Stakeholders concerned over deteriorating safety, compliance standards in Ontario
Trucking industry stakeholders have raised the alarm about an increasing number of companies, schools and drivers in Ontario who do not rise to the minimum professional requirements, and in many cases disregard complying with laws and standards.
A release signed by the Ontario Safety League, Ontario Trucking Association, Truck Training Schools Association of Ontario, Private Motor Truck Council of Canada, Professional Truck Training Alliance of Canada, Teamsters Canada, and Women’s Trucking Federation of Canada says, “It is distressing to admit the standards of safety and compliance are eroding rapidly in our industry.”
The stakeholders believe the Ontario trucking industry is being dominated by carriers whose operating model is built on widespread non-compliance and who have little to no commitment to vehicle and driver safety and the environment.
They have no respect for labor standards and mandates, contempt for employee and contractor classifications, and willfully neglect their obligation as corporate citizens to contribute to Canada’s social systems, the release adds.
Pointing to the shuttering of Humber Polytechnic’s commercial truck driving program, they noted it points to how companies committed to high training and compliance standards are undermined by those who face no consequences for refusing to adhere to the same standards and rules.
An official statement from Humber Polytechnic cited “market conditions”, along with a “significant increase in program delivery costs”, which made the commercial training program “no longer feasible.”
Substandard training
The stakeholders said in the release, “We can read between the lines of this statement and firmly believe the school had no choice to close its doors because it was unable to compete with countless schools that offer substandard training at a fraction of the cost.”
Although most reputable carriers would recognize that drivers coming out of these schools are not road-ready, “the sad truth is there are many others who hurriedly put them in a truck and send them on the highways,” the release said.
The stakeholders said the industry cannot afford to see more high-quality schools close their doors and replaced by those involved in fraudulent and substandard training practices.
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I would have to suggest the OTA and a significant number of its members have a lot of nerve whining about the deterioration of our industry standards in view of the fact that many of them are the root cause through their enabling the existence of many of the worst offenders on our roads today. Our industry is plagued with an abundance of big carriers that feel they should be moving all the freight and are utilizing the services of many of the offenders they complain about either through the use of tractor service companies pulling their equipment or through their “3PL” load pimp divisions. They have come to realize that they can make more money running reverse auctions and brokering freight to the worst of the worst than they can hauling it on their own equipment. There is a reason they can get it moved for a lot less that is costs them to move it on their own equipment, they hold themselves to a much higher standard than they do the trucks they broker them out to. The same can be said for the shipping public. How many shippers are only looking at the rate as opposed to the quality and reputation of the carriers they choose. Perhaps their needs to be a little more accountability attached to the person that chooses the truck that pulls the load down the road amongst the motoring public? Come to think of it, lack of accountability seems to be a root cause of so many of the ills in our industry and society in general.
The system should be made as one standard across the country, and all schools and instructors must be certified by a government body, and make all instructors Red seal qualified. Training should be longer i.e. at least 3 to 4 months before new drivers can take the road test. During this training time every aspect of driver and truck issue must be covered.
The solution to the issue at hand isn’t complex..
All driver examinations for commercial drivers should be a federal standard issued by a federal examiner. Schools can train individuals but standards for testing should be more rigorous.
Commercial drivers should face a graduated system for straight truck only for a minimum of one year of practical use. Part of the test must be English and French reading comprehension as well as English/ French speech competency. Permanent resident status is minimum requirement student and work visas not eligible. If we continue on our current path insurance companies will run the trucking industry in a few short years. These insurance firms are tracking accident data closely and as mentioned in article have sounded off on issues.
Self Policing – it is time we stop blaming the government and shady companies for our problems.
Yes, could there be more enforcement by MTO and PCC with the school issue- for sure but their bandwidth is stretched beyond their limits. How about like other industries – you know who they are.
Protecting the public by promoting safe transportation practice.
You want to look at best practices? How about the Canadian Nurses Association? The College of Nurses of Ontario?
Let’s do this, I know the group KRTS is involved in as a founding member – the Professional Truck Training Alliance of Canada (PTTAC) is working on a National Instructors Certification Course and the Red Seal Committee met for the first time this week. Let’s do this!
