February 2013 Volume 33, Issue 2 Delivering daily news to Canada’s trucking industry at www.trucknews.com
The A-30 has arrived
Gas Gains
Is this Canada’s greatest new infrastructure development since the Confederation Bridge? By Carroll McCormick MONTREAL, Que. – Forty-four years after construction began on Quebec’s Autoroute 30, the final section, the 54-kilometre ring road around the west side of the Island of Montreal, opened for traffic Dec. 15. Drivers now have a speedy alternative to the badly congested Island routes. The Canadian trucking industry will reap many benefits: Shorter trip times will improve carrier productivity. Drivers will not burn up hours-of-service sitting in traffic. Owner/operators will log money-paying miles instead of sitting in traffic. Fuel consumption and wear and tear will decrease. Trip schedules will not have to be padded to accommodate delays. For carriers running long combination vehicles, the dream of an unbroken divided highway from Halifax to Toronto is now just a few sections of the 185 between
Bison’s first LNG Peterbilt hits the road
Canada’s first LNG rental truck gaining ground: In 2012, natural gas made significant headway as a viable fuel for the trucking industry. We highlight some of the latest developments in this special section. See pages 30-41.
On the road in one of the first ProStar+ tractors with ISX engine.
Continued on page 10
ACI eManifest roll-out causing problems
Vedder launches solid waste division with LNG trucks
Navistar’s transformation
Riviere du Loup and the New Brunswick border short of coming true. The achievement surely rates as Canada’s most significant highway project since the Confederation Bridge. Oddly though, Transports Quebec and the Nouvelle Autoroute 30 Consortium, the private partner with an enormous investment to recoup, have been borderline somnambulant about publicizing it. Last summer’s Festival de Jazz got tons more buzz. Here are some clues to its existence: Eastbound truckers should look for signs announcing the new A-30 exit just outside VaudreuilDorion, just west of the Island. Hang a right onto the A-30, drop $0.75 per axle at the 12-gate tollbooth and steam along without a care for just over an hour until you pick up the eastbound A-20 heading to Quebec City.
OTTAWA, Ont. – The Canadian Trucking Alliance has informed Canada Customs and Border Services Agency (CBSA) that member carriers are still experiencing difficulties and delays with the ACI eManifest program since the beginning of the informed compliance period which took effect on Nov. 1, 2012. In a letter to the CBSA directorship, CTA’s senior v.p. Stephen Laskowski characterized the problems as “above and beyond what could reasonably be attributed to learning curve issues,” which are adding costs to carriers. “It is clear from feedback and complaints from CTA members that there is a significant lack of consistency among border service officers in the level of knowledge and application of ACI policies,” wrote Laskowski, who addContinued on page 8
Inside This Issue...
• A rocky road: Prime Inc. founder Robert Low talks about the
company’s formative years, in which it cleared a million bucks one year and then nearly lost it all the next . Page 16
• Manitoba mega-move:
A look at the logistics involved in moving three gigantic power transformers for Manitoba Hydro. Here’s a hint: it took 320 wheels. Page 20
Our mufflers are stronger, last longer and save you $$$!
• Discussing downtime:
Fleets talk about the true cost of downtime to their businesses. Page 51
• Collision Course: Mark Dalton finds out that insurance fraud
Page 56
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Page 60
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Page 4 TRUCK NEWS
February 2013
Monthly Class 8 Sales – Nov 12 Class 8 truck sales in November topped the 2,000 mark, making for the sixth best November total since 1999. Monthly sales were also 600 units above the 5-year average. However, the 2,411 Class 8 trucks sold in November also reflected a drop of more than 200 from the November totals last year, reflecting a slowing in sales first witnessed in August and now continuing for the fourth straight month.
OEM
Historical Comparison – Nov 12 Sales
This Month Last Year
Freightliner
723
713
International
236
461
Kenworth
421
546
Mack
164
169
Peterbilt
343
320
Volvo
312
303
Western Star
212
151
TOTALS
2411
2663
Historical Comparison – YTD Nov 12 Class 8 Sales (YTD Nov 12) by Province and OEM OEM
BC
ALTA
SASK
MAN
ONT
QUE
NB
NS
PEI
NF
CDA
Freightliner
556
727
204
564
3,349
1,197
311
138
28
23
7,097
Kenworth
202
952
995
114
0
0
0
5,537 2,103
602
2,300
372
Mack
98
371
186
103
834
361
81
37
0
32
International
145
731
77
250
1,778
828
161
78
25
59
4,132
Peterbilt
362
1,294
294
501
668
537
155
27
0
0
3,838 3,360
Volvo
212
279
105
241
1,632
717
105
62
0
7
Western Star
379
793
84
50
308
378
72
113
7
9
2,193
2,345
6,495
1,322
1,911
9,521
5,013
999
455
60
130
28,260
TOTALS
The summer slowdown in the Canadian and US economies and the uncertainty of the fall, are having an impact on Class 8 sales it would seem with the brisk sales pace easing off the last few months. Sales in August, September, October and now November have shown signs of a slowdown but the earlier monthly sales totals are still helping boost 2012 to the third highest YTD total dating back to 1999. The 28,260 trucks sold after the first 11 months in the Canadian market are more than 8,000 better than the 5-year average.
12-Month Sales Trends 3,200 2,800 2,400 2,000 1,600 1,200 800 400 0 Sal es
December
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
2,511
2,113
2,151
2,937
2,597
3,166
2,861
2,542
2,517
2,392
2,575
2,411
company product
company product A
© 2012 Chevron Canada Limited. All rights reserved. All trademarks are the property of Chevron Intellectual Property LLC.
company product
A
company product A
A
Truck sales came in above the 2,000 mark tor the 14th straight month, reminiscent of the industry’s capacity boom years of 2005 to 2007. Our Transportation Buying Trends Survey found that 46% of Canadian carriers expect to purchase new Class 8 trucks in 2012. Question is if most carriers are looking to simply replace older equipment rather than add capacity, how long will the buying spree continue?
Chevron Global Lubricants.indd 4
The sales totals for 2012 are only one month short of completetion and Freightliner, last year’s Canadian market leader, will have a banner year in terms of sales volumes and market share, commanding a quarter of Class 8 sales. Kenworth is in the number two spot for marketshare and enjoying the fact that its strong western network is able to tap into the stronger western economy. Kenworth has no sales in three of four Maritimes provinces. Troubled Navistar International is changing direction with its engine technology.
Source: Canadian Motor Vehicle Manufacturers Association
Market Share Class 8 – Nov 12 YTD
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February 2013
TRUCK NEWS Page 5
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February 2013, Volume 33, Issue 2
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Page 6 TRUCK NEWS
February 2013
Dealing with downtime The trucks on the market today are better than they’ve ever been before, and their engines also are remarkably efficient – when they’re up and running, that is. Excessive downtime has become the elephant in the room that OEMs and service providers will need to take a more proactive approach in addressing. If you haven’t already done so, read Lou Smyrlis’ column below. He had the good fortune of attending a Volvo press event while I was putting the finishing touches on the issue you now hold in your hands. The event featured a candid discussion about truck downtime. This may be one of the most crucial issues facing fleets today, right up there with the cost of new trucks and the inability to find drivers. Excessive downtime can kill a trucking business. I take a lot of calls from readers who are just looking for a sympathetic ear as they lament their troubles with new trucks. Some of these guys have sworn off new trucks altogether and are now scouring North America for low-mileage used trucks in decent shape. One guy I talked to has replaced his entire fleet of new trucks with low-mileage,
Editorial Comment James Menzies
older model year used trucks bought online and imported from the US. Not all new trucks are lemons – most aren’t – but a disproportionate number of them are spending way too much time in the shop rather than generating revenue for their owners. Most blame the EPA and all the additional electronics, sensors, etc. that have been mandated in the pursuit of cleaner air. How quirky have some of these trucks become? The other day I was told about a so-called ‘ghost truck’ that would start up all on its own in the middle of the night. Something to do with electromagnetic activity in the air. Okay, so I may have fallen for a tall tale, but these days you never can tell. Yes, nearly everyone in the trucking business has suffered from downtime. It hits where it hurts – right in the pocketbook. But just how real is this issue?
I recently read a blog from Decisiv, provider of a popular cloud-based service management platform, that detailed a survey conducted at its annual Maintenance Summit that indicated excessive downtime is not an issue to be taken lightly. More than two dozen American fleets participated in the survey and the findings were startling. The average repair time for trucks repaired in-house was 5.4 hours, but it took an average of 2.7 days to complete the work, with wrench time (the time spent actually working on the equipment) accounting for just 17.9% of total downtime. The results at external facilities were even worse, with an average repair time of four hours, but taking 4.5 days to complete with wrench time accounting for just 10.4% of total downtime. According to the survey, downtime cost fleets an average of US$448-$760 per day. Extrapolated over the entire US, this could cost the industry some US$35 billion per year. As you can see, the problem here is two-fold. New trucks are down too often, largely due to new sensors and electronics required to comply with EPA emissions mandates. The other issue is that fleets themselves and
Honesty the best marketing message I’ve attended hundreds of press conferences over the past 20 years – supplier-orchestrated events designed to inform the media about new products, services, strategies and, on occasion, not much at all. And I’ve also seen these press conferences become increasingly elaborate as industry suppliers work hard to put their best foot forward. There’s nothing wrong with that. The point, after all, of going to the expense to stage such events is that business journalists such as myself will be impressed enough to write about them and you will be interested enough to read about them. But as companies try to make their best impression and all new products get billed as “unique” and “leading edge,” designed by “forward thinking” companies and manufactured with “state-of-theart” technologies, the every-day challenges trucking professionals face can get glossed over by the slick marketing message. That was not the case when Vol-
The view with Lou Lou Smyrlis
vo Trucks North America held a press conference at its new (and very impressive) Nacarato dealership in La Vergne, Tenn., in early January to discuss the critical issue of uptime. In addition to the regular media crew, the OEM invited several owners of small and medium-sized fleets and asked them open-ended questions about the challenges they face in keeping their trucks on the road. The fleet owners obliged with a dose of reality. They complained loudly about declining engine reliability, which when combined with less than efficient dealer practices, is causing far too many headaches and far too much downtime for their operations. They didn’t single out any particular nameplate – there
Did you know? How optimistic carriers are about 2013 With so many mixed signals about the state of the Canadian and US economies in 2013, how are Canadian motor carrier executives feeling about their prospects in the new year? As 2012 was drawing to a close we surveyed trucking executives across the country as part of our annual Transportation Buying Trends research to find out. We looked at a variety of issues, including projections for freight volume, which we examine in this installment of Did You Know? Turns out the results reflect the econo-
pg 6 tn feb v2.indd 3
is plenty of blame to go around for all OEMs, the truck executives stressed. (See story, pg 51). They pointed to the futility of programs aimed at providing quicker diagnosis of truck repairs when overly tight parts inventories leave them waiting three or more days for the necessary part. They decried the frustration of listening to OEMs pitching their continental reach when each dealer in the network is actually independently owned and has the attitude of “if you didn’t buy it here, get in line.” And they fumed about dealers who hold their truck and driver hostage until the repair has been paid in full rather than sending the bill. How many carriers give their drivers credit cards with spending limits of $3,000 or more to cover such repair emergencies? What else was refreshing about a press conference, which made time for real truck owners to freely discuss real world issues, was the response of the organizers. No
their maintenance providers need to do a better job of improving the wrench time-to-downtime ratio. When one hour in every 10 a truck sits idle is spent working on it, you know there’s lots of room for improvement, whether it be from better allocation of staff resources or improved parts inventory management. n – James Menzies can be reached by phone at (416) 510-6896 or by e-mail at jmenzies@trucknews.com. You can also follow him on Twitter at Twitter.com/JamesMenzies.
journalist in attendance was quietly asked to “tone down” what he heard; no OE executive tried to downplay the concerns expressed. Volvo executives listened, then pointed to some solutions such as the company’s efforts with Remote Diagnostics (see story, pg 50) or increasing parts inventories. But there was no attempt to pretend they had a solution to all the issues presented. As Mike and Joe Nacarato, the owners of the Nacarato dealership, replied: We want to know what you need (even if sometimes it means an hour-long conversation) and we want to know when we are not succeeding. And the simplicity and humbleness of that statement struck me as the best marketing message of all. The first step to producing products and services that address industry issues is actually listening to what the industry needs. n – Lou Smyrlis can be reached by phone at (416) 510- 6881 or by e-mail at lou @Transportation Media.ca. You can also follow him on Twitter at Twitter.com/LouSmyrlis.
Carrier freight volume projections 2012 vs 2013 2012
2013
Source: Transportation Media Research
48%
Increase Decrease
37% 18% 11% 34%
About same
my – they’re a mixed bag of good news and bad news. The bad news is that there is a considerable drop (11%) in the number of executives who forecast freight volume growth in 2013 from the number who believed likewise for 2012. The good news is that there is also a fair drop (7%) in the number of executives
51% who believe freight volumes will decline in 2013 compared to the previous year. The vast majority (51%) believe freight volumes in 2013 will be about the same as the previous year. The other piece of good news is that when we surveyed shippers across the country, we found them to be more aggres-
sive about their growth in 2013. It would appear that at this point carrier executives are less optimistic about their freight volumes than their own customers. But it’s also important to note shipper projections have to be taken with caution as historically they have tended to come in on the high side. n
13-01-15 2:23 PM
February 2013
contents
?
Question of the month What are your thoughts on photo radar?
page 62
Mark Dalton in...
Collision Course Part 4
TRUCK NEWS Page 7
in brief
TruckNews.com newsletter goes daily TORONTO, Ont. – TruckNews. com’s twice-weekly e-newsletter has moved to a daily format. The newsletter features TruckNews.com’s latest Headline News items, videos, and blogs, as well as a list of upcoming events and handpicked news items from TruckNews.com editors, every day, Monday to Friday. The newsletter has also been redesigned, which, in addition to giving the newsletter a more streamlined look, also gives TruckNews.com editors the ability to promote top stories, add pictures and video, and source news items and features from sister publications such as Canadian Transportation and Logistics, MM&D, Purchasingb2b and the more than 50 other business magazines in our group. “This move reflects our com-
mitment to provide you with the most news, first,” said editorial director Lou Smyrlis. “It also provides more opportunities to share analysis and opinion on key industry issues and trends.” “Given the wide range and volume of content added to our Web site each day, moving to a daily e-newsletter format just made sense,” said Truck News publisher Rob Wilkins. “With this move, our readers will be able to keep up to date on the latest industry news each and every day, which, in the end, helps them to do their jobs better. We have so much content that we have to share and now we can get it to you even faster.” For more on our move to a daily newsletter format, check out Rob Wilkins’ column on pg. 46. To sign up for the newsletter, visit www.TruckNews.com. n
Construction industry supports new bridge
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Sixteen construction and transportation organizations, led by the Associated Equipment Distributors (AED), are calling on US President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to swiftly approve construction of the proposed New International Trade Crossing (NITC) between Detroit and Windsor, Ont. In a letter to the Obama administration, organizations representing construction workers, contractors, suppliers, businesses, manufacturers, and highway users said that, “while the new bridge is expected to sustain and create millions of jobs in the US once finished, there will be an immediate boost to the construction sector as this significant infrastructure project gets underway.” n
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Pages 50-57 Truck Sales 4 6 Opinions In Brief 7 Border 8 Quebec 10-13 Ontario 14-19 West 20-21 Canada 22 Al Goodhall, Over the Road 23 Mark Lee, Opinion 24 Scott Taylor, Tax Talk 25 Joanne Ritchie, OBAC 26 Bruce Richards, Industry 27 David Bradley, Industry 28 Natural Gas 30-41 42 Safety, Ask the Expert New Products 43 People 44 Fleet News 45 Rob Wilkins, Opinion 46 Bill Cameron, Opinion 47 Christopher Singh, Health 48 Karen Bowen, Health 49 Mail 58 Profitability Dashboard 59 Angelo Diplacido, Opinion 61
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Page 8 TRUCK NEWS
February 2013
border
Fix ACI or carriers won’t use it: CTA to CBSA Continued from page 1
ed CTA receives reports daily from carriers across Canada who say they have been held up for hours and in cases, days, due to confusion over ACI policies at the port level. In addition, carriers report that some border service officers are telling truck drivers that ACI isn’t being implemented until May 2013. “I’m sure you can appreciate the damage and confusion this sort of messaging does to industry support of the initiative,” says Laskowski. CTA has been actively involved in CBSA’s ACI eManifest for highway carrier initiative by providing input on design, policies and implementation of ACI. In anticipation of this significant change for cross-border carriers on Nov. 1, CTA says it took steps to encourage carriers to become early adopters, implementing communications programs and learning opportunities.
However, despite CTA relaying to CBSA feedback from those early adopters about their policy and operational experiences with ACI, the problems still persist. Deanna Pagnan, CTA’s director of policy and government relations, says that CTA continues to take calls from carriers about these ACI challenges and other issues and is bringing them to CBSA’s attention. “Carriers have made significant technological and training investments to accommodate ACI,” says Pagnan. “The experiences of many carriers is causing them to question the value of those investments and of the ACI initiative as a whole. If these problems experienced at the port level are not corrected in a very timely manner, CBSA will lose the support of carriers and many may revert back to paper processes until May 2013 to save time, money and operational headaches.” n
Canada harmonizes low-value shipment threshold with US
OTTAWA, Ont. – Canada and the US have increased and harmonized the value thresholds for expedited customs clearance to $2,500 (in Canadian and US dollars), according to an announcement from the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and US Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The amounts represent an increase from the current levels of CDN$1,600 for Canada and US$2,000 for the US. In addition, Canada has increased the low-value shipment threshold to CDN$2,500 for exemption from North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) Certificate of Origin requirements, aligning it with the current threshold of the US. “The harmonization of the value thresholds for customs clearance for both Canada and the US will facilitate and expedite trade between our countries, allowing customs to focus on maintaining a secure and efficient border, “ said Minister of Public Safety Vic Toews. The changes were made as part of the government’s commitment under the Beyond the Border Action Plan to promote supply chain connectivity by harmonizing low-value shipment processes to expedite customs administration. “Canadian and US businesses are the true beneficiaries of the Beyond the Border Action Plan and the change implemented today,” said Mike Tierney, president of UPS Canada. “Each day, more than $1.6 billion worth of goods cross our common border bringing the annual value of traded goods to more than $580 billion. Yet, every year $16 billion in trade activity has been lost due to border delays. This change will allow for swifter movement of goods for importers and exporters of all sizes.” n
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ARLINGTON, Va. – More than half of the 20 steps the American Trucking Associations deemed critical for reducing highway crashes on its previously-released Safety Agenda have seen “substantive progress,” according to a progress report released by the ATA. The report comes four years after ATA released its list of safety priorities and called on policymakers to do more to make trucks and roadways safer. “ATA has been a vocal advocate for making common sense, data-supported, regulatory and legislative changes to improve the safety of our nation’s highways,” said ATA president and CEO Bill Graves. “Regulators and lawmakers at the state and federal level have answered ATA’s calls in several areas, but there is still much more work to be done. For instance, though Congress has taken positive steps on electronic logging devices and on hair testing for drugs, ATA will continue to press for progress on these issues until meaningful changes are finally implemented.” Through the end of 2012, several areas identified by ATA such as the safe use of technology, establishment of a national registry for certified medical examiners, and a system to pre-screen potential truck drivers have been the subject of “positive, substantial change,” according to the ATA. Nine other areas – including improving truck parking, enactment of primary seatbelt laws, establishment of programs to target aggressive driving, development of crashworthiness standards for large trucks, and the creation of a clearinghouse for driver drug and alcohol test results – “have seen some favourable progress, but still substantive changes have not yet been fully implemented,” the ATA said. The ATA maintains that there are still several areas where no meaningful headway has been made, including implementation of a national speed limit of 65 mph and speed limiters for all commercial vehicles and passenger vehicles for drivers with certain traffic convictions. n
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Page 10 TRUCK NEWS
February 2013
quebec
Carriers finally have viable option to skirt Montreal city traffic Continued from page 1
Westbound truckers approaching Montreal on the A-20 can, as they always have, catch the old A-30 a few kilometres shy of the edge of the city. Now though, instead of popping out behind Brossard, the A-30 keeps going. There are no grand “Toronto” signs; rather, trust that signs for the A-30 and VaudreuilDorion (wherever that is, some might wonder) will point you toward the Pacific Ocean. Admire the city skyline from a distance. “If you aren’t stopping in Montreal, you will certainly take the A-30. It will save an enormous amount of time,” says Martin Boivert, owner/operator and president of the Association des Routiers Professionnels du Quebec. The ring road replaces several traditional, agonizing routes across the Island, such as the A-20/ Lafontaine Tunnel/A-25/A-40 and the A-20/A-30/A-10/Champlain Bridge/A-20 and the 132/Mercier Bridge/A-20. Curious about travel times and distances, I sampled the ring road and one Island route. Both start where the old A-30 crosses the inbound A-10 a few kilometres shy of the Champlain Bridge, and end at that new interchange near Vaudreuil-Dorion. From the A-30/A-10 intersection, it took me 43 minutes to tour 63 kilometres along the ring road
at last: A long-awaited Montreal bypass is finally operational. It’ll cost you to use it, but many carriers feel it’s a price shippers will be willing to pay.
to where the interchange pours traffic onto the A-20. It took 44 minutes to drive the 56 kilometres from the interchange back across the Island, across the Champlain Bridge and to my starting point at the A-30/A-10 intersection. The tied travel time is deceptive. Truckers can be virtually certain of doing the ring road in threequarters of an hour. I crossed the Island on a quiet Jan. 2 when Quebec was still in bed nursing a hangover, but the drive regularly takes
60, 90, 120 minutes – the transit time is a crapshoot. “I’ve had guys tied up for four hours in Montreal,” says Gordie Atwood, recruiter and safety coordinator, Eassons Transport in Berwick, N.S. “It’s not just rush hour, but it’s accidents that are the hold-up. I have looked at the driving time, but even if the saving is just an hour, it is enough to get into our Mississauga terminal and rest. Our drivers are saying they are going to save some time. We are excited about it.”
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That said, carriers are squinting down their sights, angling for the best shot through or around town. “We will have to look at the cost savings, the economics of it. There will be days and times of the week when you will probably want to utilize (the ring road), others when you won’t want to. A lot of our major traffic flow is to the Island, but for any of our lanes where we go east of the Island, or travel the Metropolitan (the A-40), I can foresee us using it,” says Bob Halfyard, director of safety, Challenger Motor Freight in Cambridge, Ont. Robert Transport, located a kilometre from a traditional Island crossing via the Lafontaine Tunnel and the Metropolitan, has pulled out the stopwatches to help it wring the best transit times out of the road options. “We have a squad here doing an analysis of all our movements; for example, before nine o’clock and from three o’clock to seven o’clock. We are looking at what the best route is for us,” says Jean-Robert Lessard, vicepresident, marketing and public relations, Robert Transport. “We have to think of fuel consumption, brakes, lost time in traffic, driver stress – there are a number of elements. Dispatch will decide, according to the time of day and the traffic. We are very positive about (the ring road).” Lessard raises an interesting point about how customers might view the situation. “Just-in-time customers will put pressure on carriers to use the A-30 to save fuel and reduce GHG.” Speaking of customers, Bill Cornelisse, operations and sales manager, Anderson Haulage in Gormley, Ont., says his will happily absorb the $80 per axle toll charge for taking oversize loads over the ring road. “We use the 407 toll road in Toronto and pass the cost along to the customer. They don’t mind. The customer wants the load on time, safely. I always look at the liability. Is my risk taking a load through Montreal more than taking the ring road? To keep the truck out of the city and on an open, wide road is a lot less liability,” he reasons. The Quebec Trucking Association (QTA) reports that the tolls for trucks are not ruffling feathers, as long as they do not spike. “So far the comments about the toll are that they seem reasonable, but also, people are saying, ‘Be a good watch dog, QTA, so we don’t relive what happened on the 407’,” says Marc Cadieux, director general of the QTA. “The position of the QTA in recent years is that if the infrastructure is for fluidity and if there are alternatives, then tolls should exist. Operationally and cost-wise, we should be recouping the costs in saved time. And with the Turcot Yard construction (on the A-20 near the Champlain Bridge) coming up, it would have been chaotic. Imagine if we did not have the A-30?” n
13-01-15 9:51 AM
Shell.indd 1
13-01-15 11:17 AM
Truck News and Truck West are proud to honour Canada’s top Owner/Operator every year. We know Owner/Operators are at the heart of the trucking industry, investing both personally and financially in their businesses. We’re proud to take this opportunity to recognize the best among them. If you know an Owner/Operator who exemplifies professionalism while also demonstrating a clean driving record, a commitment to safety and a track record of community involvement, nominate them for this prestigious award by completing the application form below.
