November 2019 Auto & Trucking Atlantic

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COMING TO A DEPOT NEAR YOU . . . (SEE PAGE 12)

THE KEY TO SHOP PROFITS

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TAKING THE HIGH ROAD

TRUCKING CAREERS LEAD TO POSITIVE DESTINATIONS

CARWASH BRUSHES AND PROFITABILITY (SEE PAGE 32)

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Page 4

AUTOMATING THE AUTOMOTIVE: but do we really have to be so worried about automation? Discuss.

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TAKING THE HIGH ROAD: Thinking of a trucking career? The industry’s modernizing, upgrading and diversifying. And it’s looking for you.

Page 12

COMING SOON TO A DEPOT NEAR YOU – The next big deal’s parked just around the corner says Kenneth E. Seaton. But where’s the driver?

Page 17

THE ATLANTIC ROAD REPORT – Newfoundland launches new 511 app • More!

SALES TEAM Dan Hillier dan@autoatlantic.com

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NEWS OF THE WEIRD – What? Doesn’t everyone park their vehicle in the kitchen to save it from Mother Nature’s blustery clutches?

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START YOUR ENGINES: How To Find Yourself in the Driver’s Seat – So you wanna drive a maritime stock car? A beginner’s guide hosted by the one and only Tim Terry

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VALUE DELIVERED: The Absolute Key to Increase Profitability – When operators refer to the business as “competitive” what are they really saying? Mr. Woodward walks us through the maze

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A FAMILY AFFAIR – the tale of a Canadian auto parts manufacturer now in its third generation of business

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Q & A – How Carwash Brush Selection Impacts Profitability – It’s critical in enhancing performance, profit and reviews so don’t be quick to brush this advice off

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DON’T BE A CAR SNOB! Why does the North American hobby appear to be so close minded? We offer a few possible answers to that age-old question

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NAPA DARTMOUTH Changing to Meet Customer Needs - What used to take an evening now takes a week. That has nothing to do with efficiency: the inventory’s broadened and yes, so’s the service.

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FIX NETWORKS ATLANTIC GROWTH The Fix Network, which consists of Fix Auto Collision, NOVUS Glass and Speedy Auto Service has been serving the automotive aftermarket services industry across Canada for decades.

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Letter from the Editor

AUTOMATING THE AUTOMOTIVE

P

By Carter Hammett

ERHAPS IN LIGHT OF THE IMPENDING CLOSURES OF GM PLANTS IN THE US, I’VE BEEN TURNING THOUGHTS AND ATTENTION A LOT MORE TOWARDS ROBOTICS AND DISRUPTIVE TECHNOLOGY LATELY.

Automation’s time is upon us and its potential impact on jobs and the labour market concerns me more than a few plant closures. If you don’t think so, start looking at the retail sector. Already, stores like Walmart are investing in scan-and-go technology. Amazon Go currently has six “cashier-less” convenience stores in three different US cities, and the concept has almost become mainstream throughout Asia with C-stores like BingoBox leading the way. According to Automationmag.com, global robot investment hit $16.5 billion in the last year. While robotic shipments are expected to take a dip this year, they’re forecast to rebound by 12% between next year and 2022.

The automotive sector is the single largest adopter of robots world-wide to-

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talling 30% of the total supply. The drive towards modernization and increased capacity for vehicle production are the key reasons for a higher demand for robots.

About 79% of all robot installations occurred in five markets, with China leading the way followed by Japan, Germany, the United States and Korea. Interestingly, India, considered the world’s fourth-largest vehicle producer, only had about 2,100 robots installed within its automotive sector.

A McKinsey Global Institute study released in 2017 estimated that up to 375 million workers around the world might have to consider switching professions by 2030 because of automation advancements. It’s estimated that about 57% of the 1.4 million jobs that will be disrupted between now and 2026 will be held by women.

Tesla executives forecast that their electric vehicles will be built entirely by robots. While some people’s roles will shift to managing the actual robots, other human-staffed jobs will deal with maintaining the machines, managing upgrades and problem solving. The production process will essentially be people-free.

Other companies don’t appear to share that vision. Last year a BNN Bloomberg

story shed light on Honda’s production facilities in Ohio, where humans and machines work side-by-side. Robots generally handle most of the painting and welding as they do in many other production facilities. The story reported that a new weld shop was installed with 342 robots to create the Accord’s metal body. Automation levels hadn’t changed that much however, when it came to installing motors, wheels and interior trim parts. Robots were also used to lift rear suspensions into the bottom of the car, aided by humans who applied bolts and brackets on the suspension. The work is considered too dexterous for robots.

But robots can make substantial contributions in areas like cutting fabric, polishing molds and trimming flashes from plastic mouldings. Robots are making inroads in coating and sealing, as well as tasks that are considered more risky for people.

In a study published last year, the C.D. Howe Institute assessed the readiness of workers to face technological shifts on a province-by-province basis.

The study concluded that the more economically diverse the province, the better the chances of successful adaption. Jobs including service station attendants and motor vehicle assemblers were among the jobs most likely to be impacted the study concluded. The provinces most likely to be impacted included New Brunswick and Newfoundland, while those least impacted included BC and Ontario.

While it’s natural to assume that the first reaction to these changes imply job loss, opportunities to learn new skills are also expected to develop. It’s worth noting that robots will most likely never remove people from jobs requiring critical thinking, creativity or emotional management skills. Whatever the future holds, technological advances are predicted to have significant impact within the next decade. Workers would do well to consider developing new skills now as we remind ourselves that the only real constant is change. .

Truckers Corner

TAKING THE HIGH R CAREERS LEAD TO PO

IN AN INDUSTRY CONVULSING WITH CHANGE AND OPPORTUNITIES ABOUND FOR NON-TRADITIONAL

By Carter Hammett

I

T’S SOMETIMES DIFFICULT TO BELIEVE JUST HOW MUCH WE TAKE TRUCKING FOR GRANTED. WITH OVER THREE QUARTERS OF THE GOODS IN THIS COUNTRY DELIVERED BY TRUCKS, TRUCKING IS

QUITE LITERALLY THE BACKBONE OF CANADIAN ECONOMY. THE TRUCKING INDUSTRY PLAYS A SUBSTANTIAL ECONOMIC ROLE IN BOTH NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL SUPPLY CHAINS. IT REPRESENTS 4.5 PERCENT OF CANADA’S GDP, EMPLOYS ALMOST A MILLION PEOPLE AND CONTRIBUTES TO THE ECONOMIC SUCCESS OF SEVERAL KEY SECTORS, AMONG THEM FORESTRY, MINING, AND CONSTRUCTION. Canada’s freight industry is composed of a network of relationships between private and public industry. Recent statistics indicate that up to 90% of all consumer goods, products and food were shipped by truck nationally and about two thirds (by value) to the United States. Without the trucking industry, business would literally grind to a halt.

Those are pretty impressive stats. Why then does such a shortage of drivers exist? It’s true that the industry has had to overcome a lot of negative stigma.

Once seen as “the third choice” after university and college, the perception of truckers has been traditionally negative says Dave Giles, a training facilitator with Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC).

“People still look down on truckers and perceive trucking as a job that you do if you have no skills…If you’re bad at school.”

To some degree this attitude still exists. Indeed, a recent survey by CareerCast ranked trucking as the 19th worst job anyone could have. The survey ranked the worst jobs in the U.S. based on job stress, satisfaction, safety, pay, future job prospects, and job security. While jobs like food server and photographer fared poorly, trucking was still considered a better job than school bus driver, corrections officer and the worst job in North America, taxi cab driver.

The survey identified several reasons for this, including sleepless nights, the emergence of autonomous technology by companies like Tesla, which are 6

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ROAD: TRUCKING OSITIVE DESTINATIONS

ND TRYING TO SHAKE OFF A DATED IMAGE, NEW L GROUPS CONSIDERING A CAREER IN TRUCKING. perceived as threats to job security and the stress of managing a vehicle that weighs literally thousands of pounds.

But slowly, ever so slowly, the industry is waking up, shaking off its boys’ club past, reinventing itself and taking baby steps into the 21st century.

“Trucking is really evolving…it’s not the wild west anymore. It’s very professional and competitive,” says Giles.

It also offers fantastic career opportunities and good money says Trucking HR Canada (THRC) CEO Angela Splinter.

“Trucking is a sustainable career choice,” she offers. “Some people come in as temps and they realize the longer-term benefits.”

Among those benefits are changes in technology, including the introduction of GPS and driver assistance programs among others. Surveillance systems are now a standard feature in trucks as are entertainment features and internet connectivity.

“The nice thing is that trucks have modernized all the features of today’s vehicles,” says Giles. “The reliability factor’s increased as well.

GPS allows you to re-route. In the old days you could wind up in a traffic jam and be there for hours.”

A key driver in emerging technology belongs to automation. This might be a good thing as it could create more productive opportunities for a driver’s time in the future. Fully automated vehicles are still light years away though.

Another value that’s changed dur-

ing the past decade—important to an underrepresented demographic, youth--is a commitment to greener business and technological features.

That means factors like alternatives to fossil fuels, new exhaust filters and fuel-efficient engines. It also means innovative solutions like electric trucks starting to make their mark within the industry.

These shifts are reflective of changing values that mirror the concerns of an evolving demographic that’s more culturally diverse, younger and self-reliant than previous generations. It also means meeting the demands of a changing workforce.

As a result, new opportunities for employment in the trucking industry are widely available as transport corporations and industry recruiters work towards understanding and meeting the needs of a fickle labour force while trying to keep up with the challenges of a demanding industry with high needs.

So, for those considering a career in trucking, let’s take a look at the current state of the industry and what that might mean for you.

