Over the Road August 2020

FOR

TRUCKERS

FR

JOBS

EE

August 2020

Stay healthy, stay safe!

Moving Your Business

Keep this magazine in your truck...you never know when you’ll need it! /OverTheRoadMagazine

/OverTheRoadMag

www.overtheroad.ca

H E R E

F O R

T H E

L O N G

H A U L

Together we'll make it through Transam Carriers team has been hard at work during COVID-19 pandemic.

While we have been providing essential services for the country, we have done all the necessary things to maintain a satisfied driver community.

Now, when the economy is gradually reopening for businesses, we look forward to offering even more opportunities to drivers.

If you are interested to work in our company as a COMPANY DRIVER A-Z or OWNER OPERATOR A-Z, D-Z, please, contact us today.

ALL JOB OPPORTUNITIES ARE

ON OUR WEBSITE transamcarriers.com/

careers

James Taylor: 416-907-8101 x5 Toll-Free: 877-907-8101 Address: 205 Doney Crescent, Concord, ON L4K 1P6 Email: hr@transamcarriers.com 2 www.transamcarriers.com • OVER THE ROAD

@TransamCarriers

@Transam_Carriers

August 2020

FLATBED DRIVERS WANTED FLATBED COMPANY DRIVERS US LONG HAUL

30+ Years Specialized Flatbed & Stepdeck Services Jan Bicz P 519-752-4999 E jan@bezco.ca

NOW HIRING AZ DRIVERS & OWNER OPERATORS 1-800-265-8789

$1000

SIGN ON BONUS

· 55 cents + per mile · Dedicated Trucks / Lease to Own · Weekly Direct Deposit · No Holdback · Benefits Day 1 · PAID Layovers / Tarping / Rack kit build up or tear down / Extra drops and picks / Vacations / Statutory Holidays

bezco.ca

www.travelers.ca

Great work/home life balance Small family environment Pet/Passenger Program Health Dental Benefits Day 1 EZ Pass/Bridge cards/ Scanners in Truck

Over 7 Locations: Brampton* Midland* Wallaceburg* Prescott* Fergus* Hamilton* Carignan PQ A CANADIAN CARRIER SINCE 1985 August 2020

JOBS FOR TRUCKERS • 3

18 Parkglen Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K2G 3G9 1.800.416.8712 • 613.224.9947 Fax: 613.224.8825 Email: otr@otrgroup.ca 1189694 Ontario Ltd. C.O.B. as Over The Road

www.overtheroad.ca Publisher Peter Charboneau

Account Executive Earle Madden

General Manager Ed Novoa ed@otrgroup.ca

Graphic Design & Advertising LKDesign

Director of Operations & Editor-in-Chief Cathryn Charboneau

Controller Estela Navarrete

peter@otrgroup.ca

cathryn@otrgroup.ca

Account Executive Luke Zentil luke@otrgroup.ca

4 • OVER THE ROAD

earle@otrgroup.ca

lennykuiper@gmail.com

estela@otrgroup.ca

Office Manager

Mary Charboneau mary@otrgroup.ca

All advertisements, and/or editorials are accepted and published by Over the Road on the representation that the advertiser, its advertising company, and/ or the supplier of the editorials are authorized to publish the entire contents and subject matter thereof. The advertiser, its advertising company, and/or the supplier of the editorials will defend, indemnify and hold Over the Road harmless from and against any loss, expense or other liability resulting from any claims or suits for libel, violation of privacy, plagiarism, copyright or trademark infringement and any other claims or suits that may rise out of publication of such advertisement and/ or editorials. Press releases are expressly covered within the definition of editorials.

