ATA July / August 2020

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FRAN

CARS • TRUCKS • JOBBERS

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& trucking

HOW THE MARITIME RACING COMMUNITY IS MAKING CENT$ OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC (STORY ON PAGE 31)

CARWASHES • SERVICE STATIONS DEALERS • GARAGES • BODY SHOPS

JULY / AUGUST 2020 $4.95

SLOW DOWN, GET FOCUSED! (SEE PAGE 14)

SUCCESS WITH CARWASH CHEMICALS (SEE PAGE 22)

GOING FORWARD ON

EMPTY MILES

SECOND LIFE EV BATTERIES (SEE PAGE 40)

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A RUST CHECK SWAG BAG OF GOODIES OR A STANLEY 123-PIECE SOCKET SET FROM NAPA!

DRIVER OSBOURNE SMITH

CROSSWORD GUESS & WIN DETAILS ON PAGES 45 AND 46!

DESPITE CHALLENGES FACED BY THE TRANSPORTATION INDUSTRY AMIDST THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, GOOD DRIVERS PROVE THAT THEY KEEP ON TRUCKING! OWNED AND PUBLISHED BY ALFERS ADVERTISING & PUBLISHING INC.

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TOWING THE LINE – A major fraud shake up in Ontario’s towing industry is sending a wake up call across the country.

Page 6

GOING FORWARD ON EMPTY MILES – Jon Barry takes a deep dive into the impact COVID-19 has had on the industry. What’s next?

Page 14

RE-EVALUATE YOUR BUSINESS ROAD MAP! Slow Down! Get Focused!

Bob Greenwood observes that it’s half-way through the year that was. Where is your business at during these crucial days?

Page 17

THE ATLANTIC ROAD REPORT – Access PEI unveils a new pilot aimed at broadening services to Islanders.

Page 19

NEWS OF THE WEIRD – The girlfriend who wasn’t (and other horror stories).

Page 22

THE FORMULA FOR SUCCESS IN CARWASH CHEMICALS – writer Angela Altass discusses the chemistry behind the chemicals used by your local car wash.

Page 28

ALIGN YOURSELF WITH A BETTER CAREER – A new career assessment tool that puts an emphasis on personality and aptitudes rather than skills and experiences points to new directions in career assessment while opening doors.

Page 31

MAKING “CENTS” OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC in the Atlantic Stock Car Community – an illness of unprecedented magnitude sends the stock car community reeling. How to pick up the pieces? Tim Terry offers up some helpful suggestions.

Page 35

AUTO RECYCLERS RESPOND TO COVID-19 PANDEMIC – Through a strong network and some creative maneuvering, auto recyclers test their resilience.

Page 36

“EVERYONE IS ENTITLED TO RESPECT” When you’ve been in business for over three decades, people become like family, says Proline Auto owner Thomas May.

By Kristen Lipscombe

Page 38

ATLANTIC AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY INSURANCE PROGRAM – Employees are a priority. It’s a matter of health.

Page 39

NB ANNUAL TRAFFIC SAFETY AWARENESS CAMPAIGN UNDERWAY – The government of New Brunswick issues a safety message that can’t be ignored.

Page 40

SECOND LIFE EV BATTERIES – Long time friend of ATA Dave Giles reminds us that one million EV batteries will die by 2030. What happens then?

Page 44

CYBER ORANGE SET TO HEIGHTEN EXHILARATION – Orange is the new black.

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Letter from the Editor

TOWING THE LINE . . .

“

By Carter Hammett

WE’RE COMING FOR YOU AND WE WILL LOCK YOU UP.”

These ominous words were uttered

by Ontario Premier Doug Ford on Monday June 29 after the province announced it was overhauling the Greater Toronto Area’s scandal-plagued towing industry. A newly-announced task force will develop a regulatory model to “increase safety and enforcement, clarify protections for consumers, improve industry standards and consider tougher penalties for violators” said a government press release.

During the past two years, the tow truck industry has witnessed murders, arsons, shootings and fraud throughout the Toronto region.

Just north of Toronto in York Region, police announced that at least four criminal organizations had been caught up in a turf war within a multifaceted ecosystem involving kickbacks and insurance fraud at everything from auto centres and car rentals to physiotherapy clinics and others. While the province is spearheading the task force, tow truck licensing is currently regulated at the municipal level in Ontario. And that province has a total of

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444 municipalities, but only 20 of those have a licensing system in place The Canadian Auto Association (CAA) said in a statement that they “would like to see a tow truck licensing system, clearer rules around consumer protection and the establishment of a body to oversee the industry.” Furthermore the CAA also called for regulations that would “implement criminal background checks, discourage racing to accident scenes, charging consumer sky high towing bills and fraud.”

Recently Toronto area police have laid almost 200 charges including murder and arson as rival rackets jockey for control of profits but subsequent insurance frauds as well. York Regional police stated that millions of dollars had already been generated through fraudulent billing, repairs, physiotherapy claims. But then avarice stepped in and drivers were hired to stage collisions. The increase in profits

dovetailed with a need to control territory through violence. This includes at least 30 arson attacks thought to be connected to the towing sector during the past year.

The police investigation, dubbed Project Platinum, sheds light behind the scenes of the industry, including the fact that several towing companies collaborated with auto shops, car-and-truck rental firms and physiotherapy clinics to defraud insurance companies. When the insurance companies attempted to fight fraudulent claims in court, their law firm became the target of violence and extortion.

A number of arrests have been made, and police also seized a number of weapons, tow trucks, illegal drugs totalling $1 million. Police stated that they expect a drop in violence following the bust. They have called on government to enact regulations for the towing industries.

The Atlantic region is not entirely immune from this kind of activity. Just last year, the owner of a Sydney towing company was ordered to pay a total of $36,000 in fines and serve one year in jail.

That charge of course, is easily dwarfed by the Toronto network, but it does point to an industry ripe with corruption in other parts of the country, including a massive kickback scheme in Ottawa and in Montreal as well.

Several areas throughout the US have reported similar tales.

Threats and violence are particular cornerstones of socalled chasers—drivers who make a living getting their tow trucks to accidents quicker than the competition—from which cartels gradually grew.

The stories get darker.

And that’s partly because, in Ontario at least, there’s little-to-no regulation governing the actions of unscrupulous towing companies. Here, it’s important to note that while there are lots of honest towing companies out there, there are others that only care about their profit margin. It’s time for government to step up to the plate and implement legislation that invokes fairness and safety for all. That won’t address the root problems of the industry’s current issues, but at least it’ll be a start.

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MILES

DESPITE CHALLENGES FACED BY THE TRANSPORTATION INDUSTRY AMIDST THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, GOOD DRIVERS, PROVE THAT THAT THEY KEEP ON TRUCKING

By Jon Barry

F

ROM THE CANADIAN CONSUMER’S PERSPECTIVE, THE TRUCKING INDUSTRY HAS ALWAYS BEEN VIEWED AS A BEHIND THE SCENES BUSINESS. This is an industry that is as vital, if not more vital, than a vast amount of the industry that allows our modern economy to function. Many people were not aware of the role that the truck operators and the trucking industry play in keeping society on the road. Like so many other things, the Covid-19 Pandemic has begun to change that. With the rise of the new term “essential workers’, Canadians across the country are taking a hard look at how they had previously valued work being done by industries that may have been taken for granted in the past. Healthcare workers, grocery clerks, food processing labourers, and finally, truckers are starting to see the work they do everyday being appreciated by the society they serve.

Trucking HR Canada conducted a survey with Aucus Data of over 1800 individuals that showed that the overall impression of the trucking sector has risen by 1015% in the past few months since the start of the pandemic. The survey found that 54% of Canadians had a positive view of the trucking industry, 32% were neutral, and only 5% had a negative opinion. For comparison, the airline industry only had a 27% favorable rating. 85% of Canadians feel that Canada needs to have a strong trucking sector for the country to have a strong economy. 72% of respondents viewed the trucking industry as an essential service, whereas the airline indus-

try was only viewed as essential by 16%.

Much of this growth in appreciation can be directly linked to the Covid pandemic.

While the pandemic has increased the appreciation for the work that truck operators do, it has also made the already difficult and isolated work they do much more difficult and much more isolating. I spoke with Jean-Marc Picard, executive director of the Atlantic Provinces Trucking Association about the impact on truck operators: “At the beginning, it was a bit challenging with everything changing rapidly like the US-Canada border, by province. They were declared essential workers immediately. From that standpoint, truckers could still do their job. With extra precautions, such as making sure to wash their hands, having meals to eat due to most restaurant closures, and there was the added presure of finding an available washroom.

I guess those pressures increased, as the weeks progressed.”

The federal government released a guideline outlining personal protective equipment (PPE) and their uses by commercial vehicle drivers “to distinguish the different types of personal protective equipment (PPE) and provide guidance with respect to their use as it pertains to commercial vehicle drivers.”

I also spoke with Linda Corkum, executive director of the Nova Scotia Trucking Safety Association about safety concerns for truckers during the COVID pandemic: “There’s a lot of communication to the truck driving industry. The Canadian Trucking Alliance, Trucking HR Canada, there’s the Safety Association in Nova Scotia. And there’s other safety associations through Canada that have been posting that information. I know we worked with a number of organizations, including the Workers Compensation Board that created a little video about, you know, keeping the driver safe. Remember, cleanliness inside the truck, outside the truck, and those types of things. So, whenever there’s an opportunity to put that out there we do that so that the drivers can constantly be reminded of what they have to do because it’s a different world now.”

But with a few headaches taken care of, a bunch of new ones would pop up to take their place: “Then the truck stuff started to close and it was tough to get food and things like that. So that was a bit of a challenge for a while.” says Picard.

Once the pandemic had really started to set in and the lockdown had begun, an already isolated occupation became even more lonesome. Operators couldn’t stop anywhere for some decent food, use the restroom, or find a bed to sleep for the night.