According to data released by THRC and the Canadian Trucking Alliance, the Canadian trucking industry generated a total revenue of 37.9 billion from about 61 million shipments. As of 2018, just over 317,000 drivers were employed in the industry. Of these 97% identified as male.

Only three percent identified as women. Average salary will vary depending on the type of truck driven and distances, but in 2016 the average Canadian trucker’s salary was listed

at $45,681 annually. Sadly, women make about 20% less than their male counterparts.

Canada also manufactures trucks.

In fact, Canadian truck production is roughly double that of car production, with about 120,000 produced in 2018. Sales have increased yearly and grew nearly 40% to $63 billion.

Trucking and logistics have one of the highest vacancy rates of any industry, at 6.6%, a figure that has doubled since 2016. That translates into about 20,000 vacant truck driver positions unfilled in Canada, with an estimated vacancy rate of 34,000 projected by 2024.

That means that unemployment rates for truck drivers is 34% lower than the Canadian average. Between 2016-2018, the unemployment rate for Canadian truck drivers decreased from 6.6 to 3.8 percent.

So what’s the profile of a professional truck driver look like anyway?

According to the highwayofopportunity.ca web site, which promotes trucking jobs as viable career choices, professional truck drivers operate heavy trucks to deliver a variety of goods, including livestock, raw materials and finished goods across provincial and international boundaries. They can be either selfemployed or work for a variety of companies in moving, distribution, manufacturing or transportation.

Drivers are responsible for all aspects of their vehicle, including safety and security of their loads.

In terms of foundational requirements, most drivers possess a high school diploma at minimum, coupled autoatlantic.com

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Truckers Corner

with at least some entry level warehouse experience, preferred. Most training in ground transportation in the Atlantic region consists of a 12-week professional driver training program, which includes at least four weeks’ practical training.

The job can be both physically and cognitively challenging. You’ll be expected to be efficient and effective at loading and unloading, working under tight deadlines and engaging in a lot of repetition.

Furthermore, in addition to possessing essential skills like reading, writing, math and documentation, some technology skills will become a greater requirement in the future, including electronic logs.

“There’s now a lot more emphasis on driver’s skills,” says Giles. ”They’re still required to do basic testing, licensing and physical exams, but there’s a lot more emphasis on self-management as well.”

Outlook in Atlantic Canada—and across the country—is very good, with at least 4000 job openings predicted to occur in the area in the next several years.

An interesting side note is that for every trucking-related job created in the Maritime region, six more are created in the supply chain. Upward mobility, largely depends on individual long term goals, but

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the field is ripe with opportunities, ranging from fleet manager to Human Resources, to terminal operations. A highway driver working in Atlantic Canada can expect to generate up to an estimated $60,000 in wages, while a local driver can expect to take home around $40-45,000.00.

But wait a minute: if you thought truckers were the only jobs available within the industry, you would be missing dozens of other potential job chances as well. Indeed, trucking is sometimes a “gateway” job leading to sector opportunities, including administrative assistants, trainers, parts technicians, dispatchers, managers, warehouse personnel and safety specialists among other positions.

These jobs also experience talent shortages.

UNDERREPRESENTED GROUPS In response to these ongoing shortages, Trucking HR Canada (THRC) has kicked up its outreach efforts, targeting several groups who are underrepresented in the hopes of luring them towards lucrative career potential. “People come to today’s workforce with different backgrounds, and different needs and expectations. These groups are currently un-

derrepresented in trucking which means there are untapped labour pools for which the industry needs an attraction and retention strategy,” states a THRC report, Diversity and Inclusion: A Roadmap for Canada’s Trucking and Logistics Industry.

Among the most recent recruitment campaigns is one aimed squarely at indigenous youth.

Launched in this summer, THRC partnered with Indigenous Services Canada to deliver career awareness resources to Indigenous youth in northern Canada.

“Indigenous people are the fastestgrowing demographic in Canada. We’re working to target that group as a potential pool,” says Splinter. “They’re largely underrepresented in all aspects of the trucking industry.”

The project will collaborate with Carcross/Tagish First Nations to deliver a workshop next year to showcase career awareness resources and tools across the Yukon.

“We will also work to build relationships with groups that can help our employers better connect with all labour pools,” said Splinter.

Women, new Canadians and people with disabilities are also non-traditional

Truckers Corner

segments of the community being targeted for industry recruitment.

For women - which this magazine addressed in a previous issue - the biggest barrier is industry image. Women in Trucking (WIT) has stated that women don’t picture themselves in the industry in part because they aren’t exposed to women who can model successful careers for others.

SPLINTER AGREES WITH THE SENTIMENT. A lot of women have concerns around safety,” she says. “We need to do a better job at addressing stigmas and showcasing the female drivers that we do have.”

Women also report higher rates of sexual harassment, with a whopping 65% reporting sexual harassment and unwanted advances being concerns.

People with disabilities, meanwhile are even more poorly represented than women.

“We know they have a harder time integrating into the labour pool,” says Splinter. “We tend to see this as a retention issue. The workforce is aging and so there’s potential for development.”

Some of the best practices implemented by trucking and logistics employers include reviewing their hiring practices to allow for more accommodations, flexible work opportunities and partnering with community agencies that support the employment needs of people with disabilities. Worth noting is that many disabilities remain invisible and episodic, meaning that the come-and-go aspect of their challenges (like epilepsy and depression) aren’t always a consistent issue. In fact trucking can be a career where some disabilities can excel. Conditions like Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder can actually be an asset when it comes to working shifts. Because of the isolated nature of trucking, people with highfunctioning autism (formerly known as Asperger’s Syndrome) can also do well in these careers, since social skills tend to be problematic for this community.

One community group making inroads are new Canadians. According to the THRC diversity report, 65% of all people of colour come to Canada as immigrants. The average age of visible minorities is 33.4 years old, compared to the average age of truckers, which is a startling 49 years old.

“Some groups like south Asians (Indian subcontinent) and southeast Asians (ie. people from countries like Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand) are very well repre10

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sented,” says Splinter. “Employers would do well to assess their demographics and pay attention to things like honoring holidays celebrated by these communities.”

IS IT POSSIBLE THE TWO YUTES….?

(WITH APOLOGIES TO MY COUSIN VINNY)

Another demographic ripe for recruitment is youth. It’s somewhat startling to realize that less than 15% of Canadian truck drivers are under the age of 35. A document published by Trucking HR Canada in 2019, Millennials Have Drive, summarizes the results of a three-year study investigating millennials’attitudes towards the trucking industry. While 46% of this demographic had a positive impression, 55% had either no opinion or a negative one.

Millennials differ from previous generations in that they are perhaps the first generation born into both multiculturalism and technology. But their behaviours are also defined by variables like social media—Facebook, which isn’t just for old people, thank you very much—mental health, environmental responsibility and something many of us tend to overlook: work-life balance.

“Work-life balance is important to them. We can’t expect young people to respond to traditional approaches of long-haul trucking,” Splinter says. “You can’t underestimate the importance of this.”

But there’s the emergence of an even younger demographic: Generation Z. These workers were born in the late 1990’s and are perceived as the first, true “digital natives.” They have a DYI attitude, tend to approach work through a series of side gigs and the shared economy while being attracted to employers with a strong social conscious. Their need for independence could make trucking an attractive choice for them.

A huge number of truck drivers are expected to retire over the next decade, and employers need to conceive and implement strategies to

attract and retain younger workers.

In Millennials Have Drive, we learn that recruiters are starting to make inroads by investing in entry-level drivers and implementing strategies like starting young drivers on local routes, recruiting drivers with some light-and-medium trucking experience and offering mentoring opportunities to broaden their pool of candidates.

The introduction of mandatory entry level training in some provinces is perceived as being helpful as well.

With an untapped talent pool representing a variety of communities, the time is ripe for people to consider a career in trucking. An increasing number of carriers are constantly assessing ways of attracting the best and brightest of potential candidates and offering retention incentives that include everything from bonuses for safe driving to enhanced training programs. This is one of the keys to keeping talent in an ongoing balancing act that affects a multitude of stakeholders, from shippers to customers.

“We have to be focused and listen to the next generation,” says Splinter. “Trucking is so important with the general public. It’s a field that’s changing, evolving, growing. We need young people to realize that.”

Truckers Corner

COMING SOON TO A DEPOT NEAR YOU WELL . . . IT SORT OF DEPENDS ON WHO’S DOING THE TALKING. MAYBE YES OR MAYBE NO, SELF-DRIVING TRUCKS ARE JUST AROUND THE NEXT CORNER.

F

By Kenneth E. Seaton

OR A TYPE OF VEHICLE THAT’S NOT YET FULLY OPERATIONAL, IT’S KNOWN BY MANY NAMES. SELF-DRIVING, AUTONOMOUS, DRIVERLESS, AUTOMATED AND/OR CONNECTED VEHICLES. NONETHELESS IT DOESN’T REALLY MATTER WHAT IT’S CALLED. What does matter is that the driver is usually just along for the ride. And, with the constant advancements in Artificial Intelligence (AI) vehicle designers are determined to deliver a vehicle from here to there without the assistance or need of a

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human driver.

AI equipped vehicles use a complex combination of on-board cameras, sensors, software and radar to operate and control self-driving vehicles. The end goal is to successfully navigate between destinations without a human – one is usually sitting behind the wheel with their hands ready to assist – driver. Vehicles use GPS to continually track its location and to enable it to navigate successfully to its destination.

To be considered as fully autonomous, vehicles need to be capable of traveling without human aid to a predetermined point. This must also be accomplished via roadways that have not been adapted for its usage. Self-driving vehicles must have the capacity to continually adapt to its sur-

roundings, be able to avoid any potential obstacles and to park without any human intervention.