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Well said but trucks are not the only unsafe vehicles on the I just got taken to the E R by ambulance today after getting side swiped by a ride share car U-+r 3 hours ago while on a bike in Windsor I have a broken jaw and more injury ankle neck . The cost to our health care system is too high in my opinion
Being choosy about the drivers you put in a seat is difficult but important and pays dividends later however under appreciated and hard to continue with when in economic tough times … we need a balance and fairness for the greater good !
I know of a company that lost its CVOR and got new CVOR using an employee name to continue on business. They lose that CVOR then got another CVOR using another employee to continue on business. All related. I have proof of this loophole. 4 fatalities
I have been feeling for quite some time that our governments, both federal and provincial have an interest in slashing the cost of trucking to manufacturers.
And other large. Corporate interests. It seems from where I sit,the government turns a blind eye to the deterioration of safety In the industry. I’m quite sure that the way our government looks at it ,as long as big industry thrives in the province because of lower input costs from things like trucking that will make the province has a whole better. So if unscrupulous cut throat trucking companies.
game the system in every way possible to operate at lower costs
We’ll just have to look at the carnage on the highways as the cost of doing business. And at the same time I watch all of this.I hear More more everyday.Companies telling me that they are not willing to use my services.Because I am a single truck operator, And that they will only use companies with a minimum of five units or ten units in some cases. The fact that I have forty years experience And impeccable references doesn’t seem to matter. The number one question from every logistics company.
Or load broker.
Is now.Whats your RATE?
Lack of desire by anyone be it government companies or people in general.
No enforcement of existing regulations. Lest’s make another law but don’t enforce it either. Allow all kinds of immigration schemes to enslave people to work for nothing ( LMIA) while their own people exploit them. The ‘working student’ game where they become truck drivers to get their immigrant status faster- thank your local MP for allowing this to happen.
Over all government don’t care. Newcomers have a different sense of community and morals.
As a group we allow all this to happen and no one talks about any of this
Training is a joke. I saw a tractor and trailer in Kitchener recently. It had “student driver” with stuck on letters on the back of the trailer. On the tractor, honest, a piece of poster board held on with tape and A Class Driving School printed in marker and a phone number. You guessed it, that number is not assigned. Please check the number and try again.
I would hardly rate that a reliable school. Probably puts a new poster board sign on every day.
It’s sad to hear that the Humber truck driving course had to close its doors.
I think the industry really all partners in this industry should be pushing for apprenticeship program with a graduate system put in place.
And the industry has to change it’s attitude if we are professional Driver’s then in the job want adds truck driving should be recognized as a skill trade.
Finally somebody has opened their eyes. Sad to say; “The Cat is out of the bag”, “That Ship has sailed”, “Too little too late” and “The Gene is out of the bottle”.
There are two standards in the trucking industry; Those companies who do things correctly. Then there are those companies who cut so many corners that the paper they use is round. As a 29 year veteran of running the highway, this latter group scares me. I worry for my kids and wifes safety on the road, I worry for mine.
It is very simple replacement of the current testing company with 3 competing nonprofit testing groups across ont
.outlaw self insurance in Ontario
Bring in the best people from the gov insurance in B C sask and MB and require all trucks to have $500 000 gov liability insurance and $50 000 gov cargo insurance then able to top up with gov and or private insurance for trucks buses and wheelchair minivans and
Taxis. Ban Uber in Ontario bring.a graduated drivers permit that had 120 hours in a truck and 40 hours in class
Have all students with a app on a phone or tablet with picture of their face like some oil companies do to record the training
Have them spend another 300 hours of driving time a junior driver in a super single of 18 hours driving per day between the team other driver have at least 2 yrs in Canada U S or Mexico under the trade agreement except for those not going within 200 kms of Toronto as a solo in their first 300 hrs
Now that trump has won it is going to be very difficult to get rid of driver inc in my opinion
Have disabled former current truck drivers talk to and sit in on the classroom training at least 3 hours per month per school safety every power unit over 25 passengers or 25000 kg every 6 months Build 20 new large truck stops with co op. Shop and at least 2 service trucks of which 1 could be a tow truck
. Bring in hourly pay for truck drivers with overtime including TFWs and companies need to provide time off and transport to medical services medical needed inu opinion
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