Business Tips
Made to Measure: Advances in telematics
TORONTO, ON -- There was a time that trucks essentially disappeared into a black hole between fleet gates and customer loading docks. Nobody really knew where equipment was at any given point in time. The only person who knew a fault light was shining on the dash was the driver. Telemetry and telematics changed this dramatically, capturing and streaming data for drivers, vehicles, and operations teams alike.
IN PRINT: ‘Unskilled’ and unwanted: Immigration challenge
KITCHENER, ON -- Dave Taylor is a model employee by many measures. He has worked at Ontario-based Erb Transport for five years. He and his wife Fiona bought a home in Kitchener, commuting distance from the fleet yard, and their daughter Allanah attends Grade 10 at a local high school. "Dave comes in and does what he's asked," says Randy Steckly, corporate driver training manager.
Women discuss ways to advance transportation careers
TORONTO, ON - Female executives from Canada's transportation industry -- and even the former president of Home Depot Canada -- joined together at a Toronto Transportation Club luncheon on June 14 to discuss ways that women can move forward in their careers. But the messages about networking and standing up to be counted were seen to be just as important for businesses as the individual employees.
Roadcheck Begins: Don’t be sidelined by your tires
Roadcheck 2016 begins at 12:01 am Eastern time on Tuesday, June 7. The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance announced in April that inspectors will be paying close attention to tires. They will be measuring tire tread depth, checking tire pressure, checking to make sure that no items are lodged between dual tires, and examining the overall condition of the tire to make sure that no deep cuts or bulges exist in the sidewalls of the tire.
Trucking HR Canada report makes case for diversity
OTTAWA, ON - Trucking HR Canada, an organization that promotes the industry's best practices in human resources, has unveiled a report that makes the business case for diverse workplaces. Changing Workforce combines labor market data and practices already established by fleets including Bison Transport, Canada Cartage, Kriska Transportation, Northern Resource Trucking, Trimac Transportation, and Westcan Bulk Transport.
Low oil? Struggling fleet? Think positive, says speaker
BANFF, AB -- There is plenty of bad news to report. Alberta fleets can cite low oil prices and a lagging economy as just two examples. But Chris Cummins - a speaker who specializes in sales, leadership and personal development -- told members of the Alberta Motor Transport Association that they have the power to change things. It involves a positive attitude.
Is social media a waste of time for business?
BANFF, AB - I'm nervous about live tweeting this event. Sure, there are plenty of followers waiting on news from the Alberta Motor Transport Association. But Kimberly Allison, a certified social media specialist with Marketing RX, is asking whether social media is a real valuable tool or a real waste of time. It depends how you use it.
Want to Keep Your Drivers? Make Sure They’re Treated Well
TORONTO, ON - How your truck drivers are treated by customers can have a big impact as to whether they want to stay or find another job, but there is a solution. That's the conclusion of a six-month study recently completed by the Ontario Trucking Association (OTA), called Operation Upgrade, to find out how truck drivers are treated at shipping and receiving facilities and measure their level of satisfaction with their carriers' customers. Specifically, the study found drivers complained about how little attention is paid by bad customers in honoring appointments and turnaround times. Delays and wasted time eats up drivers' allowable working hours, costs them money and keeps them away from their families longer, according to the study. Worse, many drivers report maltreatment and even discrimination at more than a few of the worst-offending facilities. OTA says the truck driving profession is facing a shortage crisis in Canada. "With freight demand increasing across North America and capacity tightening, buying power is swinging in truck drivers' favor - giving them not only more choice of who they work for, but also which customers they want to serve."