Of-course, this is a simplified description of what makes a vehicle a self-driving vehicle.

Suffice it to say that the vehicle’s AI system; takes in a tremendous amount of data, analyzes it, identifies recognizable patterns and then forms predictions as to what will or will not happen next. All this is done in nano seconds! The more selfdriving vehicles are driven, the more the AI system learns.

SOME OF THE MAJOR & MINOR DRIVERS IN THE PUSH FOR AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES For a very long-time man has dreamed

Truckers Corner

about riding around in some type of autonomous vehicle. Realistically, it wasn’t until companies like Google, Uber and Apple began working on their own versions, that people started to take selfdriving vehicles seriously. General Motors, Tesla, Ford, Daimler, Waymo, Volkswagen and Audi are also some of the other major companies developing autonomous vehicles.

Work is being accomplished at a breakneck pace in the race towards operational self-driving trucks. And a growing number of trucking industry leaders are beginning to view autonomous vehicles in a more positive light. They are now seeing them as a way to; help with offsetting the looming driver shortage, increase productivity by better controlling costs, operate more fuel-efficient vehicles, etc.

As the trucking industry moves ever closer to the day-to-day use of autonomous vehicles, more and more companies are joining the field. Well-known truck vehicle producers like Daimler, Tesla, Volvo, are being seriously challenged by new start-ups like: Einride, Waymo, TuSimple, Embrake, Ike, plus others.

The United States Postal Service (USPS) recently began testing self-driving trucks to transport mail and it is partnering with a California based start-up company named TuSimple on the project. Two of TuSimple’s self-driving vehicles will transport mail between distribution centers in the southwestern cities of Phoenix, Arizona and Dallas, Texas.

The trucks are expected to make five round trips between the cities. With each trip consisting of about 3,300 kilometers.

The goal of the testing is to see if; the self-driving technology can reduce transportation times, lower expenses and improve over all road safety. If successful, the Postal Service could deploy the trucks permanently to move mail between major U.S. population centers.

FedEx could be considered as major/ minor player in the autonomous vehicle field. In February it unveiled its “SameDay Bot” autonomous delivery device.

The company called the Bot a “cuttingedge delivery solution to meet the rapidly changing needs of consumers.” FedEx expects that the device will allow retailers to make same-day and last-mile deliveries to their customers.

With the bot, retailers will be able to accept orders from nearby customers and deliver them by bot directly to the customers’ homes or businesses the same day. FedEx is collaborating with companies such as AutoZone, Lowe’s, Pizza Hut, Target, Walgreens and Walmart to help as14

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sess retailers’ autonomous delivery needs.

Not to be left behind, Walmart is also conducting a pilot project that is testing the user ability of autonomous vehicles.

Announcing in June that it will be test running a self-driving van to move customer orders between two of its stores. The vehicles will cover a 3-kilometer route in its hometown of Bentonville, Arkansas.

Tech start-up Gatik AI – which specialises in B2B short-haul logistics in autonomous vehicles and has teams in Palo Alto & Toronto – is partnering with Walmart for this venture. Gatik AI will run three modified Ford Transit Connect vans up to 10 times a day, seven days a week.

The vans will only operate during daylight hours and will carry human safety operators for backup. Gait’s goal is to help cut human labor from what may be considered mundane tasks, such as transportation orders between stores.

vices.

In February, The Canadian Press reported that Blackberry received $40 million in federal funding to help develop technologies that would make cars safer, more connected to cyberspace and eventually, capable of driving themselves.

BlackBerry currently has its QNX software installed in tens of millions of cars, guiding systems related to driver assistance, hands-free features and entertainment consoles.

The one-time smartphone company leader is using the federal money for software development of the next generation of autonomous vehicles as well as skills training for its workers. The company is putting $300 million of its own money into the initiative, expected to create 800 jobs over the next decade at BlackBerry’s campus in the Ottawa suburb of Kanata, as well as support 300 existing jobs there.

CANADIAN CONNECTIONS TO AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES

WILL TRUCKERS BE OUT OF A JOB

In January, Ontario’s Ministry of Transportation (MTO) continued its commitment to the future of driverless vehicles by expanding its 10-year pilot project to test and evaluate the use of automated vehicles (AVs) on Ontario roadways. This pilot program was for evaluating cooperative truck platooning (Platoon Pilot).

A cooperative truck platoon means two or more commercial motor vehicles use an advanced driver assistance system and vehicle-to-vehicle communication system to travel in a convoy. The vehicles must steer, accelerate and brake cooperatively and synchronously. The Ministry is allowing a limited pilot of truck platoons to demonstrate their potential, compatibility with existing road users and infrastructure and confirm their overall safety.

This is not an entirely new concept, as truck platooning testing, was also conducted last fall on Canadian roads. FPInnovations, in collaboration with Transport Canada, carried out testing on a highway between Blainville and Trois-Rivières, Que. The goal was to explore if technology developed by Auburn University – which was designed to work on highways – could also work on Canadian forest and rural roads.

Other testing goals were to examine ways and means of utilizing the new technology on autonomous logging trucks to, help reduce fuel consumption, address driver shortages and improve business efficiency. The testing demonstrated that the technology worked but also highlighted that further work was needed to improve communications between the various de-

According to Statistics Canada, truck driving provides nearly two per cent of all Canadian jobs, more than three per cent of jobs for men. There is still a shortage of drivers, but as autonomous trucks flood into the market, demand for those workers will mostly plunge.

However, some trucking industry experts believe differently. They feel that with the introduction of self-driving trucks, there may actually be more jobs available to drivers. Some self-driving truck designers and manufacturers are building vehicles with the intention of having back up drivers sitting in the cabs.

They think that too many things can possibly go awry, especially at hi-way speeds, to not have a human on-board ready to take over if required.

Drivers may also be needed to drive the vehicle to a certain point i.e. an AI adapted hi-way and then switch the vehicle over to autonomous mode. Once the vehicle reaches the end of the adapted hi-way, a driver may then be required to drive it to its destination point. Drivers could also take over when driving along country roads and for loading and offloading purposes.

Of-course, in the end, monetary incentives may prove to be too irresistible to the trucking industry. They understand that drivers can only drive for specified amounts of time. They must take in food and by necessity, have rest and sleep breaks. Human drivers have also been known to make bad choices, suffer brain freezes and sometimes become confused when placed in highly stressful situations.

Driver down-time negatively impacts

Truckers Corner

on a vehicle’s bottom line. Contrast this against a fully self-driving vehicle which is able to operate – theoretically – for 24 hours a day and seven days a week. Financial experts are predicting that by only operating autonomous vehicles, a trucking company will lower its operating costs, double overall efficiency and resultantly, greatly increase its profit margins.

Self-driving trucks will potentially solve many of the trucking industries ongoing day-to-day operational challenges.

While autonomous vehicle testing continues moving relentlessly forward, it’s noteworthy is that there’s a great difference between self-driving trucks and selfdriving cars. There are several diverse operational issues separating the two types of vehicles.

Size is one major issue. Trucks are a lot larger than cars and bringing the vehicle to a full stop, take so much longer. Also, with greater size comes greater maneuverability challenges. An increased number of sensors and cameras are required, and placement could prove problematic. Positioning them on top of a higher vehicle may open them up to the increasing likelihood of some form of impairment.

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Inclement weather, being struck by low hanging objects or becoming overloaded by the sheer volume of data intake, are just several possibilities.

The ability to be able to safely guide a large self-driving truck around accident scenes, dodging pedestrians and through demanding inner-city settings will also require a complex number of sensors, radars and cameras. The more AI there is operating onboard a vehicle, the greater the prospect for incidents or accidents.

However, these could all very well prove to be mote points. Its more than likely that seasoned government officials and politicians – possibly influenced by public opinion – may vote to take the trucking industry down another road. It might occur to them, that a large number of potential voters may still believe that having a driver onboard and ready to take over the wheel in-case of emergency, will make the hi-ways and roads safer.

UNDERSTANDING AUTOMATION LEVELS The Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators (CCMTA), Transport Canada and Ontario’s Ministry of Trans-

portation have adopted the following terminology developed by The Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) International Universal Classification System to define automation levels for motor vehicles: Level 0 - No Automation: No automated features.

Level 1 - Driver Assistance: Intelligent features add layer of safety and comfort.

A human driver is required for all critical functions.

Level 2 – Partial Automation: At least two automated tasks are managed by the vehicle, but the driver must remain engaged with the driving task.

Level 3 - Conditional Automation: The vehicle becomes a co-pilot. The vehicle manages most safety-critical driving functions but the driver must be ready to take control of the vehicle at all times.

Level 4 - High Automation: The vehicle is capable of performing all driving functions under certain conditions. The driver may have the option to control the vehicle.

Level 5 - Full Automation: Vehicle is capable of being completely driverless.

Full-time automated driving in all conditions without need for a human driver.

THE ATLANTIC ROAD REPORT BITS AND PIECES OF HIGHWAY-RELATED NEWS COLLECTED FROM AROUND THE ATLANTIC REGION.

decisions before they travel.

NL 511 is a new smartphone app, website and phone number with information on winter driving conditions, construction updates, highway cameras, major incidents, current ferry status updates, and weather.

Users will be able to access these services by: Using the smartphone app; Visiting the new website at nl511.ca;

NEWFOUNDLAND

Provincial Government Launches New 511 App, Website and Phone Service The Department of Transportation and Works has launched a new service to provide up-to-date information to help residents and tourists make more informed

and Dialing 5-1-1 to get key non-visual information over the phone.

