B.C. truckers leap to help fire victims

PRINCE GEORGE, BC - Shane Reynolds, ops manager of Landtran Logistics' Prince George facility, is becoming an old hand at helping people in distress. He was working in the southern U.S. after Hurricane Katrina hit and was part of a team that salvaged and reclaimed warehouses and set up distribution centres for relief supplies. Also, growing up in B.C., and then working around Fort Mac gave him ample exposure to the ravages of forest fires. Now, he's putting all that experience to good use again as Landtran and other trucking folks do what they can for victims of the British Columbia forest fire disaster. Almost 200 burns have destroyed almost 80,000 hectares of central British Columbia already and as of Friday, experts were warning that strong winds predicted for the weekend will only make matters worse. Entire towns are have been evacuated.

Clad in plaid for your dad

TORONTO, ON - The Ontario Trucking Association was the top fundraiser among workplaces participating in Prostate Cancer Canada's 2016 Wear Plaid for Dad campaign, and the Canadian Trucking Alliance is looking to build on that success -- and help fight a cancer that will affect one in eight men in their lifetime.

Feds to toughen impaired driving rules under pot laws

TORONTO, ON - The federal government has officially unveiled its plans to legalize recreational marijuana by July 2018, and promises as well to introduce some of the toughest impaired driving laws in the world - complete with roadside saliva tests. Under the proposal, police would be able to demand oral fluid samples if they believe drivers have drugs in their body, and with reasonable grounds would be able to demand a blood sample. Punishments for those found driving under the influence of drugs including cannabis will become more severe, said Ralph Goodale, minister of public safety, during a press briefing on Friday. There are also plans for a "wide-ranging" campaign to raise awareness about the dangers of driving while impaired.

Federal budget vows more funding for transportation

OTTAWA, ON - The federal 2017 budget includes new transportation initiatives including a National Trade Corridors Fund that is meant to address capacity constraints and freight bottlenecks at major ports of entry, in addition to improving connections between rail and highway infrastructure. The National Trade Corridors Fund is set to receive $2 billion over 11 years from the federal government to support its activities. In addition, the budget mentions an additional $5 billion will be supplied through the Canada Infrastructure Bank to focus on trade and transportation priorities. Also revealed in the budget was an allocation of $50 million over 11 years to launch a trade and Transportation Information System to support a new Canadian Centre on Transportation Data. According to the Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA), there isn't a lot of national data regarding the movement of goods, and an investment in something like a Trade and Transportation Information System should improve the current situation.

CTA wants thoughts on AMPS penalty system

TORONTO, ON - The Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA) along with the Canadian Border Service Agency (CBSA) have been working together to put Advanced Commercial Information (ACI) requirements in place, and most recently they've been looking at ways to better administer the enforcement of Advanced Monetary Penalties (AMPS). Your feedback could help.

CTA applauds vehicle recall legislation

TORONTO, ON - The Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA) is applauding the federal government's decision to reinforce Canada's vehicle recall process, governed under Strengthening Motor Vehicle Safety for Canadians Act (Bill S-2). "Bill S-2 will grant the federal transport minister new powers to order manufacturers and importers of the majority of power units and trailers sold in Canada to issue recall notices and order the correction of any issues of non-compliance, which the minister believes is in the interest of safety," said Stephen Laskowski, senior vice president of the CTA, which made several related recommendations in a recent white paper. "While that suggests the scope of the policy may be somewhat limited to matters of safety, this is a positive development for purchasers of heavy-duty trucking equipment."

Trucker Delivers Hope, Hay for Drought Stricken Farmers

EDMONTON -- Hope for several Edmonton farmers arrived last week in the form of a turquoise Kenworth piloted by Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA) board member Carl Rosenau, president of Rosenau Transport. Rosenau was busy hauling flatbeds full of donated hay to Edmonton-area farmers suffering from drought conditions, according to CTA. For many western farmers, this has been one of the hardest summers in 50 years, marked by weeks of drought that have decimated hay crops and left farmers struggling to feed their livestock.

Pro-EOBR Campaign Gaining Traction, Minister on Board

OTTAWA - Federal Transportation Minister Denis Lebel comes out in support of EOBRs, says Trucking Alliance.

Canada Customs Program Changes Good For Truckers: CTA

FORT ERIE, ON - Canadian and U.S. border officials announced changes to the Trusted Traveller and Trusted Trader programs, to strengthen commerce between Canada and the U.S.

Partnership to Apply Brakes on Cargo Crime

TORONTO - The latest task force in the truck industry's loss prevention measures is revealed.

Truck safety a matter of public interest

OTTAWA -- The majority of Canadians don't think four-wheelers know how to share the road with trucks and it'll take better education to remedy the situation.

Canadian Trucking Alliance Announces New Executive Line-up

OTTAWA - New term, new executive committee for Trucking Alliance.

Motor Carriers Ask Feds for a Better Infrastructure

OTTAWA - The Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA) has sent the federal government its yearly infrastructure-improvement "Wish List" that, if ever fulfilled, would see a safer, more efficient trade flow.

Main Ingredient Missing from Food Safety Rules? Consistency

Canadian carriers are getting different requirements from one shipper to another for exactly the same food products because there's no uniformity in preventive control plans for transportation.

Canadian Carriers Among SmartWay’s Excellence Award Winners

TORONTO - They shipped more goods, drove more miles, used less fuel and emitted fewer greenhouse gasses, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).