Editorial director Lou Smyrlis was asked to present the results of the first annual Driver Satisfaction Survey, conducted by our own BIG Transportation Media Research, to the Career Path Roundtable. The Roundtable of industry stakeholders was called in late December to discuss the role of creating a career path in boosting recruitment and retention strategies for the industry. The Driver Satisfaction Survey, conducted in partnership with the Canadian Trucking Human Resources Council and sponsored by Michelin Canada, included questions on retention-related issues.

Smyrlis is also scheduled to speak at several industry conferences in February.

He will first speak on a wide range of industry issues, referring to the latest research, when he visits Seneca College on February 14.

Smyrlis is also scheduled to speak on transportation trends in the pharmaceutical industry at two conferences during the month.

On the 19th he will speak at the Canadian Institute’s Pharma Supply Chain 2007 conference, detailing rate, volume, capacity and surcharge trends in pharmaceutical shipping and referring to the results from our annual Transportation Buying Trends Survey.

And on the 20th he will speak at the 2nd Annual Transportation Logistics Course, an event designed to brief vice-presidents, directors and managers responsible for transportation and logistics on industry trends. In addition to presenting the results from our annual Transportation Buying Trends Survey, Smyrlis will also moderate a panel session on industry issues.

At the end of February, Smyrlis has been invited to speak at the Canadian Industrial Transportation Association’s annual conference.

He will also be presenting the Supply Chain Executive of the Year Award.

Finally, Smyrlis has accepted an invitation from the Canadian Institute of Traffic and Transportation to lead several sessions on environmentally sustainable transportation practices at its annual conference in Quebec City later this year.

The sessions will bring together executive-level stakeholders from shippers, carriers and government to discuss the future of “green” transportation practices. This marks the third year in a row Smyrlis has been invited to lead the conference’s lead panel session.