The app, which is free of charge and is available on smartphone app stores, can

be customized by users to display specific features and to receive notifications for updates on highways they use frequently, such as highway closures and when travel is not recommended.

Other features include a list of recently viewed highway cameras and the map of the province displaying highways in different colours based on driving conditions. For example, during winter storms, portions of the highway may be seen as blinking to indicate reduced visibility.

In addition to the smartphone app, website and 511 phone system, urgent travel updates will continue to be provided via the department’s Twitter account, @ TW_GovNL .

In April 2019, the department awarded a contracted valued at $685,000 over five years to Telenium Inc. to provide the service.

The NL 511 app is another example of the Provincial Government’s commitautoatlantic.com

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ment to expanding digital service delivery. Government is also advancing a Digital Way Forward Plan that will improve interactions with residents and businesses by making it easier to access important services. At the end of this five-year plan, a significant number of programs and services will be available online through MyGovNL as part of the new approach of “One Client. One GovNL. One Relationship.” “This new service will provide people with important highway safety information, such as where to expect highway construction in summer and where heavy snowfalls and strong winds may be creating dangerous driving conditions in winter. It will also provide easy access to highway camera images, weather updates, ferry information and upcoming highway construction. While this information will be readily accessible on smartphones, we encourage everyone who uses the app to use it wisely and drive responsibility,” said Steve Crocker, Minister of Transportation and Works

NOVA SCOTIA

New Highway Interchange for Bridgewater Government is supporting economic 18

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growth and improved road safety with a $20.4 million investment in new highway infrastructure in Bridgewater.

The project, which includes a new interchange between Exits 12 and 13, will have a positive impact on the growth of the Bridgewater Business Park and road safety in the community.

It includes a new diamond interchange including ramps, roundabouts, bridge and connector roads. The road through the

business park will also be realigned and upgrades will be made to five existing intersections.

“Strategic investments in transportation infrastructure are vital to our economy as businesses need to move goods quickly and efficiently,” said Premier Stephen McNeil. “The new interchange will provide a dedicated connection to the Bridgewater Business Park, making this important business centre more accessible and attractive for investment and future growth.”

NEW BRUNSWICK

New school buses expected to reduce expenditures and emissions Sixteen propane-powered school buses have been purchased to serve students in the Greater Moncton area as part of a pilot project to reduce emissions and costs.

Bob’s Business Development

changing climate. It puts greater emphasis on renewable energy, following a co-ordinated approach to energy efficiency in homes, schools and businesses.

PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND

“In the classroom, students are learning about how important it is to protect our environment,” said Education and Early Childhood Development Minister Dominic Cardy. “With this pilot project, we are demonstrating to New Brunswickers how we can use innovative tools to help reduce greenhouse gases while producing savings.”

In addition to a decrease in overall emissions, an annual reduction of two tonnes of carbon dioxide per bus is anticipated, compared to the emissions produced by a similar diesel bus. The range of the buses is greater than that of electric buses, making them viable long-term options for longer or rural routes.

The propane buses will be in use this fall. Although the initial cost of a propane bus is more than that of a diesel bus, the annual operational costs per bus are expected to be $2,500 lower, resulting in $30,000 in expenditure reductions over the 12-year lifespan of each vehicle. The propane buses can be identified by a decal on the side.

“The Department of Transportation and Infrastructure continues to seek ways to be more efficient and reduce our carbon footprint. This includes the management of the government’s vehicle fleet,” said Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Bill Oliver. “We are pleased to be moving forward with this pilot project which promotes the use of a cleaner fuel.”

The department estimates that the total cost of fuel for the year will be roughly 10 per cent lower for propane buses com-

pared to diesel buses. There is also the potential to reduce motor oil usage and associated costs by up to 50 per cent.

Another 74 gasoline-powered buses have been purchased as part of the pilot project and will be used across the province. This $7.4-million purchase is expected to offset the slightly higher initial purchase price of the propane buses while still providing annual maintenance savings of $500 per bus and emitting less greenhouse gases than traditional diesel buses.

The propane and gasoline models meet all safety standards. The buses were purchased as part of the annual bus fleet life cycle management process.

The pilot project aligns with and supports New Brunswick’s Climate Change Action Plan. The plan identifies 118 action items to help the province reduce emissions and improve its resilience to the

Improvements to PEI’s highway system will benefit residents and visitors with safer, more efficient roads and bridges Modern and efficient roadways are crucial to encouraging and supporting economic activity, facilitating trade, and creating good paying, middle-class jobs.

The governments of Canada and Prince Edward Island are investing in roads and highways that will make it easier and safer to move people and products across the province, while supporting sustained economic growth.

The Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence, on behalf of the Honourable Bernadette Jordan, Minister of Rural Economic Development; and the Honourable Steven Myers, Prince Edward Island Minister of Transportation, Infrastructure and Energy, announced funding for four highway projects across the province, including extensive road improvements, resurfacing and paving, as well as the replacement of a number of bridges on July 25.

Work will include resurfacing 270 kilometres of PEI’s National Highway System, and rehabilitating roads and highways over the next four years. The projects will also include the replacement of 18 bridges. These improvements mean residents and visitors will benefit from increased road safety, better routes, and shorter travel times.

The Government of Canada is investing more than $101 million in these projects from the Investing in Canada infrastructure plan. The Province of Prince Edward Island will provide over $114 million to the roadway projects.

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Carter’s Corner

NEWS OF THE WEIRD BITS AND PIECES OF THE STRANGE, STRANGER AND DOWNRIGHT

BIZARRE COLLECTED FROM AROUND THE WEB SO YOU DON’T HAVE TO. YOU’RE WELCOME FLORIDA MAN PARKS SMART CAR IN KITCHEN TO SAVE IT FROM HURRICANE DORIAN The Associated Press recently reported on a lighthearted challenge between a Florida couple: Can their Smart car fit into their kitchen? The answer: a resounding yes.

Patrick Eldridge parked his car inside to protect it from the high winds of Hurricane Dorian - and just to prove that he can.

Jessica Eldridge said her car was already parked in the garage. But to secure other things in the garage, her husband proposed to park the car in the house.

“I said there was no way he could.

He said he could,” Jessica said. “So he opened the double doors and had it in. I was amazed that it could fit. He had it in with no problems.”

Dorian skirted Florida’s coast, narrowly missing Jacksonville. Dorian was later lashing the Carolinas as a Category 2 storm and was headed to the Outer Banks. Earlier in the week as a Category 5, it devastated the Bahamas, where rescue crews have only begun taking the full measure of the damage.

With the car in the middle of the kitchen, Jessica Eldridge had to move around it to cook and serve dinner.

“I’m hoping he will pull it out pretty soon once the wind dies down,” she said.

“There is room, and it’s not in the way, but my dogs are confused by it.”

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HELLOOOOOOOOOOOO? ONSTAR? Motor 1 posted a story recently about a very real incident. Since 1996, OnStar has been the aftersales service offering of General Motors for its customers across many countries. It’s a subscription-based service that offers communications, in-ve-

In an incident that happened in Florida in September, a mother accidentally locked her 10-month-old baby, along with the car keys, inside a white Chevrolet SUV during a 95-degree day.

The mother called OnStar services for help, which she had an expired subscrip-

hicle security, emergency services, handsfree calling, navigational assistance, and remote diagnostics.

As it is subscription-based, this multitude of services can only be provided if the vehicle owner has an active subscription. But what if there’s an emergency situation? Can OnStar extend its service?

tion. The OnStar representative, however, said that she won’t be able to restore a connection to the vehicle and unlock the SUV because she had an expired subscription.

Thankfully, police personnel responded for help, while a man in the parking lot also offered help with a window punch

Carter’s Corner

tool. The baby was taken out of the vehicle right on time.

While the mother wishes for people to learn from her ordeal, OnStar is facing social media backlash because of its inability to assist in this emergency situation. According to the company’s Twitter account, it’s in the process of investigating the situation and explained that “once an OnStar plan expires or is canceled, the OnStar system is deactivated and our connection to the vehicle is removed.

“Currently, the only way to activate the system and restore that connection is by pushing the blue OnStar button inside the vehicle. Our advisors cannot restore that connection solely from their end, and without that connection, our systems are unable to deliver OnStar services to the vehicle,” OnStar added.

PRO THIEVES STEAL 180-POUND TOYOTA PRIUS BATTERY PACK Aside from not hanging heavy objects over your bed, anyone who’s lived in California will advise you to never leave anything of value out and visible inside a parked car. It’s an open call for thieves.

But now it seems thieves are taking things a step further beyond ransacking a car’s interior: A San Francisco woman returned to her Toyota Prius in September only to find the car disassembled and its main battery pack stolen.

Marjory Kaplan parked her 2017 Prius just down the block from her apartment in Pacific Heights. Upon returning, she found that someone had stolen the Prius’ mid-mounted central battery pack, which supplies power to the hybrid-electric system. “You know, you go looking for your car and you know what your car looks

like. It didn’t look like my car. It looked like a jalopy car. It looked different. It looked disheveled,” Kaplan explained to ABC7 News. “They took the seat out, cut all the wires and removed the battery, which I understand weighs 180 pounds.”

Battery pack thefts have been on the rise since ABC7 News first reported on the increase back in 2015. The packs are resold on the black market, which harks back to the days when clever thieves stole catalytic converters off new vehicles to extract the expensive precious metals found inside.

But what’s different about this theft is that no windows or doors were forcefully damaged during the breakin. Rather, a small rear window was tactfully removed to gain access.

This is a clear indication that the battery thieves are professional and know what they’re doing.