While the pandemic has definitely inautoatlantic.com

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Truckers Corner

creased the hardship on truck operators, East Coasters and Canadians across the country are stepping up to do their part to help these essential operators keep our country moving forward: “The response from the public was huge and then restaurants started to offer a curbside or drive through and chains of restaurants like McDonald’s and Swiss Chalet offered specials to carriers.” says Picard. Corkum has also seen an explosion in support for truck operators: “Since the initial phase, there’s been a lot of generosity amongst people across Canada that have opened their doors, some of the restaurants have the drive up services. I know in Nova Scotia we have a particular restaurant that was a truck stop, if you will, open to the public that is only open for truck drivers.” “We have a few hotels that are offering free showers and little gift bags of appreciation for the drivers because although they have always been an essential service, the public is realizing just how essential they are through this process.”

Transport Canada has also stepped up to help address the shortage of access to on-the- road services for truckers. Transport Canada explained that they are “collaborating with governments to ensure that the washrooms at gas stations and restaurants remain open and allow access to truckers. Work is also continuing with the provinces and territories to explore options to increase accessibility and fill gaps where possible.” They are also en-

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couraging “restaurants and other service providers to support commercial drivers’ needs and provide them with access to restrooms.”

Of course it isn’t just the individual operators who have been impacted by the pandemic. Individual fleets are feeling the squeeze on their businesses. The Canadian Trucking Association (CTA) published a Business Conditions Report in May that outlined the short-term industry forecast.

They report that “If overall conditions do not improve over the next three months, 37% of carriers report that they will be in serious financial trouble.”

It explained that “Over 90% of carriers reported that they have experienced a decrease in revenue since COVID-19.

On average, carriers have experienced a 33% decrease in revenue since the crisis began.” The CTA claims that the impact is being driven by “customer closures, falling rates, and an explosion in empty miles.” They state that empty miles have increased by 200-300% with vanishing profit margins.

CTA reports that 63% of carriers have reported customers asking for payment deferrals. 78% responded that their clients have either closed or significantly reduced operations. Mike Millian, President of The Private Motor Truck Council of Canada, also sees the rise in non- payments creating a problem: “They’re extending payments, people that might have paid in 30 or 60 days are now pushing them to 90 or

120 days or 150. I don’t think people are doing this because they’re trying to take advantage. I think people are doing this because as we know, this has been a financial disruption for everybody. They’re trying to make sure they take employees and everything else first, but the problem is, if you’re a carrier, you’re still out there incurring the expense. You’re still paying your driver, you’re still paying your fuel.

You’re still paying your insurance and all that other stuff. But people aren’t paying.”

There is also the problem of deferred costs, like licensing, that could come roaring back once the economy starts to reopen, and an already cash - strapped industry may have more of a struggle to get back into high gear: “If you’re three months behind, and then you’ve got to pay for that and you’ve got to pay for a full year on top of that you’re now paying 15 months of license plate. As an example, in the province of Ontario to license a truck for the maximum gross vehicle weight of 6363 and a half thousand kilograms is over $4,000 per truck per year. So you have 100 trucks, times $4,000. You’re looking at 400 grand. So we’re not asking these fees to be waived.” “So if we owe for 18 months, let’s take those 18 month payments and spread it out over 2436 days, and so kind of like a deferral.”

Millian and The PMRCC represent private and dedicated fleets for organizations like Tim Hortons, Molson, Coors, Loblaw and Superior Propane. Millian explained

Truckers Corner

that his fleets have seen a mixed bag of results when dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic: “So, what has happened with our membership is kind of a microcosm of what happens in society. So as you can imagine, a member like Loblaw, actually has been busier through this pandemic.

Restaurants and concerts and all those other things have shut down but that’s led us all into having to go to the grocery store more and buy a lot more supplies plus the panic supply buying at the start.

So some of our members actually saw an increase in business and we’re having trouble getting enough drivers to get the work fulfilled at the start of this.

Other members who worked in sectors like the restaurant industry, saw severe declines and tended to lay off drivers.

Some of our members had to lay off 90% of the workforce, while other members of ours needed to increase. But overall as an industry, it is down roughly over 25% from what it was pre- pandemic” When it comes to subsidized wages for the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy, this has been its own struggle for the industry. The federal government recently improved the CEWS eligibility but it may still fall short in regards to the trucking industry. According to the CTA “ the CEWS extension does not have the same impact for everyone, especially in trucking, which has very specific operating conditions.”

According to the business conditions survey of carriers: “38% qualify and have applied for the CEWS, 13% believe they may

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qualify but have not applied yet, 49% do not qualify for the CEWS”. That’s nearly half of the carriers that do not qualify for the emergency wage subsidy. The CTA is currently working with government agencies and other organizations to make the wage society scalable for those that are falling through the cracks. The CTA is also “asking the Government of Canada to introduce a Payroll Tax Deferral Program, which would provide fleets the needed cash flow to help maintain operations. Additionally, CTA wants an increase in the meal allowance for all truck drivers facing rising costs associated with operating during COVID-19.”

Of course, the never-ending talk surrounding the operator shortage cannot be left out of the conversation. The operator shortage was already an issue, but that has somewhat changed with the drop in demand that saw a massive streak of layoffs across the country.

While some industries, like groceries have increased their need for operators, other areas like crude in Alberta took a double hit with the pandemic forcing the province into lockdown and also tanking the price of oil. According to Picard: “Some companies aren’t that busy, so I mean, they are not looking for the five, six drivers that they’re looking for (in the past).” “So, you know, we were in a shortage of drivers but now with the situation, it’s really manageable because of that”.

While the situation may be manageable for now, organizations like Trucking

HR Canada are concerned that both the layoffs and fears about the virus from the aging operator population could make the shortage come roaring back once the economy kicks into high gear. Just weeks prior to the country shutting down, Trucking HR Canada was still sounding the alarm about a projected 25,000 operator shortages that could severely impact the economy by 2023. This projected shortage has already been impacted by the pandemic in drastic ways. A Trucking HR Canada report states that “Canadian employment of truck drivers also declined in April by roughly 6,800 workers, or 2.3%.”

There is still uncertainty about what the driving factors are in the drop of employed operators. Trucking HR Canada is planning to conduct industry surveys to determine “how much of the decrease in employment of truck drivers is due to company- initiated lay-offs in comparison with employee-initiated attrition – for example drivers who are choosing to retire in the face of increasingly difficult working conditions, particularly among the older workers that dominate the truck driver occupation.”

Corkum agrees that some of the retirements are being driven by the health concerns of the industry’s aging workforce: “Yeah, some of them have opted to retire. Some of them may have some underlying health issues that have prevented them from driving. There’s the fear of the COVID itself, getting the COVID. There is no vaccine for what the end re-

Truckers Corner

DRIVER DAVID HENRY

#THANKATRUCKER CAMPAIGN The increased praise for truck operators is visible outside of the polls as well.

The #ThankATrucker campaign has been taking off online and around the world with groups like the CTA promoting the campaign with template posts that Canadians can add to their social media with the #ThankATrucker campaign that can help Canadians express their appreciation for the work being done by operators.

“We started the campaign on social media #ThankATrucker.” says Picard. “That’s really how each region or each community responded. So you know, just local businesses, are making free lunches for driv12

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ers. Some individuals, you know, raised some money and packed some lunches for drivers and went to a scale and gave them lunch and things like that. We saw that scene a lot in Atlantic Canada and across the country. So that was fantastic.”

According to the social media tracking Keyhole, there have been over 100,000 individual posts with the #ThankATrucker hashtag over the past three months by almost as many unique users.

These posts have reached up to 496.2 million potential views. It’s not just online posters that are singing the praises of truckers around the continent. A quick search of the #ThankATrucker hashtag on Twitter returns images of billboards with

sult would be. So, you know, there’s a fear that they’re not ready to leave this world yet, and therefore, they want to be around for their family. So they’ve opted to do that.

I’m sure that even if they weren’t retired, there is that fear. But I think the ones that we talked to, that are working and they’re out there delivering the basics of life for the general public, they keep moving, but they do know that there are restrictions and they have to work safely around that to protect themselves because there’s somebody at home waiting, right?”

While the operator shortage may still be a concern, the industry as a whole has seen its profile raised and respected to new heights that could be built upon to brand and attract new drivers to the industry: “I am a believer that, you know, even in the darkest days, there’s always something good that comes out of everything.

And I think the good that has come out of the trucking industry through this pandemic is the image of the driver and the profession” says Millian. “I do think that this is a positive that’s come out in this industry that we are going to have to take advantage of when this is over and make sure that we continue to build on that.”

Picard agrees that the increased appreciation is the silver lining of the pandemic: “Yeah, so that’s huge. And we’re gonna build on this, we’re gonna continue to do what we’re doing for the industry and hopefully will allow a little bit more ease in recruiting going forward and things like that.”

the #ThankATrucker tag and on-road variable messaging systems thanking truck drivers for their services.

Corkum says that truckers have been very appreciative about the outpour of support: “Yeah, when we talk to some of the drivers, they said they really appreciate the thank yous.

They appreciate when they’re driving up the road how people in the general public will honk their horns or they just give them a wave and that puts a smile on their face. And that’s what keeps them going. The demonstration of gratitude and appreciation puts a smile on their face and they take a deep breath and they truck on.”

Bob’s Business Development

RE-EVALUATE YOUR BUSINESS ROAD MAP! SLOW DOWN, GET FOCUSED!

By Bob Greenwood AMAM Business Coach, International Business Speaker, Instructor, Business Consultant, Author

W

E HAVE J U S T PASSED T H E H A L F W AY POINT IN THE YEAR, AND IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT YOU EVALUATE THE YEAR COMPARED TO WHERE YOU EXPECTED TO BE BY THIS POINT IN TIME. It is hoped that you have prepared an annual budget with revenue, gross profit, and measurement projections.

If not, are you running the business by your bank account balance? Are you just looking at sales? If so, you know you’re tight. You are also heading into troubled waters without a rudder on your ship, as this industry and business is changing

drastically. It is time to get proper help and advice/training; please stop fooling yourself.

If you have the numbers, review and do your comparisons.

