TORONTO, Ont. — The latest stop on OTA President David Bradley’s speaking tour of shipper associations was today at the Annual General Meeting of the Ontario Waste Management Association (OWMA).

As he has with other shipper groups, Bradley described the perfect storm that is revolutionizing the way carriers are managing their businesses and creating more balance in the relationships between shippers and carriers.

"Waste managers are not immune. Your carriers all have to cope with the fuel, insurance and equipment cost escalations, increased border security, the deepening driver shortage, new hours of service regulations and environmental legislation like Ontario’s Bill 133, that are impacting upon other sectors of the trucking industry," said Bradley.

In some respects the hauling of waste has its own particular challenges, added Bradley.

"Both of our industries are in the public eye, and the liabilities associated with not meeting or exceeding the standards for improved border security, for road safety and for the environment, are jointly shared. You need to use carriers that know what they are doing, that are able to operate in accordance with the rules, and have the appropriate level of liability insurance and other safeguards in place. And, you have to understand that those types of carriers are probably not the cheapest and need to realize a decent return on their investment as well."