Follow us on

@OverTheRoadMagazine

Follow us on

@OverTheRoadMag

August 2020

S H O RT- H AU L D R I V E R S A N D O W N E R O P E R ATO R S

NEW OPPORTUNITIES

1.800.265.7875

> Short-haul runs available with daily top-up

Katie McDougall

> In-house maintenance facility

519.740.6500 x244 C. 519.242.0794 recruiting@transfrt.com

> Benefits paid from Day 1 > 99 % no touch freight

Janet Schmitz

> 95 % of freight staged at our terminals

519.740.6500 x224 C. 519.209.3230 jschmitz@transfrt.com

> Average fleet age 1 ½ years

Or you can apply online at

www.transfrt.com

OWNER OPERATORS CALL FOR MORE DETAILS

TERMINALS LOCATED IN AYR, ON | CALGARY, AB | VANCOUVER, BC

PETS WELCOME! August 2020

1126 Industrial Rd. AYR, ON

JOBS FOR TRUCKERS • 5

SAFETY DAWG Chris Harris

YOU NEED TO LOOK AFTER YOURSELF Are you sick and tired of everything COVID? Yeah, I know that I am. The first thing I want to say in this article is that you truck drivers are heroes! I mean that. As the USA spikes up in cases (at least at the time that I am writing this), thousands of truck drivers keep crossing the border and driving deep into the United States. Many of you are going right into the flare-up areas. I commend you and I repeat; you are heroes! If it were not for you, our store shelves would be empty and things like produce would be in short supply and horrendously expensive. You truck drivers are performing spectacularly and creating a positive image for the entire industry.

I have been a truck driver so I can imagine the stresses you are under. Not only are you driving a few hundred miles a day, dealing with the traffic and some of the crazy other motorists that you find out there, but now add on COVID.

From a former profit centre manager (truck driver), I thank you.

So, what is this article all about? Today I want to discuss mental health. Please understand that I am no mental health expert so I am going to stay away from trying to offer any “help” other than to point out resources for you and your family members.

I am sure that this whole situation must be stressful for you and other drivers. But not just for drivers - how about a driver’s family? Your children or grandchildren must worry about you. Your spouse must be worried sick for your health. And the worry level rises a few notches if you the truck driver have any medical conditions that may make you even more susceptible to this pandemic.

6 • OVER THE ROAD

I have never had a spouse or a very close family member who is a truck driver. So, I have difficulty imagining the stress they are feeling... wondering and worrying every day while you, the driver, are away from home, doing what you have mostly always done, safely crossing the border legally, earning money and providing for your family.

If you or a family member are feeling the stress of it all, there is help available.

Your company benefits often cover most of the expenses but if you do not have benefits (which is common in the trucking

August 2020

industry), then many of the resources that I’m suggesting can benefit you as they are at no cost. Yes, free!

group. This may or may not apply to you.

For the Driver Inc. group, it gets very confusing.

Why am I writing about mental health in a trucking safety article? It is because any distraction is a safety issue. If you are worrying about a family member and how they are coping, then it is a safety issue.

And, caring about you is just who I am.

One suggestion that Linda has for coping with stress is to breathe. Yes, it does sound simple but breathing deeply can be a big help. Apps are available at the app store that can guide you on deep breathing for relaxation. With a simple search, you will find several.

I recently had Linda Corkum from the Trucking Safety Association of Nova Scotia on my podcast and Linda spoke about the general mental health of truck drivers and the resources that are available for them.

But no matter what is causing your stress, you need to act. Action will make you feel better. Breathing will make you feel better.

Another idea is to take a break. Yup, take a break. I like going for a walk when I get stressed. Then I am getting some fresh air, breathing and de-stressing.

Linda said that if you are in crisis, then call 1-833-456-4566. This telephone number is Crisis Service, Canada. This organization is there to help you or any of your family members. You can also reach them on their website: www.crisisservicescanada.ca

Do not wait till you get home to do something about the source of your stress.

Take some action now. You will feel better.

Another great online resource is Wellness Together Canada: https://ca.portal.gs/.

They have a wealth of helpful information.

Stay Safe!

Chris Harris Top Dawg, Safety Dawg Inc. 905-973-7056 chris@safetydawg.com @safety_dawg (twitter)

Trucking HR Canada has a free guide called “Gearing Up For Workplace Mental Health.” (https://truckinghr.com/ wp-content/uploads/2020/01/THRC_ Report_MentalHealthGuide-WEB-FINAL. pdf). This document is excellent for you because it explains your rights and what your employer is obliged to do. Oh, I hear you - some of you do not have employers because you are part of the Driver Inc.

