The Enforcement Province

There seems to be a lot of handwringing and anger about the scourge of bad poorly trained and sometimes fake licensed truck drivers on our highways…and the suggestions and strategies to fix the problems. There have been, as usual, plenty of disagreements about what needs to be done to make our highways safer. The one seemingly logical simple solution that obviously evades us is… ENFORCEMENT. Enforcing minimum training standards and enforcing verifiable testing and licensing. It's a bigger problem in Ontario than just about anywhere…but there is one province where it's not nearly as huge an issue.

I talked to my friend Benoit Therrien about how Quebec's system works to make highways safer. Benoit is a 20-year veteran driver and the owner and main host of the hugely popular Truck Stop Quebec radio station, on air and on line 24 hours a day.

Listen and comment.

Slightly Revised

Trucking journalist Jim Park and podcast creator Stan Campbell will discuss the proposed Red Seal idea for truck drivers on this TruckNewsTalk podcast. Anything that cleans up the crooked schools and suspect testing and licensing would be a move in the right direction. However, other ideas have been tried and failed. Are there options? We have a lot of questions. In addition, Stan has a crazy idea he thinks would solve the bad schools and suspicious licensing problems forever. It's sure to get dismissed by just about everybody. Let's just say...control is hard to surrender.

We invite you to please comment. We will pass on your comments and suggestions. Send email messages to stancampbell@outlook.com.

Safety Sam

Lately there have been far too many stories about crooked driving schools and unsafe drivers on our road.

In the big move lately to rid the trucking industry of quickie budget schools, we sometimes forget that Canada is a long list of excellent driving schools from coast to coast. Schools that can almost guarantee a good career with a reputable fleet. New and prospective drivers assume that truck driving schools teach you how to drive a big rig. Unfortunately there is an assumption that if you how to handle a truck with a load on the highway and streets, then, you're good to go. What prospective students may not get is how among top fleets, there is a laser focus on safety. It seems to be one of the areas that the El-Cheapo schools ignore. However, workplace safety not only applies to the trucking industry.

I talked to lady who well connected in the transportation industry and works for a company that is all about safety….and not only about trucking. The company is NATT Safety Services. My guest's name is Samantha Clark. I took the liberty to call her "Safety Sam" because Sam knows safety probably better than anyone. Listen to my conversation with Samantha.

Ace and Red Seal Truckers

What the hell is going on in the trucking world?

1. · Unsafe equipment operating on our highways.
2. · Fake safety inspection decals?
3. · In a recent highway inspection, a third of trucks were placed out of service.
4. · Truckers' licences suspended after uncovering dishonest testing and training
5. · Quickie Driving Schools and driving tests being approved for unqualified drivers

Finally, maybe good drivers have had enough. For example, in Quebec, truckers staged a slowdown protest on highways to demand action. After all, the growing number of dangerous drivers is impacting the vast majority of good professional safe drivers. Now, the four-wheeler public is beginning to notice.

So…who is going to fix this mess?

Well, I reached out to one guy who is not afraid the speak his mind and maybe ruffle some feathers….Mike "Ace" McCarron. We keep asking the government to step up, but maybe we need to look in the mirror.

Listen to Mike "Ace" McCarron. Download it.

What do you think of the Red Seal idea? Obviously from what Mike says, not everyone is on board. If you disagree, then what's your idea? Doing nothing is not an option.

stancampbell@trucknewstalk.com

The Best Fleets to Drive For

This may sound like a repeat TNT Podcast. Yes, we do this every year around this time but this year there are some differences. According to the trucking industry, there is still and shortage of "qualified drivers" so the competition among companies is fierce. Of course, fleets want to attract the best drivers…and if you are a recruiter, you should be able to brag that your company is listed as one of the best fleets to drive for. If you are driver, naturally you want to work for a company that pays well, offers great benefits but most of all, listens to you. It's time for drivers to nominate their companies and help create the list of the Best Fleets to Drive For. In this TNT Podcast, I will talk to Carriers Edge CE, Jane Jazrawy about how drivers can nominate their employer, and about who qualifies and who doesn't, and how the Best Fleets to Drive For list is credible. To nominate your company…do as I did. Just Google it. Best Fleets to Drive For. May the best fleet win! Thanks to Howes Products, makers of Diesel Defender, a diesel Fuel Lubricator & Injector cleaner with advanced IDX4 Detergent.

I was a teenager in the mid 50's. I remember weird stuff, like dimmer switches, fender skirts, milk delivered to our door, adjusting the TV rabbit ears and crazy rules, like…women were not allowed in taverns and pubs. I remember once, when my buddy Howard and I saw transport truck pass by, driven by a woman. Wow! Look at that! A woman driving that big truck! We have come a long way since the 50's and 60's…but obviously, not far enough. Slowly, a few women ventured into truck driving, but it was a tough life…not because of the driving but because of sexual harassment and verbal attacks from male drivers who believed that women had no business in the trucking business. A few truckers today still believe that. It was in the late 70's and early 80s' that things began to change, thanks to efforts of a tough yet personable lady, Ellen Voie, along with her best friend, Char Pingel. It was the birth of the organization we know today as Women in Trucking. Ellen was a visionary as she knocked down closed doors. Over the years, her dedication became notable when one sees the awards and accolades, she received. After resigning from the Women in Trucking Organization two years ago Ellen decided to write about the events in her life that lead up to the formation of the Women in Trucking organization. Her autobiography is entitled, "Dispatcher to Disrupter". One woman's journey to drive gender diversity in the trucking industry. My conversation with Ellen right after a message from Howes Products, makers of Diesel Defender, a diesel Fuel Lubricator & Injector cleaner with advanced IDX4 Detergent. By the way, Ellen Voie was the very first inductee in the Howes Hall of Fame in 2020.

Thank you President Trump! We appreciate what you have done for Canada. Thanks to you, we are becoming stronger and more self-reliant. (this is my attempt at sarcasm) One of the positive results of your bullying and tariffs is that we have begun to eliminate some of our own tariffs. Okay, we don't call them tariffs but there have been restrictions on trade within our own country and they have existed for years. We call them trade barriers…and for the purpose of this podcast, it's about how those trade barriers negatively affect the trucking industry. However, getting rid of the roadbocks will take time, involving the usual government bureaucracy and foot-dragging. In this TNT podcast, I am talking to someone who has been a strong voice in breaking down those provincial barriers. He is Mike Millian, President of the Private Motor Truck Council of Canada. Thanks to Howes Products, makers of Diesel Defender, a diesel Fuel Lubricator & Injector cleaner with advanced IDX4 Detergent who help make this TruckNewsTalk Podcast possible.