TORONTO — About one year ago this week, Today’s Trucking magazine delivered some news that stopped some readers in their tracks: Only about one in five truck drivers knows everything he should about brake adjustments.

Worse, even though brake-related problems are the number-one cause of truck accidents in North America, as well as the main reason commercial vehicles get placed out of service, far too many drivers simply don’t know how to check their brake systems adequately.

Last week, Today’s Trucking Senior Editor Marco Beghetto received a silver award at the Truck Writers of North America Annual Awards ceremony for that story titled “Them’s the Brakes”

It wasn’t the only award claimed by NewCom Media staffers. (Newcom publishes Today’s Trucking, its French brother magazine Transport Routier, and this website.) Beghetto was also recognized for his exclusive story about the Windsor-Detroit border crossing solution as proposed by traffic guru Sam Schwartz –“Sounds Like A Plan.”

Transport Routier Editor Steve Bouchard was presented with a silver medal for his feature “Le Grande Seduction”– an in-depth look at the buying strategies of Canada’s largest fleet; Alain Bedard’s TransForce Income Fund. Today’s Trucking Editor Peter Carter as well as staff contributor Anthony Evangelista worked on the story as well.

Peter Carter was also presented with a silver award recognizing his monthly Rear View opinion column.