August 2020

JOBS FOR TRUCKERS • 7

DRIVER TURNOVER IS A PROBLEM THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT YOU CAN DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT Learn how to determine WHY your drivers are leaving.

Learn how to FIX these reasons.

ENGAGE your staff to follow the tried and tested DRIVER RETENTION PLAN.

Regular CONSULTATIONS to keep you on track.

FOR A FREE CONSULTATION out ROAD to rhaight10@gmail.com 8 •Reach OVER THE

and let’s discuss your options.

August 2020

NOW HIRING

U.S. CROSS BORDER SINGLES & TEAMS AND CANADIAN TEAMS

Our Family Welcomes Yours | | | |

U.S. Singles – Dedicated Truck Desirable Lanes to the U.S. U.S. Teams – New Dedicated Truck Canadian Teams – New Dedicated Truck | Comprehensive Company Benefits | Flexible Work Schedule

Light Speed Logistics achieves Platinum Status in Industry Best Practices of Safety Management with Northbridge Insurance

LIGHT SPEED HAS YOU COVERED Steve Hunt O 905.696.0700 x7224 C 905.229.9011 E shunt@lslinc.com L5T 1S8

6015 Kestrel August 2020Road, Mississauga, ONTARIO

www.lslinc.com

JOBS FOR TRUCKERS • 9

SPEAKING FROM EXPERIENCE Ray J. Haight

An Opportunity for Real Change: Ray’s 2020 Rant I am struck with the idea that what we are currently living through will eventually be reduced to a chapter in a history book, hopefully, sooner rather than later. We are in the middle of an event that some of us more seasoned folks have been through before, albeit a different version. Maybe not to this extent, but I remember SARS (or as it was also known at the time, the Asian bird flu) and the absolute devastation it was going to bring to us all. Where is SARS now? I suggest that as stated, it can be found as a paragraph in history books, and that is where it belongs. Of course, the unfortunate piece of the puzzle is that when SARS eventually subsided, it was widely acknowledged at the time that another SARS type situation or worse was going to reoccur, and it would be a matter of when and not if it would happen.

Whether you believe this current problem to be hyped beyond reasonable thinking, or if you believe what most of the media suggest in their reporting on the seriousness of the situation really does not matter. We are where we are with this thing and what cannot be ignored are the closed borders, suffering businesses barely surviving or failing, unemployment at double-digit highs, sickness, and deaths. These are realities no matter what side of the debate you are on.

As an aside, if you are interested in seeing the similarities between the 2002–2003 SARS outbreak and today’s pandemic, you will find many shocking similarities. It is incredible to see the Deja vu and how we have learned so 10 • OVER THE ROAD

little from our experiences. As voters, we should have had expectations of a better performance level from our leaders.

When I think about the things that I speak to in my workshops for carriers and the SWOT test that I strongly advocate they use as a tool for strategic planning, I get frustrated with our government for what we are currently experiencing. The Strength, Weakness, Opportunity, and Threats exercises, if done by our political leaders, would have been efficient in revealing areas of concern to be addressed for the future and to show us opportunities to be capitalized upon. This exercise is not new to organizations or governments that are enlightened - a government that decides that a detailed exercise in planning strategy is a much more effective way to secure a successful future than by pandering to the loudest issue or PAC of the day. But, I believe, this type of foresight is a little too much to expect from our current, political leaders. It was widely expected that a Covid-19 or a Covid-19 type event was eventually coming. This concept was accepted and professed by many in the infectious disease community. Were we adequately prepared? Not even close. We outsourced many of the PPE supplies that our front-line folks needed to other countries - talk about having our heads in the sand! Such shortterm thinking should have no place in people seeking leadership positions, in any nation.

Trucking is currently labelled an essential service and for many years has been referred to as a base utility by the more enlightened August 2020

what a surprise - it did not fix itself. Since we are an essential service, companies that can accommodate trucks should be gladly opening their lots to weary drivers. Along with opening these lots, the practice of food trucks helping to feed drivers should remain and be expanded along with the need for proper restroom facilities for drivers. We the consumer need our stuff and the fact that a driver cannot find a safe place to sleep in their truck is a croc!

among us. I believe both references are accurate. But in the long run, will it retain this status? Certainly, without drivers and trucking companies, everything stops. We all know this. The question for me, moving forward, is how our trade associations and individual voices might leverage our new-found status.