Calculate the average labour hours produced per work order compared to last year at this time. Is it up or down? If 14

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it is up, well done you’re getting focused.

If it is down, consider your processes for handling a vehicle when one is brought into the shop. Do you have a solid inspection plan based on the client requirements on how that vehicle is used compared to the client’s expectations with that vehicle?

Your objective in a maintenance shop is a minimum 2.5 hour average per work order. If you’re a wholesale tire shop with a maintenance/repair side included, your average should be in the area of 1.3 hours per work order including the wholesale invoices. Slow down and look at your shop processes.

Review the shop’s gross profit by each revenue category compared to expectations. Are your buy/sell habits in check with your supplier? Are you maximizing your relationship with your supplier to ensure 85% or more of your aftermarket purchases are going to one competent supplier?

In the commodity business volume and cash does count. Ensure the volume with full payment each month is there, and I know your supplier is then in a position to offer value to your business, which in turn affects your gross profit and bottom line. Cost of products is not the only thing that creates profit in your business.

In reality, the parts cost moves down to one of the lowest in priorities versus the real issues that create real net income in a shop today. Shop efficiency, business/ client relationships, gross profit mix, and cash management drive the real profit to a business and a competent supplier can assist you on these items, but the business relationship with the supplier must be in place first. All relationships must be a win/win as it has been proven for many years, one sided relationships do not work.

Re-visit your current labour rates as it is now necessary to have a minimum of three in place. The maintenance/mechanical rate should be at 4.5 times the top maintenance/mechanical technician’s hourly wage, the diagnostic rate should be at a minimum of 5.35 times the top diagnostic technician’s hourly wage and the re-flash rate should be 6.0 times the top tech’s hourly wage. Review your menu pricing items to ensure the labour com-

ponent is reflected properly in the price.

Examine the revenue mix of aftermarket parts to dealer parts. If you’re average, you will be about 80% aftermarket and 20% dealer. If you are say 75%-25% aftermarket vs dealer (or better), traditionally your shop works on newer vehicles and your rates must reflect the knowledge, and equipment, required to maintain this level of expertise. If you are 90%-10% (or higher), traditionally you are working on a lot of older vehicles, and you should be examining your marketing strategy to secure a better balance of clientele who are looking for a higher level of quality and service.

Does each revenue category of oil, tires, batteries, and parts inventory turnover in accordance to guidelines? Carrying stock that does not move does not create useable gross profit dollars and net income.

Examine the “perception” your shop is sending out to the marketplace. Stand across the street for 15 minutes with a clipboard and paper. Ask the question “I’m new in town, what would make me want to turn into to your place and check you out for maintaining my “precious” vehicle? I’m looking for someone I can trust, so why should I, and what makes me, want to try you out?” Are you sending out a perception of professionalism, and a highly skilled shop, or are you sending out the perception of a typical garage that the consumer thinks about? Perception in business is everything to attracting the right clientele base. Competency and professionalism keeps them. People will gladly pay for this level of quality and service.

These are but a few items to review at this time of year, so you can get focused to target the issues, and problems, within the business, in order to get the results desired for the second half of the year.

Slow down, get focused. These are the best four words to concentrate on within your business today. This process forces us to realize that our business is constant and always in perpetual change.

Growth is optional, but we must choose wisely if we are to succeed.

Bob can be reached at greenwood@ aaec.ca and phone number 1-800-2675497.

TIME FOR A NB CARQUEST

Celebration!

Vance’s Auto Supplies of Saint George, NB has now joined the CARQUEST family of Atlantic stores!

CARQUEST Atlantic is pleased and excited to announce Vance’s Auto Supplies has joined our program. With many years in the automotive business, Vance’s Auto Supplies will be a great asset to our growing team. We look forward to working closely with them and growing their business.

Now Open Monday to Saturday!

89 Brunswick Street St. George, NB E5C 1A7 (506) 755-3771

carquest.ca

East Coast Road Report

THE ATLANTIC ROAD REPORT – SUMMER 2020 EDITION

BITS AND PIECES OF NEWS YOU CAN USE GATHERED FROM AROUND THE ATLANTIC REGION NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR

Provincial Government Preparing for Road Construction Season The Department of Transportation and Works has released the list of provincial road projects planned for 2020-21 to allow contractors to be prepared to start work when the road construction season begins.

related to COVID-19, please visit www. gov.nl.ca/covid-19. For general inquiries related to available government services, please email covid19info@gov.nl.ca.

NEW BRUNSWICK

Change in ferry service for Kennebecasis Island and MillidgevilleSummerville

crossing and the crossing for Kennebecasis Island.

“Over the past three years the province had hired a private company to provide 12 to 16 hours per day of on-demand service to Kennebecasis Island, at a significant cost to taxpayers,” said Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Bill Oliver. “The province cannot continue this annual expense and must look for more economical solutions and maximize our current resources.”

The Peninsula Princess will operate on a new schedule, except for the 5:45 a.m. and 10 p.m. departures from Kennebecasis Island, which will not be offered until at least June 1.

NOVA SCOTIA

Funding Supports Environmental Clean Up at Mill Site Now that the Northern Pulp mill has stopped discharging wastewater into Boat

All contractors will be required to follow the guidelines to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. Work will only proceed where contractors are able to demonstrate they are able to provide safe working environments for crews.

Tenders for 11 projects have already been issued and 10 more tenders are planned to be issued this summer. A list of projects planned for this year can be found on the NL government website. The updated lists for the remaining four years of the Five-Year Provincial Roads Plan will be announced at a later date.

Projects added to the roads plan are ranked on factors such as safety, traffic volumes, and input from the department’s engineers, and users of provincial roads and highways. A public consultation held in 2019 received 227 submissions.

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A change to the ferry service for both the Millidgeville and Summerville crossing, and the crossing to Kennebecasis Island, has been announced by the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure.

Beginning Friday, May 15, the Penin-

sula Princess ferry will provide service to both the Millidgeville and Summerville

Harbour, Nova Scotians expect the remainder of the shutdown of the mill site to be completed in a way that is safe and protects the environment.

Government owns the pipe that runs from the mill to Boat Harbour and is funding work to decommission the pipe along with other key elements of the environmental clean up.

Government is providing Paper Excellence, the mill’s parent company, a maximum of $10 million, or about half of the cost of shutting down the Boat Harbour effluent treatment facility, as part of the work to hibernate the mill.

The funding will pay for the removal

VISIT YOUR LOCAL ATLANTIC NAPA STORE FOR PRICING & INFO

East Coast Road Report

of the leachate, decommission the pipes, ditches, and settling and aeration basins on the site.

“We are committed to seeing the clean up is done right, and through the funding agreement, we will hold the company accountable to make sure it does,” said Premier Stephen McNeil. “Completing this work is an important part of the process to return Boat Harbour - A’se’k - to its original state for the people of Pictou Landing First Nation and surrounding communities.”

The company’s work plan is in line with orders from the Minister of Environment and needs to be complete before Nova Scotia Lands can remediate Boat Harbour in 2021.

Quick Facts: the company has estimated the total shutdown process will cost about $20 million and is expected to be completed by June 30, 2021 the company will provide reports to the province and all costs will be validated by a third party, Grant Thornton.

PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND

Access PEI gives Islanders more options for service delivery

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Access PEI office in Montague is piloting contactless services to clients, offering more flexible services to Islanders.

As announced by Transportation, Infrastructure and Energy Minister Steven Myers last week, the Access PEI site in Montague is now offering select services to the public by email and phone only, including driver’s license renewals, vehicle registration renewals, and address changes.

“I am proud that the Highway Safety Division and Access PEI are among the service areas that came up with innovative solutions to safely serve Islanders during this unprecedented time. Access PEI has been looking at ways of offering more flexible services to better meet the needs of Islanders, and the current pandemic

situation presented an opportunity to explore how we can do so safely.”

- Transportation, Infrastructure and Energy Minister Steven Myers This contactless service pilot, which will run until August 28, will reduce the need for in-person service to keep clients and staff safe, as well as improve convenience and reduce wait times for Islanders.

Government is tracking the results from this pilot project and will identify any additional ways contactless and digital services may be provided to Islanders going forward.

“As part of the COVID-19 adaptation efforts, our government has been reviewing how to serve Islanders and making necessary changes to ensure we offer our services in a way that is safe for them and staff. We are learning a lot from the changes we are making so that if and when we face a second wave of COVID-19, we will be ready to maintain services to Islanders, such as those being delivered through Access PEI,” added Minister Myers.

Islanders who would like to take advantage of contactless service can call the Access PEI site in Montague at 902-8380600 or email accesspeimontague@gov. pe.ca

Carter’s Corner

NEWS OF THE WEIRD BITS AND BYTES OF THE BIZARRE AND THE STRANGE GATHERED FROM AROUND THE WEB SO YOU DON’T HAVE TO…YER WELCOME! SOUNDS LIKE A CASE FOR JUDGE JUDY?

says that he went to the police station and filed charges for grand larceny and grand

theft auto. The police were also able to locate the Impala, though it has yet to be

Count on Autoblog to report on a love story that should have turned left at Albuquerque. Jimothy’s relationship with his girlfriend reached the point where the two agreed she’d move into his recently purchased first home.

The house included a 2.5-car garage, in which Jimothy stored a ‘67 Impala project car that he purchased in February 2019. Once he started the total restoration of the car, the body was in one bay, the chassis was in the other, and parts were strewn about the rest of the space.

That she couldn’t park her vehicle in the garage supposedly severely irked the girlfriend. “She wants to park in the garage, but I have two acres of land with a lot of nice places to park under shady trees, or hell, even in the barn if it has to be inside,” the post details. “I tell her tough luck, it’s my house, and it’s not like I can just throw it back together real quick.”