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Mail completed forms to “AWARD” Truck News/Truck West, Attn: Kathy Penner 12 Concorde Place, Drive, Suite 800, Toronto, Ontario 80 Valleybook Toronto, Ontario M3B M3C 2S9 4J2 FORM MUST BE FILLED IN COMPLETELY AND NOMINEE MUST HAVE CLEAN DRIVER'S ABSTRACT
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February 2013
TRUCK NEWS Page 13
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Quebec driver wins national award BOUCHERVILLE, Que. – More than 40 years of professional driving experience, the last 34 with the same company, and eight million accident-free kilometres have earned Pierre Laflamme 2012 National Driver of the Year honours. Laflamme, a professional driver and instructor with Groupe Boutin, was selected as the Canadian Trucking Alliance/Volvo Trucks Canada National Driver of the Year by a panel of industry experts from groups including Transport Canada, the Canada Safety Council and the Traffic Industry Research Foundation. “It is the ambassadors of this industry such as Pierre Laflamme who personify what this award truly means,” says David Bradley, CEO of the Canadian Trucking Alliance. “His years of dedication to his profession, to his company and to all the people he shares the highway with every day make him more than deserving of this great honour.” Judges say they were impressed not only by Laflamme’s stellar safety record, but also by his enthusiasm in sharing his knowledge. He serves as a mentor to new drivers and strives to help them each to improve their own driving skill sets. Laflamme also is known as a driver who won’t hesitate to stop and help anyone in need. “The management and the employees of Groupe Boutin, as well as the Boutin family are very proud to count in their ranks a driver of the caliber of Pierre Laflamme,” the company said. “Pierre is a true professional truck driver who has honoured his industry and his employer for 35 years.” Laflamme has gone 13 years without a single traffic infraction, despite racking up 200,000 kilometres per year across North America. He was chosen for the award from a pool of finalists who were all winners of the provincial driver of the year award programs. n
100%
Answers on page 53
and our schedule is by next summer.” The federal government is planning to build a new Champlain Bridge connecting the city to the south shore and Larose said bridge tolls would also be compatible with one single transponder. “We’ll make sure the toll system used by the Champlain Bridge is working with the A-30 and the A-25,” she said. But linking the Quebec transponder with the US E-ZPass system is quite another matter. Larose said Transports Quebec “would have needed to get approval with all the states – each state one by one.” Denis Leonard, CEO of the A-30 Express private consortium, says the company’s tolling technology is “one of the most sophisticated” in the world and could be synchronized with other systems but would require government approval. “We all rely on the transport minister for any integration,” he said. But this lack of coordination just underlines the fact governments, which are increasingly moving towards more tolling, aren’t developing a continentwide integrated system, said Cadieux. “Why haven’t they thought about having a grand unified system and obviously pre-existing systems should have been used as carriers are already inscribed in those systems, their accounts are already open, what is it to put one more road within the system?” he said. The A-30 runs from VaudreuilDorion to Chateauguay, over a distance of 35 kilometres. Trucks from Ottawa would connect to it from the A-40, and those from Hwy. 401 and A-20, at Vaudreuil-Dorion. On the bypass’s east side, traffic can easily connect to the A-20 or Trans-Canada Highway to travel to eastern Quebec and the Maritimes. The four-lane road expands to seven lanes at the tolling station located between the Soulanges Canal and St. Lawrence River. n
TN-116 Feb © 2013 M. Jackson
By Ron Stang MONTREAL, Que. – The head of the Quebec Trucking Association (QTA) is calling on governments to create a uniform standard for electronic tolling, using the opening of the province’s new Montreal bypass as an illustration of the current discrepancies that exist from one jurisdiction to another. The A-30 Express, the long-awaited bypass that routes non-Montrealbound traffic around the city’s south shore – and which is a toll road – opened Dec. 15. “They all work on independent systems,” said Marc Cadieux, president of the Association du Camionnage du Quebec. “We do not have a unified system for the carriers in the industry.” Cadieux was pointing to the fact that even in Quebec, the two existing toll routes – the A-30 Express and the A-25 bridge which serves Montreal’s north shore suburbs – have different tolling systems. That’s on top of the fact Quebec has not seen fit to integrate its tolling with the American E-ZPass system, which serves 14 states, he said. “Obviously we weren’t listened to,” after having made representations on the matter to Quebec government officials as well as the private consortium which operates the A-30, Cadieux said. Cadieux pointed to the irony of having two transponders for roads that are only “a few kilometres” apart. “As you know, our industry always wants to minimize our operating costs,” he said. “To deal with so many systems, to equip the trucks with the transponders, not only to buy the transponders and install them and then you have to manage many accounts.” Quebec Transport Ministry spokeswoman Caroline Larose said in fact the A-25 and A-30 transponders will be compatible by summer. “We did our best to get those two systems working before the opening of A-30,” she said. “We weren’t able but it will be done as soon as possible
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13-01-14 1:32 PM
Page 14 TRUCK NEWS
February 2013
ontario
Ontario Fleet Safety Council puts out call to truck safety professionals By James Menzies TORONTO, Ont. – The Fleet Safety Council of Ontario, at one time a very influential organization whose expertise was frequently called upon by reg-
ulators, is looking to enhance its profile in 2013. The Council, founded in 1965, brings together fleet safety managers, workplace health and safety advocates
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The quality of the content shared at these meetings is well regarded, but as with most organizations, competing for the time of members has been an increasing challenge. Don Danbrook,
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executive chair for the Fleet Safety Council, speaks enthusiastically of the Council’s history. Originally founded as the Council of Driver Trainers, the organization set out to heighten awareness of health and safety issues in the workplace. “Back in 1965, the folks around the table were looking for a way to network and to share ideas,” Danbrook said. “They met on a fairly regular basis and talked about things such as MTO compliance issues – anything from freight damage to better training for drivers.” As the Council of Driver Trainers gained prominence, it started receiving invitations to provide input on new legislation. As an example, Danbrook said the Council provided input when the Z air brake endorsement was being developed. Attendance at these meetings surged, thanks in part to the limited access to information in that era. Fleet safety managers couldn’t find an answer to their questions by Googling it; they relied heavily on the expertise and knowledge of their peers, which was most easily gleaned through faceto-face networking. In 2007, the Council of Driver Trainers was renamed the Fleet Safety Council of Ontario. Its mandate remained the same, to raise awareness about health and safety issues in the transportation industry. However, one of the challenges facing the Council – and other groups like it – is the ability to continue drawing a crowd to its networking events. “We meet monthly, for the most part, and we invite speakers to come in and discuss everything from compliance issues to health and safety issues,” Danbrook told Truck News, just one day after hosting an OPP accident reconstruction expert as guest speaker at one of the Councils’ gatherings. For the most part, the various chapters of the Council meet once a month, usually in the morning. One of the greatest benefits for members is the ability to learn from the experiences of their peers, Danbrook said, adding there’s a willingness, even among competitors, to share information. “Folks are more than willing to share success stories on compliance
TRUCK NEWS Page 15
sharing information: A strong turnout of fleet safety professionals takes in a presentation during the organization’s annual meeting.
and health and safety, because we’re all in the same business here,” he said. The meetings are attended by representatives from a diverse group of companies, ranging from one- and two-truck operations right up to reps from some of largest fleets in Ontario. Danbrook said there’s good representation from most of the segments
within the province’s trucking industry, but he’d like to see more participation from the ready-mix and waste management sectors. “Those are two huge industries,” he noted. Membership is not expensive. It costs $50 per year to attend all 10 meetings. A corporate membership
costs $100 and allows for three company representatives to attend the meetings. Each chapter is run independently, but they all share the same constitution and ground rules. So, who should be signing up to attend the Fleet Safety Council’s meetings? As far as Danbrook is concerned: “I would say if you’re interested in finding out what’s working with your peers, to find out success stories and how your peers are working in certain aspects of training and the health and safety side of things, certainly there’d be a huge benefit in attending, because I know, coming from this industry and working in this industry for 20 years before joining IHSA, there were many days I sat at my desk trying to figure out something simple. This allows for some good networking opportunities, not just at the meetings, but by starting to build relationships so that you can phone or e-mail people (for help).” For more information, visit www.FleetSafetyCouncil.com. n
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Page 16 TRUCK NEWS
February 2013
ontario
Prime Inc. travelled a rocky road to prosperity As guest at Driving for Profit, Prime founder Robert Low talked about his company’s rich – and not so rich – history By James Menzies MISSISSAUGA, Ont. – From the highest highs to the lowest lows and then back again, the eventful history of Prime Inc. is probably best told by its founder and CEO Robert Low. With his quick wit and self-deprecating sense of humour, Low had the audience at the most recent Driving for Profit seminar hanging by his every word as he recounted the tumultuous early years in Prime’s colourful history. Low was interviewed by Truck News editorial director Lou Smyrlis as part of the seminar’s popular How They Did It series. Today, Springfield, Mo.-based Prime Inc. runs more than 5,000 tractors and some 7,000 trailers as a leader in the refrigerated and flatdeck freight transportation segments. The fact it exists at all is remarkable, given the turmoil the company faced in its formative years. Low grew up on a Missouri farm raising cattle, hogs and chickens. His father was a market news reporter and many of Low’s friends were in the meat business. Low’s first rig was a previously owned dump truck he bought while in college and then drove during the summer. He hired a driver for it when he went back to school. “That
went south in a hurry,” he recalled of the experience with his very first company driver. Meanwhile, post-secondary education was proving to be a grind and Low’s engineering aspirations were cast in doubt. “Those courses started getting pretty hard,” Low chuckled. “I don’t know if anyone was going to want to drive across a bridge I built, so I started thinking about other things I could do.” Low traded in his dump truck for a highway tractor and began calling on his contacts in the meat business looking for stuff to haul. “It was an accident,” he said of the launch of his trucking career. “It was circumstances, a confluence of events. It wasn’t a grand design. I had this attraction to truckers and packers and that kind of thing, so I gravitated that way almost accidentally.” As a one-truck operation, Low, like many others at that time, ran hard and fast with little regard for the law. “At that time, with paper logs and fuel that was 18 cents a gallon, what you did was mashed on it and drove as fast as you could and got all the miles that you could,” Low admitted. “If you ever got home, you sat down with two pots of coffee and a
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logbook, filled everything out and made it all fit.” Low founded Prime Inc. and began adding trucks. In 1979, Low’s company made a million dollars in profit – all this before he turned 30. “I was 29 years old and thought the world looked level and in 1980 I was in bankruptcy court just buried with no hope,” he said. Low’s mistake was borrowing money in a rapid growth inflationary environment and “paying it back with cheaper dollars.” It worked for a while, until interest rates surged to 21% and the loans came due. It was a difficult lesson. “I had it coming,” Low now admits. “I was pretty arrogant. I was young and thought this was easy. I had lost track of the things that were really important, like people and how they’re tied to the company’s success. I lost track of some really important things and I got my comeuppance real quick.” The next few months were a constant struggle to stay afloat, every day a fight for survival. Low admitted luck played a major role in the company’s ability to stay in business. At one point, Low’s car was repossessed and he faced the prospect of – as the owner of a trucking company – being without a vehicle. But then almost immediately thereafter, Low won a new Cadillac in a Shriner’s draw. Another time, a cheque
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that was intended “to be shared” with his insurance company arrived in the mail. Out of money, Low said he cashed the cheque and only then was able to keep the lights on for another day. Things got real personal, however, when Low’s own mother took a loan out on her house and contributed $50,000 to the company. “We were burning off $17,000 per day, it wasn’t going to get us through the next week,” Low recalled. “We couldn’t talk her out of it. She was all-in, 100% all-in. It was just that close. I paid my mother back the $50,000. It took a while, but I did pay her back. Things like that got us by.” Drivers, too, understood the pressure the company was under and many continued to drive, fully aware their next paycheque may not come in on schedule. The most important lesson learned through the ordeal was a return to basics, or what Low referred to as “candy store accounting,” where you can buy only what you have enough money in your pocket to afford. “You can’t borrow or lend anymore,” Low said of the company’s time under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. “There is supervision by the court and creditors and you have to have as much money coming in today as you spend or it’s over, that’s the end. It was the best thing in the world for me. What you worried about was strictly cash flow. You had to manage to have enough cash to get through the next day.” Another lesson learned was that “overexpansion without proper footing and solid financial foundation is a disaster,” Low revealed. This is a trap that remains today, particularly for publicly-trade companies that are accountable to shareholders who tout growth, even at the expense of profitability. Low warned that growing the top line while neglecting the bottom line is rewarded by the markets, and as such, many carriers feel they “have to have growth, even at the risk of their long-term viability.” One of the keys to Prime Inc.’s recovery was an increased reliance on owner/operators. Prime developed a program to create new owner/operators from within its driver ranks. Some of the programs had to withstand legal challenges from OOIDA and others, who questioned the operators’ independent status. Low said that today, one of the things he’s most proud of accomplishing is “developing a legal, ethical and fair independent contractor program for those who could not afford a down payment on their truck.” In short order, the program spawned the creation of more than 100 new owner/operators and marked the beginning of Prime’s resurrection. The newly crowned owner/operators were earning more than they were as company drivers and at the same time, their units were more profitable for Prime Inc. than its own company trucks. “Everybody was converting and wanted to become an owner/operator,” Low recalled. “It was a very powerful business model. I believe in alignment. It worked well with Continued on page 18
13-01-10 2:16 PM
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Page 18 TRUCK NEWS
February 2013
ontario
Incentivizing employees and associates key to turnaround if you can drive down costs, we’ll our drivers and our sales guys. At measure that and you’ll be in for a the darkest times when we couldn’t fraction of the action, so to speak, hire people, we could say ‘Look, if a percentage of the savings or imyou can bring some business here, proved revenue.’11/2/10 We’ve seen it work TruckNews_heater_island_2010B2b.qxd:TruckNews_Island 11:36 AM Page Continued from page 16
Today, Prime Inc. is known for its driver amenities and focus on health and wellness. The company has built a Millenium Building, complete with showers, dormstyle rooms for sleeping, a day care, spa, gym and access to health care professionals. n
with our drivers, it works great with managers and now virtually everyone in our company, with very few exceptions, is on some type of incentive-based compensation.” 1
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February 2013
TRUCK NEWS Page 19
Low: Trucking won’t shed its image problems until it sheds its health problems By James Menzies MISSISSAUGA, Ont. – The only safe driver is a healthy driver. That’s the mantra of Prime Inc. president and founder Robert Low, who spoke at the most recent Driving for Profit seminar. This is more than just lip service at Prime Inc., which has built
a 40,000 sq.-ft. Millennium Center that offers an on-site doctor, personal trainer, exercise equipment and one-on-one assistance in achieving health-related goals such as giving up smoking. Low, who is currently chairman of the Truckload Carriers Association, has seen some benefits from the investment. His company won the first annual TCA Trucking’s Weight Loss Showdown competition. A team of a dozen Prime drivers and staffers shed 353 lbs during the competition. Low believes the trucking industry will never shed its image problem until it presents a healthier workforce. “Our image is never going to be solid, unless we address this issue,” Low said of driver health and wellAncra_Canada Truckthe News-Truck West.pdf ness. “We have toAdhave courage
ATSSA spreads Christmas cheer through Toys for Tots TORONTO, Ont. – The Toronto Chapter of the Automotive Transportation Service Superintendents Association (ATSSA) helped spread a little Christmas cheer this holiday season, donating $400 to the Peel Regional Police “Toys for Tots” campaign. The collection was made during the ATSSA’s annual Christmas dinner Dec. 13. The Toys for Tots program, initiated by Peel Regional Police in 1993, partners with the Salvation Army and Canadian Tire to provide gifts for children in need during the festive season. The final 2012 tally for Toys for Tots, including the $400, was $680 with 295 toys donated to the cause. n
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trainer and offers 13-week programs for groups of 30-40 drivers at a time, is less than a year old, so Low said it’s too soon to declare it a success. He also said it will take time to get truck stops on-board and offering healthier alternatives. Some truck stop chains have committed to offering healthier options for drivers, but Low acknowledged they must cater to their clientele, and a fruit bowl that goes untouched may not be offered for long. “This is a long-term battle,” Low said. “It’s not going to be over during my tenure as chair of TCA.” Carriers, Low concluded, owe it to their drivers to help them achieve a healthier lifestyle. “If we say we love our people, we have to help them live healthier lives and longer lives,” he reasoned. n
‘If we say we love our people, we have to help them live healthier lives and longer lives,’
New concerns raised about Gardiner safety TORONTO, Ont. – A Global News investigation has revealed that if Toronto’s Gardiner Expressway gets much thinner, a heavily loaded truck could “punch through” the deck – meaning a top-to-bottom hole could be created. Among the findings of the investigation, reported on by the National Post, is the revelation that the roadway is only 185 mm thick versus the 225 mm thickness of new viaducts, and that concrete beneath the asphalt in certain sections of the expressway is so deteriorated, it could be removed by hand. The Post noted that while a “punch through” hole would likely not be large enough for vehicles to fall through, it would create “substantial” debris and have the potential to cause traffic havoc. The report also revealed the existence of several chunks of concrete on the verge of becoming loose, causing risks to traffic below. Revelations on the Gardiner’s advanced state of disrepair came less than a week after the National Post obtained a chart showing that the city spent less money than was budgeted for Gardiner repairs every year since 2006, in one instance recording a $17-million difference. City politicians are currently deciding whether to approve a 10year, $505-million repair plan focused primarily on the structural portion of the Gardiner where vehicles drive. n
to bring up the issue.” The industry, Low said, needs to provide drivers with the tools needed to improve their overall health, but he also said carriers should address the issue in a “considerate” and “articulate” manner, realizing
Robert Low, Prime Inc. genetics often play a role and that not everyone is going to achieve the same results. Low said it’s “appalling” that professional drivers tend to die much younger than other people in the workforce. Prime’s health and wellness pro1 12/19/12 12:26utilizes PM gram, which a personal
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February 2013
west
Mega-move Manitoba Hydro transports a trio of gigantic transformers over Manitoba roads By Jim Bray WINNIPEG, Man. – It was a show that gave Winnipeg-area insomniacs – as well as those involved and interested rubberneckers – a trio of opportunities to witness something that doesn’t come along every day: the sight of giant electrical transformers inching along area roads on the backs of an even more gigantic transporter. Transformers and transporters might sound futuristic, but this was indeed a real-life situation that unfolded for all to see over the new year – startingTruckNewsWest_CAN_Half in early November 2012 – PageIsl.pdf
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with Manitoba Hydro and its partners apparently bringing it off beautifully. “It was an amazing thing,” said Scott Powell, media relations and production supervisor for Manitoba Hydro. “We had a pretty big crowd out for it.” Powell said that, while the sheer size of the undertaking was undoubtedly the biggest attraction for sightseers, there was more to it than pure bulk. There was also the sight of watching the entire shebang maneuver its girth in some surprising ways: “Just the work they had to do to get around 8/9/12 1:06 PM some corners is pretty
wheely big load: The SPMT used to transport the transformers had 320 wheels to help distribute the weight.
impressive,” he said. The odyssey of enormous electrical equipment was made necessary by Manitoba Hydro’s purchase of three new power transformers for use on lines linking the province with the state of Minnesota. The transform-
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ers, according to Manitoba Hydro, are meant to enhance “the reliability of the 500,000-volt line that Manitoba relies on for the bulk of its power exports and imports.” “They’re some of the biggest transformers in our system,” Powell said. “They basically change the voltage from 230,000 volts to 500,000 volts or 500,000 volts to 230,000 volts and allow us to feed power to that line from a different location.” The transformers were purchased locally, through the Winnipeg branch of CG Power Systems (who also contracted the move). The Self Propelled Modular Trailer (SPMT) itself was brought in from Ontario, in pieces, and assembled at CG’s operations on the west side of Winnipeg for the trip from there to Manitoba Hydro’s Riel Station on the east side. Powell said the SPMT was built by Goldhofer, a German manufacturer of such heavy-duty equipment. “They’re modular and they come apart so they can be hooked onto a semi and towed,” he said, “and once you have them (at the location) they’re reassembled.” Once the SPMT gets to its destination, Powell said, “you unload the item and then (the trailers) come apart and you hook them back onto a semi and they’re hauled back at a more regular speed to where you started and then you put’em back together and put the next item on and away you go again.” Sounds like quite the rigmarole, but tearing them down for transport back to CG Power made more sense than crawling them along at their 3 mph cruising speed and blocking off all the roads again for a deadhead trip back to base. At least they didn’t have to worry about speeding tickets. And speaking of rigmarole, “there was a lot of planning between Manitoba Hydro and CG power systems and Manitoba Infrastructure and Transportation to, first of all, develop a route that could take the weight of these units and also minimize disruption to traffic,” Powell said. “Manitoba Infrastructure and Transportation worked very closely with our supplier – and with us, too – to get this route planned.” The trip was only about 45 kilometres as the mosquitoes fly, but because of the unique cargo and the logistics involved, the actual 144-km route curved around the southern outskirts of Winnipeg, creating a slow crawl that took three nights to accomplish, with days taken off. So did they just pull off to the side of the road and pitch a tent for the “overday” rest stops? “There were parking areas set up,” Powell said. “They had to be off the road by 6 a.m. and we had areas set up where you could pull these units off
13-01-15 11:54 AM
February 2013
the highway and they’d sit there during the day and at eight o’clock the next night, the units would come back onto the roadways for the next leg.” As you can see by the pictures accompanying this piece, finding a parking spot suitable for such a rig can be a challenge: you can’t just pull off the road and into a convenient parking lot. “Some of the parking areas were service roads, gravel pads, etc.,” Powell said. “We planned the route to have these areas available as they moved along.” And as it turned out, there weren’t a lot of big asphalt parking lots available anyway, since the chosen path went primarily through somewhat rural parts of Manitoba. Each transformer was moved individually, not only to minimize disruption – and the need for more than one SPMT – but also because of the delivery timeline for the transformers themselves. “Weather has some impact on it,” Powell said, noting however that the more important factor was that the transformers had to be checked out completely before they could be moved: they had to be sure they worked before hauling them around Winnipeg. As of this writing, the third transformer had yet to embark on its meandering mission to its new abode. As for the first two trips, Powell said they went off without a hitch. “It went very well; we’re very pleased.” While the sheer bulk of the transformers as configured for their journey was, indeed, spectacular, Powell said they had actually been disassem-
TRUCK NEWS Page 21
late night show: Workers transported the transformers at night to minimize traffic disruptions.
bled for shipping. Each transformer, as perched on the SPMT, measured approximately seven metres tall by four metres wide, but when they stick all the bushings, insulators, cooling units and other stuff to the transformers onsite, each one will be nearly 12 metres high, and just shy of 10 metres across. Each unit also requires over 112,000 litres of insulating oil.
When they’re finally all put together, each transformer will tip the scales at nearly 295,000 kilograms. That means they also need a heckuva base on which to sit. “There’s specially-prepped concrete pads – all electrically tied in – they’re special bases constructed just for them. You just don’t park these things on the ground,” Powell said.
