aerodynamic refinements and lighter components. Even battery-electric and hydrogen-electric trucks are now on the horizon.

• Business Management

Workplace harassment ruling

by trucknews.com

For workplaces covered by the Ontario Workplace Safety and Insurance Act (WSIA) -- or those who are required to have such coverage -- an employee may not have the right to sue the employer in a civil action for constructive dismissal. This is because workplace harassment that causes chronic mental stress is considered a workplace injury for which WSIA benefits are available.