Angered by her boyfriend’s stance, the girlfriend took matters into her own hands. While he was out of town on a business trip, she hired people to take everything associated with the vehicle out of the garage and straight to a scrapyard. In the post, he describes his reaction when he returned home to find his girlfriend’s car parked in the garage: “I was absolutely dumbfounded. I had spent over 11k on that car including new parts, services, and the car itself. I told her that I was going to be taking her to court for that and she brushed me off like I was being dramatic. I told her that its done between us and to pack her things and leave. I admit I was a really angry but I did end up getting a lawyer, and as I have all the receipts for all that money spent and I have her on my house’s security cam footage letting the guys in and watching them take it all I think I can win.”

Her family and friends are absolutely blowing me up saying its just a stupid old piece of junk and that she cannot pay back all that money I spent, and that I should just let it go. But I have been putting all my time, effort, and money into that car for a year and a half now and goddammit if I am not going to get justice for what she did.

In two updates to the post, Jimothy autoatlantic.com

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Carter’s Corner

returned to Jimothy, as the situation is still under investigation.

TO THE MOON ALICE, TO THE MOON! Elon Musk is shooting for the stars with the goal of colonizing other planets, but as this set of renderings tries to suggest, he can do both at the same time.

This six-wheeled Tesla Cybertruck moon rover is oh-so cool. It just looks so fitting on the lunar surface, with its weird wheels, satellite dish in the bed and subtle SpaceX and U.S. flag stickers.

The artist who created this set of images (@charlieautomotiv on Instagram,

show him some love if you like his work) really went to great lengths to make everything believable. I especially like the cool tires that are made up of individual sections that move around a rigid frame 20

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- this would not only help with shock absorption but also allow for quick and easy repairs if anything damaged the wheels (you could just replace each individual part with a spare and just keep going); it’s details like this that make this set of images shine. Source: https://insideevs.com

MAKE WAY FOR THE BUMPER DUMPER! Buckle up, everyone. This is going to be a weird one. We’ve all been on long road trips before when once we end up on a long stretch of interstate with no civilization in sight, well . . . nature calls.

Many of us may even enjoy offroading, getting deep into wooded areas on the trails, or just camping in the forest where you don’t have the normal restroom amenities that we’re used to. We all know someone who has had to resort to the classic “pull off to the side of the road (or trail) and empty the tank” move, but if you’re not so lucky, you might find yourself in a situation that’s more of a sit-down issue than a stand-up issue.

In that case, your options become extremely limited. Either you just hold it for potentially miles until you run into somewhere you can do your business, or you pull over to the side of the road, run as far into the trees as you can manage, and roll the dice.

Luckily, the phenomenally named Bumper Dumper exists.

The Bumper Dumper is a trailer hitch toilet that can hold up to 500 pounds of weight. According to the manufacturer, it “easily mounts in a 2x2 hitch receiver or can be used as a stand alone unit in

conjunction with a 5 gallon bucket.” It can also use “just about any toilet seat,” and features a powder coated frame to help prevent rust. The next time you’re in a tricky spot, this product could help make things at least slightly less weird for you.

Amazon reviewer H. Clark had this to say in their 5-star review of the product: “We love this! It arrived just in time for our camping trip. We did have to order an adapter to lift it up a bit (our car is on the short side), but even squatting a bit to sit was ok. It would be great if an adapter were offered with this to lift it up or extend it out from under a bumper that may be set back further. We will use this for many years to come, and are glad for something more toilet-like for the little ones.

Update: we’ve now been using this for 2 years. We bought a shower tent and cut the bottom out. Dig a hole, pull the bumper dumper over the top, put the shower tent on for privacy, and camp for days. Just make sure to keep a cup or shovel nearby to sprinkle dirt after each use. My kids have lovingly deemed it “la poopoo.” I don’t know how we ever camped without it.” If you’re the kind of person who could get some use out of the Bumper Dumper you can pick one up right here, available for $94.95 at the time of this posting.

Bumper Dumper - $94.95 on Amazon Source: Autoblog.com

IT WAS A BIRTHDAY GIFT, AND IT CAN PLAY ANYTHING ON A MICRO SD CARD. The crux of the story is pretty simple – he wanted to do something special for his wife’s birthday, so he created a little electronics board that plugs into the car’s ignition chime system to play her favorite songs. The board is fitted with a micro SD card reader and a small speaker, and he loaded several of his wife’s favorite songs on a collection of cards. One of them is the Toto classic Africa, and now if the keys are left in the ignition, she hears Africa’s telltale percussion and keyboard riff instead of a boring series of bongs. Presumably, if the key is left in the ignition long enough, the entire song will play.

How cool is that?

Africa is obvious with the shape of the continent on it, and we hear Dolly Parton’s classic 9 to 5, which is identified by a purse. We grabbed a screenshot of the various cards shown the video – we’re pretty sure the calendar-looking shape with an M in the middle is Manic Monday by The Bangles. Any guesses on the other songs? Source: www.motor1.com

At The Car Wash

THE FORMULA FOR SUCCESS IN CARWASH CHEMICALS

C

By Angela Altass

HEMICALS ARE AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE CARWASH BUSINESS, AND THE CHEMISTRY BEHIND THE PRODUCTS CONTINUES TO EVOLVE.

“The last 10-15 years have seen an explosion of extra service or finishing products that have helped to drive the cost of a top package as high as $25 in some areas,” says Stuart Hulsey, R&D manager technical services, ZEP Vehicle Care. “Along with this increase in the average top

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package price has been a corresponding increase in revenue per car. There have also been some creative product bundling ideas resulting in what the industry refers to as processes.”

A process involves a specific combination of cleaning solutions followed by a combination of finishing products that are sold as a marketing package and result in an increased average cost per wash and increased revenue per car, explains Hulsey.

Hulsey says that ZEP has been very successful in “bundling their Armor All Professional Extreme Shine Wax, their Rain-X Complete Surface Protectant, and

their Armor All Professional Ceramic Seal.” Providing an unsurpassed shine, just waxed feel, and extended protection.

Carwash owners should take the time to attend industry trade shows, such as the International Car Wash Association’s annual carwash show, advises Hulsey.

“We all know the show has, unfortunately, had to be cancelled or postponed this year (due to COVID-19) but these shows are great venues to connect with a wide range of industry experts to learn all you can about how to properly balance the chemistry in a carwash to provide a clean, dry and shiny result each and every wash,” notes Hulsey. “The best advice we can give is to regularly connect with your chemistry provider, who should be a well-informed consultant on the most advanced technologies.”

Sixty-three per cent of consumers say that the brand of soap used at a carwash is somewhat to extremely important in washing their vehicles, states Hulsey.

“Carwash owners want to make sure their site, including the product marketing they showcase, the products they use, and their image, stay fresh and attractive,” says Hulsey. “It would help to regularly apply the new product or wash package specials; to regularly update online, printed or on-site marketing materials; and possibly every two years consider more impactful product and service changes. The backbone of the chemical systems, the application pumps, dispensers, and other equipment, could be used for a considerably longer period of time, mostly depending on the maintenance work that has been put into it.”

There have been several new, interesting carwash chemistry developments over the years, notes Steve Kelly, Kleen-Rite Corp.

“Ceramic sealants have been introduced by a number of the carwash chemical manufacturers,” says Kelly. “These ceramic sealants are gaining traction as more people are becoming aware of them. Equipment and systems have been developed to apply wax in the self-serve bay and ready to use car interior disinfectant/sanitizer is available as a step to combat bacteria and viruses.”

Challenges are always present in auto-

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At The Car Wash

mated carwashes, says Tim Taylor, owner, The Cobra System.

“We are always trying to design a better, faster, and more cost-effective way to get the job done,” states Taylor. “In bug removal, we have learned that high pH chemicals for starting the cleaning process works best. Bugs, birds, oils, and wheels seem to be the biggest challenges. On a busy day, you don’t want to spend a lot of time using labour to get bugs off and cleaning rims.”

The three requirements to getting the job done when it comes to bug removal, says Taylor are chemicals, labour, and equipment.

“One of these is not necessary if you use the right chemicals and equipment, and that is labour, he says, adding that labour eats up profits, is not consistent and slows down processing cars on a busy day. “Using a high pH presoak and sur-

“A drum cost means absolutely nothing,” states Maria. “One drum could cost $100 and another $200, but if you have to use triple the amount of the one that is $100, then the cost per car far exceeds what the higher priced drum was. Look at usage per car instead of drum price.”

Mark VII Equipment decided to get into the carwash chemical business a few years ago and continues to explore new formulas for its chemical line of products.

“One product I think is particularly worth mentioning is ShineTecs, which buffs the car with hand waxing quality that really makes it shine,” says Maria. “We have a lot of testimonials from customers who are using it and love the product.”

In the carwash industry, it’s always good to have new product offerings to stimulate the customer base and attract new customer opportunities, says Jack Bonow, assistant vice president of sales

factant helps process more cars per hour.

At The Cobra System, we are different because of how our customers apply heated chemicals at the point of application using our heated chemical tire applicators and heated bug towers. Adding some heat breaks down the organic materials much faster and more effectively while neutralizing any acid left on the vehicle surface.

For best results to remove any organic materials, the chemical should be applied on areas needed before the car is wetted so the chemical will be drawn in like a sponge. If the car is wetted, there will be a dilution barrier, causing ineffectiveness for cleaning.”

When purchasing chemicals, Kelly Maria, key account manager, Mark VII Equipment Inc., cautions against choosing based on price.

Canada & Central U.S., Cleaning Systems, Inc. “Most notably over the past several years, carwash chemical manufacturers have focused on protection products,” says Bonow. “The most recent craze has been with ceramics formulated into super sealant and clear coat sealants, providing long-lasting protection and shine. CSI/Lustra has kept pace with these new product offers and often deviated from the herd to create more innovative and advanced technological formulations.”

CSI is introducing an innovative super sealant, ProSheild Polymer Protection, infused with CSI’s Apexamer Technology.

This product goes beyond ceramics and provides a unique cross-linking or weblike application, giving surface protection from everyday elements and increasing a

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vehicle’s hydrophobicity, which is the ability to shed water and rain, he states.

