News
Tesla Class 8’s will hit Canadian roads
MONTREAL, QC - More than 30 of Tesla's new fully-electric Class 8's could be on the road in Canada as soon as 2019. Three companies - including Canadian grocery and pharmacy giant Loblaw Companies - have wasted no time in making the move to the newly launched trucks. Tesla showcased the new Class 8 vehicles with an unveiling event in California last Thursday. Loblaw, J.B. Hunt, and Walmart announced Friday they each had secured pre-orders with the company. Although a final price for the trucks hasn't been listed yet, Loblaw put deposits of $5000 per truck on 25 of the vehicles, currently set to be released sometime in 2019. Walmart is also reporting a buy-in of 15 trucks, 10 of which will go to its Canadian operations, while the others will go to operations in the United States.
More drivers are buckling up: FMCSA
WASHINGTON, D.C. - More truck drivers are wearing their seat belt, according to the U.S. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). A national survey conducted by the group found that seat belt usage in the U.S. was up to a record level of 86% in 2016, from just 65% in 2007. FMCSA deputy administrator Cathy F. Gautreaux says while the results of the survey are good news, work would continue on the issue until 100% of drivers buckled up on the road.
OTA releases five-point safety action plan
TORONTO, ON - The Ontario Trucking Association (OTA) released a five-point action plan for improving truck safety this morning. The plan aims to work with law enforcement officials to assure the public that safety on the roads is the top priority of fleets owners, drivers, and other members of the industry, after a recent string of crashes involving commercial motor vehicles on Ontario highways had Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Commissioner Vince Hawkes calling trucks "missiles."
A Mexican trucker’s view of NAFTA
GUADALAJARA, MX - Noe Montes has experienced the benefits of NAFTA first hand. In a single decade he has grown his business from a single truck to a sophisticated fleet with 170 power units and 250 drivers - serving automotive shippers from Linamar to Pirelli. He's eying opportunities in Canada, too, particularly in a lane that would stretch between Mexico and Southern Ontario. Gone are the days when Mexican carriers would simply interline with their counterparts in Canada and the U.S., says the owner of Transmontes and its sister company, TM Transportation Services in Laredo, Texas. But even as the 40-year-old entrepreneur adds to his fleet's capacity, he is keeping a close eye on NAFTA negotiations.
