A call for new carrier training

Although some might argue otherwise, it does take some individual effort to become a licensed Class 1/A driver in Canada. It has been argued (in this space) that the quality of training candidates receive varies widely, and notwithstanding the...

It’s time to end the war on trucks in our urban centres

Recently, I had the opportunity to speak at the annual meeting of the Transportation Research Board in Washington, D.C. on a panel whose theme was Balancing Freight Movement Needs in Livable Urban Areas.

Going digital

TORONTO, Ont. - It's not like the industry didn't see it coming. But with a minority of small- to mid-sized Canadian carriers using electronic on-board recorders (EOBRs) at all, let alone using them for hours-of-service tracking, the...

Achilles tendonitis: Heel pain in truckers

Heel pain is a common occurrence in professional truck drivers. Although there are several causes of heel pain, I will be concentrating on one specific condition called Achilles tendonitis.

Need a boost? Put down the energy drink and go for a walk

Last month, I wrote that Vitamins A, B, C, D and E can help keep your mind functioning well. Outside of eating foods containing these, engaging in some other practices could give you additional short- and long-term benefits.

It’s time to re-examine pay per mile vs pay per hour

At the time of writing this column, diesel prices have been on the rise for seven straight weeks and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has newly proposed rules for hours-of-service (HoS) and for electronic on-board...

How the modern truck is killing driver camaraderie

Last issue, I wrote about my love for the classic-style truck, but my affection for them goes far deeper than just looks. I believe that as trucks have changed over the years, they have changed us as drivers too, and not for the better.

Winds of change

TORONTO, Ont. - As an admirer of the trucks that ply Canadian highways, I've always been intrigued by those belonging to L. Ritchie Cartage. Their black and red Western Star tractors - a mixed fleet of sleepers and day cabs - can be seen...

An eye for an eye: Part 2

THE STORY SO FAR: Mark is heading to Vancouver when he gets a call. One of Bud's drivers was attacked while helping a supposedly stranded motorist on the highway to Prince George. Mark takes the load, but drives to Vancouver first to drop off...

TSQ: Is there an acceptable alternative to electronic on-board recorders?

BOWMANVILLE, Ont. - The prospect of mandatory electronic on-board recorders (EOBRs) has been a hotly contested topic since the US DoT introduced legislation in January that would require all interstate motor carriers to use the devices to track...

capturing lost opportunities in sales

I recently watched an interview with Tibor Shanto, a Toronto based B2B sales expert, discussing whether sales is art or science.  Shanto was making the case that while not purely science, sales most definitely needs to be rooted in...

Snow angels

SARNIA, Ont. - A major winter snowstorm hammered southwestern Ontario in mid-December, stranding more than 300 motorists overnight in frigid, blustery conditions and leaving one truck driver dead.

Trucking: An industry that solves its own problems

When people - outsiders, of course - ask me how it is I don't get bored covering the trucking industry, I'm never short for an answer. Of course, there's the usual rant about how the industry is constantly evolving, my fascination with the...

Is FMCSA cooking the numbers?

If you haul into the US no doubt the firestorm of debate raging right now over the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's (FMCSA) new proposed hours-of-service rules for trucking has captured your interest. And possibly left you...

Beware the Wreckhouse winds

CAPE RAY, Nfld. - Electronic warning signs, installed at both ends of a notorious stretch of Newfoundland highway in the Wreckhouse region of the province, seem to have done little to prevent truck rollovers.