WINNIPEG, Man. — The Manitoba Trucking Association held a special awards dinner on Nov. 3, honouring four of the province’s elite in the trucking community as well as welcoming six new member to the pioneer club.

The association’s second annual Awards Dinner reached out to the province’s roots, as six of the 10 honourees hail from rural communities.

Ken Wiebe of Winnipeg Motor Express was selected as the Volvo Trucks Canada 2006 Manitoba Driver of the Year. Wiebe was recognized for more than 26 years of safe driving, as well as his dedication to providing excellent customer service and assistance to other drivers.

The Manitoba Driver of the Year is selected from among the 12 Driver of the Month Award winners from the previous year. To qualify, drivers must have spotless driving records, often accumulating several million kilometres of accident-free driving over many years. In addition, they must demonstrate a strong dedication to safety, customer service, equipment care, and more.

Dean Omoto, a fleet manager with Big Freight Systems, was presented with Manitoba’s 2006 Dispatcher of the Year. The award, sponsored by Cancom Tracking, goes to a dispatcher who has demonstrated a commitment to customer service, safety, driver well being, courtesy, team work, problem solving and community service/volunteer work.

Cameron Mayor of Goodyear Tire received the 2006 Maxim Associate of the Year Award. Mayor was recognized for his contributions and dedication to the industry and the association. Shortly after becoming a member of the MTA, Mayor was nominated and elected to the executive committee of the Associated Trades Division and has been serving in that capacity since.

George Williams of Warren/Stonewall Freight was the recipient of the 2006 Manitoba Trailmobile Service to Industry Award. Williams, who has long been a strong and loyal supporter of the MTA, was recognized by his peers for his conduct and his contributions to the trucking industry. In the late 1980s, Williams was nominated to the MTA board of directors and has since been providing his sage advice, which has been based on his experience and rural perspective. He has been an advocate and spokesperson on behalf of small rural carriers.

Six new members were inducted into the MTA’s Pioneer Club. To be inducted into this exclusive club, inductees must be continually employed in the trucking industry for at least 25 years and be actively and directly engaged in the formulation, direction or execution of policy in a managerial capacity of an MTA member company at the time of nomination.
The 2006 inductees are:
– Ron Bouchard, general manager of Redline Transport
– Joe Gillis, general manager of Thermo King of Mid Canada
– Al Lepp, terminal manager for Redline Transport
– John Martin, executive vice-president, corporate with Bison Transport
– Bob Moffatt, owner and president of RTM Transport.
– Dan Simcock, general manager of Prairie International Container & Dray Services.