All that ancillary stuff – bushings, oil, what have you – was shipped to the site in regular trucks. Powell said the SPMT itself is an interesting vehicle to behold. “There are 320 tires on each of the units,” he noted. “And the tires can articulate and turn. It can go sideways. Imagine all 320 tires going 50 degrees to the right, the whole unit just slides laterally.” n
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Page 22 TRUCK NEWS
February 2013
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Strong outlook for Canadian transportation OTTAWA, Ont. – Weak economic growth is slowing demand for air, truck, rail and water transportation, but industry profitability will rise by 30% this year to $6 billion thanks to better cost control and rising transportation prices. That’s the assessment of the Conference Board of Canada and the Business Development Bank of Canada, which just published their latest Canadian Industrial Profile report. The paper warns a weak economic outlook and cautious consumers will leave many Canadian industries with no significant growth in 2013. Transportation and warehousing are the rare exceptions, with price increases and cost control practices driving strong profit growth going forward, according to the report. Still, the overall tone of the report was negative.
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Canadian DEF supply network accelerating TORONTO, Ont. – Four more Canadian truck stops began offering diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) at the pump in November, according to DEF Tracker. The index also shows a downward trend on raw material costs has fed through to DEF end-users. In the US, the national DEF pump price fell one cent to US$2.79 per gallon from October to November, after rising four cents from September to October. “The development of the Canadian on-highway DEF supply network has picked up pace during the final quarter of 2012, with several new truck stop brands adding bulk facilities,” said Christopher Goodfellow, North American emissions analyst with Integer Research, publisher of DEF Tracker. “In total, 798 truck stops offer DEF at the pump across North American, demonstrating a phenomenal level of support for the product.” DEF Tracker publishes monthly market pricing for full truckloads and LTL bulk deliveries, tote refills and 2.5G jugs for a wide range of pricing hubs, as well as pump prices in every US state and Canadian province offering the product. n
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TRUCK NEWS Page 23
over the road
Don’t get discouraged if your healthy living goals have been derailed Setbacks are inevitable when pursuing a healthy lifestyle. What’s important is that you keep pursuing your goals. So how are you making out with those New Year’s resolutions you made? No doubt there were more than a few drivers that resolved to shed a few pounds, take a daily walk, or cut back on the junk food. If you resolved to adopt a healthier lifestyle then you may be doing all of the above, or at least you intended to do all of the above. It’s not easy. It’s been over a dozen years now since I started to change how I live on the road and every year I seem to fall off the healthy living bandwagon for a period of time. That time usually falls during the winter months when the days are cold, daylight is in short supply, and the snow and slop on the roads presents an added obstacle to going for a walk or run. As a result, I would usually pack a few pounds back on in the winter. That’s the way it has been for me. I’ll say it again, it’s not easy. Last year I was determined to break that cycle of loss and gain. I decided to get a health club membership with a national chain so I could at least get on a piece of cardio equipment a couple of times during the week as I did my regular route. It worked. I still don’t exercise as much during the winter months but I get enough exercise to maintain my conditioning and feed my need to be active. It’s become somewhat of a positive addiction for me now. If I don’t get exercise, I feel downright crappy, not just physically but mentally and emotionally also. It’s incredibly difficult for drivers to find the motivation to get out and do something physical every day. After being in the seat for 12-plus hours each day, there’s no getting away from that feeling of exhaustion. A meal, a shower, and sleep is what you really crave. It takes a huge effort to pull on your walking shoes and step out the door for a brisk walk when you feel that way at the end of the day. The irony is that the meal, the shower, and the sleep is so much sweeter if you walk off the day’s stress first. One of the great advantages that non-drivers have is that they are able to exercise with a friend or as part of a group. This is a great way to stay motivated because you have made a commitment to another person and it adds a little healthy competition to your workout. Changing your eating habits, dieting, and exercise is much easier and much more enjoyable if you are able to share the experience with a friend or group and feed off one another’s success. There is nothing I enjoy more than trucking for a living. I’m quite certain you wouldn’t be reading this copy of Truck News if you didn’t enjoy it too. But when you start struggling with health issues resulting from all those years in the seat and you decide to do something about it,
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Over the Road Al Goodhall
you can easily become frustrated by the difficulties you face in making the necessary changes in your life. Most often you will find that you say to yourself: ‘I just don’t have the time or the energy.’ Finding that motivation within to push yourself out of your comfort zone is very difficult. But it’s worth it. So I thought for the next few columns, I would share some of the techniques I’ve used over the
years to keep myself motivated when it comes to healthy eating and getting a few hours exercise each week. Making lifestyle changes needs to be for life. The changes you make need to be enjoyable. The changes you make need to address the issues that are feeding the stress and discomfort in your daily life. As a driver, I don’t believe there is a quick fix to health issues that we may have developed over a lifetime. My own experience bares this out. I’ve already said that every year for the last 12 years I’ve been challenged come wintertime to stay on my program. What I do believe is that if you have a desire to find that “feelgood” feeling that comes with a healthy body and mind, then it’s
never too late to make changes in your life. If you made one of those New Year’s resolutions that I mentioned at the start of this column and you’ve fallen off the wagon, so what? Climb back on again. Don’t be solely focused on shortterm goals and quick-fix solutions (like rapid weight loss). Instead, picture yourself five or 10 years down the road. Then you can start taking the smaller steps toward a healthier lifestyle that your busy life will allow you the time to take. n – Al Goodhall has been a professional long-haul driver since 1998. He shares his experiences via his 'Over the Road' blog at http://truckingacrosscanada.blogspot.com. You can also follow him on Twitter at Twitter.com/Al_Goodhall.
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13-01-10 3:24 PM
Page 24 TRUCK NEWS
February 2013
opinion
Keeping a positive attitude while on the road Why is it that some drivers are never happy while others always wear a smile? It’s all about perspective. There is a lot of negativity in our industry. Look at the disturbing trend of unreliability in our equipment that I highlighted in last month’s column and it’s easy to see why. We also have impending legislation that will shake up hoursof-service rules and the Sword of Damocles that are electronic onboard recorders (EOBRs) hanging over our heads. The roads are getting worse, spending cuts have left them in a state of disrepair. The economic downturn has seen rates and wage levels stagnate and fleet replacement schedules have been extended. Manufacturers, shippers
You say tomato, I say tomahto mark lee
and receivers have made job cuts, meaning less freight. And when there is freight, we spend more time on the dock, decreasing the dollars that go in our pocket. I try to keep my ear to the ground while I’m out on the road and just recently I’ve seen things taking a turn for the worse. Speaking with some drivers in a Calgary truck stop, I learned that they
hadn’t hit 10,000 miles in a month since the summer. They regularly spend a day sitting around between loads. Another driver was fuelling on the next island in Regina. We got talking and after fuelling, we went our separate ways. I returned to the yard, went home for the night and as a weekend was approaching, I came back in the next day to do some local work before taking the weekend off. At my first pick-up in Portage la Prairie I spotted the driver from the fuel island the day before. He was still waiting for a door, as he was early for his appointment. I dropped and hooked and
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returned to the yard, dropped and hooked again, went out and delivered another load and then went to drop and hook in Portage again. My new friend was still there! He had his load off by now and was waiting on dispatch for his next load. I went back to the yard, parked the truck and went home for the weekend. On Monday I set off again, heading out west. I was fuelling in Moose Jaw when my new friend rolled in next to me again. He had been sitting for the weekend and had loaded Monday morning from Portage la Prairie. He arrived there on Thursday night and left on Monday morning. That was a total of 80 hours sat with neither the truck nor the driver earning a single cent! A team operation could have put 4,000 miles under the bumper in that time. During my conversations with the drivers I mentioned above, we spoke about EOBRs and HoS, lack of freight and all that good stuff. Their responses were typical: they’re hanging up the keys, there’s no way they can earn any money with all the extra regulations, blah, blah, blah. By contrast, the way I see it, whatever comes down the pike will come – no matter what I think about it – so I have to adapt and learn how to make the best of it. I’m not alone in this respect. There are many within our industry who are doing better now than they ever have before. They will continue to do so, no matter what regulations are implemented. Speak to them and all you hear are positive comments. Even when you ask them about the bad parts of our industry, they manage to find a positive. One such driver who had nothing to complain about worked at the same company as the driver in Portage; he had plenty of miles. That’s the big difference between the negative and the positive. The negative are consumed by their situation and make a lot of noise about it. The positive just get on with it and look forward to the future. So what if we have a little black box in our cab? So what if we have to drive a little less each day? So what if freight levels drop? They’re confident that they do a good enough job that they have nothing to fear. It’s all about state of mind. If you wake up each morning dreading the day ahead, you can be sure it will be awful. Concentrate on negativity and you will find something to confirm your thoughts around every corner. The same applies to those who wake up looking forward to the day ahead. They go around the same corners and find something to be positive about. Even if they turn the corner and there’s a big black cloud waiting to greet them, at least they get a free truck wash. n – A fourth generation trucker and trucking journalist, Mark Lee uses his 25 years of transcontinental trucking in Europe, Asia, North Africa and now North America to provide an alternative view of life on the road. You can read his blog at www.brandttruck.com/blog.
13-01-10 3:26 PM
February 2013
TRUCK NEWS Page 25
tax talk
How to come up roses at tax time Do you smell that? It’s February, something is brewing, and the aroma is wafting this way. It’s not the sweet smell of snowmobile exhaust. It’s just as toxic and oddly familiar. No, it’s tax season, and that smell is fear from all the folks who are not prepared. Hopefully, that odor is not being projected by you. You’ve been diligent throughout the last year and your bookkeeping is up to date. You know what your income statement looks like and approximately what your tax bill is going to be. You’re actually looking forward to seeing it finalized in your hand and not just a projection from your accountant. Tax season is all about one thing: reducing your tax obligation so you owe Canada Revenue Agency as little as possible. How do you do it? First, you need a plan. Owner/operators who come through tax season smelling clean typically have a clear understanding of their income, expenses, paperwork requirements, filing deadlines, and any new tax rules that apply to them. They take the business end of their trucking business seriously and set aside time away from the road to get good advice about their specific circumstances. Every person is different, and what you hear on the grapevine may not apply to you or even be correct. Second, they remember one simple rule: it’s not what you earn, it’s what you keep. The amount of tax you owe is based on the net income (profit) shown on your business statement. Whether you gross $100,000 or $250,000 does not matter. What counts is your net income after deducting all of your expenses. If $250,000 of gross income less fuel, insurance, licence, repairs, etc. becomes $50,000, then your income tax and CPP are based on $50,000. So the way to reduce the tax you owe is to get your net income as low as possible. That’s why it’s important to deduct every possible valid expense. This is where dealing with accountants who specialize in trucking can help. Their expertise can ensure that you’ve properly recorded every expense, especially those that come under scrutiny by auditors. I’ve written about these “gray area” items in this column before: Service vehicle: The key is to log your business-related travel in a journal so you can calculate the percentage of kilometres the vehicle was used for business during the year (your accountant can provide specific details about CRA requirements). To find the business-use percentage, divide the number of business kilometres by the number of total annual kilometres. You can then apply this percentage against lease payments or loan interest, fuel, repairs, maintenance, washes, and other service-vehicle expenses. Office in the home: You must detail the square footage and possibly the hours of use of your office workspace in your home to determine a business-use percentage. Apply this percentage against heating, electricity, home insurance, property taxes,
pg 25 tn feb v3.indd 25
Tax Talk Scott Taylor
rent, or mortgage interest. Income splitting: This can get complicated with worker’s compensation and other employmentrelated issues, but the object here is to get income onto the tax return of the family member in the lowest tax bracket. Any income paid to your spouse, son, or daughter has to be shown on their return and has to be reasonable in terms of an hourly wage for work they have done for you. Interest: You can deduct the interest expense on money borrowed for business purposes. It’s easy to
calculate on your truck loan, but not so easy on credit cards and lines of credit that are both personal and business related. I went into great detail about this in my December column. Medical premiums: These can either be expensed as part of your business or go directly on your tax return. As with most anything else, the rules seem to be constantly shifting and there are minimums and maximums to be concerned with. Ask your accountant for advice based on your personal circumstances. Meal claims : Meal claims of course continue to baffle the inexperienced. Whether incorporated, sole proprietor, or employee, I see new-client tax returns all the time with meal claims not handled correctly.
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Many clients come to us just at tax time for help with these issues. They want our review of not only standard nuts-and-bolts expense claims like fuel and insurance, but also our input on other items that can potentially reduce the amount of tax they owe. Of course, we have other clients whom we meet with for planning throughout the year so there are no surprises or last-minute stresses. Either way, the goal is to reduce your net income and your tax payable legitimately, not to just expense items without a sound approach and knowledge of the industry. Nothing draws an auditor to a tax return like a stinky expense claim. n – Scott Taylor is vice-president of TFS Group, providing accounting, bookkeeping, tax return preparation, and other business services for owner/operators. Learn more at www.tfsgroup.com or call 800461-5970.
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13-01-14 3:05 PM
Page 26 TRUCK NEWS
February 2013
opinion
Walk this way There’s an old adage that says a journey of 1,000 miles begins with a single step. I took that first step last fall, and as of mid-January I’d hiked over 780 kms, and placed one foot in front of the other no less than 1,319,418 times. If you’d told me back in October that in a 90-day period I could walk from Ottawa to St. Leonard, N.B., I’d have said you’re nuts. But that’s just what I’ve done. I’m not bragging – well, maybe a little bit – but I wanted to share with you how easy it was once I got into the routine. Forgive me for being a little preachy, but I know how difficult exercise can be for someone cooped up in a truck all day. The few square feet in front of my computer is like that. I work alone, so traipsing off to the gym at lunchtime with a bunch of co-workers isn’t an option, and left on my own, well… But in an industry where the average life span of a driver is 61 years, health and wellness – yours and mine – is a big concern. Back in November I wrote about the highlight of our healthy driver activities at Truxpo, the nifty HealthChek station that was generously loaned to us by Coastal Pacific Xpress (CPx), the Surrey, B.C.-based industry leader in developing wellness programs for its drivers and employees.
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In addition to vital biometric statistics, the kiosks are used by members of the walking club – one of the many innovative CPx healthy staff initiatives – to track their progress. Walkers upload data from their company-supplied pedometers, and there are rewards for the achievers and encouragement for the stragglers. I was intrigued by these simple devices that a couple of hundred CPx drivers and employees walk around with in their pockets, so I bought one myself. And I’m completely hooked. CPx uses the HJ-720ITC Pocket Pedometer from Omron Healthcare, which is a little more expensive than some on the market, but the device has tracking and recording capabilities that make it well worth the extra bucks. I think that’s the key to my success with it. For me, I discovered than an average day’s walking is around 10,000 steps. That includes a trip to my favourite greasy spoon for breakfast (one poached egg, rye toast, grapefruit wedges), a trip or two to a coffee shop near home, and another dash out to the grocery store or
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maybe the bank or the library. It’s nothing I wouldn’t already be doing, though on cold or rainy days I’d probably have driven instead of walked. Now I bundle up or grab an umbrella. Such is the addiction to walking – or maybe it’s an addiction to achieving a goal. The pedometer tracks regular steps and also gives credit for ‘aerobic steps’ if you walk at least 10 minutes continuously at a pace of more than 60 steps a minute. I plot my routes so I can get the full 10-minute stretch, and therefore the credit and benefit of 10 minutes of aerobic walking, with my heart beating a little faster for a little longer. I’ve had to come up with a couple of tricks to get credit for aerobic steps, like taking a one-block longer route to the diner to stretch the usual eightminute walk to 10 minutes. And no more cutting across the vacant lot on the corner. My pedometer also tracks calories and fat used, so I know that I’ve burned up 26,335 calories and 1,559 grams of fat since I started. It’s all there in a little graph on my computer, courtesy of software that comes with the pedometer. It’s a marvelous way to track my daily progress and maintain my enthusiasm for the next walk. But is it really worth it? Can a walk around the block benefit anyone with a 70-hour work week that involves sitting for up to 14 hours a day? You betcha. Research has shown that as little as 150 minutes of brisk physical activity a week,
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broken down into 10-minute increments, leads to noticeable health benefits. That’s a 10-minute walk (aerobic steps!) three times a day, five times a week. I expected to have difficulty reaching my goal when I was travelling, especially on my long car rides back and forth to the Maritimes, but I was pleasantly surprised. In some ways, it was actually easier, as I was already out and about and didn’t have to lure myself away from the cozy nest in front of my computer. A couple of laps around a rest area, or the long way back to the car across the truck stop parking lot would usually net me a mile or more. I’d like to see more truck drivers hooked on this low-impact, lowburden way of getting a little exercise. There’s no gym membership and no spandex involved. The only necessary equipment is a good pair of walking shoes, although the pedometer was the deal maker for me. It helps with goal-setting and discipline, which I so sorely need, and the sense of accomplishment you feel when you see the mile-meter creeping up into double and triple digits is exhilarating. Anybody can squeeze 30 minutes out of a day. Just spend it walking rather than sitting in a truck stop complaining about the price of tomatoes. Which you can also do, by the way, while walking. n
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13-01-15 4:17 PM
February 2013
TRUCK NEWS Page 27
industry
PMTC awards season is now open As you read this, it is February or close to it, the deepest part of the winter in most of Canada. And while the skiers, skaters, and outdoor types are still enjoying the weather, the rest of us may be longing for something, anything, that we can look forward to that might indicate that warmer weather is on the way. So it’s at this time of the year that we at the Private Motor Truck Council of Canada begin to look forward to the beginning of the celebration season; the time of year when we recognize excellence in its many forms in the private trucking community. For the PMTC it all begins with the opening of our annual awards programs. It may be that the general public has little understanding of, or appreciation for, the importance of trucking. But if you work in this industry, you know just how much the country depends on us. It’s hard to imagine an economy without the driving force (yes, I know) of a strong, healthy trucking sector behind it. That’s why the PMTC and other trucking associations place so much emphasis on promoting the positives in trucking, and recognizing individuals and companies who demonstrate excellence. And so we are pleased to announce that the PMTC’s 2013 awards season is open for receiving your entries. The PMTC awards are presented during our annual conference in June. That event combines educational forums and networking with the presentation of awards that celebrate some of the people and fleets that contribute so much to trucking in Canada. This year’s conference takes place June 19-20, at Kingbridge Conference Centre in King City, Ont., just outside of Toronto. This will be our fourth year at this venue, and we are returning there because it has drawn rave reviews from participants for its facilities and service. One of the highlights of the conference is the presentation of these prestigious awards, each of which have a long history within the private trucking community. They represent the commitment to excellence of PMTC, its members, and the sponsors that help us maintain the awards. The importance of the awards cannot be overstated. There are companies and individuals who stand out because of their special contributions and they deserve to be recognized for their efforts. Here’s a brief overview of the PMTC awards and how to participate: The Hall of Fame for Professional Drivers, sponsored by Huron Services, inducts up to four professional drivers each year. The Hall of Fame resides on our Web site at www.pmtc.ca and a visitor can review the outstanding records of the 39 inductees dating back to 1990. These are individual awards of excellence, and the safety records of the recipients are extraordinary. The many years of safe driving that Hall of Fame inductees represent should be the goals of everyone who makes a living behind the wheel. Nomination forms are available on the PMTC Web site, along with a description of the criteria for entry. While the award winners are, in the estimation of the judges, the best of
pg 27 tn feb v3.indd 27
built on solid principles to achieve long-term results. By completing the application on our Web site, any fleet manager will be shown a clear pathway, or a ‘howto’ for implementing a safety program. The awards program criteria are based on the best practices of private fleets and winning in any category is a significant achievement. The Vehicle Graphics Design Awards, sponsored by 3M Canada adds the colour and drama to our annual awards luncheon. This is the 28th year of these awards, a competition that attracts entries from across the country. There are a number of categories for which awards are presented, each based on vehicle type, and the awards are shared by the fleet and its graphics house. The graphics competition is open to every Canadian truck fleet, private or for-hire, PMTC member or
Private Links Bruce Richards
the best, it is also a mark of distinction for any driver to be nominated, and we encourage the participation of all our members. The Private Fleet Safety Awards, sponsored by Zurich, are open to all private fleets in Canada. Awards are available for fleets in three categories based on fleet size. These awards recognize companies that have integrated detailed safety programs as a key component of operations, and whose programs deliver results. The awards are as much about recognizing the whole package as they are about on-road performance. It takes a well-managed safety program
not. Our goal is to encourage all carriers to dress up and maybe show off just a little. Studies report the value of using trailers as roaming billboards, whether to advertise specific products or the company itself. It is a worthwhile endeavour, a byproduct of which is a classy looking truck fleet. Many of the entries come via the graphics industry and we welcome their role in making this such a great event. And the recognition continues after the conference with award winners featured in the PMTC’s own international magazine, Private Motor Carrier, other industry magazines such as Truck News, and on our Web site. So join in and enjoy some free promotion, whether a fleet or a graphics house, we welcome your entries. n – The Private Motor Truck Council is the only national association dedicated to the private trucking community. Direct comments and questions to trucks@pmtc.ca.
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Page 28 TRUCK NEWS
February 2013
industry
Whose loss is it anyway? Indemnification clauses in freight contracts Imagine a carrier who dispatches a tractor to pick up a trailer at a shipper’s loading dock. The trailer is sealed for security reasons and the driver merely hooks on and proceeds towards the delivery point. Happens thousands of times a day in our industry, eh? Now imagine that en-route, the truck rolls due to improper loading by the shipper. The load and truck are destroyed; the driver seriously injured. Several passenger vehicles are also damaged in the process and several lawsuits arise. In court, the motor carrier is absolved of all responsibility. The shipper is shown to be negligent. However, the contract between the shipper and the motor carrier includes a clause that indemnifies the shipper against all liability and transfers that liability to the carrier, which must then rely on its own insurance coverage and reserves. The impact on the carrier can be catastrophic. Over the past few years there has been a growing trend, particularly amongst large shippers and thirdparty logistics providers (3PLs), of including an indemnification clause in their freight contracts. I was reminded of this recently when I was provided with a number of examples of contracts containing this sort of clause that some of our supposed “partners” want carriers to sign. Initially, the trend towards indem-
Industry Issues David Bradley
nification clauses started in the US where historically, and as a matter of law, the negligent operator of a commercial motor vehicle was always responsible for injury, loss of life, and damages arising from the negligent operation of the commercial motor vehicle by the driver and/or operator. It was just a matter of time before the big US-based multi-nationals started bringing the practice to Canada. Motor carriers are obliged to carry general liability insurance to protect not only those injured, or the property damages incurred as a result of the motor carrier’s negligent operation of the vehicle, but also to protect the motor carrier from the damages claimed against it and its own losses. The amounts claimed against motor carriers for negligence arising out of a motor vehicle accident have escalated very substantially, and awards given, particularly by juries, now regularly run into the millions of dollars. Some motor carriers have faced situations where they do not have in place the level of substantial insurance coverage to meet a catastrophic event claim.
