TORONTO, Ont. and CALGARY, Alta. — Transportation Media is pleased to announce the promotion of James Menzies to the position of executive editor of Truck News and Truck West.

An award-winning journalist with a Class 1 licence, Menzies has headed up Transportation Media’s western news bureau the last five years as part of his training for the executive editor’s role. James succeeds Ingrid Phaneuf, who will be moving on to a key position examining government legislation with the Canadian Trucking Alliance.

"Right from his first assignment almost five years ago, which involved crawling into the back of a livestock trailer as it was being loaded full of hogs in order to capture a photo, James has done an incredible job for us in a market we consider to be of great importance. The willingness and enthusiasm he displayed as editor of Truck West to get involved in and understand all facets of the trucking industry have earned him respect across the country. We are very excited about the skills and industry knowledge he brings with him as he takes over the executive editor role for our two publications," said Transportation Media editorial director Lou Smyrlis.

Throughout his career with Truck News/Truck West, James has been on the top 10 list for the trade press industry’s prestigious Kenneth R. Wilson awards on several occasions. In 2002, his two-part feature on the railways’ controversial Hours-of-Service regulations earned him a Top 10 in the Best News Coverage category.

In 2004, James had two articles in the Top 10, both in the category of Best Resource Article. ‘Run for the Hills’ was a three-part feature on mountain driving while the other article explored the benefits and pitfalls of concrete highways.

This year, James received a Top 5 award in the Best Resource/Infrastructure category for his article ‘Free Fuel,’ which explored the use of waste vegetable oil as a viable fuel for heavy-duty trucks. He also received a Top 10 in the same category for an article ‘Can a Simple Formula Prevent Rollovers?’ which examined the causes and solutions to truck rollovers.

James has been a frequent contributor to several other Canadian business magazines, where he has written about the trucking industry. He writes a regular column for Canadian Forest Industries called ‘The Log Haul’ which explores trucking’s role in the forestry industry.

Since obtaining his Class 1 licence James has had the chance to test drive trucks under some particularly challenging conditions, including test drives along the High Coast of Sweden, through the Appalachian Mountains and in the B.C. interior.

He has also been called upon to speak at several trucking conferences on the subject of emissions standards.

On a number of occasions, James has defended the industry vigorously in the mainstream media in Calgary, where he has lived for the last five years.

His promotion to executive editor of Truck News and Truck West will mark a homecoming of sorts, as he grew up in Southern Ontario.

Meanwhile Transportation Media looks forward to continuing to work with Ingrid Phaneuf in her new role as vice-president of communications with the Canadian Trucking Alliance. Her leadership over the past two-and-a-half years helped raise the profile of Truck News and Truck West as she was repeatedly the first Canadian journalist to report on key industry legislation.

In March Ingrid had won a Truck Writers of North America (TWNA) writing award for a news story on the new hours of service legislation and was nominated for more at this year’s Canadian Business Press Awards. She joins one-time Motortruck technical columnist Rolf Vanderzwaag at the Canadian Trucking Alliance, the respected association representing the interests of Canada’s trucking industry. Transportation Media wishes her well in her new position.

Truck News and Truck West are part of Transportation Media, a division of Business Information Group.