“It’s very organized, yeah, it’s very organized,” Jeff Garcia, a Toyota mechanic, told KRON4. Garcia said his shop is in the middle of repairing four other Prius cars whose batteries were stolen in a similar manner. “It’s not just the battery they’re stealing, they’re damaging all the harnesses and everything else around there.

Seatbelts are being cut.”

“Had I been lucky enough just to have the window broken and the change taken,” Kaplan continued. “I would have been very happy.”

As a result of the battery theft, she’s

reportedly facing a $5,000 to $10,000 repair bill.

A street-view security camera was nearby, but unfortunately it was pointed the wrong way, so Kaplan doesn’t expect much to happen. She also plans to sell her car after the repair and to depend more on public transportation.

AND ON THE SUBJECT OF BATTERIES . . . TESLA DRIVER “BORROWS” ELECTRICITY FROM HOUSE WITHOUT WARNING OWNER

A story on insideeevs.com demonstrates that sometimes reality is stranger than fiction. If anyone told you someone parked a Tesla Model 3 on your lawn and left it charging for 12 hours, you would think that was a lie or the plot of a low budget B movie. But it really happened to Phil Fraumeni, a resident from Lake Worth, Florida.

Fraumeni woke up with his gardener asking him to remove his car from the lawn. There was just one problem: he hadn’t parked there.

Turns out a white Tesla Model 3 was on his lawn. Worse still, it was plugged to Fraumeni’s external socket. Although lots of evil possibilities were on the table, the house owner did just what any decent person could do: he called the police.

The cops tracked the owner and he arrived to pick up the car. He had left it there for 12 hours. And, according to Fraumeni’s wife, Rose Ann, he did not even apologize for doing so. His only excuse was that his battery went dead.

And what do you do if your car stops running? You do not call for a tow truck.

Or call your friends to help you pull the vehicle. You just park in front of someone’s house and use whatever they have to get things sorted!

Luckily for Fraumeni, this guy had an EV and not a gas-powered car. If he did, he would probably “borrow” gas from the Fraumeni’s car.

Atlantic Racing News

START YOUR ENGINES; HOW TO FIND YOURSELF IN THE DRIVER’S SEAT

By Tim Terry

T

HE QUESTIONS HAVE BEEN ASKED THOUSANDS BY THOSE WATCHING STOCK CAR RACING ON TELEVISION OR UPON A FAN’S FIRST VISIT TO A RACE TRACK. HEY, THIS LOOKS EASY. I COULD DO THAT. HOW DO I GET STARTED?!

First of all, any driver will tell you it isn’t as easy as it looks but the thrill you get of being behind the wheel is something that cannot be duplicated. Take that feeling of the g forces pulling you around the corner and put dozens of other drivers out there against you with the same goal of putting their car in victory lane and it is a feeling that most will call indescribable.

So, how do you get started?

Let’s get one thing straight. Regardless how easy you think it is, you’re not going to strap into a Monster Energy NASCAR

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Cup Series race car and go out and win races. This isn’t NASCAR Heat 4. Everyone in the top echelons of the sport has had years of experience, paid their dues or has sponsorship backing behind them to get to where they are. Not a single one of the 40 drivers in the Cup Series decided they wanted to go racing and slid in the window of one of these cars. Keep this in mind, there are thousands of race car drivers in the world, but only 40 of them get to be in NASCAR’s top series.

Again, the question is asked how do I get to that level?

If you are between the ages of eight and 16, you can bug your parents about getting into the Bandolero division within the region. A Bandolero is a spec, turnkey race car that comes out of US Legend Cars International (USLCI) in Harrisburg, North Carolina.

The car features a sealed Briggs and Stratton motor that cranks out around 30 horsepower and is the quintessential starting point for a child in racing. All the parts for these, along with their sister car the Legend, come from USLCI and are available through their network of deal-

ers, which include R&D Performancentre in Lower Onslow, Nova Scotia and MNR Performance in Newfoundland in Atlantic Canada. Those dealers can get you started, from full cars to all the safety gear you would need and everything in between.

Like any vehicle though, used cars are also available from those aging out of the program or end up going a different direction.

The Bandolero program came to Atlantic Canada in 2006 with its debut at Scotia Speedworld and has recently took off again within the Halifax area. Stock car racing seemingly ebbs and flows in popularity and car count and Scotia Speedworld is currently in a peak. Two dozen Bandolero teams are a part of the Weekly Racing Series with several of those youngsters having ties to othersSUSAN that have raced SANGSTER or have racing in their family lineage - but some have seen the product of racing at their local track, asked those questions and now find themselves within the sport.

Maybe you are in Atlantic Canada but not based in Halifax? No sweat. Several tracks have Bandolero divisions on their regular racing roster, including Petty In-

Atlantic Racing News

ternational Raceway in River Glade, New Brunswick, Oyster Bed Speedway in Oyster Bed Bridge, Prince Edward Island and Sydney Speedway in Sydney, Nova Scotia. INEX, the global sanctioning body for Bandolero and Legend car competition, governs rules for these cars, meaning you can go to hundreds of tracks and race your Bandolero or Legend car without having to make significant changes to your race car. It is not uncommon to see teams from the Maritimes head south in the off-season to compete at major INEX events to help sharpen their skills to use at home.

Maybe you are over the age of 16 and want to race in Atlantic Canada, that’s great too. There are plenty of options to get your racing career started. We mentioned the Legend car, which is a great option. USLCI and INEX do a great job trying to keep the cost contained (did you know INEX is short for INEXpensive?) while keeping the sport fun. A Legend car is a handful if you’ve never driven one before.

A Yamaha motorcycle engine combined with the light weight and short wheel base of the cars have the best of drivers on their toes as they navigate traffic. You can check out more information on these cars

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and how you can get a test drive in one by visiting your local dealer or checking out the USLCI website at USLegendCars.com.

You can also get your hands dirty if you want and build your own race car.

Every race track in the region offers a four cylinder class of some sort to get your feet wet in racing. These divisions give you a chance to either build a car or buy a car and get a taste of the sport while also spending a fraction of the amount you would by racing a Late Model or a Legend car.

A four cylinder car is also easier to fix most times, both in knowledge and for your wallet, should you find yourself having to make repairs early in your racing career. While the front wheel drive racecars will drive and react incredibly different than a rear wheel drive car will, you will at least get the feel for racing and whether you want to pursue the sport further than just getting started.

If you have never owned your own race car before, two aspects will likely be stressed early in your racing career - your pocketbook and your patience. No hobby is cheap anymore but the thrill you’ll get by being behind the wheel is priceless.

Most race teams, whether you are in the

top levels of the sport or you are in the four cylinder ranks, rely on sponsorship and advertising to help off set the costs of going racing each week. Sure, most newcomers will think off the bat that you will go buy or build a car and then get paid each week and make money.

It isn’t that easy. Most tracks do not have big payouts, especially with weekly shows, and to be successful, you need to spend time working on your car. Like your street car, that preventative maintenance costs money.

Whether it is an oil change or preparing damage from the week prior, it costs money and takes time to prepare. The old adage that “races are won and lost in the shop” comes into play more times than not. Not to mention, it takes gas money to get a car to and from the track. Pit passes for a driver and a crew to get the car on the track can add up along with any registration fees associated with the car and driver. When it boils down to it, every sport has fees you need to pay, so it is really no different here, other than you’re dealing with a race car as your equipment instead of a stick and ball.

Some drivers and teams will spend their entire local racing career in the Four

Cylinder class at their local track and there is nothing wrong with that. Some teams simply cannot afford to move up the ranks, it doesn’t fit their budget, and that’s fine. They get their need for speed while having fun and putting on a show for the fans and that is what this sport is all about. The foundation of a great weekly program at your favorite short track is based with the stars of the four cylinder classes, it makes the program strong and without them a racing card wouldn’t be the same at most venues.

Patience. You might think as a fan watching a race, some drivers might not have much patience - and that’s fine.

Those drivers are the ones that put on a show and keep fans coming back every week. I’m talking about the patience you might not see from the grandstand.

Sure, some newcomers will hop into a quick race car and not miss a beat. In every crowd, there is bound to be one Sidney Crosby or Wayne Gretzky. A majority of new drivers will struggle early trying to not only get up to speed themselves but dialing in their racecars. Once you’ve adjusted your car to go fast, a driver will need to get the line down and get comfortable with their car.

Not to mention, once they are comfortable, they have to run in traffic and that traffic will have to get comfortable with the new driver. A driver will get frustrated when they cannot get the hang of it right away but those that stick with it and see it through are typically the ones that eventually start to see success. Just remember - don’t give up and hard work pays off.

Once you are established and running up near the front, beginning to start to feel invincible, something will likely end up knocking you down. You’ll have long nights, nights where things break which turn into long nights in the shop. That one long night that turns into a long week could turn into long weeks and last a full season. Like life in general, it is the ones that persevere that usually eventually come out on top at the end of the day. The same can be said about stock car racing.

How do you go about looking for a race car? Get out to your local track, get into the pits and start asking questions.

Get a feel for how things work at your local track before diving in head first. Like everything, the internet and social media are great tools to help you out. Facebook has various racing related classified groups for Atlantic Canadians and can help you find what you need. If you are getting into four cylinder racing, you can also look for a used car, buy that and build a race car

for your own. Of course, you should consult with your local race track for a building rules book so you can know what you can or can’t race at the track.

If you are stumped or perplexed, the best place to go is to your local track.

Contact the technical director or the race operations crew and don’t be afraid to ask questions. Ultimately, those folks are race fans and would love to see more people involved in the sport and more cars on

the track. You’ll quickly find that the racing community is one big family. Sure, you might have a quarrel at times or disagree with things but at the end of the day, everyone comes to the track because they love the sport. You’ll create friendships that will last a lifetime and that is something you cannot put a price on.