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Allegations of negligence made against the shipper could include a number of factors which may have caused or contributed to the accident – ie., improper loading; negligent selection of a substandard carrier; setting unreasonable delivery times, etc. The shipper may even become the primary target of the claim against a motor carrier, particularly where the dollars sought are beyond the motor carrier’s insurance or financial resources. More and more, the common claimant reaction has been to expand the number of parties named in the suit to include the shipper, broker, vehicle manufacturer, the government, etc., all with a view to finding the deepest pockets. Not surprisingly, shippers began to look for ways to protect themselves. Motor carrier transportation contracts had for many years provided for indemnification of the shipper by the motor carrier where a claim (which was the result of the carrier’s negligence) was brought against the shipper. Shippers began to expand coverage of the carrier’s indemnification covenant to protect the shipper against any and all claims. In recent years, the indemnity expanded to protect the shipper against all or any claims made against the shipper out of an event that occurred during the course of the carrier’s performance of the contract of carriage – even though the claim might have arisen out of the sole negligence of the shipper itself. Risk management initiated by the motor carriers’ customer in the US through indemnification by the motor carrier has arrived in Canada, and it will continue to grow much as it has in the US and will increasingly saddle Canadian motor carriers with a new and very onerous risk of additional litigation and significant claims. There are various potential solutions to this problem. Two are not considered to be very helpful: Carriers can refuse to sign-off on indemnification clauses. That is the best way to protect your company, but we all know that is often easier said than done. The shipper is usually a large entity (compared to even the largest carriers) with all the leverage. The trucking industry is composed
mainly of very small business entities. With so much competition, carriers are pressured to “take it or leave it.” If they won’t move the freight, someone else will. At the very least, carriers should have their contracts reviewed by their legal advisors and insurers. If you get caught in one of these situations you could pursue a remedy through the courts, but for the reasons outlined above and the huge expense likely associated with taking a large shipper to court, this is not a particularly useful course of action for the motor carrier industry as a whole. Over time in the US, it was demonstrated that the only useful protection from an onerous indemnification obligation was through legislation. While the federal government in the US does not have jurisdiction in the area of motor carrier contractual indemnification, the states have stepped in to fill the breach. A few months ago, Massachusetts became the 35th US state to pass an “anti-indemnification” law to nullify and make unenforceable any clause in a freight contract that indemnifies the shipper/3PL against liability for its own negligence. South Dakota, Minnesota, Alabama, and Hawaii also enacted similar statutes during 2012. Such laws reduce carrier exposure and allow for more equitable loss shifting or loss allocation. There is currently no anti-indemnification law in Canada focused on indemnification conditions in a motor carrier transportation contract. The Canadian legal landscape is, of course, different from the US, and in order to address this matter in Canada, coordinated action is required by both the federal and provincial governments. CTA and the provincial associations are jointly calling upon governments to amend the federal and provincial statutes and regulations covering the conditions of carriage in order to annul clauses in freight contracts, which indemnify shippers/3PLs from liability for their own negligence. n – David Bradley is president of the Ontario Trucking Association and chief executive officer of the Canadian Trucking Alliance.
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Page 30 TRUCK NEWS
February 2013
natural gas
Natural gas brings new opportunities to Vedder Transport By James Menzies ABBOTSFORD, B.C. – Being an early adopter of liquefied natural gas (LNG)-powered trucks has landed Vedder Transportation Group some new business opportunities, including the formation of a solid waste division, which seems an unlikely fit for a company whose core business has been hauling dairy and food grade products. Fred Zweep, president of Vedder Transportation, said the opportunity came along in August 2010, when word was beginning to spread about the company’s investment in natural gas trucks. He vividly remembers the phone call he received while travelling to Calgary to visit a client. The caller said he’d heard Vedder was investing in natural gas trucks and asked if they’d be able to service a solid waste haul contract shuttling trash from Metro Vancouver to a landfill in Cache Creek, B.C. “People often ask how did we get into the business of hauling garbage when we’re a food-grade hauler?” Zweep recalled. “That was because of the natural gas technology. I remember when they phoned. I said ‘We haul food, you want me to haul garbage?’ He said ‘Will you think about it?” and I said ‘I’ll have to think about it’.” Today, Vedder has 15 LNG-fuelled Peterbilt 386s dedicated to
paying off: Vedder Transport has launched a solid waste division to fulfill an opportunity that came along because of the company’s investment in natural gas trucks. It now runs its own LNG/CNG commercial cardlock.
the trash contract, hauling solid waste between Vancouver and Cache Creek, grossing a whopping 140,000 lbs each way along the 410-mile round-trip. “Where we’re travelling with the solid waste is in a very sensitive airshed,” Zweep said. “This equipment produces 27-33% less greenhouse gases (than diesel-powered trucks).” The route between Vancouver and Cache Creek was also a good test for the LNG trucks. “I would have to say, 200 of those miles are probably some of
the toughest pulling in the province of B.C. that you’d find, maybe anywhere in North America, with 6-8% grades over about 50% of that round-trip,” Zweep said. Vedder Transport deployed the latest of its 50 LNG-powered Peterbilt trucks in March 2012, and has now collected enough data to declare the program a resounding success. The trucks are operated across three divisions: 22 in the dairy fleet (140,000-lb GVW); 15 in the solid waste fleet (140,000-lb GVW); and 13 in the food-grade fleet (105,000-lb GVW). The high-
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est-mileage units now have about 250,000 kilometres on them. “From a mechanical perspective, we’re seeing very good results,” Zweep said. “We’re now starting to pull oil samples and we’re seeing the cleanest oil samples we’ve ever seen in our fleet, and we’ve been around for over 50 years.” Last month marked a milestone for Vedder Transportation, as its fuelling station – offering LNG, CNG and diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) – opened for business in mid-December. Up till then, Vedder had been fuelling its trucks via a temporary filling station. The new fuelling site has been opened as a commercial cardlock, available to other fleets operating natural gas-powered vehicles. Zweep said he watched 11 of Vedder’s LNG trucks fill up at the new fuelling station during a halfhour interview with Truck News. “We’re fuelling 77 times a day on average,” he said. Vedder’s investment in natural gas trucks has been an unmitigated success, according to Zweep. Not only did it launch a new solid waste division, but Zweep said the carrier is in discussions with two additional companies to operate natural gas trucks for them within their own fleets. The trucks have been up to the task, with no widespread reliability issues. Any mechanical issues the trucks have experienced have not been related to the natural gas components. “It’s definitely a technology that works,” Zweep said. “There’s no question, we’re seeing the durability out of the technology. Was there reason to be skeptical at first? No question. Were we nervous? Absolutely. But we also recognized from an economical perspective that we needed to satisfy our requirement of managing our fuel costs, so that’s why we took a good long look at the technology.” Vedder Transportation extensively researched natural gas trucking before taking the plunge, and Zweep said there have been no surprises. “We took a lot of time to plan,” Zweep said. “We were in the discovery and planning stage for about 18 months. We visited a
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SHEEHAN’S TRUCK CENTRE INC.
February 2013
number of locations, so we’ve seen the good, the bad and the ugly of what was really going on in the market.” Zweep wouldn’t disclose specific fuel savings, but he said they were right in line with expectations, as were maintenance costs. Upgrading the shop to accommodate LNG vehicles required an investment of $80,000-$120,000. “The enhancements to the shop aren’t about the tools to work on the equipment,” he noted. “It’s about the safety protection for the people who are functioning in the shop. You have to install methane detectors, automatic door openers and exhaust fans to be able to ventilate the building in the event methane is detected.” Zweep said drivers and technicians alike have embraced the technology. “From day one, the driving fleet bought into it and the technicians that service the equipment bought into it,” Zweep said. “From a driver perspective, there are three things they’re proud of: they know they’re driving cleaner technology; the decibel level of operating that vehicle is significantly reduced because of the quietness of the natural gas engine; and they’re proud to be on the leading edge of technology. They know our organiza-
tion pioneered it in the region we operate within, and they’re proud of it.” Currently, Vedder’s 50 LNG tractors are consuming nearly 500,000 diesel equivalent litres of natural gas per month. Vedder has employed dedicated fuellers to ensure the trucks are receiving consistent fills. Each of the initial 50 trucks are in returnto-base duty cycles, returning to the yard every 10-12 hours. Now, Vedder is looking to transition its long-haul flatdeck fleet to natural gas. “We run a fleet of 100 vehicles every day between the Lower Mainland of B.C. and northern Alberta servicing the oil and gas industry with materials coming off the docks in Vancouver,” Zweep said. “The average length of haul one way will be 875 miles with a 105,000-lb GVW.” Zweep said he’s already been in discussions with Peterbilt to spec’ a natural gas truck for the longhaul fleet. Zweep said he still receives one to three phone calls per day seeking information on natural gas. While other carriers are just now beginning to consider the possibilities, Zweep added “It’s so mainstream in our business today, we hardly even think about it.” n
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Bison’s first LNG Peterbilt hits the road CALGARY, Alta. – The first of 15 Bison Transport LNG (liquefied natural gas) tractors rolled out of its Calgary terminal the morning of Dec. 20, a development the company believes marks “a turning point in creating awareness of LNG as a sustainable and abundant alternative fuel source.” Bison Transport has signed an agreement with Shell Canada to run the 15 LNG tractors in Alberta. Bison’s five-year fuel supply agreement marks the first step in launching Shell’s LNG refuelling infrastructure in the province. Under the terms of the agreement, Bison will use Shell Flying J refuelling facilities in Calgary, Edmonton and Red Deer, which are scheduled to open in early 2013. This agreement is the first of its kind in Canada and will bring LNG to public access fuelling facilities; it also highlights LNG as a transport fuel option. “We are very pleased to be working with Shell on this leading edge
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initiative that stands to transform the commercial freight and fuel industries in North America,” says Trevor Fridfinnson, Bison’s vice-president of western operations. “Proving that this alternative fuel source can be economically and practically viable is our objective, aligning perfectly with our company values.” Shell believes its LNG refuelling infrastructure will support an increasing number of commercial fleets with LNG fuel options. The company is constructing a natural gas liquefaction plant at its Jumping Pound facility, west of Calgary, to supply this growing market. “LNG can be a cost-effective fuel from an abundant resource of natural gas, and, we believe it can help our customers build competitive advantage,” says Lorraine Mitchelmore, Shell Canada Country Chair. “The opportunity to work with one of Canada’s leading fleets marks an exciting milestone for Shell.” n
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www.heavytrux.com 13-01-14 4:04 PM
Page 32 TRUCK NEWS
February 2013
natural gas
LNG truck for rent Carriers can now test drive LNG technology by the month By Carroll McCormick SAINTE-JULIE, Que. – The first dealership in Quebec to sell a liquefied natural gas (LNG) truck has also become the first to rent an LNG truck. Sainte-Julie, Que.-based Excellence Peterbilt is increasing the availability of the truck, complete with sleeper, by limiting the rentals to a month per carrier. “We are trying to reach all the sectors: flatbed, dry van, tankers… to make sure that all of the (sectors of the trucking industry) will be able to try it,” says Christine
Durocher, a technical representative with Camions Excellence. By mid-December 2012, Excellence Peterbilt had already received a lot of interest and bookings for 2013. “We are creating a market for LNG technology. That is our longterm goal,” Durocher says. She declined to name names, but did acknowledge that, “Some of the top 10 transporters in Quebec are interested in renting it.” Carriers who rent the truck will join two other Quebec trucking companies running LNG trucks:
Boucherville-based Transport Robert, which is well on the way to owning 170 or so LNG trucks and St-Romuald, Que.-based Transport YN.-Gonthier. Robert has purchased Peterbilt 386, Kenworth T800 and Volvo tractors and YN.Gonthier ordered two 475-horsepower Peterbilt 386 tractors for delivery last fall. The tractor that Excellence Peterbilt is renting has a Westport HD15L GX 475 hp/1,800 lb.-ft. engine and an 18-speed Fuller RTLO18918B manual transmission. The two 120-gallon LNG tanks give it a range of about 800 kilometres. The tractor has been outfitted with a 63-inch UltraCab sleeper with Prestige interior. The dealership, which was the first in Quebec to sell, repair and maintain LNG trucks, will train the drivers with the carriers that lease the Peterbilt. “This is a look into the future,”
says Serge Guillette, director, transport and logistics with Distagro, a division of Sysco Canada. He came to the Dec. 19 showand-tell at Excellence Peterbilt to learn more about how the truck works. Distagro, a food service distributor to food chains, is in partnership with about 15 carriers to transport its 42 trailers around Ontario, Quebec and the Maritimes. “Our first concern is the environment. Our second is the cost of fuel. The idea is that we can save on the environment together and on fuel costs too. Carriers are bidding for our business, so I have to understand what the LNG truck can do for me,” Guillette explains. Jocelyn Bourdeau, the owner of Transport Jocelyn Bourdeau, in St-Chrysostome, has a keen interest in the LNG technology. “We are learning and looking at the possible savings,” Bourdeau explains. His company runs a lot in the US Midwest, but he notes that there are still few fuelling opportunities for LNG in the States. He does, however, see a role for LNG technology in the QuebecOntario corridor for his company as soon as the fuelling infrastructure is in place. “We want to lease when the Cornwall, Toronto and Windsor stations are up and running. When Gaz Metro is ready to fuel on the 401, I will lease this truck,” Bourdeau declares. He will not have long to wait. Before the end of the year Gaz Metro will have public fuelling stations in Riviere du Loup, Quebec City and probably Cornwall, Ont. It already has a fuelling station in Transport Robert’s yard in Boucherville. Gaz Metro is also looking for a location just east of Toronto for another station and may complete its 1,150-kilometre-long Toronto-Riviere du Loup corridor this autumn. Gaz Metro has signed a deal for a station in Riviere du Loup. It will be located on the corner of In-
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13-01-14 3:06 PM
February 2013
TRUCK NEWS Page 33
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dustrial Boulevard and the TransCanada Highway. Gaz Metro will build the Quebec City LNG station behind the PetroPass at Exit 305. It should be open this April or May. Until then, carriers can use the Robert facility in Quebec City. Gaz Metro has purchased the land for a LNG fuelling station in Cornwall, which could be built by the late spring of 2013. If, for some reason it will not be built there, Gaz Metro will build a station in another eastern Ontario town. Ultimately, says Martin Blanchet, business development manager, Gaz Metro, “We want the corridor to go all the way to Windsor.”
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There are challenges to getting wider adoption of LNG technology, says Durocher. “At this time we need training, stations, infrastructure.” Excellence Peterbilt is doing its part, including giving carriers this opportunity to test the technology before committing to buying any rigs. Although it is testing the waters with just one LNG sleeper, later this year it will bring in a compressed natural gas (CNG) 26-foot straight truck, with specifications to be decided on later. After that it will buy a Peterbilt day cab with a Cummins ISX 12G engine for local driving. n
13-01-14 1:06 PM
Page 34 TRUCK NEWS
February 2013
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By James Menzies HOUSTON, Texas – As trucking fleet manager for a large Ohio dairy company, Chuck Diehl said he’s tired of hearing the lack of natural gas fuelling infrastructure referred to as a chicken-and-egg scenario. “It’s the cow and the milk,” he corrected, when speaking at the Natural Gas Fleet Vehicles North American Congress. Living up to its motto “Clean air makes happier cows,” Orrsville, Ohio.-based Smith Dairy has committed to transitioning its 110-tractor/50 straight truck fleet to natural gas. Diehl said the patriarchs of the Smith family are “certified tree-huggers” and wanted to green-up their operations. Diehl said the company had exhausted the low-hanging fruit solutions, employing wide-base
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single tires, idle-reduction strategies and trailer side skirts. “We looked after the low-hanging fruit, what’s left? The high-hanging fruit. It was our fuel. We said ‘Let’s address the fuel’ and that led us to our CNG proposal,” Diehl said. “We chose not to wait on government intervention, we chose not to wait on grants or credits, and we chose not to wait on another fleet to build the site. We knew we had to do it ourselves, and that’s what we did.” The dairy company built one of Ohio’s first tractor-trailer-friendly compressed natural gas fuelling stations and then ordered 40 CNGpowered Freightliners with the Cummins ISL9 G engine. Those trucks would serve as the fuelling station’s first customers. The station opened the same day Smith Dairy took delivery of its first CNG trucks. For his part, Diehl said the conversion to natural gas has relieved him of the headaches in having to manage diesel inventory. Natural gas is available on-demand, which simplifies the company’s fuel management. It also eliminates the need for diesel tanker deliveries, further reducing the company’s environmental footprint; natural gas is delivered undergound via pipeline. “My inventory headaches have started to go away,” Diehl said. “I don’t have to treat this fuel. In northeastern Ohio, it gets cold. I don’t have to go to a winter blend, I don’t have to pre-treat the fuel, I don’t have to treat the tanks for algae.” Smith Dairy’s fuelling site was operational within 90 days of breaking ground. The trucks were deployed into routes within 30 days of taking delivery. Diehl said they were put into normal routes; nothing was changed to accommodate them. “Our motto for our ROI was based on running routes just the way we run the routes,” Diehl said. The entire program was deployed within a year. Diehl said the CNG initiative was embraced by drivers and technicians. “Our technicians were ready for something new and exciting and challenging,” he said. “Our guys saw this as exciting and wanted to be involved.” Drivers have appreciated the quiet-running engines and automatic transmissions. Diehl said he knew the trucks would be accepted when the biggest driver complaints involved the quality of the radio speakers. So far, Smith Dairy’s CNG tractors are averaging 5.4 mpg compared to 6 mpg for its traditional diesel fleet. It’s paying $1.95 per diesel gallon equivalent of CNG compared to $3.90 per gallon for diesel. Annual fuel savings are $14,444 per truck, with an incremental cost increase of $60,000, resulting in about a five-year payback. Now, Diehl said the fleet wants to roll natural gas out to its yard tractors and reefer units. When rolling out a natural gas program, Diehl urged carriers to do some research before selecting partners with whom to work. “There are folks out there that talk a good story about what they can do for you with CNG. Prove them out.” n
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We go the Distance Find us on
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Page 36 TRUCK NEWS
February 2013
We Want
YOU!
CAREER MINDED OWNER OPERATORS
Steady Year Round Work Running into Ontario/Quebec & Western Canada Dryvans & Reefers Locally Owned and Operated Committed to the Success of Our Drivers
Contact Bryan
1-800-881-2103
TANK/FREIGHT
natural gas
For Paper Transport, conversion to natural gas wasn’t about fuel savings By James Menzies HOUSTON, Texas – When Paper Transport, a 370-truck regional carrier based in Green Bay, Wisc. decided to dabble in natural gas, it wasn’t the fuel savings that drove the decision. Instead, the company wanted to shield its customers from diesel price volatility, explained Joe Shefchik, vice-president, sales and solutions with the carrier. “There’s not a ton of money to be saved (in fuel),” Shefchik said.
‘There’s not a ton of money to be saved (in fuel). Any money that can be saved, I hope is held by the carrier because we’re taking the risk in the equipment,’
Cornwall, ON
Big city wages – small city living on the shores of the St-Lawrence. Short hour drive to Ottawa and Montreal. Currently home to 46,000 people. US & CDN OWNER OPERATORS
US & CDN DRIVERS
• Up to $1.24 / mile loaded or empty • Fuel capped at .50/ litre • Weekly settlements / Direct deposit • In-house maintenance $60.00/hr • Benefits available • Sub leasing is available
• Competitive wages • 100% Health benefits premium paid by the company • No slip seating • Well maintained equipment
Awesome benefits available – Incredibly affordable.
Please call 1-877-932-TANK (8265) or Fax: 613-933-4598 Our team has served the transportation industry for nearly 50 years
of natural gas and diesel: For every gallon of diesel, $2.85 can be traced back to the commodity, in this case crude oil. On the other hand, only 48 cents of the cost of a gallon of natural gas is the cost of the gas itself. This means that if commodity prices double, diesel would go up $2.85 per gallon while natural gas prices would only increase by 48 cents. This formula explains diesel’s vulnerability to wild price swings, which
Joe Shefchik, Paper Transport “Any money that can be saved, I hope is held by the carrier because we’re taking the risk in the equipment. But when diesel does what it does (fluctuates), there’s no way for customers to plan their margins. They can’t project what their ROI is going to be. The stability of natural gas lends itself towards knowing what fuel is going to cost next week, next month and a year from now.” Shefchik pointed out a major difference between the pricing
natural gas is somewhat insulated against. As for the cost savings associated with natural gas, Shefchik said the shipper pays for the fuel anyways. For that reason, Shefchik also argued it will take committed shippers to drive any large-scale shift to natural gas in the North American trucking industry. “It’s going to come down to multiple large shippers making a commitment to make it happen,” Continued on page 38
Company AZ Drivers
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• multi-axle(jeep/booster) experience is preferred
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New Year, New Pay Program and New Contracts!
We are now hiring Company Drivers and Owner/Operators in Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick for our Bulk Liquid Division.
Top 10 reasons to join the Harmac Bulk Liquid Division today! 1) Industry-leading pay program, including major pay increases for company drivers
and owner/operators effective February 2, 2013
2) New monthly performance bonus program; earn up to $450 in monthly bonuses! New hires are eligible for $250/month after probation. Majority of drivers earn 100% of eligible monthly bonuses 3) Regular home time and flexible scheduling 4) Highly competitive fuel support program – revised for February 2, 2013 with a
significant per mile increase
5) Highly competitive Health Benefits and RRSP Programs (company drivers) 6) Major savings on Worker’s Compensation Premium’s for Owner/Operators – corporate partnership and discount with Worker’s Compensation alternative provider 7) Dispatch centres, operating terminals and maintenance facilities based across Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and the U.S. as well as yard fuel tanks in Toronto, Dartmouth, Sydney, Moncton and St. John’s 8) Sign-on bonuses for all owner/operators and enhanced sign-on bonuses for owner/operators and company drivers with previous tanker experience 9) Stable, year round work – newly acquired contracts in addition to long-term contracts 10) Late model units (2012/2013) for Company Drivers – dedicated units for drivers, no slip seating
No t a nker experie Become a specialized tanker hauler with Harmac! We provide Company Drivers and Owner/Operators that have no tanker experience with a comprehensive training program – training is fully paid.
nce? No problem! • Loading and offloading requires little physical exertion • Many deliveries are offloaded by the client aka “no-touch” • Most deliveries are done by appointment • Loading and offloading are paid
Call today to learn more and to start the application process! Ontario – Call Simon Phone: (866) 542 7622 ext 3003 Fax: (416) 642-0933 SMa@seaboard.acl.ca
Harmac.indd 1
Atlantic Canada – Call Kaitlyn Phone: (800) 565 1530 ext 1800 Fax: (902) 446-7633 kparker@seaboard.acl.ca
Quebec – Call Victor English or French Phone: (514) 354 7141 ext 224 Fax: (514) 354 7760 vion@harmactransport.com
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Page 38 TRUCK NEWS
February 2013
natural gas
Driver buy-in critical in switch to CNG Continued from page 36
he said. “They’re the people who can do it and they’re the people who can make it happen.” Unlike most carriers, whose forays into natural gas came after detailed analysis and forecasting, Paper Transport decided to buy natural gas-powered trucks almost on a whim. The carrier wanted to diversify its customer base and felt it could do so by differentiating itself in some way from other van fleets. Shefchik and the company’s president began bandying about the possibility of giving natural gas a try on a road trip and decided to purchase two trucks and give it a shot. “We went out and bought two trucks. If it worked well, we’d continue to add to the fleet,” Shefchik recalled. “We wanted to prove it out. If we buy two trucks and it totally fails, it fails. That’s the type of
AZ O/O’s & Drivers Wanted Immediately
For Canadian and U.S. Runs O/O’s DRIVERS • Fuel Capped at $0.70 per litre
• Dedicated Equipment
•
•
$1.33/mile (U.S. Miles) • $1.23/mile (CDN Miles)
$0.40/mile
• All Tolls, Border Crossings and Empty Miles paid • Paid Waiting Time • Some Dedicated Lanes still available Must have minimum 2 years experience and clean abstracts.
Contact Recruiting at 905-677-0111
TOTAL
Transportation Solutions inc. www.total-transportation.com
Is looking for
Owner-Operators
owner-operators For long-distance cross-border runs
LoCaL & LonG DIstanCe
CoMpanY DrIVers
To work local and long distance out of our Scarborough office
Must have HVP or house-hold moving experience We are a specialty-products carrier, our core business is blanket wrap air-ride service and inside delivery. We are seeking dedicated professional owner-operators who take pride in their trade and are committed to excellence to service both Canada and the USA for LTL and FTL.
Paid Heavy-Use taxes Fuel Surcharge and mileage paid empty or loaded n Paid bi-weekly, direct deposit n Company pays for all tolls, bridge and ferry crossings n Compensation paid for licensing and insurance n All picks & Drops paid n Border-Crossings paid per shipment n Company fuel cards can be provided n n
Company Drivers n n n n n n
AZ & DZ drivers required To work out of our Scarborough location Local & Long-Distance work Paid overtime Group Benefits available Company-supplied uniforms
Our entire staff is 100% committed to providing the best possible service.
Is forestry the next frontier for LNG trucks?