“Not every carwash chemical is right for every location across the world,” notes Bonow. “Regions and cities differ, depending on seasonal weather patterns, hot and cold conditions, water quality, and environmental elements. In talking about cleaning solutions, these conditions have a dramatic effect on the ability for a product to perform. Some products are built to perform better when hard water is an issue, and others are best suited for environmental fallouts from agriculture, industrial, and commercial regions.”

Most chemical manufacturers make several cleaning detergents designed for various environmental conditions, methods of application, and types of car washing equipment, notes Bonow.

Regarding chemical application or delivery systems, there are a lot of older wash units that could use upgrading, which could make a world of difference in performance, and efficiency states Bonow.

“First and foremost, I recommend an ongoing check of all the backroom pumps and chemical delivery systems,” he advises. “One bad pump can cause poor performance and customer dissatisfaction.

There are many efficient delivery systems on the market today that, in the long run, can save the operator money and improve customer satisfaction.”

Whether it’s a tunnel, in-bay, or selfserve operation, it is good practice to regularly evaluate each application function to see if they are performing to expectations, says Bonow.

“This is what the customer sees and judges how good, or bad the wash experience was,” he comments. “Steady maintenance can make a big difference and keep repair costs down, but there are times when things wear out or are outdated and need to be upgraded. For example, there are more efficient types of foaming apparatuses on the market now to replace the old-style foam sticks and shower heads.”

Bonow also recommends examining chemical lines every few months, those coming from the products to the pumping units and then again out into the bay and replacing old and worn chemical lines with new ones.

“Carwash manufacturers, both in equipment and in chemicals, are continuously developing new and improved products to enhance the carwash experience as well as greater efficiencies,” notes Bonow. “If you haven’t done it already, maybe it’s time to evaluate your carwash, your customer base and develop a plan to upgrade where needed.”

Human Resources

ALIGN YOURSELF WITH A BETTER CAREER A NEW PERSONALITY ASSESSMENT TOOL THAT

MEASURES ATTRIBUTES RATHER THAN SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE IS GAINING TRACTION AND WINNING RAVES AS A WAY OF INCREASING DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION IN THE WORKPLACE.

F

The sheer volume of choices out there can be simply overwhelming. And when you realize that a staggering 50% of the jobs available today didn’t even exist a decade ago, that just adds to the potential anxiety.

So where do you turn? Certainly, career counsellors can help guide you along the way. They can help you decide what to major in, what careers will generate a sense of purpose and also where the jobs will be in five-to-10 years from now. Many career counsellors use tools like career assessment instruments to help you identify themes in your in your life which can help you narrow your choices.

Not all of these however, were cre-

By Carter Hammett

OR MANY OF US, THE DECISION TO COMMIT TO A SPECIFIC CAREER IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT AND NERVE-WRACKING DECISIONS WE’LL PROBABLY EVER MAKE. It can also be one of the most challenging undertakings we can engage in.

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JESSICA DUBELAAR

ELIZABETH MOHLER

Red, for example is driven and actionoriented. Green offers a people focus, while blue people are highly detail-oriented and organized. Yellow people tend to be “big picture” thinkers and spontaneous.

ALiGN also embraces paradox and thus the complexity of human dynamics.

“You can be both introverted and extraverted,” says Dubelaar. “The binary perspective is more realistic.”

“ALiGN is psychometric personality assessment that matches employers to talent, says project coordinator at Ryerson Magnet Elizabeth Mohler. “I’d say it’s unique because of the three types of selves that it describes.”

Those three “selves” are the Underlying, or how you are at home; the Everyday, or how you present yourself to the world, and the Extended self, or the personality that functions under stress.

ated equally. Not all of them have been peer reviewed, for example. One of the downsides to these instruments - especially self-scoring ones - is that it’s easy to project who you want to be into the mix, rather than who you are now, at this very moment. At the end of the day, good career assessment tests provide quality information that enhance the decision making process which should lead you to better and clearer career goals.

A recent arrival to the party and one that’s been gaining a lot of traction lately is ALiGN. Developed by the Ontario Tourism Education Corporation (OTEC) and powered by Magnet, ALiGN positions itself as a test that matches job seekers with employers through personality attributes instead of the more traditional approaches of skills and experience.

“It’s like a pre-screening tool for employers,” says Jessica Dubelaar, project manager, inclusive hiring at Magnet. “It allows employers to consider individuals who have had barriers to employment (including people with disabilities and new comers to Canada). They might not have the experience but they will have the aptitude and potentially succeed based on personality.”

Highly visual in nature, people who complete an ALiGN assessment receive a colour-driven and highly personalized framework to foster self-awareness while increasing the effectiveness of their relationships at work. The so-called “spark portrait” also includes an overview of careers that might be interesting to participants based on personality preferences and strengths and these show up in mandala awash with colour and meaning. autoatlantic.com

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Human Resources

Perhaps the most interesting of the three is the Extended self, which is seldom presented in personality assessments.

Certain traits, for example, can be derailers, which are just the logical continuum of our strengths. So, yellow, for example, can indicate creativity, which, when used well can be an indicator of strong conceptual skills and radical approaches to different contexts. However, the Extended self, when taxed, can also get lost in detail and certain personality traits can shift from a positive to a negative, depending on the personality.

Results from the assessment are transferrable to other contexts too. For example, attributes that come up on a profile can be transferred to a resume to align with the job being applied for. These same attributes can be used as selling features during a job interview as well.

Funded by Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), and working in collaboration with social innovation platform Magnet (https://magnet.today/) as well as the Diversity Institute at Ryerson University, ALiGN caters to a wide-ranging audience interested in federally-regulated sectors that include, financial institutions,

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telecommunications and transportation.

Employers working in these sectors evaluate the most desirable behavioural characteristics in specifically-targeted occupations and collaborate with OTEC to assemble “ideal candidate profiles” for these positions. Job seekers complete an online psychometric assessment to identify personality traits and workstyle preferences before Magnet’s technology measures job seekers against all candidate profiles in the system and then invites them to apply to roles that match their job fit characteristics.

Finally, employers receive candidates with the knowledge that they are wellsuited for the job.

The project is focused on increasing the pool of qualified candidates from employment equity groups and increase understanding of the barriers to employment faced by populations that include people with disabilities, Indigenous people and women.

With this line of thinking, employers will be able to increase the presence of diverse applicants, creating a more inclusive and pluralistic organizational culture in the process. The initiative also aims to

stimulate insight on how employers can obtain talent with non-traditional education and experience. Examples of this include the fact that, because of the solitary and repetitive nature of trucking, people with high functioning autism (Asperger’s Syndrome) have often been successful in these types of roles. The energy and enthusiasm people with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) can make them ideal candidates for jobs that require shift work.

For folks with disabilities, it’s hard to get experience and they may have gaps on their resume or periods of inactivity due to health issues. ALIGN allows you to be matched based on fit rather than skills and experience. For employers, this provides the opportunity to be open minded when hiring diverse talent. If training or mentoring can be provided this population can be successful, given the chance and the proper supports.

Starbucks was an early adopter of the tool, and made a commitment to use it while hiring Syrian refugees. ALiGN was used to stream folks into barista training in partnership with a local employment agency. Among other variables, the tool indicated which people had the energy to interact with a wide volume of different people as well as the ability to remain organized in a high pressure environment.

“The tool helped to get folks in to non-traditional roles. It’s a great tool for helping them reach their commitment and set people up for success,” says Dubelaar.

So far, feedback has been excellent.

Newcomers who experienced ALiGN generated a satisfaction rating of between 85and-90 percent.

“In a post-COVID-19 world, some jobs won’t exist in the same way,” says Mohler.

“We’ll have to figure out where to go next.

ALiGN might be one way of helping employers consider alternative forms of hiring.” For more information on ALiGN, visit the web site at: magnet.today/align

Atlantic Racing News

MAKING “CENTS� OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC IN THE ATLANTIC STOCK CAR COMMUNITY

By Tim Terry

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HESE ARE SOME UNCERTAIN TIMES W E H AV E B E E N LIVING IN SINCE MARCH WHEN THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC HIT NORTH AMERICA. After everything came to a halt in the Spring, things are beginning to open again and are coming back to life. With government and department of health restrictions, some are opening slower than others. These restrictions have put several industries in Atlantic Canada, including ours, up against the wall. Each business owner is faced with a unique set of circumstances in times like these as they face questions as to when they can reopen and how that may look.

Yes, I said business. Motorsports facilities are businesses. After reading social media outlets the last couple of weeks from those within the motorsports community in the region, I think that has been lost on a lot of people.

Congratulations, you have poked the bear. Let me take the restrictor plate off my keyboard for a few moments.

First and foremost, everyone involved in this industry, whether you are a crew member, driver, official, car owner, fan or track promoter, you are in this sport because you love it. At the grassroots level, nobody is in racing to make a fortune though some do make their living, myself included, off seeing cars make laps.

Sure, everyone would have liked to be back open by now. This weekend would have seen Sydney Speedway open their doors for the season, making them the last scheduled track to get rolling on the 2020 season. As we know now, not one track in this region has seen openings yet for racing. All but two pavement race tracks we cover at TCM have announced openings for private testing, which keeps gathering numbers low. autoatlantic.com

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Atlantic Racing News

Speedway Miramichi will be the first to test the racing waters as they open for competition on June 20th. Miramichi, along with Petty International Raceway, are playing within the box of restrictions that the Government of New Brunswick has placed on them. The big one is the fact that they cannot have more than 50 people on the property at one time.

I’m not here to make this a political debate. There is plenty of that to find on social media these days. Like some, I don’t understand that if we can pack 200 people into a grocery or big box store, then we should be able to have more than 50 people at an outside venue, but we’re not here to discuss that. That is for, in this case, Mr. Higgs and his folks to discuss and release as they feel it is safe to do so.

Until they feel it is safe to lift restrictions, the tracks have to play by the rules, much like drivers do when they roll their cars through the tech shed. If they do not play by the rules, those tracks will quickly be shut down.

Now comes my first major gripe with many folks on social media. If we can only have 50 folks on the property, why even open the track? They can’t have fans, so what’s the point.

