WSIB sets up portal to report Driver Inc. fleets
TORONTO, Ont. – The Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) has set up a Report Fraud web portal where people can report fleets using the Driver Inc. employment scheme.
The portal can be visited here, or leads can be submitted to sileads@wsib.on.ca or by calling an anonymous tip line at 888-SI-LEADS.
The Ontario Trucking Association (OTA) has been urging people to report fleets that misclassify employees to avoid paying source deductions.
“The WSIB uses data-driven approaches to identify Driver Inc. companies and other non-compliance in our sector. We know these efforts have provided clear results and we expect they will continue to keep enforcement personnel busy for years to come,” said OTA’s president and CEO, Stephen Laskowski. “The efforts to date have been such a success and now there are even more ways carriers can send information to the WSIB.”
OTA has indicated WSIB has recovered millions of dollars from Driver Inc. fleets and has levied adjustments totaling upwards of $800,000 to individual companies.
“Compliant carriers in the industry would like to thank the WSIB for standing up for workers’ rights and ensuring companies pay the true cost of covering their workers,” said OTA chairman Wendell Erb. “At the end of the day, this is about companies doing the right thing, playing by the rules, and ensuring their drivers have the coverage they deserve.”
The Canadian Trucking Alliance, meanwhile, is calling on shippers to ensure their transport providers are compliant.
“In many cases, these companies have codes of conduct requirements for those they contract as well as corporate mission statement and values,” said Laskowski. “It’s time they realize that doing business with Driver Inc. companies flies in the face of many of those standards and could even put some of these shippers and receivers at risk.”
Have your say
This is a moderated forum. Comments will no longer be published unless they are accompanied by a first and last name and a verifiable email address. (Today's Trucking will not publish or share the email address.) Profane language and content deemed to be libelous, racist, or threatening in nature will not be published under any circumstances.
-
You understand that it’s these Driver Inc models that are undercutting rates, making it harder for legitimately run operations to provide rate increases on their shipping costs, right? If the shippers continue to use the lowest price, then nobody gets paid a fair wage. When Driver Inc isn’t paying fairly, and are holding the industry hostage, there can be no growth, only more of the same cut-throat business model and it just sinks lower.
-
We need major changes in truck drivers treatment. I know that some driver services will just fold up and start fresh ones. We need minimum wage and freight rates across Canada if not also the U S
In most of Canada cross border truck drivers are making 10 to 15 percent less than those based out of the U S. We need minimum wage rates before more foreign truck drivers come to Canada often underhoused and with student visas.-
Large carriers cut there share of rates when they volume bid on contracts. Sometimes they win sometimes they loose
-
-
why help WSIB they have done nothing for injured drivers, shame on you.
This is welcome news for all of the carriers who operate legally. I want to thank everyone for their hard work and efforts in finally leveling the playing field..
This is also true of most of the towing companies out there. Most drivers are “independent contractors”.
One way to verify who is doing such a thing just look at Face Book jobs related offers it never use to be there but now t is.
What is next do we also say that brokers who own their own trucks are employees also as they only work for one company? I wouldn’t say Driver Inc is cutting rates compared to Load Brokers with no assets undercutting rates and putting them on Load link and carriers accepting them.
W S I B is not that good but better than some of private insurance companies
It seems the larger trucking companies are not looking at the real reason they have this ( unfair) competition. That truck drivers wages are too low to support a family and afford insurance and house in much of Ontario. The other spouse can not have a full time job and look after 2 or 3 preschool children or a older parent.