It would be a pleasure to show you our abilities in the near future. Contact us today to discuss our generous compensation schedule.
888-636-1444 eric.adams@total-transportation.com
Our people make the difference
C.A.T. Inc., an international truckload carrier for more than 30 years, is expanding and has signed interesting new contracts to Laredo, TX. We need professional:
COMPANY DRIVERS Full time and Part-time single
We offer: New Pay Package Up to 49¢/mile New Trucks have Arrived Come join us for a free lunch every Friday at our Coteau du Lac terminal t
t t t
& OWNER OPERATORS
If you have 2 years experience and a clean driving record
risk you can be comfortable with in a privately held organization.” The experiment didn’t fail. The company’s first two CNG-powered Freightliner Business Class M2s were delivered in February 2010, and five more were added to the fleet that September. Another 10 CNG tractors were added in December 2011 and 15 more are on order. Shefchik said there’s not a lot of money to be saved in fuel; but shippers now appreciate the predictability of fuel costs. The company is saving $1.70 per diesel gallon equivalent, but saw its fuel mileage drop from 7.2 mpg to 5.5. Maintenance costs are running about three cents per mile higher than diesel, due largely to shorter oil change intervals and a costlier engine oil. There’s also a presumption that the CNG engines will have to be rebuilt earlier than their diesel counterparts, Shefchik said. The trucks have been embraced by drivers, otherwise the project wouldn’t have been pursued, he added. “If the driver is not on-board, this is going nowhere,” Shefchik said. “I can say for certain, we have not had problems with driver acceptance.” This was somewhat surprising since the CNG trucks require more frequent fill-ups, which also take longer than fuelling with diesel. Shefchik said the company was honest with drivers about the inconveniences they’d encounter. “We have to fuel more regularly, the stations are inadequate, it takes half an hour to fill the truck, which is not real good for driver hours-of-service, but it was a top-down commitment. We said ‘Hey, we’re doing it; you’re going to have problems but we’re going to compensate you for them to some extent’.” n
ContaCt the Closest loCatIon to your home
Contact our recruiting representatives
Coteau du lac, QC Geneviève
Concord, nC ron
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1-855-JOBS-CAT
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By James Menzies LAC SA I N T- JEA N, Que. – Could forestry present the next big breakthrough opportunity for natural gas trucking in Canada? That’s what Eve Grenon-Lafontaine, an eastern Canada rep with Westport Innovations thinks. She’s been talking to forestry fleets in northern Quebec about their application and tells Truck News there’s been considerable interest. She said logging operations in Quebec are ideal for liquefied natural gas (LNG), because they combine heavy payloads and high fuel consumption with a returnto-base duty cycle. LNG is about 30-40% less expensive than diesel in the Lac Saint-Jean area. A truck that’s burning 220,000 litres of diesel a year stands to save about $70,000 per year in fuel, based on today’s Continued on page 41
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13-01-14 1:37 PM
FOR ME IT’S...
GUARANTEED WEEKENDS OFF • Ask about our DEDICATED Lifestyle Fleet • DEDICATED runs to our Indy terminal Monday to Friday for Company Drivers • Great miles, pay & bonuses
FIND YOUR DRIVE Celadon Canada has a fleet to fit you — Dedicated lanes for solos and teams; Lifestyle Fleet with weekends off; Intra-Canada lanes; International lanes, Owner Operator and lease opportunities available. Join our success and take advantage of all the benefits a leading international truckload carrier can offer you! CALL NOW OR APPLY ONLINE!
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1-800-499-4997 I celadoncanada.com I Celadon.indd 1
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February 2013
TRUCK NEWS Page 41
natural gas
Owner/Operators • Competitive Pay • Paid Insurance and Plates • Paid Fuel Surcharge
$3000
Sign On Bonus
Ask for a copy of our Rate breakdown works down under: An Australian logging truck powered by Westport’s HD natural gas engine.
• Home on Weekends
Looking for:
• Driver friendly freight / full loads
Quebec loggers showing interest in LNG trucks
• 2500 to 3000 miles a week
• Minimum three years experience • Clean Abstract • FAST Card • Professionalism
Continued from page 38
prices, Grenon-Lafontaine calculates. Quebec forestry fleets have in the past demonstrated a willingness to try new technologies. They were among the first to embrace Allison automatic transmissions, for example. Adding to the appeal in Quebec are incentive programs from the provincial government. GrenonLafontaine pointed out a customer can receive a $15,000 rebate when purchasing a natural gaspowered truck, covering 30% of the incremental cost. And a separate program from the Ministry of Finance provides another $22,000 in tax savings over a four-year period. The incentives are helpful, since a Class 8 truck with 15-litre Westport engine can carry a cost premium of about $95,000 if equipped with two LNG tanks. While Grenon-Lafontaine said Westport has yet to deploy any trucks into the northern Quebec forestry sector, she knows they’re capable of the job, even pulling 150,000-lb loads of wood chips. “The engine can do it,” she said, noting Westport has this same 15-litre LNG engine pulling road trains in Australia. There, the engine can be spec’d at 550hp/1,850 lb.-ft. torque, and that rating is coming to North America next year. Gas supplier Gaz Metro has agreed to bring an LNG fuel supply to the bush, if a company commits to a purchase of five or six trucks, Grenon-Lafontaine says. A mobile fuelling station would require more than one truck to be viable, since LNG does evaporate over time if left sitting. Forestry truckers in Quebec are “really excited about trying something new” Grenon-Lafontaine said. Logging would be one of the most rigorous applications possible for LNG. The trucks in northern Quebec pulling 150,000-lb loads of wood chips often average less than 5 mpg. That’s what makes it so ideal for natural gas, Grenon-Lafontaine says. n
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• High percentage of drop and hook • Practical miles
www.nolantransport.ca Call Kelly at 800-387-5148 ext. 127
Ryder is currently looking for quality...
TEAM Owner Operators (AZ) and Company Drivers TEAM Owner Operators (AZ) We offer:
• Advanced schedule for next months activity • No open board dispatch • Attractive Remuneration package • Regional dedicated routes • Fuel Surcharge Program • No touch Automotive freight • Paid Plates
You provide:
• Late model Tractor • 2 years’ operating experience • Clean CVOR and Abstract • F.A.S.T. card • Culture towards Safety & Customer Service
Company Drivers We offer:
• Day Cab and Sleeper Activity • Dedicated Runs • Weekly Payroll • Flexible Benefit Plan • RRSP Program • Stock Purchase Plan
We require:
• 2 years’ valid AZ Driving experience • 2 years’ accident free • Clean CVOR and Driver’s Abstract • Clean Criminal Search • F.A.S.T. Approved or willing to obtain
Please submit your resumes/abstracts to:
Ryder Logistics and Transportation Solutions Worldwide Attention: Human Resources Email: recruit32@ryder.com Ph: 1-800-339-2834 ext. 2 Fax: 519-681-9040 Ryder is an equal opportunity employer.
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Page 42 TRUCK NEWS
February 2013
safety
Operating habits can make a lasting difference in fuel economy Truck, engine and component manufacturers have introduced a long list of vehicle enhancements in the name of saving diesel. Everything from aerodynamic fairings to engine speeds and tires are being tweaked to reduce a truck’s thirst for this liquid gold. But few of these enhancements will make a bigger difference than the person sitting in the driver’s seat. Natural Resources Canada’s FleetSmart program suggests that fuel economy can vary by as much as 35% when comparing the actions of different drivers within the same fleet. Indeed, the foot sitting on the accelerator may make the biggest difference of all. On its own, the 10 km/h drop between 100 and 90 km/h can equate to a 10% improvement in fuel economy. A close eye on the tachometer can be just as important as the needle
Ask the Expert jason shiell
on the speedometer. Newly licensed drivers who are familiar with cars that have red lines around 7,500 rpm often tend to overrev diesel truck engines which have red lines closer to 1,500 rpm. Even experienced drivers need to adjust their habits. Just over a decade ago, an engine’s sweet spot would likely have them cruising along at 1,600 rpm. The latest engines can offer better fuel efficiency at 1,450 rpm or lower. There should be little surprise that these engine and road speeds can make a difference. The less we have to push on the pedal, the less fuel we’re dumping into the engine.
If you have a driver who is down on the boards every time he’s taking off, versus a guy who’s gently opening the throttle and releasing it between shifts, that second person is going to have a lot better success. The most fuel-efficient gear changes, meanwhile, will involve a practice known as progressive shifting, which involves shifting from one gear to the next at the first opportunity, using a gentle touch of the accelerator every step of the way. The same driving habits that consume less fuel will support fleet safety programs. Defensive drivers are always coached to monitor the traffic and hazards appearing up the road, and maintain a safe cushion of space around the truck. This reduces the chance of a collision, but it also reduces the need to apply the brakes and allows the truck to remain moving under its own momentum, rather
Rosedale Transport Limited is a family run business operating since 1969. With 14 terminals across North America, we are dedicated to providing a higher standard of Quality Transportation Services.
Hiring
Owner OperatOrs FOr all terminals A professional & approachable management team Consistent weekly miles A bonus structured mileage rate combined with an attractive fuel subsidy program Rosedale Transport start-up help for Owner Operators No forced dispatch No New York City
Be sure to check out our new recruiting video on our website.
Rosedale understands what Owners want ... ...We can make it happen.
For more information contact Recruiting: 1-905-670-0057 • 1-877-588-0057 • recruiting@rosedale.ca • www.rosedalegroup.ca Head Office: 6845 Invader Cres., Mississauga, ON L5T 2B7
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than wasting the fuel needed to start rolling after a full stop. Activities like these obviously happen far away from a fleet yard, but managers can monitor driving habits by tapping into the data stored on an engine’s Electronic control unit (ECU). An ECU, for example, will record the number of hard stops that occur as the truck’s speed drops more than 11 km/h per second. This corresponds with times when a driver is not leaving enough following distance and making too many panic stops. The same black boxes will offer data about everything from vehicle speed, to engine speeds in specific gears, and the time spent in cruise control. They are factors that can make a difference for safety and operations managers alike. The potential fuel savings are not limited to a moving truck, either. Idle time can often be reduced, even in the coldest weather. The engine coolant itself will warm up in a mere five to seven minutes, after which the truck can begin to move. Other components such as tires will actually warm up more quickly when a load is applied. It is not the only change that can reduce idle time. Auxiliary power units and bunk heaters all consume less fuel than an idling engine. Trucks on selected routes can even take advantage of shorepower systems being installed in selected truck stops. Operations teams and drivers can also join together in the trip planning that will make an ongoing difference. Sometimes a slightly different route or departure time can help to avoid a major storm, limiting the wind, rain and snow that can influence aerodynamic drag. Drivers, meanwhile, can be coached to keep their tires in the ruts on a snow-covered highway, and reduce their speeds every kilometre along the way. By reducing your speed, you’re not displacing the wind quite as much. They are valuable habits, and many fleets are compensating drivers with fuel bonuses because of it. Any identified goals simply need to be within reach to ensure a program’s ongoing success, using benchmarks based on similar trucks in similar lanes. After all, a four-axle tractor-trailer will not perform the same way as a tandemtandem combination; the journeys through Saskatchewan will be easier on a fuel tank than a trip through the foothills of Alberta. As for the timing of incentive payments, think of making it quarterly or monthly in case the driver has a day off. Think of it as yet another strategy that will help to address a long list of burning issues. n – This month’s expert is Jason Shiell. Jason is a senior risk services consultant for Northbridge Insurance, and has more than 20 years’ experience in the trucking industry as a driver, certified fleet driver trainer, risk manager and more. Northbridge Insurance is a leading Canadian commercial insurer built on the strength of four companies with a long standing history in the marketplace and has been serving the trucking industry for more than 60 years. You can visit them at www.nbins.com.
13-01-14 1:10 PM
February 2013
new products
Tanker manufacturer Polar Corporation has come out with its first propane tanker truck. The Polar NexGen MC-331 highway tanker was designed for durability and low lifecycle costs, the company announced. Polar claims it’s the first highway transport tanker with a powder-coated barrel, delivering up to three times the life of traditional paint. The company says the coating limits nicks to the point of impact and in most cases, eliminates the need to refurbish and repaint the barrel every three to five years. The trailer features all-stainless piping and aluminum or stainless decking and fenders for further corrosion protection. For more, visit www.polartank.com. • Carrier Transicold has introduced a new Flex Power dual voltage option, which allows its Vector trailer refrigeration unit to be powered using either low- or high-voltage power sources when parked. The company says its new Flex Power option makes electric standby capability accessible to more hauling and food distribution operations. Previously, the Vector unit required 460-volt power, but the Flex Power option allows for 208- and 230volt power sources. For more information, visit a Carrier Transicold dealer or www.trucktrailer.carrier.com.
TRUCK NEWS Page 43
New Rates for Company Bunk Drivers
Single Drivers can earn over
$.52 /mile
Teams
can earn over
$.55 /mile Pay package includes Mileage pay PLUS: – paid drops and hooks – paid US border crossing – paid loading / unloading – paid per hour for hourly work /detention – paid on road resets (for long haul trips) – paid layovers (after 24 hours)
Open board Regional Lanes and Long Haul – Western Canada work is available Our Company Bunk drivers average between 2300 and 3000 miles per week Teams average around 5000 miles per week plus Fast CaRD REQUIRED
$200.00 sign-on bonus – paid after first 90 days Benefits available – 75% company paid
Looking for drivers to work out of Milton, Windsor, Chatham and London yards
Come Join a Family Owned and Operated Company which has been in business for over 20 years by calling Rob at
1-800-567-3260
ext. 245 or visit us at www.morricetransportation.com
our people and our equipment
set us apart
Laidlaw Carriers is Looking for Quality
Zurich Canada has created a mobile app to help brokers and businesses better understand commercial coverages and risk management tactics. The app is compatible with Apple and Android mobile phones and tablets. Information available through the app includes: risk management tips by industry segment, claims contact information, and information-sharing capabilities so customers can communicate with brokers. The app can be downloaded from the iTunes or GooglePlay stores. • Western Star has created a new fan site where enthusiasts of the brand can share their passion with others. The Web site, www. StarNation.com, features forums, news, photo galleries and more. The site was created in collaboration with Western Star and is managed by Western Star owners and fans. Registration is free and members can personalize their profile. • Comdata has brought its f leet card and corporate card payment solutions to the Canadian market. The Comdata MasterCard provides a consolidated solution for managing fleet expenses, travel and entertainment spending and purchasing, the company announced. The one-card program eliminates the need for employees and drivers to carry multiple cards and removes complexities involved in managing multiple payment programs. For more info, visit www.comdata.com. n
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OWNER OPERATORS Who Care To Fill Positions In Our Sudbury On Terminal
PNEUMATIC TANKER POSITIONS AvAILAbLE
Big Company with small Company values Base plates Paid, we run Northern Ontario and Northern Quebec great lanes Competitive Fuel Surcharge Program Competitive pay
Also seeking interline CArriers with their own Authorities
PEOPLE MAKE THE DIFFERENCE AND TRUCKING IS NO EXCEPTION We run Northern Ontario and Northern Quebec • Great mix of short and long • Company owned unloading equipment
Call Recruiting or Email
1-800-465-8265 tankrecruiting@laidlaw.ca
Woodstock Ontario Cardinal Ontario Sudbury Ontario Valleyfield QC
13-01-15 11:33 AM
Page 44 TRUCK NEWS
February 2013
people
geoff bennett
Geoff Bennett, former president and co-chair of Kelron Logistics, died Dec. 23 after a battle with cancer. Bennett started Kelron with his partner in 1992, growing the business from his basement to a North American operation with offices in Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, Chi-
cago and Cleveland, before selling it last year. He was an active member of the transportation industry, serving as a committee member of the TIA and chair of the National Transportation Brokers Association. • Day & Ross has announced a pair of appointments to its executive team. Larry Rodo will be taking up the position of president for Day & Ross Freight and Doug Harrison will be taking the role of chief operating officer for Day & Ross Transportation Group. Rodo will have total responsibility for the company’s LTL and TL division in his new role. He joins Day & Ross from Brinks USA, where he served as president. Prior to this, he acted as president of Brinks Canada and has previously held senior executive roles with Nadiscorp, Schenker and Reimer Express Lines. In his role as COO, Harrison will have responsibility for the company’s overall strategy, a number of its
support groups and its four operating companies. Harrison joined Day & Ross in 2011 as president of Day & Ross Freight. He has held various senior executive positions within the transportation and logistics industry, serves on a number of volunteer and company boards, and is an active speaker and presenter at numerous industry events. • Great Dane has announced a range of promotions and additions to its sales management team, designed to better align with the company’s strategic sales and customer service goals, the company said. Dave Gilliland has been named vice-president of national accounts, where he will oversee the company’s national account sales team. He most recently served as Great Dane’s vicepresident of branch sales and operations. Frank Stewart has been promoted to vice-president of branch sales. In his new position, Stewart will be
18
The people
Safe drivers Accessible managers People who really care
Find your reason at schneiderjobs.com/Canada18
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responsible for new and used trailer sales throughout the company’s branch network. Stewart previously served as branch manager of Great Dane’s Little Rock and Memphis branches. Tony Neven has been added to the aftermarket group as aftermarket service manager. In his new position, Neven will be responsible for spearheading the growth and development of the Great Dane service network, with a primary focus on developing the AdvantEDGE service program. Neven has over 30 years of trailer industry experience including owning his own trailer service business. Rob Fortney has rejoined the company in a new role as a regional dealer sales director, responsible for Great Dane’s northeastern US and Canadian dealers. In addition to his previous Great Dane experience, Fortney also served as branch manager at MHC Kenworth, and before that as general sales manager at Wabash National. • Trailer Wizards has appointed Dean Rhinas as branch manager of its Saskatoon branch. Based out of the Saskatoon office, Rhinas will be responsible for planning and controlling daily operations; hiring, managing, and training employees; and growing the business in the region. • Ancra International has named Mark Daugherty vice-president and general manager of its cargo systems division. The appointment took effect Jan. 1. In his new role, Daugherty will be in charge of all of Ancra’s cargo division’s functions, the company announced. Daugherty has been with Ancra International since May 2011. He initially served as vice-president of human resources before being appointed general manager of Ancra’s S-Line division in May 2012. • Eaton has named John Beering the senior vice-president and general manager of its commercial vehicle transmission business. Beering assumed his new position Jan. 1. He most recently served as vice-president and general manager of Eaton’s global vehicle group aftermarket and clutch business. Meanwhile, Eaton also has named Dave Karnes its new director of Roadranger field sales and marketing for North America truck. Karnes was most recently sales manager on the Navistar and Caterpillar accounts. • Cummins has announced two appointments under its engine business branch. Effective Feb. 1, Ed Pence will lead the Cummins high horsepower business and Dave Crompton will lead the heavy-duty, mid-range and light-duty worldwide product businesses, which are being combined into one single global operating entity within the engine business. Pence will be replacing Mark Levett who will take on a new role at Cummins as vice-president of corporate responsibility and community relations, and CEO of the Cummins Foundation. Also effective Feb. 1, Crompton will assume leadership of the heavyduty, mid-range and light-duty worldwide product businesses. n
13-01-11 3:25 PM
February 2013
TRUCK NEWS Page 45
fleet news
Wanted Immediately!
Cavalier partners with US carrier BOLTON, Ont. – Cavalier has announced a new partnership with RIST Transport, which will combine the two carriers’ networks and provide two-day service between the northeastern US and markets in Ontario and Quebec. RIST has 11 terminals in the northeastern US, covering Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Massachusetts. Its parent company is Wadhams Enterprises, which has been around since 1949. “We at RIST Transport and the Wadhams family, are thrilled to team up with Cavalier Transportation and the Ledson family,” announced Steve Wadhams, owner and president of Wadhams Enterprises. “The territories of both companies complement each other and offer terminal conveniences that make the transfer of freight seamless. This will allow us to expand our service areas for our
current customers and entice new customers that are looking for that perfect logistic bridge across our Canada-US borders.” The companies say they’ll offer two-day service between the northeastern US and Ontario/Quebec. They also plan to offer expedited overnight lanes. The partnership also will include freight consolidation services and warehousing on both sides of the border. Brian Ledson, executive vice-president of sales and marketing with Cavalier, said “We are very excited about our new partnership with RIST Transport. Our two companies share a passion for service excellence. Bringing two family owned and operated companies together is like the perfect marriage. This partnership brings Cavalier a strong presence in northeastern US and expands our footprint. We look forward to the opportunities ahead.” n
Seaway Express expands fleet CORNWALL, Ont. – Seaway Express has announced additions to its truck fleet, with plans for further investments later this year. The company has added four new trucks and eight heated trailers to its fleet with three additional trucks on order for delivery in the first quarter. Seaway has also purchased new electric forklifts for its warehouse systems, bringing its total investment to more than $500,000. “The new trucks offer increased fuel efficiencies, lower maintenance costs and increased driver comfort, all while increasing our capacity to serve our local area,” says Melanie Hamel, general manager of Seaway Express. “It fits with our overall goal of enhancing our level of service.” Seaway Express has also installed a new dispatch system, designed to improve driver communication by sending pick-up requests via text. The company also hired 10 new employees in 2012, including drivers and office staff. n
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AZ O/O’s
based in Southern Ontario for runs to Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia
AZ Corporate Drivers
based in Southern Ontario for runs to Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia
Must have minimum 2 years experience and clean abstract
Competitive Rates • Fuel Cap Available •
Contact Recruiting at
905-677-0111
Looking For
1 LTL Company Highway Driver to run EASTERN USA on percentage
2 O/Ops for LTL to EASTERN USA on percentage
2 Flatbed Company Drivers Needed
Local Ontario Straight truck Owner Operators with own equipment & authorities
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13-01-15 11:56 AM
Page 46 TRUCK NEWS
February 2013
opinion
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As a publisher, I take great interest whenever I hear of magazines or newspapers shutting their doors. Nine times out of 10, the owners/management will blame declining advertising revenues, increased printing and labour costs or that nasty information source called the “Internet” for ruining their early retirement plans. Last week I watched an episode of 60 Minutes that detailed the restructuring of the New Orleans Times-Picayune. Although still profitable, over the past few years the newspaper had witnessed a steady decline on its bottom line. In an effort to reverse that trend, the powers that be decided that they could maximize their returns by reducing its publishing frequency and staff. I always hate hearing about staff layoffs but it’s a common and sad reality when companies restructure. Hopefully these changes will result in a brighter future for those still left onboard this partially submerged ship. My hat goes off to the management for being proactive. Rather than being satisfied with a shrinking bottom line and blaming it on changing times, they decided to take the bull by the horns. The staff of Truck News has always embraced the Internet. Our Web site (www.trucknews.com) has truly become an extension of this magazine. We recently took the next step forward in delivering the news by increasing the frequency of our e-news-
Publisher’s Comment Rob Wilkins
letter. Instead of twice a week, it’s now sent out daily. I don’t mind sharing with you that the logistics of making such a bold move have proven to be a challenge. In a nutshell, at the end of the day (well after 5 p.m., I might add) our editorial staff must determine what news items are worthy of inclusion in the next day’s edition. Once the content is determined and the layout completed, it’s forwarded to our IT department who then marry it with our e-mail database and in turn, deploy it well before most of you have taken your first sip of java. We’re pretty proud of this accomplishment. We’ve always been first on the streets with the news and now we’re continuing the tradition electronically. Leading rather than following, we’ve embraced social media, won awards for our online Transportation Matters TV series, created information modules and produced a number of highly popular webinars. Unlike some of the larger US newspapers, we welcome the Internet and look forward to a long fruitful relationship! n – Rob Wilkins is the publisher of Truck News and can be reached at 416-510-5123.
