PMTC

On-road charges, enforcement practices changing

MILTON, Ont. -- The rules of engagement have changed when it comes to the charges Ontario drivers can face – as have the people who might lay the charges in the first place. As of last week, Ontario Ministry of Transportation enforcement teams expanded their focus beyond speed limiters to include charges for outright speeding, Frontline Commercial Vehicle Solutions’ Alex Bugeya told fleet managers during a presentation hosted by the Private Motor Truck Council of Canada (PMTC).

Mob Rule: Italian mafia leading source of cargo theft

NIAGARA FALLS, Ont. – Todd Moore was playing hockey in Hamilton, Ont., when some guys came forward with 10 cases of Moosehead beer that had “fallen off a truck”. He knew exactly where it had come from, though. Everyone knew. The theft of two loads of beer in New Brunswick had been all over the news, complete with jokes about Moose being on the loose. It was no joke to the career police officer, now president of Canadian Armed Robbery Training Associates. All too many people turn a blind eye to the cost of cargo thefts, he said during a presentation to the Private Motor Truck Council of Canada. Contractors might see a cheap load of lumber as a way to cut costs, just like a chef who’s offered a deal on a load of beef that’s too good to be true. “People don’t see the significance. They say it’s ‘insurance’,” he admitted. “But everybody is paying.”

Ontario training schools call for tuition hike

HAMILTON, ON - The Truck Training Schools Association of Ontario (TTSAO) is calling on the province to raise the $40 hourly cap on tuition governed by the Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Development - and it has already found industry support in the call. Select carriers, insurance providers, and the Private Motor Truck Council of Canada are all supporting the bid. The cap has not been adjusted since 2009, but since then training school insurance costs have risen an average of 200%, equipment leases are up 45%, instructor wages are up 15%, and maintenance fees are up 20%, TTSAO argues. Costs also increased with the province's recent introduction of Mandatory Entry Level Training. "When you factor in the cost of fuel, insurance and wages for your staff and other capital expenses the $40.00 cap seems unreasonable for any kind of operation," says Guy Broderick, a driver training supervisor at APPS Transport Group and chairman of the association's carrier group.

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