The View With Lou: Don’t be doggin’ it

As Mike McCarron warns in his Bottom Line column this month, we’re about to enter “Those Lazy-Hazy-Crazy Days of Summer” when people seem to expect less and feel justified to do less.

Don’t worry Mike, there will be none of that going on with Transportation Media. We are rolling up our sleeves and getting heavily involved with two industry events we think are crucial to our industry’s image—the Ontario Truck Driving Championships and the Healthy Fleet Challenge.

And yes, we are planning on having a bit of summer fun while doing so.

The Ontario Truck Driving Championships
have been an integral part of our industry since 1947. We are proud to announce that we are now going to be an integral part of OTDC, as official media sponsor.

Industry is no different than sport: top performers are always keen to see just how good they are, and at the OTDC they get the opportunity to do so. For almost seven decades the Ontario Truck Driving Championships have been providing a forum for professional truck drivers to display their skills and encourage drivers and their employers to take an active interest in the safety, skill and courtesy needed to conduct a responsible business on our streets and highways. They are designed to create a greater public awareness that truck driving is an important and necessary profession.

We believe that the OTDC sends a positive message about our industry and the people who, literally, drive it that needs to be told louder, bolder and more frequently. As the official media sponsor we have committed to providing exciting coverage of the final championships and the competitions leading up to it like you’ve never seen before. We will do what we are best at to bring out the best of the OTDC: We will engage all our media platforms—print, online, social media, WebTV—to highlight the skills, knowledge and personalities behind this year’s contestants. We begin with a major feature on the OTDC entitled “Game On” .

We hope to see you at the final event in Barrie. Transportation Media will be there with its camera crew to record the exciting competition. Stay tuned to www.trucknews.com, TMTV, Truck News magazine and our Twitter feeds over the coming weeks for coverage of the OTDC like you’ve never seen before.

Trucking is known for its long hours, time away from home and stressful situations—all of which can lead to unhealthy eating and exercise habits that ultimately result in illness and premature death for too many of our industry friends and associates.

We have joined with Healthy Trucker (a division of NAL Insurance) to announce the Healthy Fleet Challenge. Our goal is to collectively have all industry partners walk around the world during the month of July to promote the importance of better health and wellness in the trucking industry.

Walking is something everyone can participate in and is that first critically important step towards a healthier lifestyle. All fleets and allied trades are invited to participate in this event to promote the importance of getting more active. The entry fee for each team is a $1,000 donation with proceeds going to the Heart and Stroke Foundation and Make-a-Wish Canada.

Each team can register up to 10 individuals (O/Os, drivers or employees) to participate in this event. To participate, team members will need to download an app to their iPhone or Android device, or purchase a Fitbit device, which will help track the steps participants take each day.

Companies can register for the event at www.healthyfleet.com or call 855-422-8333.

Participants can upload their logo and team information to an online leader board to show their support of the event and see how they’re doing compared to other companies. And they can turn to www.trucknews.com, TMTV, Truck News and our Twitter feeds for fun and educational updates on the challenge.

It’s going to make for a busy summer for us, yes. But it’s also going to be some good summer fun.

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With more than 25 years of experience reporting on transportation issues, Lou is one of the more recognizable personalities in the industry. An award-winning writer well known for his insightful writing and meticulous market analysis, he is a leading authority on industry trends and statistics.


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