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pg 46-47 tn feb v3.indd 46
13-01-11 10:09 AM
February 2013
TRUCK NEWS Page 47
Why many small carriers are opposed to EOBRs Whether it’s speed limiters, or now electronic on-board recorders (EOBRs), there seems to be a strong feeling in the industry that if you do not agree with the large carriers on an issue, you are not only wrong, but also an irresponsible law-breaker. Everyone in the free world is entitled to an opinion and I don’t begrudge the proponents of EOBRs theirs. What I have always disagreed with is the traditional media’s lack of coverage of any opinions offered by opponents to such legislation. Although we don’t have the public profile of our larger counterparts, we still make up the vast majority of trucks on the road, which, in a free, democratic society, should make our opinions notable, if not equal. The pros and cons of EOBRs are being argued from a “one-size-fitsall” perspective. In this industry, one size never fits all, so why should the vocal minority be judge and jury? I’m sure the proponents of recorders have very valid, sound reasoning. Likewise, we opponents have valid reasoning as well. I would like to outline the reasons I’m against them, which I know are shared by many small carriers. Please note, my desire to blatantly and frequently break the law will not be a part of my argument. Avoiding unnecessary expense, however, is. My company, and many other small carriers, run primarily within 500-600 miles of home. Driving right to the customer’s location before stopping for the night is the norm, primarily to ensure being unloaded early the next morning. One example of this is the weekly run our dry van does to the Washington, D.C. area. We always run through, and back up to the customer’s dock just as our hours-of-service expire. This customer starts at 9 a.m., and within 30 minutes, the trailer is empty. There is only one door in the building. If something delayed me from arriving till midnight, I should technically refuse to move the truck until 30 minutes after being unloaded. Common sense has me moving the truck 300 ft. to clear the door. How was safety jeopardized here? I can’t sleep in a noisy truck stop, so I continue to drive to the location where the following morning, I awake well rested and not having to fight morning traffic. Although laws were not followed to the letter, common sense was. I’ve had several people correct me on the operational parameters of some of these devices. If they are correct, you are able to move the truck on the same piece of property without registering any duty status changes. If so, what have we gained? I firmly believe that the worst offenders of HoS violations are primarily steel haulers, or those operating at large distribution centres, or other locations where expeditious truck processing is an oxymoron. After spending the entire day loading or unloading, many will log it as offduty, then drive half the night to get back on schedule. This is, to my understanding, still a possibility with EOBRs. I don’t particularly believe drivers are blatantly driving in serious excess of the law just for the hell
pg 46-47 tn feb v3.indd 47
Small Fleet Big Attitude bill cameron
of it. Us old guys don’t have the energy or desire to do so, and the younger crowd generally doesn’t even want to use up all their available hours, much less exceed them. I’ve also read the argument that paper logs are eating up too much of the driver’s time; 30-40 minutes per day. What colour crayon are these folks using if they require that much time in a day filling out a logbook? Statements like this add a level of absurdity to the discussion. It sounds more sensational to the uninformed, but utterly ridiculous to those of us with daily involvement. With today’s technology, I don’t
feel these systems are really necessary, and they’re certainly not inexpensive. I don’t feel there will be any appreciable gains made in highway enforcement. A mouse click will display border crossing times, and a simple phone call to the fuel card provider will expose fuelling times. I don’t have the resources of a police force, but those very actions once caused me to fire one of our otherwise best owner/operators. With paper logs, I was able to trace his indiscretions very easily and, more importantly, deal with it accordingly, even though it was our busy season and I had no replacement. I didn’t need a computer device to force my decision; I took the proper, responsible action, without being legislated to do so. This is possible without expensive technology, when you only have a handful of trucks. Tracking a few units is not that difficult.
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We small carriers don’t deal with the large companies whose distribution centres keep our trucks captive all day. We can’t justify the long equipment tie-ups, so we avoid customers who can’t load and unload promptly. If your customers put you in this situation, you need to deal with it, rather than foisting additional expensive technology on the rest of us, who are driving sensibly in a way that ensures us the best mix of productivity and sleep. We have all heard from older drivers, already feeling overlegislated, who say they will leave the industry if this law passes. Not from fear, just on principle. Can we afford to lose more of our best? n – Bill Cameron and his wife Nancy currently own and operate Parks Transportation, a four-truck flatdeck trucking company. The company was founded in 1999 with a 20-yearold truck, rented flatbed trailer and a big dream. Bill can be reached at williamcameron.bc@gmail.com.
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13-01-11 10:06 AM
Page 48 TRUCK NEWS
February 2013
health
Removing earwax blockages isn’t a do-it-yourself project Earwax: While some might consider it disgusting, it’s an important part of your body’s defense system. Its main purpose is to protect Dr. Chris Singh the ear canal by preventing foreign particles from entering, as well as ingly, most doctors agree that placinhibiting the growth of bacteria. ing cotton swabs or other objects In most cases, the amount of into the ear in order to clean it acearwax present in an individual’s tually increases the risk of develear is successfully controlled by the body. Small amounts of earoping a blockage. wax will generally fall out of the The reason for this is the instruear or wash away with regular hyment or swab tends to push the earwax deeper into the ear rather giene practices. However, in certain instances than removing it. earwax can accumulate in the ear There are generally four main and become too hard to wash away signs and symptoms that are expenaturally. rienced by a person suffering from an earwax blockage. If this problem persists, an earwax blockage may occur. PresFirstly, many people experience ently, it is not known what causes an earache in the affected ear. pain associated with the earthese blockages to form. InterestExpoCam 2013_Tnews_Dec19_Layout 1 12/19/12 The 1:19 PM Page 1
Back behind the wheel
ache ranges from dull and achy to sharp. Also, many patients have reported feeling a sense of fullness in the ear. This may be due to an increase in pressure in the ear canal. Mild to moderate hearing loss may also be associated with a blockage. Finally, some individuals complain of tinnitus or ringing of the ears. The symptoms will differ from person to person, however most patients experience some or all of these symptoms. It is important to note that the symptoms of an earwax blockage can mimic other, more serious ear conditions. As such, it is important to consult with your doctor if you are experiencing any of these symptoms. Although it may seem simple,
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the removal of earwax is best performed by your doctor. It is not recommended that you try to remove earwax yourself, as you may damage the ear canal or eardrum. If your doctor suspects a blockage, he or she will look into your ear using a special instrument called an otoscope. The otoscope illuminates and magnifies your ear canal allowing the doctor to properly inspect your ear. If there is a significant amount of earwax seen upon inspection, your doctor will remove some of it. This removal is done with a small, curved instrument called a curette or by a suction instrument. If these methods are not successful, your doctor may flush your ear with a syringe filled with warm water. In the majority of cases, these methods are sufficient for removing excess earwax. However, if they are not successful, your doctor may recommend that you use medicated eardrops to help with the wax removal. There are also a few home remedies that may be useful in preventing the buildup of earwax. First of all, never use a sharp object such as a toothpick or a paper clip to dig out excess earwax. Softening the wax with baby oil, mineral oil or hydrogen peroxide for a few days may loosen up some wax and encourage it to fall out on its own. Warm water may also have similar effects on the earwax. It is important to note that softening agents may also cause the blockage to move deeper into the ear canal. Thus, it is important to consult with your doctor before attempting any self help or home remedy. Until next month, drive safely! n – Dr. Christopher H. Singh runs Trans Canada Chiropractic at the 230 Truck Stop in Woodstock, Ont. He can be reached at 519-421-2024.
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February 2013
TRUCK NEWS Page 49
Let’s have a heart-to-heart In February, we use Valentine hearts to show others we care. Why not think about caring for your own heart since heart disease is one of the main causes of death in North America? You can reduce your risk of heart disease and improve the efficiency of your cardiovascular system by making a few changes to your balanced diet. Begin by eating what you need, and not what you want. Even too much of the healthiest foods can impact your heart health. Overloading your plate, taking seconds or eating until you feel stuffed gives you excess calories, fat and cholesterol. Instead, control your portions. Typical serving sizes for specific foods are measured by cups, ounces or pieces. Becoming familiar with them will help you identify an appropriate portion. For example, one serving of pasta is about the size of a hockey puck (half a cup). A serving of meat, fish or chicken is about the size and thickness of a deck of cards (two to three ounces). Vegetables and fruits are good sources of vitamins and minerals and are also rich in dietary fiber. Their enzymes and phytochemicals may help prevent cardiovascular disease. Keep them handy for quick snacks. Store them in baggies in your fridge so you can grab a package as you’re heading out to your rig. On the road, choose menu items with vegetables or fruit as the main ingredient, like stir-fry or fresh fruit salad. Whole grains are also a good source of fiber and nutrients that help regulate blood pressure. Increase the amount of whole grains in your diet by substituting whole grain products for refined grain products. Try out dishes with these newly promoted grains: couscous, quinoa or barley. Ground flaxseed is another option. Reducing the amount of saturated and trans-fats will lower your risk of coronary artery disease since a high blood cholesterol level can lead to atherosclerosis, a build-up of plaque in your arteries. Low-fat proteins are ideal, like lean meat, poultry and fish, low-fat dairy products, and egg whites or egg substitutes. Choose the low-fat options, such as skinless chicken breasts and skim milk. Legumes are also a good source of protein since plant protein has less fat and cholesterol than animal protein. Because eating a lot of sodium can lead to high blood pressure, reducing sodium is recommended, especially for people with high blood pressure, diabetes, or chronic kidney disease. According to the Dietetic Association, the following foods should regularly be included in every healthy heart diet. For protein or protein substitutes: Grilled salmon for omega-3 fatty acids; tuna for omega-3 fatty acids, folate and niacin; tofu for niacin, folate, calcium, magnesium and potassium; black or kidney beans for B-complex vitamins, niacin, folate; magnesium, omega-3 fatty acids, calcium and soluble fiber; almonds for omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin E, magnesium, fiber, monoand polyunsaturated fats and phytosterols; or, walnuts for omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin E, magnesium, folate, fiber,
pg 49 tn feb v3.indd 49
Preventive Maintenance Karen Bowen
mono- and polyunsaturated fats and phytosterols; For grains: oatmeal for Omega-3 fatty acids, magnesium, potassium, folate niacin, calcium and soluble fiber; ground flaxseed for Omega-3 fatty acids, fiber and phytoestrogens; or, brown rice for B-complex vitamins, fiber, niacin, magnesium and fiber. For vegetables: spinach for lutein, B-complex vitamins, folate, magnesium, potassium, calcium and fiber; broccoli for beta-carotene, Vitamins C and E, potassium, folate, calcium and fiber; Sweet potato for beta-carotene, vitamins A, C, & E and fiber;
red bell peppers for beta-carotene and lutein, B-complex vitamins, folate, potassium and fiber; asparagus for beta-carotene and lutein , B-complex vitamins folate and fiber; carrots for alpha-carotene and fiber; tomatoes for beta- and alpha-carotene, lycopene, lutein, Vitamin C, potassium, folate and fiber; or, acorn squash for beta-carotene and lutein , B-complex, Vitamin C, folate, calcium, magnesium potassium and fiber. For fruits: cantaloupe for alphaand beta-carotene and lutein , Bcomplex, Vitamin C, blueberries for beta-carotene and lutein , anthocyanin, ellagic acid, vitamin C, folate, calcium, magnesium, potassium, and fiber; oranges for beta-cryptoxanthin, beta- and alpha-carotene, lutein and flavones, Vitamin C, potassium, folate and fiber; folate, potassium and fiber; or, Papaya for beta-carotene, beta-cryptoxanthin, lutein, Vitamins C and E, folate, calcium, magnesium and potassium. For beverages: Soy milk for isofla-
vones, B-complex vitamins, niacin, folate, calcium, magnesium, potassium and phytoestrogens; black or green tea or for catechins and flavonols; or, red wine for catechins and reservatrol (but only when you’re not on the road). For an occasional treat: dark chocolate for reservatrol and cocoa phenols. A truffle a day can lower your blood pressure, but only truffles with a 70% or higher cocoa content. By adding more low-calorie, nutrient-rich foods, like whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and by decreasing high-calorie, high-sodium foods, such as refined, processed or fast foods, you can shape up your diet, shape up your waistline and shape up your heart. This February, let your diet show your heart that you care. n – Karen Bowen is a professional health and nutrition consultant , and she can be reached at karen_ bowen @ yahoo.com .
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13-01-16 10:04 AM
Page 50 TRUCK NEWS
February 2013
oem/dealer news
Remote diagnostics is proven way to reduce downtime By Lou Smyrlis NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Being able to access and transmit critical truck engine data from trucks on the road to key decision makers responsible for their maintenance in a manner timely enough and accurate enough to allow smart decisions to be made is key to reducing downtime, Volvo Trucks North America executives believe. After listening to several motor carrier executives speak openly about the downtime plaguing the industry due to premature engine failure (an issue experienced by all engine brands) at a Volvo press event Jan. 10 (see related story, opposite page), David Pardue, vice-president, aftermarket sales, was one of several Volvo executives who said they are working hard to be part of the solution. “The need for information is quicker and more thorough and what we are satisfied with today we won’t be satisfied with tomorrow,” Pardue said.
real-time repairs: Volvo feels remote diagnostics is a key way to reduce downtime, by understanding what ails the truck before it arrives at the shop.
Volvo believes part of the answer lies with its Remote Diagnostics service, now a standard feature on every Volvo-powered VN model highway truck. The service provides proactive
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diagnostic and repair planning assistance with detailed analysis of critical diagnostic trouble codes. It’s the first service being offered under the new Connected Vehicle Services category of the Volvo Trucks Support Services bundled aftermarket offering. The remote communication platform facilitates live dealer and customer communication through Volvo Action Service, Volvo’s 24/7 support team. Proactive diagnostics streamline service procedures with confirmation of parts on-hand before a truck arrives at a service location, increasing uptime, the company says. But Conal Deedy, product manager, communication and electronics, cautioned against the trap of “technology for the sake of technology.” There are thousands of fault codes on today’s commercial trucks that can be monitored and quickly reported – but that doesn’t mean they all should. Rather, the focus should only be on those critical to keeping the truck on the road. “It has to be about using technology to improve service and uptime. Our customers want actionable data that is accurate. They don’t want to be overloaded with fault codes,” Deedy said. Deedy also pointed to some impressive statistics racked up by the Remote Diagnostics program since its launch last May (it was tested for a year prior to that with over 1,300 Volvo VNs being part of the field tests. Challenger Motor Freight was a test fleet in Canada). There are now more than 5,000 Volvos equipped with Remote Diagnostics and so far the service has managed to: • Reduce average diagnostic time
for targeted fault codes by 71%; • Reduce average repair time for targeted fault codes by 25%; • And improve average uptime by one day per event. “Remote Diagnostics is streamlining the service procedure. It’s getting the right information to the technician,” Deedy said. Remote Diagnostics comes free of charge for two years with the purchase of all new Volvo trucks. Another wrinkle soon to be added to help streamline the service procedure when the truck comes into a Volvo dealership is a QR code label and reader capable of capturing all the vehicle information encrypted on the QR code label, such as the vehicle identification number, mileage, etc. and create a registered case number before the vehicle is assigned to a technician. This application, which will be made available on every Volvo coming out of the factory by around the end of the first quarter, will also capture the entire inspection and maintenance process, date stamp it, and maintain it as part of the vehicle’s history on a secure server. Customers will be able to log in and read up on the history of their vehicles. The truck’s file can also be assigned to other Volvo dealers should the truck require service beyond its home dealer. Those are the latest efforts Volvo has made to boost uptime and finetune service performance but, as Pardue pointed out, the company has been focused on these goals for several years. Back in 2005, after listening to its customers, it came up with a 10-point Service Commitment; a year later it introduced its triage strategy to better and more quickly diagnose repair issues; in 2010 it provided 24/7 Internet parts purchasing so parts could be ordered after the parts department had closed for the day; and last year, in addition to Remote Diagnostics, it issued a 10-point Dealer Support Commitment to help support Volvo dealers in living up to their service commitments. Volvo Trucks’ dealer network is also expanding, resulting in additional truck service bays, Volvo-certified technicians, and larger parts inventories. For example, the new Nacarato dealership, which hosted the press conference, keeps $2 million worth of parts inventory on-hand and is capable of servicing 30% more trucks at its new 80,000 sq.-ft. facility with 28 service bays. n
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February 2013
TRUCK NEWS Page 51
Downtime is getting worse, fleet managers complain By Lou Smyrlis NASHVILLE, Tenn. – If football is a game of inches, trucking is a business of minutes. Every minute a truck spends in unproductive downtime costs dearly. Yet the latest truck technologies, engines in particular, are adding to the problem rather than alleviating it. That’s the stark message trucking company owners gathered for a press conference at Volvo’s new Nacarato truck dealership in La Vergne, Tenn., passed on to dealer and OEM officials. The declining equipment reliability when coupled with less than efficient dealer practices are greatly adding to downtime. Volvo asked the motor carriers for their frank comments on their challenges during a candid onehour discussion. It then referred to them in framing its argument that the industry had to place greater focus on uptime, while bringing the media and truck owners up to speed on its latest strategies and tools towards this regard. “The biggest challenge that we struggle with is the engines that we have. I spend so much of my time dealing with engine maintenance issues,” said Stan Pritchett, owner of Beacon Transport, a 133-truck fleet. Referring to engine manufacturers in general, Pritchett said his truck downtime “has become tremendous.”
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“No longer can I say that because I buy new equipment, I’m not in the shop a lot. I’m looking to run new engines and I want my equipment to stay running,” he reinforced. Mike McFarlin from M&W Transportation, a 95-truck fleet out of Nashville, Tenn., certainly sympathizes with Pritchett’s issues. He is bearing the same burden.
from the home dealer. But at other dealers, you get the attitude that you didn’t buy it here so get in line. The local dealer is taking care of the people he goes to church with and his kids play soccer with,” he lamented, adding that as a result, if his trucks are within a few hundred miles of the home dealership he prefers to bring them there rather than deal with the closest dealership.