Since there are so many issues that need to be addressed, can we leverage our heightened profile to possibly gain ground on some of the problems? That is the question on both sides of the border.

This article barely scratches the surface of what needs to be addressed: driver wages, the myriad of taxes from every state and province and a Federal government that looks on this essential service as a cash cow. Also, to be considered are the infrastructure issues, CSA inadequacies and the stacks of rules and regulations mounted on what is supposedly our deregulated industry.

We might start with tort reform by limiting nuclear rewards that the courts have hammered many trucking companies with over the past couple of decades. If this were dealt with effectively, what kind of pressure would that take off the current state of the oppressive insurance rates that plague anyone who operates a Class 8 vehicle from both large and small fleets and for the Owner-Operators?

I believe that most trucking company failures over the past 3-5 years have been related to this issue.

What happens as we slowly creep out of the pandemic? How long it will take is anyone’s guess but the opportunity to make significant gains on critical issues plaguing our industry is now. We currently have the public’s favor and with that comes our heightened profile to be watched by our politicians. How this situation is leveraged will be interesting to watch unfold.

One can only hope, right?

As an essential service, shouldn’t demurrage (unpaid waiting time) be something that could be fixed? This is an issue that has been around since the dawn of the first truck. To put zero value on a person’s time and equipment and to expect to do so for free makes no sense whatsoever. Try telling the next plumber, electrician or HVAC person that comes to your house that they will need to wait outside for a couple of hours until you have time for them.

In today’s big data world this issue should be history and any trucking company that even mentions that waiting time is unpaid should face severe consequences.

Safe trucking.

Ray J. Haight Ray Haight TCA Retention Coach ray@tcaingauge.com www.tcaingauge.com

As an essential service, the truck parking issue should be an easy one to fix. This is another issue that snuck up on us in plain sight. I remember that this was starting to happen when I drove 30 plus years ago but August 2020

JOBS FOR TRUCKERS • 11

THE BEST IS THE LEAST WE CAN DO

IT’S TIME TO MAKE YOUR MOVE! Driver planned home time | Full load dry van – No touch Freight Steady year-round miles | Group benefits and pension plan | Paid weekly Mostly warehouse and industrial area deliveries in US CTpat and FAST approved Carrier and Loads F E AT U R E D M I L L I O N M I L E D R I V E R

I am Barry Noel. I have worked for AYR Motor Express Inc for about 15 years. I just received my 2 million miles safe driving award. What I like about working for AYR is that there are lots of miles, good people to work with, maintenance is kept up on the equipment and we can basically set our own schedule for work and home. It is just a great place to work.

Barry Noel, Truck #888

HIRING RECRUITING DEPARTMENT

12 • OVER THE ROAD

DARTMOUTH Yard MONCTON Yard

WOODSTOCK Head Office DORVAL Yard

BRAMPTON Terminal WINNIPEG Terminal

1-800-668-0099 | ayr.recruiting@ayrmotor.com August 2020 ayrmotor.ca

Networking. Support. Empowerment.

August 2020

JOBS FOR TRUCKERS • 13

Index AYR Motor Express . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Making Your Miles Count . . . . . . . . . . . 16,17

Bezco . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Speaking from Experience . . . . . . . . . . 10,11

Chris Harris - Safety Dawg Inc. . . . . . . . . . 6,7

TRANSAM Carriers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

CNTL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Trans-frt McNamara . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Genesis Express . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

TransWest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Infinit-i . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Travelers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Light Speed Logistics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Women’s Trucking Federation of Canada 13

Ray Haight Consulting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

• • • • • • •

14 • OVER THE ROAD

Great Pay Package All Miles Paid Weekly Permits/Tolls/Heavy Tax Paid General Insurance Paid Fuel Cards & Border Cards Pick Up & Delivery $50 Flexible Fuel Surcharge

August 2020

Keep Your Drivers Safe with COVID-19 Safety Training During this crisis, it is our privilege to offer you free access to several of the coronavirus safety training videos produced by Infinit-I Workforce Solutions.