Back to the top of my post for the answer. Plain and simple, they are a business.

Even if the business of racing stops, there are still bills to be paid. The electricity has to stay on, the mortgage and property tax has to be paid, insurance on the PHOTO: MIKE MCCARTHY

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facility has more than likely been taken out for the season already and ultimately the owners of the race track and any seasonal employees that are responsible for getting the track ready have to have food on their plates. A majority of tracks are not going to be eligible for any government grants or small business relief to get them through this pandemic. Some track promoters and ownership groups are in different financial situations than others.

Sure, call a spade a spade, some tracks could sit idle this season and the revenue lost is minuscule in the big picture. For others, a season partially ran or lost could mean the difference between the lights turning on in 2021 or the track becoming bank property.

Simply put, if some race tracks do not open and lose this season, who knows if they will be there next year? I’m sure the armchair experts of social media have thought about that though.

We’ve seen this scenario play out at race tracks all across the United States.

Their state to state travel restrictions are lighter, giving them a chance to go across borders and gathering limits are lifted in some places to accommodate based on a percentage of capacity instead of a hard number. A majority of those race tracks though started out with no fans or began hosting private practices, which is seemingly the plan here albeit a month or so behind their schedule in the South. Like here, each state has their differing restrictions and limits to abide by.

Without any front gate revenue, those bills become harder to pay. There is no return on general ticket sales, no refreshment stand profits and no merchandise sales. You can do the math as well as I can, there are thousands of dollars right there that go to offsetting those costs above that are not there right now. Some track and series sponsors have pulled back partially or completely on their commitments for 2020, leaving less budget to work with for sanctioning bodies heading into the middle of June where most would be getting into full swing.

Some tracks feel like they need that profit to make the business numbers work and that is completely their decision. Each track has a different business model that works for them that ultimately will see them survive through who knows what else 2020 will throw at us.

So, for those tracks that want to open, they need to make the numbers works for them that they are not in a losing venture. Race day expenditures bring added expenses including race day staff (fire and rescue, race operations, any payouts, etc.) that are outside those typical costs you would incur during a season. Like any business, they need to try to make X amount of dollars to pay that mortgage payment or to keep the lights on and they need to set their per event budgets to achieve that.

Of course, on the other side of this is race teams. One of the things we brought up at the Maritime Short Track Summit

in November was that this industry as a whole is a circle, no pun intended. Without race teams and race fans, race tracks do not exist. Without race tracks, those race fans have no place to watch a race and teams have to travel further or get out of the sport because their local track becomes a parking lot or a part of a sub division. With limits on amount of folks that can gather in public, that eliminates race fans right now from the equation for those that want to attempt to produce a race card. After all, race fans watching an empty track doesn’t sound like a ton of fun for anyone, does it?

This is a hard time for some race teams. That sponsorship pinch we mentioned earlier will ultimately put a dent into the budget for some teams. With the pinch felt by tracks, chances are purses and tow money will take a sharp dive, if they are even there at all. Remember, outside of several major Pro Stock and Sportsman events, there isn’t a ton of purse money to begin with for weekly shows so some teams and divisions aren’t as affected, though it is nice to get a check or extra gas money in their pocket at the end of the night. After working with Greg and the folks at Sydney Speedway last

year to draft purse and tow money structures, it is difficult for tracks to try and ride that balance of rewarding teams for their hard work and making sure all the bills are paid so there is a next season.

For those that have their cars ready, have the drive to compete and can make the dollars make sense to go racing, at least in New Brunswick, they have two credible venues to do so.

Back to Speedway Miramichi and Petty International Raceway’s opening races.

Both tracks are working within the box to put cars on the track for those that want to go racing. With that comes staggered division times based on interest for each class.

Essentially, one division “mini shows” you can call them where a division rolls in, has a set amount of racing to do and then rolls out for the next division to come in.

Speedway Miramichi is offering this in the form of a practice session, “dash” (heat) racing and twin feature events for the two stock car classes set to compete on June 20th. Petty Raceway is offering a Friday practice, so when their divisions roll in at their scheduled times they can roll into heat racing and a feature event.

This allows the track to operate with gatherings of less than 50 people under

the “Yellow Phase” from the New Brunswick Government. Speedway Miramichi has announced that two people per car (one driver and one crew) would be allowed in the facility with Petty Raceway operating with four per car (one driver and three crew). These numbers, plus with the addition of adding essential track staff to the numbers, should see Petty being able to accommodate 10-15 cars per “mini show” with Speedway Miramichi announcing previously that their cap is 20 cars per time slot, depending on how many crew each car brings.

If there are no fans in the stands, why not live stream the event? Well, looking back to above, there are costs associated with that to do it right. From being at the track with various streaming companies, it is not just as simple as plugging in and going live. There is pre-production work to be done, setup at the race track the day of and people that need to be in place in order to make the show happen. You would need to buy equipment to do it in house which is a cost most tracks that are just trying to make the ends meet cannot absorb right now. There are no dedicated motorsports streaming companies in the Maritimes, yet, and most basic streaming autoatlantic.com

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PHOTO: MIKE MCCARTHY

platforms will want thousands of dollars to work an event. With limited sponsorship revenue coming in to those tracks, even with charging the end user to view the show, the dollars and cents simply don’t add up for most tracks at this point.

Sure, you could hold a phone up and stream the event, it would work in a pinch but again, there are data costs associated with it. Add to the fact that the cell and internet infrastructure at Petty International Raceway isn’t the best based on their location and even the phone option is nearly impossible.

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Speedway Miramichi has included in their back to racing plan that the event would be recorded and available on demand and I’m excited to say that thanks to Brittany Hoyt and Denver Matchett, our plan is to have a camera at both Speedway Miramichi and Petty International Raceway to record races and get interviews with the winners. As much as I’d like to be there in person, border restrictions prevent me from being there, so we’ve made arrangements to send equipment to New Brunswick to hopefully deliver our race fans content if all works out.

Speaking of borders being closed, everyone asks me whether we will see any Touring Series race this year. The first answer, above all of those other business points we have already discussed, is that provincial borders need to be open so traffic can flow freely. Without an Atlantic Canadian bubble, there is no touring series. If it does happen, when does it happen? Early July, late July, sometime in Au-

gust? Is there enough time to put together a couple of races or is there a season to put together? Nobody knows that answer until the borders are welcoming traffic to flow freely.

In short, here is my advice. If you have a car ready in a province that has a track getting ready to race, head to that race track and support them at least once through this. Like any business, a race track only survives if folks are coming through the gates, whether that is for a private test or a racing event. If you are a keyboard warrior that is on social media complaining that tracks should close their gates to racers because fans are not allowed to watch, take a little step back, take off the blinders, dump the “poor me” mentality and try to look at the big picture. This is tough on the entire racing community. We’ll all get through this as long as we support each other. Bashing race tracks, much like before this pandemic, is not going to help anything.

Restrictor plate back on the keyboard.

Back to your regularly scheduled social media surfing.

Until next time (and the borders allow us to travel), keep the hammer down and we’ll see you at the track!

At the Recycler’s Yard

AUTO RECYCLERS RESPOND TO COVID-19 PANDEMIC Steve Fletcher

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IKE EVERY SEGMENT OF CANADIAN SOCIETY, THE AUTO RECYCLING SECTOR HAS BEEN AFFECTED BY THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. Like every sector that is “essential” in the traditional sense of the word (ie required to exist for our society to continue to function, after all every old vehicle needs a proper burial), auto recyclers have responded to ensure their survival.

When the various levels of government declared a state of emergency, auto recycling was either declared essential, or we could infer from the products and services we provide and to whom, that we were essential.

Most auto recyclers stayed open and scrambled to figure out how to continue to deliver while keeping staff and customers safe. Through our regional association - the Automotive Recyclers Association of Atlantic Canada (ARAAC), our national association - the Automotive Recyclers of Canada (ARC) and our international association - the Automotive Recyclers Association (ARA), plenty of information, best practices and interpretation bulletins were available. Many also relied upon

their peer network to discuss any and all aspects of running the business. Our core business is selling used auto parts. Many of our wholesale customers (mechanical and collision repairers) slowed down, as accidents and miles driven plummeted.

Fortunately, the retail and online portions of many auto recyclers exploded as do-ityourselfers had the time to make repairs and the need to keep costs down but keep their vehicle moving. Many repairers now understand the power of short supply chains too, supporting local businesses that can provide local and fast service.

A hidden side of auto recycling is the sourcing of inventory (ie total loss and older vehicles) to buy to break up in to parts and materials to sell. Auto recyclers have developed sophisticated networks to source vehicles and one of the most lucrative can be salvage auctions where insurers market their total loss vehicles. Again with a drop in miles driven and accidents, the supply of vehicles at these salvage pools have dropped. Normally that would mean a drop in prices, but with supply dropping but demand staying the same or even increasing - prices have remained high. Insurers also have maintained high expectations of returns from the auctions and that has led to an unprecedented number of “If Bids” - a completely unproductive situation where the high bidder doesn’t win the car - they win a call the next day demanding more money or the vehicle will be re-auctioned. A lot of un-

necessary lost time for auto recyclers, and something ARC has formed a national task force to address.

On the operational side, most auto recyclers have a lot of space, so physical distancing hasn’t been too much of an issue. But productivity is down and the cost of PPE is up, so margins continue to thin.

ARAAC had to cancel its annual convention, which was to be in Halifax in June with both the Canadian Association of Recycling Industries and the ARC Board of Directors Annual Meeting.

This loss of face time with Members and the overall industry is difficult to replace. But like many others, we are trying to figure out how to interact digitally.

Fortunately, we have strong associations to help guide us, and keen suppliers who are gaining valuable experience delivering information. ARC has also developed a Covid-19 Relief Fund for Members and their employees to provide financial and moral support for the industry.

Through the initial generosity of CarPart.com, $1000 grants are available.

While that may not solve a lot of financial problems, it is rewarding to know that for auto recyclers - we are all in this together.

Auto recycling will survive this pandemic, and those that do will come back stronger and more united than ever. It’s what we do.