‘No longer can I say that because I buy new equipment, I’m not in the shop a lot,’ Stan Pritchett, Beacon Transport “Downtime is horrendous,” he said, adding it is particularly bad when trying to get service at a dealer different from the one where you purchased your trucks. He emphasized this is an industry-wide problem, stressing that the ability, training and staffing of technicians at many dealers needs to be considered in view of the technical problems being caused by ever more complex equipment. Kirk Rutherford, whose private fleet serves Bridgestone dealers, also complained loudly about independent dealers who don’t work as a network. “I can bet on 110% performance
“When we roll in to your dealership, someone needs to be looking out for my own interests. We need support across the country,” he stressed. McFarlin conceded that tools brought in by OEMs to better diagnose equipment are helpful, but questioned the value of a quick diagnosis if it then takes several days to get the part necessary to complete the repair. “In my opinion that part should be in stock,” he said. Pete Carpenter, president of PAC Trucking, another Nashville-based trucking firm, said there also needs to be improve-
ments in communication. Downtime is particularly important to Carpenter as his entire 21-truck fleet is contracted to serving FedEx. But he said accurate information is more important than continued but vague assurances that his truck will be worked on. “The information is more important than the truck at times. I want to be told that it’s going to take three days to fix it rather than ‘We’ll get to it as soon as we can’,” he said, explaining the right information gives him more time to make alternative plans. Another issue raised was flexibility – or rather the lack of it – when it comes to payment. For example, dealers may decide to not release a truck until payment for the repairs has been made. “I work for a $13-billion company, our name is on the trucks, and I’m going to stiff you for a $2,000 charge? Fix it, and I will deal with the bill later,” Rutherford said. To which Carpenter added that no matter how much he may love his drivers, he doesn’t think it’s wise to give them a credit card with an unlimited spending limit to handle any emergency. Volvo executives and the owners of the Nacarato dealership acknowledged these industry concerns and answered with a variety of strategies, programs and tools they hope will address them. n
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February 2013
oem/dealer news
Travis bodies and trailers come to Canada
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WINNIPEG, Man. – Travis Body and Trailer has announced its line of aluminum dump bodies and trailers will now be offered in Canada. Travis says it’s among the top three manufacturers of aluminum dump products and transfer trailers in the US. Effective immediately, it will be offering its aluminum end dumps, aluminum bottom dumps, aluminum refuse trailers and specialty trailers in Canada. These offerings include the recently acquired Alumatech product line, which Travis took over in 2011. Ocean Trailer will be Travis’ importer of record and will be the exclusive dealer of Travis products through its branches in: Coquitlam, B.C.; Delta, B.C.; Calgary, Alta.; Edmonton, Alta; and Winnipeg, Man. “With over 30 years serving Canada’s transportation industry, Ocean is well equipped to introduce the Travis product into Canada,” the company announced. “Ocean is also the Utility Trailer dealer in Western Canada, and represents several other prominent US and Canadian manufacturers.” n
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Bridgestone brings back Dayton tire line NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Bridgestone Commercial Solutions has announced it’s bringing back its lowcost Dayton line of medium truck tires. The line was discontinued in 2011. The tires are made in the US and offer small fleets and independent drivers with a lower cost option. “Increasing fleet and truck maintenance costs continue to force managers, small companies and independent drivers to search for highquality, dependable and proven solu-
tions at a lower cost,” said Bert Jones, manager, product marketing, TBR, retread and OTR, Bridgestone Commercial Solutions. “We are bringing back Dayton truck tires to provide a viable solution to the market – tires with proven technology that are immediately available to meet market demands.” Dayton tires are available for steer, drive and trailer positions. For more information, visit www.daytontrucktires.com. n
SelecTrucks expands warranty coverage FORT MILL, S.C. – SelecTrucks has announced enhancements to its 60-day warranty coverage on used Western Star and Freightliner trucks. New enhancements include: the addition of diesel particulate filters to the 60-Day Buyer’s Assurance plan; a new 18-month/150,000-mile Select Extra Limited Warranty, which covers a wide range of components including the turbo, fuel injector, EGR valves and cooler; a new 12-month/100,000-mile expanded mileage plan for trucks with mileage between 650,000 and 725,000 miles; and increased mileage limits to 450,000 on 36-month/300,000-mile Select Limited warranties, which include the engine, transmission and rear differential on any truck of a 2007 model year or newer. “SelecTrucks is not only committed to equipping our customers with the highest quality used trucks on the market, but also to providing them with the most comprehensive warranties available to meet their needs and budget,” said Rich Simons, president of Daimler Trucks Remarketing Corporation. “These new warranty enhancements continue to strengthen our commitment to customers and provide assurance that they are receiving exceptional value and superior protection from high cost vehicle repairs.” For more info, visit www.SelecTrucks.com/WarrantiesService. n
Kenworth offers rebates for ANCAI members MONTREAL, Que. – Quebec truckers looking to buy a new Kenworth vocational truck could save $1,000 on the purchase if they belong to the province’s L’Association Nationale des Camionneurs Artisans (ANCAI). The rebate applies to Kenworth trucks used for the transportation of gravel, asphalt, sand, rock and snow, with models including the T800 and W900. To qualify, buyers must show their ANCAI membership card to the Kenworth dealer at time of purchase in 2013. “We appreciate the loyalty of our
vocational customers in Quebec,” said Alan Fennimore, Kenworth vocational marketing manager. “We hope ANCAI members will take advantage of this special rebate program in 2013 by considering the T800 and W900 for their next truck purchase.” A single customer can take advantage of the offer on up to three qualifying trucks per year. The truck chassis must have a list price of at least $165,000 to qualify. ANCAI represents small trucking companies and independent truck drivers in Quebec and has more than 5,000 members. n
Goodyear retreads SmartWay-verified AKRON, Ohio – Three of Goodyear’s truck tire retreads have received SmartWay certification from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): the G316 AT Fuel Max, the G572 LHD Fuel Max and the G305 ATS Fuel Max. “Our retread products are designed and built to deliver great benefits,” said Brian Buckham, brand manager, linehaul and mixed service, Goodyear Commercial Tire Systems. “The G316 AT Fuel Max, the G572 LHD Fuel Max and G305 ATS Fuel Max are prime examples of this.” The EPA established low rolling resistance requirements for retreaded truck tires in 2012. Verified low rolling resistance retreaded tires must help reduce truck fuel consumption by at least 3%, according to the EPA. Currently, nine Goodyear brand new truck tires, as well as three Dunlop brand new truck tires, have received SmartWay verification. n
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February 2013
TRUCK NEWS Page 53
advertisers’ product/service index AIR CONDITIONING Manwin Enterprises.................. 18 Niagara Service & Supply........... 18 Wilson Instruments.. ................. 18
INSURANCE Burrowes Insurance Brokers....... 10 Innovative Insurance................. 24 NAL Insurance..........................8 National Truck League............... 54
TRAILER PARTS & SERVICE Action Trailer Sales.. ...................9 Benson Trailer Specialists.. ......... 25 Glasvan Great Dane................5,21 Kingpin Specialists................... 50
ANNOUNCEMENTS LOAD SECURITY Owner Operator of the Year........ 12 Ancra................................... 19 TRAILER SALES (NEW) Action Trailer Sales.. ...................9 Truck News Awards............ 27,61 Glasvan Great Dane................5,21 LIGHTING BUILDINGS Peterson Manufacturing...............7 Great Dane Trailers.. ................. 64 A-Z Technical Bldg. Systems....... 48 LUBRICANTS TRAILER SALES (USED) Chevron Global Lubricants............4 Action Trailer Sales.. ...................9 BUSINESS CONSULTANTS Flo Components...................... 26 Glasvan Great Dane................5,21 C.U.T.C. ................................ 53 Howes Lubricator Products......... 20 Stateside Transportation Shell Canada Products Ltd.......... 11 TRUCK LEASING Consultants.. ....................... 28 Sheehan’s Truck Centre............. 31 Transport Financial Services.. ...... 59 MEDICAL SERVICES Ontario Drivers Medical............. 15
TRUCK PARTS & ACCESSORIES Manwin Enterprises.................. 18 ONBOARD SCALES Smart Scale........................... 56 Morgan’s Diesel Truck Parts.. ...... 15 Niagara Service & Supply........... 18 PAINT & BODY Sheehan’s Truck Centre............. 31 Country Collision.. .................... 50 Wilson Instruments.. ................. 18 XL Radiators........................... 28 RADIATORS CHILD FIND/MISSING KIDS.. ...... 54 Atlantis Radiator Truck Auto Service.............................. 59 TRUCK SALES (NEW) Expressway Volvo Trucks........... 27 CLASSIFIED.. ......................... 48 Canadian Industrial & Truck Radiators.. ...................... 13,53 Mack Canada.. ........................ 17 King Radiator.......................... 56 Sheehan’s Truck Centre............. 31 CLIMATE CONTROL Manwin Enterprises.................. 18 XL Radiators........................... 28 TRUCK SALES (SHUNTS, YARD Niagara Service & Supply........... 18 SAFETY AND COMPLIANCE TRACTORS) Wilson Instruments.. ................. 18 Stateside Transportation Capacity of Ontario.. ................. 30 Consultants.. ....................... 28 Glasvan Great Dane................5,21 CROSSWORD Feb 13 Crossword Puzzle......... 13 SUBSCRIPTION TO TRUCK NEWS.. 49 West Van Inc... ........................ 55
CAREERS SelecTrucks of Toronto...................32 Truck News/Careers...... 32,33,34, ................. 35,36,37,38,39,40,41, ..................... 42,43,44,45,46,47 Truck News/Driver Link........... 58
Feb 13 Crossword Solution.. ..... 53
TANKER SALES (NEW & USED) Dependable Tank..................... 14 ENGINES Eastway Tank......................... 51 Caterpillar.............................. 63 Hutchinson Industries.. .............. 62 Tankmart International.. ............. 22 EXHAUST Texis Truck Exhaust.................. 52 TARP SYSTEMS The Truck Exhaust Place............ 16 Trison Tarps........................... 24 FINANCING Riviera Finance.. ...................... 54 HEATERS Espar.. .................................. 23 Manwin Enterprises.................. 18 Niagara Service & Supply........... 18 Wilson Instruments.. ................. 18
TRUCK SALES (USED) Arrow Truck Sales.................... 26 Expressway Volvo Trucks........... 27 Morgan’s Diesel Truck Parts.. ...... 15 Penske.. ................................ 22 Sheehan’s Truck Centre............. 31
TRUCK SERVICE & REPAIR TIRES & TIRE SERVICE Benson Truck Service.. .............. 25 Benson Tire.. .......................... 25 Country Collision.. .................... 50 Goodyear.. ............................. 29 Expressway Volvo Trucks........... 27 Michelin................................ 53 Sheehan’s Truck Centre............. 31 XL Radiators........................... 28 TRAILER LEASING & RENTAL Action Trailer Sales.. ...................9 Glasvan Great Dane................5,21 TRUCK SHOWS West Van Rental...................... 55 Expocam 2013........................ 48
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AlphaBETICAL LIST OF ADVERTISERS A-Z Technical........................ 48
Liquid Capital Midwest............ 48
Action Trailer Sales.................. 9
LMB Transport...................... 46
Anderson Haulage................. 33
Mack Canada.. ...................... 17
Ancra Canada....................... 19
Manwin Enterprises................ 18
Arnold Bros. Transport.. ........... 46
Morgan’s Diesel Truck Parts...... 15
Arrow Truck Sales.................. 26
Morrice Transportation............ 43
Atlantis Radiator Truck Auto
NAL Insurance....................... 8
Service............................ 59
National Truck League............. 54
Benson Truck & Trailer.. ........... 25
Niagara Service & Supply......... 18
Bison Transport..................... 33
Nine North Logistics.. .............. 36
Burrowes Insurance Brokers.. .... 10
Nolan Transport..................... 41
C.A.T.................................. 38
Ontario Drivers Medical.. .......... 15
Canadian Industrial & Truck
Penske.. .............................. 22
Radiators.. ........................ 13
Peterson Manufacturing........... 7
Capacity Of Ontario...................30
Riviera Finance.. .................... 54
Career Opportunities.. .. 32,33,34,
Ryder Logistics & Transportation... 41
................... 35,36,37,38,39,40,
Scotlynn Commodities............. 40
............... 41,42,43,44,45,46,47
Schneider National................. 44
Caterpillar............................ 63
SelectTrucks Of Toronto........... 32
Celadon Canada.................... 39
Sheehan’s Truck Centres.......... 31
Challenger Motor Freight.......... 35
Shell Canada........................ 11
Chevron Global Lubricants........ 4
Smart Scale Technologies.. ....... 56
Child Find-Missing Kids......... 54
State Farm Insurance.............. 56
Classified........................... 48
Stateside Transportation
Contract Express................... 45
Consultants.. ..................... 28
Country Collision.. .................. 13
T.E. Smith............................ 46
Crossword Puzzle & Solution..13,53
Tankmart International.. ........... 22
C.U.T.C................................ 53
Texis Truck Exhaust................ 52
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Espar Products...................... 23
Thunderstruck Trucking........... 46
Expocam 2013...................... 48
Total Logistics Trucking.. .......... 33
Expressway Trucks................. 27
Total Transportation................ 38
Flo Components.. ................... 26
Transport Financial Services.. .... 59
Freightliner.. ........................ 2,3
TransX Group Of Companies.. .. 32,47
FTI.. ................................... 45
Trison Tarps.. ........................ 24
Glasvan Great Dane............. 5,21
Truck News/Circulation......... 49
Goodyear Canada.. ................. 29
Truck News/DriverLink.......... 58
Great Dane Trailers................. 64
Truck News/Truck Ops.......... 61
Harmac............................... 37
Two Shoes Specialized.. ........... 36
Howes Lubricator .................. 20
Villeneuve Tank Lines.............. 36
Hutchinson Industries.............. 62
West Van Trailers................... 55
Innovative Insurance............... 24
Wilson Instruments................. 18
International Truckload Services.... 34
XL Radiators......................... 28
Kindersley Transport............... 45
Yanke Group Of Companies....... 36
King Radiator........................ 50
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Page 54 TRUCK NEWS
February 2013
oem/dealer News
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One-on-one with Volvo president Göran Nyberg New Volvo president looks to bolster dealer network, improve safety and grow market share in regional and vocational segments By James Menzies GREENSBORO, N.C. – When Göran Nyberg, the recently appointed president of sales and marketing with Volvo Trucks, moved into his corner office at Volvo’s Greensboro, N.C. headquarters in October, one of the first things he requested was a large map of the Volvo dealer network. That map is the most prominent fixture in his office today, a point of pride for Nyberg, but also a constant reminder of an area of the business in which continuous improvements are always attainable. Nyberg, who came to Volvo Trucks North America by way of the United Kingdom, says he has held virtually every position within a Volvo dealership throughout his career, so it’s an element of the
business that will receive plenty of attention as Nyberg settles into his new role. “If you look at that map and the number of dots we have compared to many of our competitors, we are fairly well represented,” Nyberg told Truck News during a recent sit-down interview. “Over the years, that has not always been the case for Volvo and of course, our competition has been using that against us. But today, we can be quite proud of our network.” Today, Volvo has 343 dealers in the US and Canada, and Nyberg said they continue to invest in their facilities and increase their capacity. “Over the past 24 months, we have increased our bay capacity within our dealer network by 20%, which is quite impressive,” Nyberg
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GREENSBORO, N.C. – Mack and Volvo’s full line-ups of model year 2014 trucks and tractors are now certified by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in accordance with 2014 fuel efficiency and greenhouse gas regulations. “Certification of Mack’s entire vehicle portfolio reflects our continued commitment to fuel efficiency, environmental stewardship, and the country’s long-term energy security,” said John Walsh, Mack vice-president of marketing. “Volvo is committed to leadership in fuel-efficiency, and to reducing the carbon footprint of our operations and products,” said Göran Nyberg, president of Volvo Trucks North American sales and marketing. “Environmental care is a longstanding Volvo core value, and we will continue to work with EPA and NHTSA to deliver on the important goals of these regulations.” n
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February 2013
said. “Having dealers investing in their businesses tells me two things: it tells me they believe in the industry and in the Volvo franchise, and it tells me they are willing to invest their money into their franchises. I feel quite good about the set-up we have. It can always get better but we’re already in a good place.” The personable Nyberg brings a varied background to the position, including a stint as a log truck driver near his hometown of Sundsvall in northern Sweden. He earned an engineering degree and then got back into the trucking business. He has served many roles with Volvo throughout the world, including in Malaysia and his latest stint in the United Kingdom. His first impressions of the North American market are positive, but he recognizes there are some unique challenges in this region. “I am impressed with the North American market both in terms of volumes and speed on the roads,” he said. “I think it’s a technologydriven market and of course, there are other prerequisites than in any other market in the world…After two months into the job, I can see the business is moving faster here, the decision-making is faster and the demand on short lead-times is higher, which needs to be managed and supported.” Nyberg spent most of his first few weeks on the job travelling the US – with a trip to Canada coming soon – to meet with dealers and customers and to learn as much as possible about the North American market. One of his priorities is to expand Volvo’s market share, and this means focusing on market segments where Volvo’s presence has been lacking. “I think Volvo has done a good job when it comes to growing and getting a firm position in the longhaul part of the business,” Nyberg said. “We will defend and continue to push in that area. There are other areas where we have more business to capture, where we have products that will bring value to our customers.” Day cabs, regional-haul, petrochemical, food and beverage and vocational markets are among those that Volvo will be targeting more aggressively. Nyberg said he’d like to see Volvo grow its Class 8 market share to 13% within the next few years, up from the 10.7% it owns today. Nyberg also vowed Volvo will be bringing forward technologies that will make its trucks even more appealing to customers, including enhancements to the company’s integrated powertrain, which could deliver further fuel economy improvements over the next few years. He is pleased with the I-Shift’s penetration into the North American market, and noted 80% of Volvo trucks now have Volvo power under the hood and of those, nearly 50% are being ordered with the I-Shift automated manual transmission. Nyberg believes the trend towards smaller-displacement engines will continue, and he sees potential for the D11 to gain a stronger foothold in the North American market. “If you look at Europe today, the Volvo D11 is making a lot of inroads into the business,” Nyberg said. “We
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TRUCK NEWS Page 55
have the D11 here in North America as well and we have seen good results, in regional haul, for example. I believe there is headroom for the 11-litre engine in the market and I think the big block era might be challenged by these new (smaller displacement) engines.” Volvo also will remain active in pursuing alternative fuels, whether it be the suddenly mainstream natural gas, or dimethylether (DME), a fuel Volvo has been bullish on for several years. “I think diesel will be the main source (of fuel) for the next several years, but I’m quite sure that alternative fuels will take a share of the business,” Nyberg said. “If you look at the full spectrum of alternative fuels available today, we believe DME is the most efficient both from a cost point of view, technology point of view and from an efficiency point of view.” Volvo is working on develop-
ing its own liquefied natural gas (LNG) engine, due out in 2014, which will utilize the company’s high-pressure direction injection engine technology. In addition to the dealer network and emerging engine and fuel technologies, Nyberg also is passionate about truck safety. He sees further opportunities for technology to improve the safety of a truck’s occupants, as well as other motorists. “Ten years ago, we were looking at reactive safety. If an accident comes, we need to have air bags, frontal protection and we tried to protect the driver and the people around the truck in a reactive way,” Nyberg said. “Now, we are investing in technology that proactively avoids an accident from happening.” He was speaking of technologies like enhanced cruise control, lane departure warning systems and blind spot detection systems. Nyberg expects more fleets to buy
into these systems as they come to understand the cost savings they provide. “On top of that is always a drive to do more with the driver,” Nyberg added. “We know driver behaviour is key to any KPIs that we measure. We support driver training and make sure drivers are on top of the technology we can offer. Where I come from in Europe, many transport companies have stopped incentivizing drivers on mpg; they incentivize them on behavioural parameters that deliver mpg and of course, also take down the total wear and tear on the truck.” Looking ahead to next year, Nyberg said demand for new trucks is expected to be “on par” or slightly better than today’s volumes. Look for video from our interview with Nyberg on our WebTV show Transportation Matters at Trucknews.com/videos. n
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Page 56 TRUCK NEWS
February 2013
oem/dealer News
Navistar’s transformation We take you inside Navistar’s SCR War Room and on the road in one of the very first ProStar+ tractors with ISX engines By James Menzies LISLE, Ill. – The International ProStar and Cummins ISX engine – at one time one of the best-selling truck and engine combinations in the North American Class 8 market – are officially back together. Navistar International reached an important milestone in mid-December, achieving an internal ‘Okto-ship’ status on the first 300 ProStar+ builds with ISX15 engines. The designation, reached five days ahead of schedule, means the ProStar+ with ISX15 has been sufficiently field-tested and is now ready for deployment into customer fleets. It’s a significant milestone for Navistar, considering the launch of the ProStar+ with ISX power was only announced in August, requiring an unprecedented four-month development program. I visited Navistar’s Lisle, Ill. headquarters on Dec. 17 and enjoyed a behind-the-scenes tour of Navistar’s ‘SCR War Room,’ as well as a spin in one of the very first International ProStar+ tractors with a Cummins ISX15 engine. The challenge Navistar’s long and winding journey to EPA10 compliance has been well documented. While all other North American truck and engine manufacturers chose selective catalytic reduction (SCR) exhaust aftertreatment to meet the EPA10 NOx standard, Navistar saw an opportunity to differentiate itself from its competitors and offer what it perceived to be a more customerfriendly solution. Navistar would opt to eliminate NOx emissions in-cylinder, through heightened levels of exhaust gas recirculation (EGR), a technology employed to some extent by all engine manufacturers. Detractors felt it wasn’t possible to achieve the mandated NOx reductions using EGR alone, at least not without significant compromises in engine performance and reliability. One of those engine manufacturers was Cummins, which
back together: A Cummins ISX engine installed in an International ProStar+ tractor. Will this combination reclaim its former glory?
initially declared it would meet the EPA10 standard without SCR, but backtracked soon after and announced it would join the rest of the pack, minus Navistar, in pursuing SCR. That left Navistar at a crossroads, as the lone manufacturer to shun SCR. Would the company join Cummins in changing course and employing SCR, or continue to pursue the EPA10 standard without exhaust aftertreatment? Navistar opted to proceed with its incylinder solution, effectively ending its longtime relationship with Cummins, at least in the North American market. (Navistar continued to offer Cummins engines in certain export markets with less stringent emissions requirements). Here in North America, Navistar’s International trucks would not be reconfigured to accommodate the bulky SCR hardware and its related plumbing. Instead, the company would forge ahead with what it dubbed Advanced-EGR and would cease offering Cummins engines. Navistar, having banked a sizeable stockpile of EPA emissions credits for having been cleaner than required in previous emis-
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sions go-rounds, was able to work on its in-cylinder solution well after the Jan. 1, 2010 implementation date for EPA10. While the industry came to accept, even embrace SCR, Navistar steadfastly defended its position to eliminate emissions in-cylinder. That all changed this past July, when Navistar acknowledged it would be unable to meet the EPA10 standard before its steadily dwindling bank of emissions credits would be exhausted. “That’s really where the wheels came off the cart,” Jack Allen, Navistar’s North America truck and parts president, told a small group of trucking industry journalists in August. “It’s not in the technology; it’s really in the timing of that technology being ready versus when the credits were going to run out. We got to the point in the intersection where those two factors were coming together like a freight train.” Allen’s comments followed a July 6 conference call, in which Navistar declared it would change directions and adopt SCR. On Aug. 2, it announced it would bring Cummins back into the fold and offer its ISX15 in several of its trucks. That
same day, Navistar announced it would begin by offering the ISX15 in the ProStar+ in January 2013. It was an ambitious target, and meeting it would require a Herculean effort from the engineering departments of both Navistar and Cummins. The execution When I arrived in Navistar’s Lisle, Ill. headquarters in December, much had changed since the last time I visited in August. Former CEO Dan Ustian had been replaced with Lewis Campbell, who was charged with making the difficult decisions required to get Navistar’s financial house in order. Troy Clarke, the recently named president and chief operating officer of Navistar, was taking on a more visible role in the company’s restructuring. A very public battle for seats around the boardroom table had been resolved, with Navistar finally relenting to activist investors Carl Icahn and Mark Rachesky and granting them or their representatives, positions as directors. Very quickly, the new leadership has instilled a culture of transparency. For example, staff now receive daily updates on how the company is performing in relation to key performance indicators. This transparency was on full display during my visit, when I was invited into what Navistar has dubbed its ‘SCR War Room.’ This is the command centre from which the transition from Advanced-EGR to SCR has been orchestrated. Here, Thomas Smith, director of integrated ISX and SCR programs, serves as General. “A well-planned effort is really what leads to a well-executed effort,” he told me while explaining the meaning behind dozens of wall-mounted charts, timelines and diagrams. The largest of these charts is dubbed the “Integrated Master Schedule” in which every task is assigned and then updated by the team that’s working on the project. “The champions of those tasks update it so that as leaders, we can come in and quickly visualize if we are falling behind on something (marked in red) or are on track and completed (marked green),” Smith told me. “All this is done so we can get fixated down to the detail level of what people need to do to meet
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13-01-11 9:42 AM
February 2013
TRUCK NEWS Page 57
on the road: This was one of the first ProStar tractors with Cummins ISX engines and selective catalytic reduction to roll off the assembly line. On the road, the pairing worked together flawlessly. Photo by James Menzies
our deadlines with quality and really make a flawless launch. It’s a visual representation of what’s in front of us.” Another chart serves as a “Risk Matrix,” highlighting potential pitfalls and action plans to ensure they don’t come to bear. One example identified on the chart was a potential shortage of electrical harnesses. “We wanted to monitor that very closely,” Smith explained. “There was a lot of risk of not being able to have the physical parts we needed when we built the trucks. I’m happy to report we didn’t have any significant harness issues with our builds. No risks have manifested themselves into issues.” With its transition to SCR, Navistar is fast-tracking a launch process that would ordinarily take years. That, said Smith, has been the greatest challenge. “The time scale we’ve had has made us become more rigorous because we don’t have time to make a mistake and then recover from a mistake,” he explained. “This team didn’t have the chance to not hit it the first time, so we added some sub-elements to ensure we did hit it the first time. Typically, a 36-month to a four-year program builds in some ‘what-if?’ scenarios. We had to streamline that. We didn’t have the luxury to do a lot of development. We successfully squeezed this program down because we didn’t have a lot of development to do. We have a proven product in the ISX, we had an aftertreatment system that has been in production for four years and a truck that’s been in production since 2007 and that had this engine in it at one time. We just had to marry those back together again. We’re not developing any new technology and that was the real key.” The obvious risk in accelerating such an important project would be that of taking shortcuts, resulting in mistakes that would manifest themselves somewhere down the line. Smith insisted that hasn’t been the case. “The common misconception people have about engineering is,
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they think to go fast you have to cut corners, but in fact it’s the exact opposite,” Smith told me. “To go fast, you have to overlay more tests and more analysis, because you can’t afford to have a failure and back yourself up again – it’ll set you too far back.” While most of the initial focus within the SCR War Room has been on integrating the ISX15 and Cummins’ SCR aftertreatment system within the International Pro-
back in August that we haven’t met,” Smith said. “Delivery is key to this program and we have to hit our mark.” The results Shane Spencer is director of integrated reliability and quality with Navistar. It was his job to oversee field-testing of the initial International ProStar+ tractors with ISX engines. In addition to the 300 ProStar+ tractors slated to be de-
‘From the ISX program, there isn’t a milestone we established back in August that we haven’t met,’ Thomas Smith, Navistar Star+, at the same time, engineers are adapting Navistar’s own International MaxxForce 13 engine to accommodate SCR. The ISX project, however, has thus far presented the greatest challenge. “The ISX was the most challenging (project) because of the time scale,” Smith said. “We have a little bit more time with the other launches. Relative to when we made the decision to put the ISX in our trucks to when we had to produce the trucks that are going to customers at a great quality level, that was the most challenging aspect.” Navistar officials, including Smith, are quick to credit Cummins and its team of engineers with contributing to the success of the program. The two companies have fully-integrated engineering departments working together on the project and those not working under the same roof have twicedaily conference calls to discuss progress and to resolve any issues that have surfaced. Another wall chart within the War Room details Navistar’s timeline for its transition to SCR. So far, all the deadlines have been met, however unrealistic they may have seemed at the outset. “From the ISX program, there isn’t a milestone we established
livered to customers in December, Navistar’s Escobedo, Mexico plant has also churned out 15 more that were placed into the “Q-build” (Q for quality) fleet that Spencer oversees. He has these trucks scattered between test sites in Dallas, Texas; Denver, Col.; Boston, Mass.; Las Vegas, Nev.; and Fairbanks, Alaska. Then there was the truck parked in the Navistar parking lot on the day I visited. It was a ProStar+ 122 day cab with 450-hp ISX15 engine. The SCR system was tidily packaged in what Navistar calls a ‘switchback’ configuration. This common installation will be suitable for over 90% of Class 8 tractors operating in linehaul applications. The SCR packaging is similar, if not identical, to what you’ll find on any other truck make. Of the 15 Q-build tractors Navistar has produced, most have now reached about 230,000 miles in real-world testing. They’re run 22 hours a day, leaving two hours between driving shifts for engineers to conduct inspections, make necessary repairs, download trip reports, etc. During a two-hour drive over a combination of interstates and city streets, Spencer explained that testing has revealed no significant failures.