Hopefully we could shed some light on this and hopefully we will see you at the track soon!

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Bob’s Business Development

VALUE DELIVERED IS THE ABSOLUTE “KEY” TO INCREASE “PROFITABILITY”

M

By Bob Greenwood

O S T SHOP OPERATORS CONTINUE TO SAY THAT THE ENVIRONMENT OUT THERE IS “COMPETITIVE.” WHEN A TYPICAL SHOP OWNER SAYS THAT, THEY ARE MOST LIKELY FOCUSED ON “PRICE.” THE REFERENCE THEY SPEAK OF IS NOT FOCUSED ON “VALUE.” These shops have not taken the time to define their value, and, they do not define their value in print. It remains an image in their minds that the customer or client can’t see.

The fact is, car dealers are focused on attracting clients to their business operations. The independent sector must get their head around the fact that business strategy is required to counter their movements, but it must be executed on a professional level.

Too many shops in the independent sector “perceive” price as being their value. Wrong! Value delivered is the name of the game and shops must understand that dealerships have concentrated on a “type” of value. Examples include opening late, offer car washes, lunch counters, fast oil change lanes, and even no charge oil changes.

We, the independent sector, can beat them only once we focus on what and who we are. The independent sector is in the quality/service business, not the volume business. We “sell” knowledge.

We develop relationships that are one-onone. These are “types”’ of value.

To achieve “value” and increased “profitability” each shop owner must embrace consideration of the following: 1. How do you educate your client base on today’s realities from their perspective?

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2. Open full communication with the staff to bring them into the “inner-circle” of the business as to how it works, where the business has to go, and what’s in it for them.

3. Keep technical staff fully abreast of key issues regarding technology and why “we”, as a shop, must embrace that knowledge and sustain competency.

When you send your money to the dealerships for OE parts, you are providing profit to them to continue their campaign to attract your clients. We are the Independent sector of the aftermarket industry and it is imperative that we support ourselves first which means “I will always perform due diligence on aftermarket parts first in terms of fit, form and function before I purchase from a dealership.”

Nobody said this is an easy business to run.

With a clear understanding of your business numbers, coupled with industry understanding on the core issues and a proven business strategy to enhance the value your shop delivers to its customer/ client base, then you will attract net income dollars to play around in your back yard.

4. Fluids are important in today’s vehicles so understand the importance of stocking and performing all fluid services.

5. Always analyze the dealer’s strategy in your market area clearly understanding “what” is their message, and where, if any, is the “smoke and mirrors” show in their marketing?

6. Ensure you have a process of thorough inspections within your operations, then, report clearly back to the client as to what is required to ensure safe, reliable and efficient driving. Don’t “sell” them… .”council” them.

7. Always, first, source out aftermarket parts in terms of “fit, form and function”.

I want my auto & trucking atlantic!

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Around the Atlantic

A FAMILY AFFAIR . . .

EDMUNDSTON, NB BUMPER TO BUMPER GOES BACK THREE GENERATIONS

By Pat Lee

A

N OLD PHOTOGRAPH OF ALBERT AUTO ELECTRIC IN EDMUNDSTON SHOWS A LARGE WHITE BUILDING WITH A COUPLE OF IRVING PUMPS OUT FRONT WITH A BIG SIGN PROMOTING FARM TIRES. It was taken sometime after 1945 when Jean Albert owned the business, then an

auto repair shop that also sold gas.

Skip forward a couple of generations and his grandson Robert is running the

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business, which has evolved into a Bumber to Bumber auto parts dealer in the Northern New Brunswick city.

Bumper to Bumper is a Canadian auto parts distributor that has been in business for 50 years. Better known in western Canada, Bumper to Bumper is one of the country’s largest auto parts networks with 72,000 square meters of warehouse space in 160 stores and 4,000 affiliated mechanical shops.

Albert, who took over for his father when he passed away about 23 years ago, said over the years many members of his family have had a hand in the business, with his father, two uncles and an aunt all working together there at one time.

He is the final Albert working at the business, once known as Albert Auto Electric.

Albert says his grandfather and father learned the auto repair trade in Detroit, taking courses at the Ford plant in Motor City.

Since then, it’s evolved into a parts dealer, serving customers and wholesalers alike.

Although he’s officially been running

the shop, which goes under the name BTB Martin R. Albert, for a couple of decades, he’s been hanging around the family business for much longer.

Albert, 61, said he would hang out at the shop after school, cutting tobacco and preparing pouches for his grandfather’s pipe.

“Every Friday I would give him two pouches to get him through the weekend,” he said. “I’ve always grown up around the shop.”

Albert also worked for his dad while going to school but took a different career path after graduation, working as a fireman in Edmundston for many years until his father asked him to come on board to help run the business.

Naturally there have been plenty of changes since his grandfather opened the business those many years ago, from doing most things manually to evolving into fully computerized systems.

“It’s changed a lot. When my grandfather owned it, we didn’t need the inventory we have now.”

As for his future, Albert said he is a bit sad that there is no other Albert after him to take over the business, but he plans to be around for a while longer.

“I’m not in a rush because I like what I’m doing,” he said.

“But I’m taking a bit more time off to do things like fishing, hunting, fourwheeling. As long as I’m in the woods.”

At The Car Wash

Q&A: HOW CARWASH BRUSH SELECTION IMPACTS PROFITABILITY BRUSH SELECTION PLAYS A CRITICAL ROLE IN ENHANCING CLEANING, PROFITABILITY, AND IMPROVING SOCIAL MEDIA REVIEWS

W

By Convenience and Carwash News

HETHER YOU OWN OR OPERATE A SELF-SERVE WASH, CONVEYOR WASH, FLEX WASH, OR FULL-SERVICE WASH, YOUR CHOICE OF BRUSHES CAN ATTRACT OR DRIVE AWAY BUSINESS. Choosing a sub-par brush that fails to clean properly – or that rubs in grit, dings or scratches a vehicle – can prompt customers to express their displeasure on social media platforms, complete with photos or video.

Fortunately, with proper brush selection and other best practice cleaning techniques, carwashes can increase the number repeat customers and improve word-of-mouth. These same customers

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may even end up praising your operation’s quality service and attention to detail on social media platforms that drive business to you.

To examine how brush selection can enhance an operation’s cleaning, profitability, and social media reviews, we spoke with Dan Pecora, an expert on carwash supplies and owner of Erie Brush (www. eriebrush.com), a Chicago, IL based manufacturer of carwash brushes and detailing supplies since 1948.

Q: WHY SHOULD I CARE ABOUT SOCIAL MEDIA REVIEWS?

A: In today’s world, where people search out customer satisfaction reviews before they buy online, chose where to eat, or try out a new business, social media can make or break a carwash operation. Bad reviews are like repellents that

keep customers from ever stepping foot in your establishment. On the flip side, there is nothing quite like glowing social media reviews to get the word out and elevate your business’s reputation. When customers offer their positive real-world experiences with your carwash, it can inspire others to try it out as well.

Q: WHAT ROLE DOES SELECTING BRUSHES HAVE IN IMPROVING MY BUSINESS?

A: For carwashes, the best way to show customers you care about their car washing experience is by installing high quality equipment, and brushes play an essential role because they are in direct contact with vehicles. This demonstrates you are going the extra mile to ensure their car is properly cleaned and safe from any damage.

AVAILABLE NOW AT YOUR LOCAL ATLANTIC NAPA STORE!

At The Car Wash

Q: WHAT DIFFERENCE CAN A POOR QUALITY VERSUS A HIGH QUALITY BRUSH MAKE TO MY OPERATION?

A: A poor quality brush can do a poor cleaning job from the first wash. It can have the wrong filaments, be too hard or soft, or the backing can be wrong, allowing the material to pull out. Poorly constructed brushes may also prematurely tear, rip or fail.

On the other hand, a quality brush starts with quality filaments, laid in correctly at the right angle, so that it is neither too hard nor too soft for the job. A welldesigned brush will consistently wash vehicles well over time. Each brush must also provide enough friction to dislodge dirt from the vehicle’s surface, without damaging the paint or trim.

No matter the type of brush or cloth, it should stand up to the rigors of car washing for a long time to minimize replacement costs. A good brush can last many years before needing to be replaced, which saves money in the long run.

Conferring with the carwash supply manufacturer can help you tailor your materials to the job, provided their focus is on the carwash industry and not something unrelated, like construction or scrubbing steel.

Q: WHAT TYPES OF BRUSHES ARE BEST FOR REMOVING GRIT?

A: Gritty road debris, such as small sand particles, often stick to car surfaces due to adhesion, particularly when adhered with dirt or oil. Grit can act like sandpaper, rubbing against the automotive paint jobs that carwash owners are

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trying to clean and shine.

Since sand is many times harder than the paint surface, it can mar the surface of paint jobs if left in place.

Although express and full-service washes can do a good job removing grit with filament, cloth or foam brushes, it is important that these provide a soft touch.

The softer the brush filament used, the easier it is to release grit. Tough cloth or foam might last a long time, but won’t clean the car’s nooks and crannies. Soft cloth or gentle foam, when utilized correctly, is gentler on paint and will clean hard-to-reach areas.

For self-serve foam brushes, providing more foam for lubrication can also minimize the grit problem. A continuous flow of soap foam will help to cleanse grit and dirt from the brush head to provide a better cleaning. Some brushes like Erie’s FoamMaster offer six foam holes on a typical nine-inch brush. This spreads the soapy foam far more thoroughly than brushes with typically two to three foam holes.

