Bison

Bison, Big Freight take home grand prizes for fleet safety

NASHVILLE, TN - Manitoba-based Bison Transport and Big Freight were awarded the Truckload Carriers Association's National Fleet Safety grand prizes for small and large carriers during Tuesday's Truckload Carriers Association's 41st annual awards. The awards are given to companies who display an unparalleled commitment to safety. Divisional winners were divided into six categories defined by miles driven. Those companies were then invited to compete for one of two grand prizes, one for carriers with annual mileage below 25 million miles and the other for companies who accumulate over 25 million miles. Companies competing for the award have the lowest accident frequency ratios per million miles annually.

IN PRINT — Top Trends: Issues that are reshaping Canada’s biggest carriers

Meyers Transport is gone. After 90 years in -business, and decades on Today's Trucking's Top 100 list of Canada's largest for-hire carriers, the -eastern Ontario fleet shut its doors in mid-January. High capacity and aggressive rate cutting in the Less-than-Truckload (LTL) sector were blamed along with a general downturn in the region's industrial activity. "It is sad to think there won't be any trucks and trailers going up and down the road with 'Meyers' on it anymore," observed chairwoman Natalie Meyers, part of the fourth generation in the family business. The family's Mortrans truckload and dedicated -specialty service continues, as does Mosaic Logistics, but 190 people lost their jobs.

Fuel economy up 3% at 17 major fleets

NEW YORK, NY -- Seventeen major North American fleets - including Canadian-based Challenger Motor Freight and Bison Transport - boosted their fuel economy by 3% in 2015, according the Annual Fleet Fuel Study released today by the North American Council for Freight Efficiency (NACFE). Fleet-wide fuel economy increased from 6.87 to 7.06 miles per gallon (34.2 to 33.3 liters per 100 kilometers), representing the largest boost in eight years of consecutive improvements. And they saved just shy of $650 million on fuel bills when compared to the national average. Put another way, their individual trucks saved about $6,020 per year compared to the baseline of a "business as usual" truck that reaches 6.3 miles per gallon (37.3 liters per 100 kilometers).