Automotive Recyclers Association of Atlantic Canada (ARAAC) 519-858-8761 www.carec.ca - www.araac.ca

Around the Atlantic

‘EVERYONE IS ENTITLED TO RESPECT’ PROLINE AUTO OWNER THOMAS MAY CONSIDERS EMPLOYEES AND CUSTOMERS ALIKE TO BE AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE NAPA FAMILY

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By Kristen Lipscombe

OR PROLINE AUTOMOTIVE SUPPLY, LTD., OWNE R THOMAS M AY, GOING TO WORK EVERY DAY FOR THE PAST 40 YEARS HAS BEEN JUST AS MUCH ABOUT SPENDING TIME WITH HIS SECOND FAMILY AS IT HAS BEEN ABOUT SELLING TOP-OF-THE-LINE VEHICLE PARTS.

“I’ve been there 33 years this year,” said the 63-year-old owner of the National Automotive Parts Association (NAPA) supply shop located on Spencer Street in the heart of Saint John, one of two New Brunswick-based auto parts stores he’s run over the course of his four-decadelong career.

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The NAPA shop usually has about 10 employees on the payroll, with office manager Gail Bagley also reaching the 33-year mark this year and store manager Thomas Parsons rising the ranks for more than two decades to help run the business.

“I think we offer a pleasant workplace,” May said. “Everybody gets treated with respect, which I think is important.

Everyone is entitled to respect.”

That sense of mutual respect extends to the store’s customers, which range from local businesses in need of specific supplies for vehicle fleets to individuals looking for both quick and quality fixes for their cars and trucks. Proline Automotive quickly finds exactly what their customers need, which more often than not means meeting – and exceeding – expectations.

The NAPA-supplied store has unique access to a selection of more than 50,000 parts ranging from batteries and brake pads, to alternators and starters, and everything else in between needed to keep

drivers on the road safely.

“We really are focused on keeping our customers happy, so it keeps us all focused on the same goal,” May said.

“We’re mainly auto parts with a little bit of industrial (supplies) that we sell.” Those sometimes include specialized parts and tools for more heavy-duty farming and marine equipment, but for the most part, his shop’s clientele consists of smaller repair shops and those behind the wheels of small- and medium-sized trucks and cars.

“We concentrate on what we do well,” said May, who started his auto parts career as a 23-year-old stock boy in the commercial equipment industry, but had started to answer phones and handle the parts counter within a matter of weeks.

“Then I became a part-time salesman, and then a part-time purchaser, and then I became a full-time purchaser, and then I became a full-time manager, and then I came back and managed the parts counter, all within seven years,” May said. “It was like a training course for me.”

Around the Atlantic

May wanted to keep learning about the auto parts industry beyond commercial equipment so started networking with salesmen within the industry. He jumped at the opportunity to manage the United Auto Parts (UAP) location in Saint John, which specialized in light-truck and car parts, and before he knew it, the owners offered to sell him their shop. Eventually, UAP became a subsidiary of Genuine Parts Company (GPC), operating under the NAPA brand, which prides itself on “best in class service” across the entire supply chain.

“There are a lot of things that we offer that the rest of the industry can’t, so it differentiates us,” May explained. “I always like to offer the best and NAPA enables me to do that. I think if I was selling for any other banner, I’d feel like I was second best.”

So what makes NAPA so special in such a highly competitive industry?

“We lead the way in warranty programs and incentive programs,” May said.

That includes vacations every couple of years for thousands of loyal customers to destinations ranging from Hawaii in the U.S. to Buenos Aires in Argentina to Panama, which borders Central and South America, along with several European tourist hot spots such as Italy, Portugal, and most recently, Ireland.

“Those programs are just fantastic for customers to be able to go on and we go as a group, so we form really good relationships,” May explained. “It’s not just business.”

The special trips are part of the unique NAPA Rewards program, which allows customers to rack up points just for choosing to provide their business to a company that built itself on honesty, integrity and reliability.

“If they choose to enroll in the program, they get three per cent of their purchases back over two years towards the cost of a trip, and then they pay whatever else is left, or if they earned enough, they get a credit back and they’ve earned more than the value of the trip.”

The company literally welcomes its loyal customers to become “part of the NAPA Family,” according to its website.

“We socialize together when we’re on the trips,” May said. “We spend a lot of time together.”

May believes that’s why many customers – and employees – stick with the company “for so long,” including himself.

“The industry is a great industry; there are so many opportunities” said May. “It’s amazing.”

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for May has been his decade of involvement with the Automotive Industries Association (AIA) of Canada, where he even served as chair for three years before recently passing the torch as he readies himself for retirement.

Although he’s going to miss “the people” in his automotive parts family, May said he’s looking forward to spending more time with his adult children Evan May and Andrea Zaionz, along with his

granddaughter Amy, in addition to finishing his brand new home on the river, hitting the golf course more often and scuba diving down south with his fiancé, Darlene Mattina.

“I have only respect for this organization,” May said of both his AIA and NAPA families. “Particularly to be respected are the many volunteers who work on behalf of the association and donate their time and experience to promote the industry in each region across Canada.”

May emphasizes his genuine respect for his colleagues across the country in the automotive parts industry, “who are in it to help people, for the most part. They will do almost anything for anybody and I just find they’re very down to earth people that are doing a tough job.”

That willingness to ensure customers are fully satisfied with their high-quality services sometimes even comes at the costs of the success of individual businesses, which value their long-term reputation among loyal customers over making money and immediate profit. “They’re very under-valued for what they do.”

For May, that feeling of his business truly feeling like a family culminated when his company – and their customers – were able to fundraise enough money to buy a mobility bus for Kennebec Manor, a local nursing home where his late wife, Pamela May (Steeves), had volunteered for several years.

“We had some of our customers involved and they chipped in,” May said, “and it was just kind of a good sense of community.”

Pamela’s mother had been a resident at Kennebec Manor so she spent a lot of time there helping and “going out with residents on their outings,” May recalled.

“And then their bus died, and they had no bus so the last few months that she volunteered there, there were no outings anymore.”

Pamela passed away in April 2013 after a five-year battle with breast cancer at just 56 years old. The store’s committed community, however, was able to come up with enough cash to purchase and outfit the new wheelchair-accessible bus, and use it to pick Pamela up from Bobby’s Hospice care so that she could participate in the dedication ceremony at the nursing home – where she had spent so much time caring for others – before May and the rest of their family had to say their final goodbyes.

“I am (grateful) to the automotive industry as a whole,” May said. “It is filled with great people genuinely trying their best to help people.”

East Coast Road Report

NB ANNUAL TRAFFIC SAFETY AWARENESS CAMPAIGN UNDERWAY

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ITH WARMER WEATHER EXPECTED AND THE CONSTRUCTION SEASON NOW UNDERWAY, THE NEW BRUNSWICK PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT AND ITS INDUSTRY PARTNERS ARE REMINDING MOTORISTS TO SLOW DOWN.

double the minimum fine. “Each year, hundreds of men and women work long hours at construction projects to keep our

roads safe for motorists,” said Oliver. “It is important that people slow down and do their part to keep everyone safe.”

“New Brunswick highways are especially busy during the summer months,” said Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Bill Oliver. “Individuals and families are travelling the province and construction season is in full swing. By following road and speed reduction signs in construction zones, motorists can ensure their own safety as well as that of our workers.”

The Department of Transportation and Infrastructure is once again partnering with the New Brunswick Road Builders and Heavy Construction Association, WorkSafeNB and the New Brunswick Construction Safety Association on the annual safety campaign. “Everyone has a role to play when it comes to safety,” said Tom McGinn, executive director of the New Brunswick Road Builders and Heavy Construction Association.

“This campaign is an important annual reminder to the travelling public to respect our construction zones and construction workers. By obeying construction signage and reducing their speed, motorists can assure they are not putting someone’s life at risk.”

The annual campaign will include messages distributed through social media and on the radio. For safety reasons, speed limits are lowered in constructions zones. Drivers in New Brunswick are reminded that if they get caught speeding in highway construction zones they face autoatlantic.com

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Future Technologies

SECOND LIFE EV BATTERIES

By David Giles

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T’S BEEN OVER TWO DECADES SINCE THE DEBUT OF BOTH THE HONDA INSITE AND TOYOTA PRIUS IN NORTH AMERICA. BACK WHEN THESE CARS WERE FIRST INTRODUCED MANY QUESTIONS SURROUNDED THE BATTERIES. Some of the concerns were longevity, cost and safety, with over 4.3 million Prius cars sold since 2000 in North America and many reaching well over 600,000 km on their original nickel metal hydride (NiMH) batteries. The question looms over EndOf-Life (EOL) or is there a possible second life for these cars? To further this number,

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Honda put over two million hybrid cars and then another two million plus hybrids from various manufacturers that have been sold in North America since 2000.

So the question is “what happens when a battery goes bad?” You only really have two options. Just like any other piece of battery-powered equipment, you can rebuild or replace.

These come with cost and then the environmental issues surrounding replacement and disposal. In most cases if a hybrid battery in a Prius goes bad, the customer has two options. Replace the entire battery or get rid of the car. The cost in replacing a Prius 2004 battery module assembly can set a customer back several thousands of dollars.

I have heard the cost can be between $5 – 10K dollars at a dealer. On a car that might only be worth four-or-five thousand with a good battery, so many cars are traded in and then sent to auctions or recyclers.

The real question is, is the car ready for the automotive graveyard?

Owners become frustrated their beloved car is now at its end-of-life, but still looks great and has been very reliable for the last 10-plus years. To put thousands of dollars into their car could be a way of keeping it on the road, but the cost just does not make sense.

Now new generation electric vehicles (EVs), PHEV’s and BEV’s including Prius Prime use the lithium-ion battery technology. These batteries allow the electric vehicle to perform as well as an internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle and get long range on a single charge.

These batteries also have a cycle life and cost that can be significantly higher than a NiMH battery.

Recent research shows that in many cases when a NiMH battery fails it’s not because all the cells in the battery fail.