Q: WHAT ARE SOME OF THE GENTLEST TYPES OF FOAM OR BRUSHES AVAILABLE TODAY?

A: An exterior carwash using a highquality gentle foam with smooth carwash equipment can reduce damage claims while offering a quieter wash and better final polish. Unlike typical foam, which is usually offered at standard levels of softness, gentle foam significantly increases the level of softness.

For any trouble spots that commonly need to be touched up on your conveyor

wash, such as around headlights, license plates and door handles, it is a good idea to use a hog’s hair brush at the carwash entrance.

Hog’s hair – actual hair that comes from hogs – has the smallest diameter tapered filament, which helps to make it the softest. Since it is soft, tapered, and feathered at the tips, it tends to release grit when properly lubricated and will not grind it into the car surface. Because of the taper, the hairs still retain stiffness for washing up close, if scrubbing is needed.

Q: HOW CAN BRUSH SELECTION IMPROVE THE QUALITY WHEN CLEANING WHEELS? A: Instead of inefficiently having staff hand scrub, hard-to-clean vehicle tires and wheels in tunnel washes, using an automated conveyor carwash brush designed to clean tires and wheels can improve wheel cleaning quality and profitability.

Some with unique names like Wheel Wonder or Poodle Brush can get into the nooks and crannies better than highpressure sprayers with heated water and cleaning solution. The brush’s filaments vary in length between four to seven inches so that as a vehicle travels through the automated carwash, the longer bristles reach deep into wheel crevices while the shorter bristles clean the tire and wheel surface.

For more info call 800-711-3743 (ERIE) in US, 773-477-9620 internationally; email sales@eriebrush.com; visit www. eriebrush.com; or write to Erie at 860 West Fletcher St., Chicago, IL 60657.

Rust Control

DON’T BE A CAR SNOB!

Y

By April Chadwick

OU KNOW WHO I AM TALKING ABOUT: THE ON-LINE KNOW-IT-ALL WHO STATES WITH GREAT CONVICTION THAT ONE MARK (INSERT YOUR CHOICE, BE IT CORVETTE, FERRARI OR MG) BUILT BEFORE A CERTAIN YEAR AND ONLY WITH A PARTICULAR SET OPTIONS IS THE ONLY ONE WORTH A DAMN.

If you are unlucky, he may even own an example. Sorry guys (it usually is a guy), in which case the affliction I like to call car snobbery will be even more severe.

The automotive hobby in North America seems rather close-minded compared to that in the U.K. and other parts of the world. Here we seem to limit ourselves, with few exceptions, to cars built prior to

1971. On top of that what is considered collectible is dominated by a small group of vehicles made up of muscle cars and a few foreign exotics.

As a means of illustration, I present one of the more egregious examples, the Corvette snob. In their opinion, any Corvette built after 1973 – the last year for chrome bumpers and the onset of smog control – is not worth buying, restoring or owning.

If we look closely at one of the socalled malaise era Corvettes we can see how misplaced this snobbery is. The late 1970’s L-82 small blocks produced between 220 and 230 bhp, the same as a 327 mid-1960s ‘Vette when horsepower is calculated in SAE net as opposed to gross bhp.

Prior to 1972, engine output was measured at the flywheel with no power-robbing belt driven accessories, open headers and performance adjusted carburetion and ignition timing. Really, this apples to

oranges comparison should be the subject of a future rant.

It is also important point out that these Corvettes shared their excellent chassis with every Vette back to the 1963 splitwindow Stingray. Contemporary Corvette designers have also pointed out that the soft polyurethane bumpers found front and back on the ’74 and up models was more in keeping with the original C3 design concept.

According to the Corvette snob the ’74 to ’82 is worthless. Having driven a few I can tell you they are great cars and that the general public loves them too.

The up side is that prices are artificially low and that a beautifully styled sports car is available at used Kia prices. As a side note the 1984-1996 Corvette C4 has also suffered much the same fate, derided as a mullet, trailer-park ride by the socalled cognoscenti. The good news is that an eighties era world class performance car is a screaming bargain…you heard it

Advertising doesn’t cost, it pays!

A person will ride in an advertised car, sit at an advertised desk, work on an advertised computer, and write with an advertised pen.

Yet this person hesitates to advertise, saying that advertising does not pay.

Finally, when the person’s unadvertised business goes under, he or she will advertise it for sale.

We can help. Call us: 1-866-423-3939.

auto atlantic

www.autoatlantic.com autoatlantic.com

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Rust Control

here first. Time to get one now before the prices inevitably start to climb.

Don’t be limited by what TV auction shows say you should like. If they had it their way, we would all be driving one of three cars: a ’57 Chevy, Hemi Cuda convertible and a Ferrari of some kind. All fine cars that I wouldn’t mind in my own garage but really are they everyone’s favorite? Demographics can be troublesome and the high-priced muscle cars that dominate the hobby’s collective consciousness may soon disappear from the scene like the 1930s classics before them.

Do a quick tally at your next cruise night; cars from the 1920s to the 1950s are becoming rather scarce as the fan base has aged. Muscle cars are primarily enjoyed by those who drove them new or desired them when they were kids. As the baby boomer generation begins to die off, these cars will continue to be appreciated but replaced in popularity by a new era of collectibles. So why not get ahead of

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the curve?

There was a time when I gave up on cruise nights and car shows, driven to despair of seeing anything other than row after row of Camaros, Mustangs and Cudas.

I am glad to report that things do appear to be changing, eighties cars and nineties cars are starting to gain some attention and a new generation of enthusiasts are using social media and YouTube to spread the message of affordable fun.

Witness the proliferation of RADwood car shows across the US and Oblivion in Toronto dedicated to 80s & 90s culture.

There is a whole world of enthusiast, special interest and collector cars out there. Don’t be afraid to try something new. Drive what you love!

What about the investment angle?

Shouldn’t I buy with an eye to what will be worth more in the future? Leave the investment decisions up to the Bay Street sharks. I have bought formerly unpopular cars that became classics and whose value

performed better than my meager RRSPs. And don’t listen to the so-called experts, including me. Buy what you really want. If the car in your garage is not your dream car, perhaps it’s time to sell and find what you really lust after. A true car guy or gal appreciates anything with an internal combustion engine. Keep your options open and you will enjoy the car hobby a heck of a lot more.

There are still cars I want to own, amongst them a boat-tail Riviera, a C4 Vette, a Datsun/Nissan 280Z and that Fiat Abarth sure is cute. My want list changes every day and I am always open to suggestions. Anyone know where I can find a Russian Zil limousine? Please consider this editorial a public service message.

Friends don’t let friends become car snobs.

PS. Even if you store your special interest car during the winter months, moisture and corrosion can still take a toll. A visit to your local Rust Check dealer will keep rust at bay for another year.

If we knew, we’d have baked a cake!

Don’t let your next anniversary pass by unnoticed. Call us, we can help.

Do you have something Big to Celebrate? Your company’s Anniversary, or a Grand Opening, Newly Renovated Premises or Addition of a New Branch. We can help you promote this event! All we would require from you is a supplier list that you would like us to contact to support your feature. We would do all the work required to put together a professional informative feature with editorial stories, pictures etc.

This is a very effective way to promote your latest important news with a minimal amount of effort on your part as we do all the work! We would also give you a couple of hundred copies of the feature to have on hand and use however you like. Call us in Halifax, NS toll free at 1-866-423-3939 or Email us anytime at info@autoatlantic.com for the details on what we can do for your business!

51 Bethany Way Halifax, NS B3S 1H6 Canada Office: 1.866.423.3939 l Fax: 1.902.423.3354 autoatlantic.com

auto & trucking

atlantic

Around the Atlantic

NAPA DARTMOUTH CHANGING TO MEET CUSTOMER NEEDS

‘I DON’T KNOW IF THE COMPETITION EVEN COMES CLOSE TO DOING WHAT WE DO FOR OUR CUSTOMERS’

S

“The amount of inventory that we have to keep now is crazy,” he says, noting they used to have about 5,000 products to track, a number that now hits around 20,000.

“There just weren’t as many models of cars when I first started and now it’s 20fold that.”

Boyd, store manager, says the company, best known as an auto parts supplier, has also gotten into selling more consumer products like Bluetooth speakers, bike racks or tools.

“We never really had that in the past and now it’s all there.”

About 80 per cent of their business remains in the wholesale market.

The Dartmouth store, which opened

By Pat Lee

TA N B O Y D AND HIS STA F F AT NAPA DARTMOUTH W E R E R E CE NTLY DOING INVENTORY AT THE PRINCE ALBERT ROAD PARTS SUPPLIER STORE, A JOB THAT USED TO TAKE AN EVENING TO COMPLETE. Now they set aside a week to do the job. Boyd says that’s just one of the ways the business has evolved since he started with the company in 1980.

WASTE OIL FURNACES THAT BURN HOT & SAVE MONEY!

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Tel: (506) 458-9322

Fax: (506) 459-6110

360 Route 10, Fredericton, NB E3A 7E1 idealequipment@outlook.com www.idealequipmentltd.com Still have Cleanburn parts and service for our customers!

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in the 1970s, used to be on Main Street but moved to Prince Albert Road in 2004.

Being connected to the NAPA Auto Parts network means the business has access to NAPAs many programs and huge inventory of quality auto parts.

The business gets its orders from NAPAs centrally located Moncton, N.B., warehouse on a daily basis, from Monday to Friday.

Boyd, 57, started as a part-timer while still in high school with plans to head to the air force after graduation. But he got offered a full-time sales position after someone left and he’s never looked back.

He says NAPA is constantly looking for new ways to improve.

“We’re always changing so you’re nev-

do special events for customers. I don’t know if the competition even comes close to doing what we do for our customers, like trips and nights out and rewards nights.”

