The transportation sector’s next challenge isn’t technology — it’s leadership
One of the strengths of CITT’s Canada’s Logistics Conference is the opportunity to bring together leaders from every corner of the supply chain to discuss the issues shaping our industry’s future.
While many sessions explored the broader logistics landscape, the Road Transportation Panel provided a focused look at the challenges and opportunities shaping the movement of goods on Canada’s highways today.
Road transportation remains the backbone of Canada’s supply chain, connecting every mode and every region of the country.
I had the privilege of moderating the discussion that took place at CITT’s conference in Calgary in June, with three respected industry leaders: Mike Millian, president of the Private Motor Truck Council of Canada; Robert Harper, president of the Alberta Motor Transport Association; and Katerina Balog, director of business development at GLS Canada.
We covered tariffs, workforce challenges, AI, sustainability, competitiveness, and the future of the industry. But what stayed with me after the session wasn’t any single topic. It was how often the conversation returned to the same underlying themes: people, leadership, accountability, and collaboration.
Adapting to a new reality
The discussion began with the uncertainty facing our industry today.
Whether it’s tariffs, changing trade relationships, economic pressures, regulatory complexity, or shifting customer expectations, transportation leaders are making decisions in an increasingly challenging environment.
What emerged from the discussion was a recognition that organizations cannot afford to stand still. Success depends on the ability to adapt, respond to change, and continue delivering value despite forces that are often outside our control.
For carriers, shippers, and service providers alike, agility has become an essential business capability.
The workforce conversation has moved beyond shortages
For years, our industry has talked about labor shortages. That conversation still matters, but it is no longer enough.
The panelists spoke about something broader: how to create workplaces where people want to stay, grow, and contribute.
Culture, leadership, transparency, inclusion, and employee development came up repeatedly. The message was clear. The organizations that thrive won’t be the ones that simply hire people. They’ll be the ones that invest in them.
That matters because workforce expectations have changed. Employees are looking for more than a job. They are looking for strong leadership, opportunity, respect, and a workplace culture that supports success.
For an industry that depends so heavily on people, that is not a side issue. It is central to long-term competitiveness.
Technology doesn’t replace accountability
Not surprisingly, artificial intelligence and emerging technologies were part of the discussion.
There is no question that technology has tremendous potential to improve safety, efficiency, visibility, and decision-making across our industry.
But the panel also reinforced a crucial point: technology does not replace accountability.
One audience member captured this well in a LinkedIn post after the session, noting that even when companies use AI to monitor driving behaviour, they cannot rely solely on technology to manage risk and mitigate liability.
That is exactly the right message. Technology can provide insights. It can identify trends. It can support better decisions. But leadership, oversight, and accountability still belong to people.
As organizations continue to invest in AI and other tools, the question will not simply be whether they have the technology. It will be whether they are using it responsibly, thoughtfully, and as part of strong operational practices.
Sustainability requires shared responsibility
Sustainability continues to be a growing priority across the supply chain. At the same time, carriers are facing actual cost pressures, competitive pressures, and operational realities.
The discussion made clear that progress on sustainability cannot rest solely on carriers.
It requires collaboration across the supply chain.
Shippers, customers, carriers, and industry partners all have a role to play in supporting a transportation system that is safe, efficient, competitive, and sustainable.
One point that resonated with many attendees was around pricing. When a carrier offers rates that are significantly lower than others, shippers should be asking why.
The users of trucking services should ask themselves: What investments may not be reflected in that rate?
Compliance, training, workforce development, technology, and sustainability initiatives all come with costs. A healthy transportation sector depends on recognizing the value behind those investments.
Leadership will define the next decade
To close the session, I asked each panelist what they hoped our industry would be talking about ten years from now instead of returning to the same challenges we continue to discuss today.
Their answers reflected different perspectives, but they pointed in a similar direction: a more professionalized, innovative, adaptable, and people-focused industry.
As I listened to three leaders from different parts of the industry, I was struck by how often they arrived at the same conclusion.
- Technology matters.
- Sustainability matters.
- Economic conditions matter.
But long-term success still comes down to people, accountability, leadership, and strong partnerships.
Those are not new ideas. Yet they may be more important today than ever. The challenges facing our industry will continue to evolve. The fundamentals of strong leadership will not.
Have your say
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I would like to bring attention to the state of the trucking industryI have seen many challenges, and unfortunately, it often feels like the “Wild West” because there is not enough oversight or enforcement.
Many companies operate knowing that the chances of being audited or inspected are low. As a result, we continue to see issues such as:
Drivers exceeding their Hours of Service limits.
Trucks operating at excessive speeds.
Vehicles not being properly speed-governed or monitored.
Pressure on drivers to make deliveries at all costs.
Shippers and receivers impose penalties for late deliveries without considering safety or regulatory compliance.
These pressures can encourage unsafe driving practices. Drivers may feel compelled to continue driving when they should be resting simply to avoid financial penalties or to satisfy unrealistic delivery expectations.
I believe it is time to bring together a transportation industry working group consisting of government officials, carriers, drivers, safety professionals, insurers, and shippers to identify practical solutions that improve safety and accountability across the industry.