Only a couple of cells typically fail and cause limp mode with the vehicle or shut-

down. It’s like putting one bad battery cell in with three other good battery cells into a flashlight. Replacing that one bad battery cell gives a second life back to the flashlight. Why can’t we do that with EV batteries? And the answer is yes!

Companies like ALL EV Canada, have been replacing individual cells in NiMH packs as a service/repair giving the owner of his-or-her older hybrid vehicle a second life and only costing a fraction of a new pack. The first step is to diagnose the bad cells then test and cycle the other cells to make sure the batteries that stay are balanced. The process has been so successful after finishing and testing the battery back into the car the battery gets an All EV Canada, one-year unlimited KM warranty on the battery module.

Peace of mind is what all vehicle owners want and knowing they now have that warranty will let them sustain enjoyment of their older hybrid vehicles.

Now, older lithium powered EV vehicles are starting to show lost range and in some cases vehicles that won’t even move.

Older Nissan Leaf packs are starting to drastically lose range as an example. We have heard many times from customers that call us from across Canada, how they love their car but can’t afford to spend thousands on battery replacement.

So at ALL EV Canada we are committed to saving customers the cost of a total battery replacement in the vehicle. While this replacement of an entire pack would once again ensure extended life of the vehicle it’s the cost to the customer, then the environmental impact from the discarded pack that become an issue.

Dalhousie Renewable Energy Storage Lab (RESL) run By Dr Lukas Swan, is turning discarded and EOL packs into usable energy storage for wind, solar and tidal power. So, cells that are removed from a bad pack could be put to a power storage wall. This is because the energy in a cell that may not be useful for a vehicle would be still good for power storage.

ALL EV Canada is currently working on a couple of 2011 Leaf packs, identifying and replacing cells is part of our research.

This research is sent to Dr Swan, and his engineering students from the RESL to develop a system that could be applied to other Lithium-ion batteries without replacing entire battery packs.

Sources predict that over 525,000 batteries will be hitting their EOL by 2025 and one million plus by 2030.

That means solutions for cell replacement or energy storage will become big business as it’s predicted EV sales will continue to soar. autoatlantic.com

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ATA of Atlantic Canada

ATLANTIC AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY INSURANCE PROGRAM

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URING THESE DIFFICULT AUTOMOTIVE BUSINESS OPERATIONAL CIRCUMSTANCES, IT IS HELPFUL TO FOCUS ON POSITIVE INDUSTRY ISSUES WHERE THEY EXIST.

There appears to be signs of some relief from the COVID-19 issue that has so negatively affected our Industry workforce. Many employers are reporting that their customers are beginning to recover from the pandemic issue and, albeit slowly, return to a new level of normal business activity.

One of the large benefits of working in the Automotive Industry is access to the well recognized Medavie Blue Cross Group Health Care Insur-

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ance Plan. During this difficult health care period we are dealing with, it is very important that employers have Health Insurance Protection Plans for their employees. Retaining good employees and attracting new workers, is becoming a greater challenge and a more important part of our business activity than ever before.

The Automotive Trades Association Group Health Care Insurance Plan managed by Mr. Mark Denholm from MacLellan & Moffatt Group Consultants is now available to the Automotive Industry in Atlantic Canada. Automotive Industry employers throughout Atlantic Canada now have the opportunity to benefit from this outstanding program by contacting Mark at 902-893-0508 ext 227 or email mdenholm@mmgc.ca

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ADVERTISERS DIRECTORY ADVERTISER

PHONE

INTERNET

Adams Car Wash

1-902-497-7260

adams.carwash@ns.sympatico.ca 29

Arnott Industries

1-800-251-8993

arnottindustries.com

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Atlantic Autowash

1-506-459-8878

aautowash@nb.aibn.com

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Bastarache

1-888-288-6621

bastaracheauto.com

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Bradford Exchange

1-877-595-9507

bradfordexchange.ca

IN

CARQUEST Canada

1-506-631-3809

carquest.ca

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Cabot Shipping

1-800-565-0606

cabotss.com

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Covey’s

1-866-737-8911

coveys.com

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Dynamic Truck

1-888-366-2999

dynamictruck.com

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Fix Network

1-800-INFO-FIX

fixauto.com

Fleet Brake Atlantic

1-9 02.468.139 6

fleetbrake.com

Ideal Equipment Ltd

1-506-458-9322

idealequipmentltd.com

Krown Halifax

1-888-545-7878

krownhalifax.com

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19

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mmgc.ca

Maritime Auto Parts 1-800-565-7278

maritimeauto.com

4

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Maritime Car Wash

1-902-861-4747

maritimecarwash.ca

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Maritime Pro Stock

1-902-873-2277

maritimeprostocktour.com

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NAPA Auto Parts

1-800-263-2111

napaonlinecanada.com

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NAPA Auto Parts

1-800-263-2111

napaonlinecanada.com

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napaonlinecanada.com

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IN

NSTSA

1-902-493-3051

Rust Check

1-888-RUSTIES

Uni-Select (BtoB) Women in Carwash

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EARBORN, MICH., JUNE 10, 2020 – WHAT’S IN A COLOUR? WHEN IT COMES TO ORANGE, ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR COLOURS FOR FORD MUSTANG, A LOT.

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Ford is introducing Cyber Orange Metallic Tri-Coat for Mustang Mach-E GT – a bold, eye-catching premium exterior colour designed by the company’s colour and materials experts for those who want to turn heads twice.

“Mustang has always turned heads and Mustang Mach-E will be no exception.” said Dave Pericak, director, Ford Icons. “We can’t wait for Cyber Orange to hit the streets on Mustang Mach-E GT next year to fuel the passion of our orange Mustang fans.”

Cyber Orange and Dark Matter Gray join the list of colours for Mustang Mach-E GT with deliveries starting in late summer 2021.

Mustang Mach-E GT is also available in Rapid Red Metallic Tinted Clearcoat, Star White Metallic Tri-Coat, Grabber Blue, Shadow Black, Iconic Silver and Space White.

“Cyber Orange says ‘look at me’,” said Janet Seymour, Mustang and Mustang Mach-E color & materials design manager. “There’s a certain passion in Mustang customers who really want to show off their Mustang – especially those that look to make a bold statement.”

rustcheck.ca

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ABOUT FORD MOTOR COMPANY OF CANADA, LIMITED

1-506-857-8150

uni-selectcanada.com

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1-204-489-4215

womenincarwash.com

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nstsa.ca

Worldpac Inc. 1-800-888-9982

worldpac.com

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Valvoline 1-800-TEAM-VAL

valvoline.ca

13

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ICONIC MUSTANG COLOUR NOW OFFERED FOR 2021 MUSTANG MACH-E GT

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MacLellan & Moffatt 1-888-893-0508

CYBER ORANGE SET TO HEIGHTEN EXHILARATION:

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Ford of Canada’s operations include a national headquarters, three regional offices, three vehicle assembly and engine manufacturing plants, two parts distribution centres, two R&D sites, and three Connectivity and Innovation centres. Ford employs approximately 8,000 people in Canada, while an additional 18,000 people are employed in the more than 400 Ford and Ford-Lincoln dealerships across the country. For more information, please visit www.ford.ca.

Crossword Contest

CROSSWORD (ANSWERS IN THE NEXT AUTO & TRUCKING ATLANTIC)

Sharon Hayes of Sussex, NB is our latest Crossword Puzzle winner! Congratulations on winning your new Rust Check package of goodies. Deadline for entry is August 25th, 2020 YOU COULD WIN THIS SWAG BAG OF GOODIES FROM RUST CHECK THAT INCLUDES A JACKET, BALL CAP, TOUQUE AND TWO RUST CHECK PROTECTION PRODUCTS. ENTER WITH YOUR CORRECT PUZZLE ENTRY, AND IT COULD BE ALL YOURS!

IT’S SO EASY TO WIN! Fill out info below and send your Crossword to us at 608 - 56 Jacob Lane, Bedford, NS B3M 0H5, or Email us at: info@ autoatlantic.com

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CROSSWORD BY MYLES MELLOR - WWW.THEMECROSSWORDS.COM

MAY 2020 WINNER!

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NAME: ADDRESS:

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PHONE:

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1 It’s on the west coast of

1 City in PEI, county in England

2 Spacious

Newfoundland, 2 words

6 It’s for overhead gear storage

3 Camera to assist in reversing,

8 One __ one

4 Overtime, abbr.

10 Give___ (yield)

5 __ fob

11 Minor paint job, 2 words

7 Wheel grooves

14 Right away!

9 Malibu or ‘Vette makers, for short

15 ___ Rover, good for off-roading

12 Mighty tree

17 Rental car agency

13 Midsize VW model

20 Luxury cars like the F-Pace and F-Type

14 Promotional effort

22 __and about 23 Japanese restuarant serving 24 Source of solar energy

16 Gets closer 18 German luxury car brand 19 Lamborghini sports car 21 Lexus ___ sedan 22 Placed above

IT’S FUN! IT’S EASY! LAST ISSUE’S CROSSWORD 1

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NAPA Guess & Win contest

NAPA GUESS & WIN! BROUGHT TO YOU BY

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ASCAR fans, maybe you can name who this up and coming NASCAR driver is, or anything more about him (hint: he was in the news this spring). Details please and a FREE Stanley 1/4” and 3/8” Drive SAE 123pc Socket Set from NAPA is all yours! The more detail the better!

Send in your answer at autoatlantic.com/Contest.htm or Email us at info@autoatlantic.com, and make sure to include your name, town, province and telephone number. Maybe this time it’ll be you! Deadline for entry is August 25th, 2020.

Best wishes to Andre O u e l l e t of Dieppe, NB, who correctly answered: “The car is a Tesla Roadster with 690 hp, top speed of over 250 mph and a range of over 1000 km . . .”

Thank you to all who entered our contest, you could be next!

YOUR NAME: PHONE: ADDRESS: CITY / TOWN / VILLAGE: PROVINCE: POSTAL CODE: EMAIL: YOUR ANSWER:

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