The following videos can be accessed by visiting www.infinitiworkforce.com/coronavirus-videos

CABIN SANITATION In a pandemic, it is vital to maintain and sanitize your equipment to protect both your drivers and your customers. This video covers acceptable disinfectants and effective ways of sanitizing a truck cabin during the COVID-19 pandemic.

GENERAL HEALTH TIPS Good hygiene is crucial to maintaining your health in the current crisis.

Learn how to practice good hygiene etiquette and do your part to stop the transmission of COVID-19.

GENERAL INFORMATION This video aims to present known facts about coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) according to the CDC and World Health Organizations.

Symptoms, transmission facts, and prevention are covered.

ADDITIONAL COVID-19 CONTENT AVAILABLE ON INFINITI-I WORKFORCE: SELFASSESSMENT

CRISIS TRIP-PLANNING

FREIGHT MANAGEMENT

Learn what to look for when self-assessing symptoms for COVID-19 and what to do if you believe you may be infected.

Learn steps you can take to plan for life on the road during the COVID-19 pandemic.

This video briefly discusses how to protect freight during the COVID-19 pandemic and what to do if you get sick while hauling freight.

HOS EXEMPTION PDF Document (3-pages) Specific exceptions to hoursof-service regulations and related stipulations during the pandemic are covered in this Emergency Declaration issued by the FMCSA.

Let us support you in the effort to improve the health and safety of our industry during these difficult times. To help companies who are not currently Infinit-I Workforce Solutions customers, we are offering 30-day complimentary access to our system to assist them in maintaining driver safety training, including tracking and reporting. Please contact me to schedule a consultation at ed.novoa@verticalag.com or call me at 647.227.5966.

866-904-5087 August 2020

www.InfinitiWorkforce.com

JOBS

FOR TRUCKERS • 15

MAKING YOUR MILES COUNT Robert D. Scheper

Living with National Debt I suffer from contrarianism; the inclination to do and think the opposite of what society or those around me are doing. So, while the country is loading up on debt, I find ways to shed liability and operate with less and less financial obligation. It may also have to do with my age. I remember the decade of high-interest rates and although I was a young guy, I have always been a little bit of a numbers geek; I saw the ultimate effect that interest and debt had on life’s choices and freedoms for the future. The older I get, the more I realize I have less and less opportunity to recover from big mistakes.

the rate. I am certainly not going to send in more than they are asking for. However, debt is still debt, even if it’s interest-free. At some point, it will have attached interest.

I understand the advantages of debt from a financial perspective as I have an MBA in Financial Management. In business, there is an accelerated path of growth through debt when reasonable opportunities are available in some markets or industries. It is very popular and too easy to borrow/leverage for the possibility of higher market share or greater margins.

From a business perspective, it is often difficult to disprove the downside of financial debt.

However, the advantages are only temporary as the debt will/should be paid down faster with the higher income. The goal of this “debt” is for it to be invested in such a way as to pay ITSELF down. What our society and country is experiencing is mostly consumption debt, not expansion debt. This collective consumer debt has no long-term benefits, only temporary relief, and long-term stress/pressure.

When the world loads up with debt, it is probably a good idea to get out of it… behold my contrarianism! It is not that I don’t have debt but if I do, I have committed myself to always be able to pay anything off within a minimum of 24-36 months under current cash flow conditions. From a business perspective, that “policy” is ultra conservative, and I may be forgoing some opportunities by doing so. However, I now believe everyone should adopt this strategy. In fact, I wish I would have done so earlier in life. It would have saved ten years of recouping from a not so well executed opportunity. I am too old to do that again… wait… not old… smart. Debt is like sugar to a diabetic, it must be managed; too much and it will kill you. Our country is pre-diabetic… and it cannot seem to stay away from the candy store.