Some areas that deserve consideration include:
Increased compliance audits and enforcement.
Stronger Hours of Service monitoring and enforcement.
Enhanced shipper accountability when delivery requirements conflict with safety regulations.
Industry-wide safety standards and education programs.
Improved collaboration between regulators, carriers, and drivers.
The trucking industry is critical to our economy, but it must operate in a way that prioritizes safety for drivers and the motoring public.
Fixing the Trucking Industry in Ontario and Canada
New Drivers, Large Accidents, and Industry Reform
If governments, carriers, insurers, and industry associations want to reduce major truck accidents, the focus should be on training, enforcement, accountability, and professionalism.
Key Facts
Commercial Vehicle Crashes Have a High Consequence
Commercial vehicle collisions account for roughly 8% of road collisions in Canada, but approximately 20% of road fatalities. This means when a truck is involved in a serious collision, the outcome is often much more severe than a passenger vehicle crash.
Training Quality Is a Major Concern
Recent Ontario audits found:
Some truck-driving schools provided only 57% to 78% of the required training hours.
Some students were asked to sign off on hours they never completed.
Approximately 25% of training schools had never been inspected and just pump drivers out as trucking companies own them.
Inconsistent road-testing standards exist across the province.
Driver Experience Matters
Insurance industry research found that drivers with less training and less experience are more likely to be involved in collisions and generate costly claims. Insurance claims involving commercial trucking continue to rise.
Canada Has Safety Standards, But Enforcement Varies or None at all.
Canada already has the National Safety Code (NSC), which covers:
Hours of Service
Driver qualifications
Vehicle maintenance
Safety ratings
Trip inspections
Carrier audits
Load securement
The issue is often inconsistent enforcement rather than a lack of regulations.
What Needs to Change, change needs to happen NOW!
Create a National Truck Driver Apprenticeship
Current issue:
Many drivers receive a licence and immediately begin operating 80,000-lb combinations.
Recommendation:
Mandatory 6–12 month apprenticeship.
Require 20,000–40,000 km with a certified mentor.
Restrict new drivers from operating in high-risk environments until experience thresholds are met.
Similar models exist in skilled trades and aviation.
Crack Down on “Licence Mills” ASAP.
Current issue:
Schools are issuing certifications without proper training. This is a fact ,you just have to look at the schools, who owns them and why are there so many, most are not training.
Recommendation:
Unannounced audits.
GPS verification of training hours.
Video-recorded road tests.
Lifetime bans for fraudulent schools.
Public safety ratings for training providers.
Make Truck Driving a Skilled Trade Across Canada
Trucking should be treated more like:
Heavy equipment operation
Electrical trades
Aviation
Benefits:
Higher professional standards.
Better wages.
Improved public perception.
Better retention.
Increase Carrier Accountability
Current issue:
Some carriers hire inexperienced drivers because freight rates are low and turnover is high.
Recommendation:
Tie insurance premiums to safety performance.
Increase penalties for repeat safety violations.
Suspend operating authorities for chronic offenders.
Publish carrier safety scores nationally.
Improve New Driver Hiring Standards
Minimum standards should include:
Clean abstract.
Verified employment history.
Road evaluation.
Simulator training.
Defensive driving certification.
English or French proficiency sufficient to understand regulations and safety instructions.
Use Technology Properly
Many fleets now use:
ELDs
Samsara
Motive
FourKites
Geotab
Technology should be used to:
Monitor speeding.
Detect hard braking.
Identify distracted driving.
Monitor Hours of Service compliance.
Improve coaching.
Technology should not replace training—it should support it.
Focus on Driver Mentorship
One of the biggest gaps in the industry is that new drivers often receive little coaching after licensing.
Every new driver should have:
Weekly coaching reviews.
Quarterly safety meetings.
Dash-cam review sessions.
Formal performance evaluations during their first year.
Strengthen Roadside Enforcement
Increase:
CVSA inspections.
Brake inspections.
HOS enforcement.
Carrier audits.
Unsafe carriers create an unfair advantage over companies investing in compliance and training.
What Trucking Companies Can Do Today
Safety-Focused Hiring
Hire attitude before experience.
Conduct road tests.
Verify references.
Safety-Focused Culture
Reward safe driving.
Track near misses.
Hold regular safety meetings.
Use coaching instead of punishment whenever possible.
Training Program
Orientation.
Defensive driving.
Winter driving.
Cargo securement.
HOS compliance.
Monthly safety refreshers.
The Bottom Line, profit is everything and owners of the company cut corners.
The trucking industry’s biggest problem is not a driver shortage. It is a professionalism and training shortage.
Most serious collisions can be traced back to one or more of these factors:
Inadequate training.
Lack of experience.
Poor carrier oversight.
Hours-of-service violations.
Poor vehicle maintenance.
Weak enforcement.
A safer Canadian trucking industry will require:
Better training.
Better mentorship.
Stronger enforcement.
Greater carrier accountability.
Recognition of trucking as a skilled profession.
This approach would improve safety, reduce insurance costs, attract better drivers, and restore public confidence in the industry.