“It has all been minor,” Spencer said of any problems that have arisen in testing. “Nothing has fallen off the truck. There have been no mechanical failures throughout the program. The only things we’ve had have been some on-board diagnostics monitoring tuning that we’re working on with Cummins.” One advantage Navistar enjoys by being the last to employ SCR, is that most of the initial hiccups with the technology have already been worked through. The Cummins engine and aftertreatment system are well proven, leaving Navistar to spend more time focusing on the smaller details, such as how the hardware is packaged and mounted to the vehicle. “We relied really heavily on the Cummins experience on the engine side of it,” Spencer explained. “We assumed they did their job right and it looks like they have, and we have focused more on the structural components; the new electrical system and plumbing that our trucks never had a need for and all that extra stuff, like the routing and clipping of harnesses. We’ve added extra clips even if we didn’t think we needed them to make sure the harnesses are staying put and staying dry.” The performance of the Cummins engine on the highway presented no surprises. It’s the same Cummins ISX15 you already know. On our drive, it was as smooth as ever, pulled our 77,000-lb load effortlessly and lived up to its reputation as the benchmark to which other 15-litre engines are compared. As for the ProStar+, it’s a well-designed, fuel-efficient tractor. Navistar has taken its share of criticism over the course of the past two years, but few, if any, shots were directed at its flagship tractor. The truck we were in was a fairly basic spec’, but forward visibility was excellent and the cab was comfortable and ergonomic. The ProStar/ISX combination was a winner before, and there’s little reason to believe it won’t once again return to its former glory. Still, Navistar isn’t looking to bring more Cummins engines into the fold, at least not as of yet. Spokesman Steve Schrier told me the company currently doesn’t have any plans to introduce smaller displacement Cummins engines. There’s no surprise there. Navistar has too much invested in its MaxxForce engine line to be introducing an alternative. And the company is very pleased with its own engine, especially when SCR is added and it can be tuned for optimum performance. The 15-litre was a different story altogether, since the MaxxForce 15 was not yet fully developed when Navistar chose to adopt SCR. As for the MaxxForce 13, Spencer told me it is “really liking the SCR” and that initial tests are encouraging. “You do things the engine likes when you have SCR, like more (focus on) timing and less EGR, so the engine really runs great,” he said. He noted the engine is currently within the EPA10 emissions limits, but has yet to be certified by EPA. “We start our field testing here in a couple weeks,” he said. n
13-01-11 9:43 AM
Page 58 TRUCK NEWS
February 2013
The MTO taketh away – but is very slow to giveth back – A/Z licence Dear Editor:
state my licence. This seems a terribly long time to have to wait on them to review and reinstate my licence. I guess my question is simply, is there nothing we can do about this length of time they take
stick it out and I would eventually get used to it. I went in for a second sleep study, this time with a CPAP machine. Without even a consultation, I soon got a call from the supplier who said they had a CPAP machine prescription for me. That second sleep study I only managed four hours with it and my lungs hurt so bad. The technician told me that this was obviously not working for me and I should ask about a dental device or surgical options. I picked up the CPAP machine and started with it, but I couldn’t handle more than a few hours. I was still trying to work but all day my chest hurt so much. I’d been telling them how it was going, and when I told them I couldn’t use it more than four hours at a time, I got a letter telling me that the doctor had written to the ministry to tell them of his concerns about my driving ability. Dec. 20, I got a letter from the ministry telling me my licence had been suspended. This is devastating as I’m the only income earner in the household. This two to three months of being unable to work is devastating financially. I am required to show 30 days use, every night, with this machine. Then I am required to do a daytime test to prove I don’t get sleepy. And then the ministry has 30 days in which to rein-
I’m a Canadian driver that crosses into the US regularly. Back in June I went to a doctor because I was feeling more tired. The doctor, upon hearing that I was tired and a commercial driver, set me up for a sleep study. That happened in June. In July I had the first sleep study. I did not get in for the follow-up visit until November. At that time, they told me I had mild sleep apnea and would require a CPAP machine. He told me it was urgent I get that machine and that I was a serious danger. But the doctor had no reply when I asked him if I was such a danger, why didn’t they call me back in to see them a whole lot sooner than four months? I was not very happy to hear that I’d need a machine but the doctor told me I would comply or he would have my licence suspended. The appointment didn’t go well, as you can see. I went to a supplier two days later to pick up a CPAP machine. This machine has variable pressure, which ranged from five to 15 psi. I have asthma, and these pressures were intolerable to me. I tried it for five days before calling back to the clinic and asking them what else we could do? They told me I would just have to
to reinstate a licence? It seems exceedingly unfair to prolong this, as it is devastating financially. n Sheryl Verhoeven Ariss, Ont.
Actually, it is about the money Dear Editor: I have been an avid reader of Truck News for many years and thoroughly enjoy your publication. The last year or so I have been paying particular attention to articles about the driver shortage. In particular, all the carriers stating that money is not the issue. To this I say, bull. There are many carriers out there that advertise great or above average pay, but when you look at the rates and the time spent away from home, it still comes up very short and not a lot higher than a minimum wage job. They think $60,000 a year is great for spending a week away from home, working 70 hours per week and spending $50-$60 a day on meals and other expenses required on the road. We are told that we are professionals, yet we are not compensated like a true professional. Name another job where during the course of the workday, you can be fined and shut down only to spend more time away from home, not to mention losing your ability to earn a living. Also, name another profession where you have to put in 60 hours to get overtime. Name another job that you have to give the first hour or more of your time before you are paid. I know freight is tight and bottom lines are tight for the industry, but am not buying that driver retention isn’t linked to pay. The executives who say this are blowing smoke as they are protecting the bottom lines the easiest way they can. I am lucky that I am compensated well with my company and enjoy the work I do. If the industry is concerned with retention and attracting new talent, pay rates are the first area they should be looking. To say differently insults professional drivers. n Kevin Wittet Tillsonburg, Ont.
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13-01-15 4:05 PM
February 2013
TRUCK NEWS Page 59
profitability dashboard
Trucking conditions soar in November
TransCore Canadian Spot Market Freight Index 2007-2012
2007
2008 2009 2010 2011
2012
% % Change Change Y-O-Y m-o-m
Jan
173
214
140
171
222
220
-1%
1%
Feb
174
217
117
182
248
222
-10%
1%
Mar
228
264
131
249
337
276
-18%
24%
Apr
212
296
142
261
300
266
-11%
-3%
May
280
316
164
283
307
301
-2%
13%
Jun
288
307
185
294
315
295
-6%
-2%
Jul
219
264
156
238
245
233
-5%
-21%
Aug
235
219
160
240
270
235
-13%
1%
Sep
206
203
180
234
263
200
-24%
-15%
Oct
238
186
168
211
251
215
-14%
8%
Nov
227
143
157
215
252
215
-15%
0%
Dec
214
139
168
225
217
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Trucking conditions improved in November, rising nearly two full points to a reading of 9.7 on FTR’s Trucking Conditions Index. Any reading above zero indicates a positive environment for truckers. Readings above 10 signal that volumes, prices, and margins are likely to be in a solidly favourable range for trucking companies. FTR officials said they expected the gain, noting that conditions impacting trucking will continue to improve in anticipation of a tightened market in 2013. Officials said the primary driver will be increased utilization, with an additional one-time hit from Sandy rebuilding efforts. “We were forecasting an improved environment for trucking even before the agreement just reached to avoid the ‘fiscal cliff.’ There are still political hurdles to navigate in early 2013, but the agreement takes some of the uncertainty out of business plans,” said Jonathan Starks, director of transportation analysis for FTR. “We’ll keep monitoring the economy closely to look for any renewed softness in demand, but for now we believe capacity will tighten during 2013.” n
New trailer orders slide in November
TransCore Canadian Spot Market Freight Index 2007-2012
TransCore’s Canadian Freight Index remains steady in November TORONTO, Ont. – TransCore’s Link Logistics Canadian Freight Index saw no change in month-overmonth volumes for November. Yearover-year load volumes were down 15% from November 2011. In spite of the decrease, load volumes are still well above the November 2008 recessionary levels by 51%. Cross-border postings were very similar to October’s, which accounted for 69% of overall load volumes. Intra-Canada postings contributed 26% of the total load volumes, a decrease
of 1% from the previous month. Equipment postings dipped slightly at five percent month-overmonth however experienced a yearover-year increase of 17%. Available capacity corresponds with numbers shown in November 2007. The top states of origin for loads destined to Canada were Ohio, California, Pennsylvania, Illinois, and Texas. Texas moved from last month’s eighth spot to replace Michigan in the number five spot for November. n
US truck tonnage rebounds in November ARLINGTON, Va. – US for-hire truck tonnage rebounded in November, with a 3.7% gain that erased a loss of the same amount in October. November’s gain was the first since July of this year, according to the American Trucking Associations. The ATA’s for-hire truck tonnage index was up 1% compared to November 2011. Year-to-date, tonnage is up 2.8% over the same period last year. “Sandy impacted both October’s and November’s tonnage readings,” ATA chief economist Bob Costello said. “But it was still good to see tonnage snap back in November.” Costello said he expects a boost to flatbed tonnage from the rebuilding in the areas impacted by Sandy, but most of that won’t happen until the spring when the money starts flowing and the weather is conducive to building. “Outside of Sandy, if the fiscal cliff isn’t fixed in time, expect a slowdown in tonnage early next year as paycheques shrink for all households,” Costello said. “Since trucks account for the vast majority of deliveries in the retail supply, any reduction in consumer spending will hurt.” Costello added that even if the effects of the fiscal cliff are mitigated, he expects slower tonnage growth in 2013 than 2012 as better housing starts and auto sales will be offset by slower factory output and consumer spending. n
COLUMBUS, Ind. – New trailer orders slid back slightly month-overmonth in November with 22,306 net orders on the books, according to a report from ACT Research. The comparison was against a very strong October, ACT officials noted. “November also saw a 15% decline month-over-month in production,” said Frank Maly,
director of commercial vehicle transportation with ACT Research. “We believe November’s build rate is understated because more holiday days were taken than we projected. However, quotation interest remains solid. Fleets appear to be positioning themselves to move when the time is right.” n
New truck orders close out 2012 on positive note, but lacked year-end boom COLUMBUS, Ind. – North American orders for Classes 5-8 commercial vehicles were stronger in December than through most of 2012, but lacked the strength that’s normally characteristic of the final month of the year. That according to preliminary data from ACT Research. The final numbers are expected to come in at about 14,200 Classes 5-7 units and 21,300 Class 8 trucks. Kenny Vieth, president and senior analyst with ACT Research, said concerns about the US fiscal cliff were likely to blame for the absence of a year-end spike in orders. “We suspect the looming fiscal
cliff was a limiting factor in what is typically a strong order month for Class 8,” he said. “With the biggest piece of fiscal uncertainty now in the rearview mirror, improved forward visibility should allow for better orders in coming months.” “The 21,300 Class 8 orders booked in the month were modestly ahead of November’s order total,” Vieth added. “Like Class 8, medium-duty vehicle orders were in line with November volumes, with 14,200 net orders booked. December represented the sixth consecutive month of year-over-year order improvement.” n
US truckload driver turnover stays above 100% ARLINGTON, Va. – The annualized linehaul driver turnover rate at large US truckload fleets remained over 100% for the second straight month, and the churn at smaller truckload carriers rose to a five-year high, according to American Trucking Associations’ Trucking Activity Report. “Increasing competition for quality drivers, coupled with gradual, albeit choppy, growth in demand for trucking services, continues to put pressure on the driver market,” said ATA chief economist Bob Costello. n
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13-01-14 3:36 PM
FICTION
Part 4
Mark Dalton: Owner/Operator
Illustration by Glenn McEvoy
Collision Course By Edo van Belkom
THE STORY SO FAR... Mark is driving along Steeles Avenue in Brampton with a clear road ahead of him. Suddenly a car pulls in front of him and slams on the brakes. Mark rearends the car and five people get out, all injured. Mark calls Bud for some advice about what to do. Mark video records the damage to both vehicles and the injuries to the people involved. A bystander suggests a mechanic to Mark, but Mark has his own, thanks. The police and ambulance arrive, taking two passengers to hospital and issuing Mark a ticket. Mark gets a call from an insurance adjuster asking for help in dealing with the claim from his accident. Mark tells the man he’s got video and the adjuster is thrilled. It’ll go a long way in helping them deny many of the outrageous claims being made… • Months passed and Mark had been across the country dozens of times. He’d been to Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver, Montreal, Halifax and every other city of any size in the country and not once had he hit another car. Not only that, he hadn’t hit anything since his collision in Brampton – not a parked car, not a fencepost, not another trailer. In fact, he’d been driving so well, he’d all but forgotten his rear-ender until he got a call from the police. “Hello, Mr. Dalton?” the voice on the phone said. “Do I owe you money?” “No, sir.” “Then, yeah, I’m Mark Dalton.” “This is Constable Sutari of the Peel Regional Police Frauds Bureau. I was informed by officers in our Traffic Bureau that you were involved in a staged auto accident several months ago.” “That’s right.” “We’re in the process of a large special project whose aim is to cut down on the number of fake accidents and insurance frauds going on in our region.” “Anything I can do to help,” Mark offered. “I understand that you took some video after your accident. We’d like to have a copy of that if we could.” “No problem.” “We’d also like you to come in and give a statement regarding what was said to you just after the accident occurred regarding police involvement at the scene.” “They didn’t want any police
involved.” “That’s what we need to have documented.” “Do you think you can stop this sort of thing?” Mark asked. “Probably not completely, but right now we’re not just going after the people who stage the accidents, but everyone who profits from them, like physiotherapy clinics, massage therapists, medical clinics, even people who sell orthotics.” “Orthotics? Aren’t those special kinds of shoes?” “Yeah, we had an accident a while back where orthotics were prescribed for an eight-month-old baby.” “What does a baby need orthotics for?” “Exactly.” “I had no idea it was so widespread.” “That’s why were working so hard to shut it all down.” “I’ll do what I can to help.” “Appreciate it.” • In the mail one day, Mark found a bill for the repairs to Mother Load. Although the damage to his front bumper was minor and required minimal repairs – some straightening, a bit of body work and rechroming – the bill still came to over $2,000. He wasn’t happy about having to pay it since the accident hadn’t been his fault and that was $2,000 he could have spent on something else – but he was glad it wasn’t more. Judging by the claims made against the insurance company, and how pervasive this kind of insurance fraud was, Mark could have easily been on the hook for more. • The day of Mark’s court date came in June. It was actually the second time he’d been to the courthouse, having already taken a half-day off work to attend in person and arrange a trial date. If it had simply been a matter of a fine, Mark might have considered paying it. But a charge of “following too closely” carried with it demerit points and those were to be avoided at all costs. At the moment, Mark’s driving record was clean, and while points were eventually taken off your record after several years of safe driving, you could never be sure when something bad might happen. No matter how carefully you drove, accidents happened and Mark could find himself in another one. His insurance rates could rise, his licence could be suspended, or he could lose his licence altogether. Obviously that was unacceptable for
a professional full-time driver like Mark. And so, here he was, taking more time off work to make sure he wouldn’t get dinged for something that wasn’t his fault. After finding the courtroom where his matter would be spoken to, Mark took a seat in the lobby and took a look around. In the months since the accident Mark had forgotten what the officer looked like. There were plenty of police milling about and they all wore the same uniform making it impossible to tell them apart. So when his matter was called before the Justice of the Peace, Mark stood before the court, stated his name, and waited anxiously for a police officer to step up from the body of the court. But no one came forward. “Your Worship,” said the prosecutor. “The officer doesn’t seem to be in attendance and as a result we have no reasonable prospect of conviction. We ask that the charge be withdrawn.” Mark breathed a sigh of relief and exited the courtroom. But while Mark was relieved to know that his driving record was intact, he slowly grew angry over the mere fact that he had to go through all this trouble because of someone else’s actions. “I hope they nail those bastards to the wall,” he said under his breath as he left the courthouse. • Several more months down the road, Mark picked up his mail and noticed an envelope from his insurance company in among the letters. Mark wondered if it was a personal letter to him thanking him for all his help, or a renewal notice outlining his insurance costs for the next year. He opened it up, unfolded the letter and
discovered it was a little bit of both. Dear Mr. Dalton, First of all, allow me to thank you for the help you provided in regards to your recent accident. Most of the claims were denied and criminal charges were advanced against those who tried to make false claims against our company. Because of your assistance, we have decided not to raise your insurance premiums as a result of the accident. If more of our clients were as diligent as yourself, fraudulent accident claims might not be so pervasive in our industry. However, despite your efforts and ours, the problem still exists, and for that reason we have no other choice but to raise insurance premiums by 3% across the board for customers with mailing addresses where the frauds are most prevalent. Mark folded the letter and placed it back in the envelope. ‘Insurance fraud,’ Mark thought. ‘No one gets hurt.’ Except…he had to take a day-and-a-half off work for court appearances, spend $2,000 for a repair he shouldn’t have had to make, not to mention all the stress and aggravation of being in a collision. And despite all that, his and everyone else’s insurance costs still go up to cover the cost of the frauds. ‘Maybe,’ he thought, ‘I should be renting a PO Box in Saskatchewan instead.’ n Did you know that there are two full-length novels featuring Mark Dalton?: Mark Dalton “SmartDriver” and Mark Dalton “Troubleload.” For your free copy register with ecoENERGY for Fleets (Fleet Smart) at fleetsmart.gc.ca.
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13-01-14 4:37 PM
February 2013
TRUCK NEWS Page 61
opinion
Survival tips for road-weary professional drivers I can’t stand a cup of coffee when I’m using it to stay alert and will usually opt for a cup of tea to keep my stomach stable on my daily long drive. After 30 years, I position myself on a regimented routine to start my daily run. It became a routine in the late ’80s and early ’90s when I was running weekly to places like Florida and Louisiana. Preparation is still a habit today, as it should be. Although some of it involves planning the trip and analyzing the duties to be carried out, the biggest focus is in the mental and physical preparation to avoid fatigue and recognizing the factors that contribute or detract from over-theroad fatigue. Certain irritants that contribute to fatigue are part of the lifestyle facing truckers and are imprinted on the culture as norms. Due to the bravado of the culture, where bigger is better – from the pulled pork buffet with corn bread to the straight pipes – we allow for wants instead of needs to get us down the road. We would find it totally ridiculous to polish off a full-course turkey dinner then start our trip from Toronto to Thunder Bay while listening to hard-driving loud music, but for some, it’s routine. Like going to sleep after a large meal. Good sleep is not possible if the body expends all its energy digesting the meal rather than recuperating. Fatigue is inevitable in some incarnations of trucking life. The culture also includes cigarettes, power drinks, poor sleeping habits, and poor diet. These habits are open to your own interpretation and can be justified as quick fixes or even stimulus that help get you further down the road. A clarification is needed here as those quick fixes may provide short-term gains with longterm and long-lasting side effects. On the other side of the coin are the drivers who go down the road avoiding fast food while snacking lightly on healthy foods to keep the stomach light but satisfied on long journeys. Oatmeal packs can fix stomach upset better than antacid tablets. Some drivers listen to talk radio to keep the mind engaged when they pick up those late night AM radio skips. Some people enjoy the CBC, which can be had almost anywhere in Canada, provided that they are not interviewing a scientist who is discussing whether citrus fruits can communicate with each other. Thanks to modern communication, we can also employ a ‘buddy system’ where unlimited calling allows two friends to talk endlessly into the strained hours of the morning. The comfort of the equipment has an important role to play as a physical and mental irritant. Items like the seat – or in some cases what’s left of it. Such as, if the seat pad has collapsed, the shock absorber has too much bounce, or the backrest has lost its support. Is the truck annoyingly loud or is it a bear to keep between the white lines? Issues like alignment, uneven tire wear or worn shocks can get
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Guest Column angelo diplacido
passed over during inspections but make no mistake, a truck that wanders, pulls to one direction, or leaps out of lane position when crossing dips and bumps is unsafe and tiresome. No one knows this better than the person who endures it for 13 hours a day. Eyestrain on the evening shift is something new we can add to the list. New headlight technology is great, but for some reason, some believe that four to six forward beams are always required. Not so bad on the big rigs that employ air leveling suspensions that keep the
beams level, but horrible on passenger vehicles, SUVs, and pick-ups that have been loaded down to the point where all headlight beams become high beams. The ones that stay in your mirror or beside the rig extensively without passing have no idea of the size of a trucker’s mirror, nor that it is positioned to his or her eyes. I guess it’s not taught in driving schools. I’ve taken the defensive approach of wearing a very light yellow prescription tint at night, similar to the kind you may find on a shooting range. They diffuse the glare considerably and offer superior visibility and contrast during the dreary winter months. Many optometrists have varied opinions about these yellow tints but I don’t believe anyone has conducted studies on them yet. Other
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– Angelo Diplacido has been trucking for 30 years, both as an owner/ operator and company driver.
Getting a new job is life-affirming!
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versions are available and have been called ‘blue blockers.’ They’re too dark for me. The type I use do not obscure details at night. Keeping the necessary antidotes on hand in your travel bag to combat the afflictions of road life is a proactive approach to avoiding delays due to stomach upset, headaches, colds, fever, and ultimately, fatigue. Lastly, it’s a good idea to keep a bottle of aspirin on hand. There are times that you may have to sleep in an isolated area and waking up with chest pains and away from public help is not an option. I’ve lost too many good friends this way. An aspirin a day is a good plan. n
M A G A Z I N E
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Best Profile of a ComPany author: James menzies exeCutive editor truCk news/truCk west
Outstanding! 13-01-15 3:57 PM
Page 62 TRUCK NEWS
February 2013
TSQ MISSISSAUGA, Ont. – Well, it looks like photo radar is back on the…radar, again. On Jan. 8, Toronto Police Chief Bill Blair suggested during a media scrum that bringing back photo radar – an unmanned technology designed to catch speeders – might be a way to trim enforcement costs for police. The unpopular technology came and went in Ontario in the span of about a year in the mid-90s, ultimately getting the boot after Premier Mike Harris took office in 1995. And as PMTC head Bruce Richards mentioned in his most recent column (January Truck News), Quebec has joined a handful of other Canadian jurisdictions giving photo radar another chance. Law 57, passed in June in la belle province, allows photo radar to be set up in targeted locations such as those with a high volume of accidents, school zones and roadwork areas. But what do truckers think of this would-be return of photo radar? Is it just another government cash-grab
?
Truck Stop Question
•
How would you feel if photo radar was brought back?
adam ledlow
or a necessary evil to catch speeders? Truck News went to the Husky Truck Stop in Mississauga, Ont. to find out. •
Vernon Mclaughlin
Vernon Mclaughlin, a driver with
Interstate of Tacoma, Wash., has driven in several states and provinces (ie., British Columbia) that have used or currently use photo radar, but says he doesn’t like the lack of “grace” with the technology. “If you’re doing one kilometre over, they’re going to peg you,” he said. “To me it’s just revenue, it’s not safety. And if you do come to recognize (a photo radar camera), you’re going to be slamming on the brakes, things like that. “I’ve seen places in a school district where I know one driver’s doing 23 kilometres instead of 20 and it nailed him. Normally, a human being doing (enforcement) will probably say, ‘Okay, they’re within tolerance’.”
Ryan Simonds
Ryan Simonds, a driver for D. Forsyth Limited out of Centreville, N.B., says that when it comes to photo radar, “they’ve got to catch people one way or another,” but worries about the technology’s history of inaccuracy. “It might get you when it might not be you (speeding). It could be someone ahead of you but you’re going to get the ticket regardless,” he says. “I don’t know if (using photo radar) would be safer; (drivers) are still going to do what they’re going to do.” •
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Trent Pickett, a driver for ABI Trucking out of Thunder Bay, Ont., says he thinks photo radar is less necessary these days because he doesn’t see people speeding the same way that he used to. “It used to be crazy,” said the 20year trucking veteran. “Now, I don’t find people are driving way too fast, because there’s already lots of cops out there.” And as for how it might affect truckers, Pickett noted: “We’re governed at 105 anyways. They don’t usually bother us trucks unless you’re speeding through a small town, and you don’t want to be doing that anyways because there’s kids and traffic. I see incidents all the time as a truck driver, but I don’t see speeding being a factor in those, more stupidity.” • Shaun Markumea, a driver for Kaim Carriers out of Mississauga, Ont., says if photo radar is brought back, the focus should at least be on four-wheelers – not trucks. “Our trucks are locked at 105. What they need to do is catch these car drivers because they’re the ones that are causing problems. They’re the ones who drive reckless. All of a sudden they’ll cut us off, they’ll come in front of us and hard brake and we’re unable to press the brakes and that’s what causes the accidents.” n To watch our video versions of past Truck Stop Questions, visit trucknews. com/videos and search for the “Truck Stop Question” and “LCVs: Good or Bad?” videos.
13-01-14 4:36 PM
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