not only approached me for copies, but made great comments and suggestions! How do you measure success? In December 2008, Canadian Trucking Magazine (CTM) launched the first issue. I took and hand-delivered it across western Canada. The reaction every time I handed it to a driver was, “I am not looking for a job”. Over and over, I continued to say that this is not a job posting magazine. I held court in many driver‟s room and restaurant telling my potential reading public “Just open it up and read it. Inside you will find resources, entertainment postings from the Royal Canadian Legion, RCMPolice, Trucker Buddy, Women in Trucking, Little Warriors, Trucking Associations, Faith, Truck Shows, Convoys and articles of great interest. Not to forget the great advertisers and products.” My dream and mission was to produce a magazine for Transportation that would be one readers would pick up, read and keep because they enjoyed what it contained. By the third month, as I fought bad February storms and road closures on delivery, there was a change. Instead of pushing my magazine on people, it was being requested from me. People recognized me from the magazine and
Words here will not explain the excitement that the CTM team felt. As fast as I delivered the magazine, it was consumed and gone from the truck stops (and not left on bathroom floors or restaurant tables, but actually taken and kept as we had hoped). We were contacted by collectors and asked to mail subscriptions. CTM was now where we wanted it to be—a magazine with a strong readership. Besides the great product, there are many reasons that CTM has contributed to the rapid readership and success. First, CTM is distributed around the 15th of each month, placing our edition on the shelves two weeks before every other transport magazine. The other discovery I had made was connecting with the travel stops and the people that work there. Each month, we feature these dedicated people in a “person and place” search in the magazine. Throughout the magazine, we place three pictures, asking the readership if they recognize these people. Then in the back pages, we give the answers. It gives recognition to the Centre so kind to distribute our free magazine and the hardworking people there. This is a huge hit with the
readership, and the travel stops have enjoyed seeing themselves in print and the recognition from the travelling readership that drop in and say they saw them. Another big difference between CTM and every other magazine was a fluke. In our first December issue, our friends at Western Star wanted our front cover with their Western Star Christmas Gals. It was a big hit! Readers stated that they were tired of seeing the same pictures of just a truck on every magazine. It set CTM apart on the shelf from any other magazine. So, for future magazines, we kept the trend of people (sometimes models) for the front cover...and always with a great message.
Since introducing this magazine a year ago, I have found that only a couple of people have voiced displeasure in it, and in a couple of those cases, the co m m e n t s we re sp u rre d b y a competitor‟s comments prompting them. When approached with the fact that these are models trying to catch a break by being published and all the pictures are in extreme good taste, the issues were resolved. My front covers are some of the industries‟ most exciting. And that brings me to another innovative idea, the Pet of the Month page. Every month, we sort through the reader‟s emails and pictures and place one or more of their companions in the magazine. After all, we would appreciate their readership as well! The CTM Girl Page is another page I have not seen in a transport magazine before. The first CTM Girl Page included my sister Jen, laying in the back bunk of a truck, colouring in a log book with crayons. Everyone loved that one! So, each month is a different theme and a lot more of our family, in both serious and humourous situations. Once again, the models (a lot of family) are depicted in a very respectful way, projecting an important message each month. Another comment I hear time and time again is „thanks‟ for our resources pages. The hours of service made simple and the numbers for permits have helped more than a few on the road. Everyone from the travelling reader to the travel-stop regulars love our entertainment selection of crossword puzzles and Su-do-ku, except those
couple of editions in which we goofed and the Su-do-ku could not be solved. We appreciate the support that our readership gives Little Warriors, who are regulars in our magazine, and sending in a donation. As well, the support you give the RCMPolice, Women in Trucking and the Royal Canadian Legion. On a person note, the service people we see and sometimes take for granted always run towards danger for our benefit. When you see a Police, Fire, Rescue or Military, thank them for their service.
know how tough this industry can be. With a great organization like WIT, they need your support so they will be there should you need them. Please become a member. The membership is open to all, including corporate membership. Not to give away secrets here, but handdelivering the CTM puts my magazine into the hands of the readership. This way, not only is the magazine displayed properly in the stands, but affords this writer to hand copies out in person and receive valuable input from the readership. Attending at the Sterling and Fergus Truck Shows, while on delivery in Ontario, is another great way to stay in touch with our base. I believe, without a doubt, that CTM was the most popular magazine at the Fergus Truck Show. Our booth was always busy and buzzing with excitement. Not to mention, we had over 200 prizes to give away. The Grand Prize was a Herd grill guard. This demonstrates again how CTM is committed to this industry and is involved in every aspect. Truck Buddy is another example of that in every issue from the start. If you are a trucker and have some time, check out their website at www.truckerbuddy.org. It will be a very rewarding decision.
If you are a woman in trucking, you
As the Publisher and Editor of CTM, I get to write articles each month. I enjoy writing about the distribution, concerns to transport and, of course, some of the products we advertise in CTM. When you see an advertiser in CTM, it is a company or product that CTM would stand behind. There will never be an advertisement for a company in CTM that I couldn‟t look you in the eye and say “Yes, go there”.
This now brings me around to the reason for the creation of CTM. I had my first taste driving a big truck in 1973 (Military Deuce 1/2). Since that date, I have driven commercially in every way—the Military, Police, Company Driver, Owner-Operator, City and highway. During that time, I have seen a lot of job posting magazines but few that I would not leave in the restroom trash. I felt that it was long overdue for a magazine for everyone...a magazine with subjects, pictures and articles that, even if you didn‟t care for one submission, you‟d think the rest was great. As I said, something for everyone. I received a complaint about my faith stories 4 pages that my beliefs don‟t belong in a magazine. Hey, turn the page to the section you like. Others appreciate those. The CTM Girl page had a shot fired at it. Someone must not have read the article, as it is very respectfully done, with important messages. My point is that there will always be some article that someone doesn‟t like as we all have our own views, but what I have produced here is a magazine with content for everyone.
advertisers are where we draw our revenue from. Please be sure to mention that you saw them in the CTM when using one advertised here. If you are a potential advertiser, here‟s a plug for CTM. It is now estimated that 20,000 people view CTM each month. Your target audience is being reached and CTM is being picked up, read, kept and brought home and into the workplace. There is no doubt that it is the best advertising dollars you could spend. If you are not receiving CTM directly to your home or office and would like to, please send your contact information by email and indicate your desire to subscribe. Thank you for visiting our website and viewing our current digital issue of CTM. I look forward to your comments and suggestions to help us grow. Please send a picture of your favourite companion for the Pet of the Month, as well as interesting stories you think I should print. Regards, Dave
The magazine is available free at travel stops and businesses from Quebec to British Columbia. Some copies have made it to my friends in the Maritimes, thanks to loyal readers delivering CTM out there in their own trucks. The delivery of CTM is one of my favourite parts, spending time with the readers and characters at the travel stops. As I mentioned, the magazine is free, or what I like to call “priceless”, as our