Good Answers Take Time

By Dave Elniski, MA, CTSP, CRSP, ATCL, Industry Advisor – Safety and Compliance, Alberta Motor Transportation

It really helps to be pointed in the right direction.

As a trucker, I always liked knowing where to go, whether the information came from a computer or a person. In the army, I appreciated clear orders. As a safety professional, I like knowing the right sources of information for specific questions. Let’s take a deeper look at where to find the right sources of information.

In my role as an advisor at the Alberta Motor Transport Association, I regularly talk to representatives of trucking and busing companies of all sizes on topics related to best practices for safety and complying with regulations. I often have the answers industry members need and can back them up with references – no brag, just fact.

However, it’s also common that I can’t immediately answer their questions. I don’t like winging it. So, when presented with a challenging question, I prefer to gather as much information as possible by listening to the client and then doing my own research before presenting them with a detailed response.

Sometimes, I don’t give an answer and instead direct them to another organization or person better suited to their needs. For example, I have received questions about motor carriers buying American vehicles and importing them into Canada for use in their operations. I can provide a lot of information on this topic, but my response will almost always include directing them to appropriate specialists to further assist them, like a customs broker or the Canada Border Services Agency.

I’ll admit that when I first started in safety, I felt the need to have all the answers; otherwise, I felt I wasn’t a good safety professional. What I’ve learned, though, is that the best responses and solutions are rarely the quickest, and there is no shame in bringing in additional support, even if it means completely handing the questioner off to another professional or organization.

As a trucker, fleet safety manager and now safety association advisor, I’ve seen this sort of issue play out in interactions with law enforcement. In my experience, law enforcement officers are often expected to immediately have all the answers to questions related to carrier safety – and they often do. After all, there’s not a lot of time for consultation and research when doing a roadside inspection. Defects must be identified, and decisions must be made on the spot.

However, it’s important that carriers and drivers alike recognize the complexity of safety compliance. There’s so much to know. Like, so much. And things change all the time.

Yes, you can often get the answer you need by calling a scale or otherwise connecting with commercial vehicle enforcement. But whether you’re talking to someone like me or an officer, there’s nothing wrong with waiting for answers sometimes. Good things come to those who wait.