I know I have written about the government programs over the last couple of months and I still hold to taking advantage of programs offered by the government to obtain financial aid in this trying time. It is no different than paying less taxes when our government lowers 16 • OVER THE ROAD

Dealing with debt is no different than driving a truck. Our eyes must be focused far ahead, not ten feet from our front bumper. The interest on debt is the obstacle… the corner. Our eyes must follow the road long before our vehicle gets there. Debt is an obstacle, a barrier to future wealth and prosperity. Anyone who tries to convince you otherwise will eventually become roadkill.

This past month the estimated federal budget deficit was announced. It is without a doubt an astonishing figure. It places our National Debt at over a trillion dollars (over ten years of deficits packed into one). To place that into perspective, it is like earning $50,000 a year August 2020

is the first and primary defence. Having an alternative income source is also great. For most people, this means immediate sacrifice and financially conservative behavior… and for our government... austerity. Fiscal restraint of government will eventually be forced upon them, if not by the electorate, then by some external force (friendly or hostile). Living well below our means is the only way to survive long-term. It will mean the difference between respectable retirement and humiliation.

and having $200,000 in credit card debt.

If the interest rate is near zero and the availability of borrowing is unlimited, the effects may be negligible. But, unless you are under 25 or 30 years of age, you know rates will eventually change. If it raises to 5% or 7% (which is reasonable at some time in the future) our country will not be able to make its payments. Incidentally, what our national debt numbers do NOT include is the other jurisdictional debt that our country carries such as Provincial, City and Municipal debt. The downward spiral will escalate fast. Different locations around the country will have different levels of debt held by its citizens. Not everyone will suffer at the same level. People will move to more tax-friendly environments, adding the burden to those left behind.

Being a contrarian is certainly not popular and sometimes offensive to some, but it has its place. If you are thinking about retirement, which most drivers are, debt-free living must be in your sights of goals to achieve. As my readers know, I am a huge fan of Dave Ramsey and financial peace university. Check it out if you can. If you cannot find anything local, e-mail me. I will see what I can find for you.

Loading a country with collective debt, at the levels both Canada and the USA have chosen to display, has unavoidable long-term consequences. At some time in the future, the interest will be unsustainable. Though there are many means of countering this difficulty (such as printing more money) they also have limitations and consequences. The collective consequences of all jurisdictional choices will dramatically alter our future opportunities and financial security. We will not be able to count on asset values, interest rates, stock market values (mutual funds), tax rates and even pension plans.

Simple services such as policing, snow removal or road repair may drop drastically.

There will be heavy burdens on our citizens and industries. If a real and workable plan does not present itself to stave off the debt and interest, the consequences will be insurmountable for most. Our collective lifestyles will change dramatically, our assumptions of how to live and prepare for retirement forever altered.

About the Author: Robert D. Scheper is a leading Accountant and Consultant to the Lease/Owner operator industry in Canada. His first book in the Making Your Miles Count series “taxes, taxes, taxes” was released in 2007. His firm exclusively serves Lease/Owner Operators across Canada. His second book “Choosing a Trucking company” is the most in-depth analysis of the operator industry available today. He has a Master’s degree (MBA) in financial management and has been serving the industry since he and his wife came off the road in 1993. His dedication, commitment and strong opinions can be read and heard in many articles and seminars.

You can find him at www.making yourmilescount.com or 1-877-987-9787.

All of this is our future unless we PERSONALLY prepare. Getting out of debt August 2020

JOBS FOR TRUCKERS • 17

CNTL HAS OPENINGS FOR TRUCK OWNER OPERATORS IN

Moncton, Montreal and Quebec City

If you are an Experienced, Safe, Owner Operator, now is the time to look at CNTL! CNTL is CN’s Trucking Subsidiary, the continuing growth of Intermodal freight means we always have the moves available that meet or exceed your revenue objectives.

Keep more of your earnings with your fuel price capped at 35 cents per litre. Take advantage of our Tire, Bunk and Engine Heater programs, and Group Truck Insurance.

Ask about our Safety Bonus, and Safety Awards!

If you would like to talk about joining our team please contact us Email cntljobs@cn.ca Fax 1-866-803-2702 18 • OVER THE ROAD

CNTL.ca

August 2020