A father of five grown children and two grandchildren, Boyd is also kept busy on his hobby farm in Windsor where he has horses, pigs, chickens and turkeys.

Boyd says he had a high regard for the company when he was hired, a view that hasn’t changed after almost 40 years.

“I’ve always thought we have some pretty high-class people,” he says. “I’d looked at other positions with other companies, but they just didn’t have the same appeal. I always thought we were a pretty class act.”

er really bored. It keeps you on your toes,” he says. “There’s a little bit of excitement all of the time.”

He says the auto parts business is highly competitive, noting that in Dartmouth they used to have maybe one direct competitor and now there are about eight others.

And that’s not even counting all the other places you can grab a litre of oil.

“Everybody is selling the mainstream stuff like oil and wipers and bulbs. You can buy them at Superstore now.”

Boyd says NAPA retains its edge by treating its customers well, with many perks and promotions not offered by others.

“We’re really customer oriented. We autoatlantic.com

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MORE THAN JUS LARGEST NETW RIGHT IN YOUR NEW BRUNSWICK

NAPA HAMPTON, NB 548 Main St., Hampton, NB, E5N 6C3

506-832-3421

NAPA PERTH-ANDOVER, NB 1123 West Riverside Dr., Unit 1A Perth-Andover, NB, E7H 5G5

506-273-2296

NAPA MONCTON, NB 335 Edinburgh Dr., Moncton, NB, E1E 4A6

506-857-0575

NAPA MINTO, NB 521 Pleasant Dr. Minto, NB, E4B 2T6

506-327-4444

NAPA / CMAX MONCTON, NB 300 Baig Blvd., Suite C5 Moncton, NB, E1E 1C8

506-857-2121

NAPA WOODSTOCK, NB 489 Main St. Woodstock, NB, E7M 2B8

506-328-3321

NEWFOUNDLAND & LABRADOR

NAPA SHIPPAGAN, NB 199, boul. J.D. Gauthier, Shippagan, NB, E8S 1M9

506-336-4444

NAPA PLACENTIA, NL 44 Prince William Dr., P.O. Box 39, Placentia, NL, A0B 2Y0

709-227-2721

NAPA CHIPMAN, NB 241 Main St., Chipman, NB, E4A 2H2

506-339-6642

NAPA PLUM POINT, NL Route 430, P.O. Box 100, Plum Point, NL, A0K 4A0

709-247-2356

NAPA PLASTER ROCK, NB 250A Main St., Plaster Rock, NB, E7G 2C9

506-356-2634

NAPA GANDER, NL 310 Airport Blvd., Gander, NL, A1V 1X5

709-256-4876

709-279-4400

NAPA OROMOCTO, NB 273 Restigouche Rd., Oromocto, NB, E2V 2H1

506-357-8883

NAPA SALISBURY, NB 3092 Main St., Salisbury, NB, E4J 2L6

NAPA MARYSTOWN, NL 195 McGettigan Blvd., P.O. Box 599 Marystown, NL, A0E2M0

506-372-5398

NAPA FLORENCEVILLE-BRISTOL, NB 8856 Main St., Florenceville-Bristol, NB, E7L 2A1

NAPA / CMAX MOUNT PEARL, NL 18 Commonwealth Ave., Mount Pearl, NL, A1N1W5

709-368-7100

506-392-5500

NAPA TRACADIE, NB 3747, rue Principale, Tracadie-Sheila, NB, E1X 1E3

NAPA ST. ANTHONY, NL 17 West St, P.O. Box 279, St. Anthony, NL, A0K 4S0

709-454-3325

506-393-6222

NAPA SUSSEX, NB 792 Main St., Sussex, NB, E4E 2M5

NAPA CLARENVILLE, NL 36 Manitoba Dr., Clarenville, NL, A5A 1K5

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NAPA FREDERICTON, NB 525 Bishop Dr., Fredericton, NB, E3C 2M6

NAPA GRAND FALLS-WINDSOR, NL 9 Duggan St., Grand Falls-Windsor, NL, A2A 2K7

709-489-9311

506-458-1982

NAPA ST. STEPHEN, NB 16 King St., St Stephen, NB, E3L 2B9

NAPA BAIE VERTE, NL 327 Hwy 410, P.O. Box 460, Baie Verte, NL, A0K1B0

709-532-4266

506-466-2333

NAPA RICHIBUCTO, NB 10 Cunard St., Richibucto, NB, E4W 3Z1

NAPA ST. JOHN’S, NL 342 Freshwater Rd., St. John’s, NL, A1B 1C2

709-579-0131

506-523-4496

NAPA SHEDIAC, NB 225 Main St., Shediac, NB, E4P 2A5

NAPA CARBONEAR, NL 64 Powell Dr., P.O. Box 968, Carbonear, NL, A1Y 1C4

709-596-3932

506-532-2489

NAPA SACKVILLE, NB 109 Bridge St., Sackville, NB, E4L 3P4

NAPA CORNER BROOK, NL 37 Maple Valley Rd, P.O. Box 672 Corner Brook, NL, A2H 6G1

506-536-2025

709-639-3220

NAPA NACKAWIC, NB 16 Pinder Rd., Nackawic, NB, E6G 1W3

NAPA STEPHENVILLE, NL 149-151 Main St, P.O. Box 213, Stephenville, NL, A2N 2Z4

506-575-2215

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NAPA MIRAMICHI, NB 247 Pleasant St., Miramichi, NB, E1V 1Y6

NAPA TORBAY, NL 561 Torbay Rd., St. John’s, NL, A1A 5G9

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NAPA SAINT JOHN, NB 37 Spencer St., Saint John, NB, E2J 2K5

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NAPA BAY ROBERTS, NL 340 Conception Bay Hwy, P.O. Box 490 Bay Roberts, NL, A0A 1G0

709-786-2431

NAPA DALHOUSIE, NB 113 George St., Dalhousie, NB, E8C 1R6

506-684-3302

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NAPA FOXTRAP, NL 459 Conception Bay Hwy Conception Bay South, NL, A1X 2B4

709-834-8000

506-743-8955

NAPA CAMPBELLTON, NB 86 Water St., Campbellton, NB, E3N 1B1

NAPA TWILLINGATE, NL 46 Main Hwy, P.O. Box 280, Twillingate, NL, A0G 4M0

709-884-2770

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NAPA PETITCODIAC, NB 188 Old Post Rd., Petitcodiac, NB, E4Z 4P1

NOVA SCOTIA

506-756-3347

NAPA CHETICAMP, NS 15376 Main St, P.O. Box 489, Cheticamp, NS, B0E 1H0

902-224-2988

506-775-6777

NAPA DIGBY, NS 348 Hwy 303 Conway, P.O. Box 490 Digby, NS, B0V 1A0

902-245-4758

NAPA PARRSBORO, NS 8 Spring St, P.O. Box 246, Parrsboro, NS, B0M 1S0

902-254-2213

NAPA ROGERSVILLE, NB 11055 Principale St., Rogersville, NB, E4Y 2L8

ST QUALITY PARTS, ATLANTIC CANADA’S WORK OF AUTOMOTIVE PROFESSIONALS IS NEIGHBOURHOOD! NAPA CHESTER, NS 3764 Hwy 3, P.O. Box 399, Chester, NS, B0J 1J0

902-275-3531

NAPA ELMSDALE, NS 601 Highway 2, Unit A, Elmsdale, NS, B2S 1A8

902-883-2252

NAPA LIVERPOOL, NS 157 Bristol Ave, P.O. Box 1540, Liverpool, NS, B0T 1K0

902-354-2144

NAPA DARTMOUTH, NS 327 Prince Albert Rd., Dartmouth, NS, B2Y 1N7

NAPA MUSQUODOBOIT, NS 7939 Hwy 7, P.O. Box 311 Musquodoboit Harbour, NS, B0J 2L0

902-889-2311

902-434-3530

NAPA / CMAX HALIFAX, NS 3597 Strawberry Hill St., Halifax, NS, B3K 5A8

NAPA TRURO, NS 12 King St., Truro, NS, B2N 3K6

902-897-2787

902-455-1591

NAPA SPRYFIELD, NS 390 Herring Cove Rd., Halifax, NS, B3R 1W4

902-477-0333

NAPA BERWICK, NS 228 Commercial St, P.O. Box 580, Berwick, NS, B0P 1E0

NAPA SUMMERSIDE, PEI 225 MacEwen Rd., Summerside, PE, C1N 2P4

902-436-2101

902-538-3195

NAPA SYDNEY, NS 195 Prince St., Sydney, NS, B1P 5K4

902-539-5525

NAPA CHARLOTTETOWN, PEI 420 Queen St, Spring Park Plaza Charlottetown, PE, C1A 4E6

902-566-4555

NAPA BRIDGEWATER, NS 150 Logan Rd., Bridgewater, NS, B4V 3J8

902-543-2426

NAPA MONTAGUE, PEI 5225 MacDonald Hwy, Brudenell Centre, P.O. Box 607 Montague, PE, C0A 1R0

902-838-4401

NAPA PORT HAWKESBURY, NS 6 Paint St Port Hawkesbury, NS, B9A 3J6

902-625-3330

NAPA ALBERTON, PEI 436 Main St., Alberton, PE, C0B 1B0

902-853-2812

NAPA LUNENBURG, NS 40 Victoria Rd, P.O. Box 1477, Lunenburg, NS, B0J 2C0

902-634-3045

NAPA MORELL, PEI 10 Coffin Rd, P.O. Box 222, Morell, PE, C0A 1S0

902-961-3030

NAPA BARRINGTON, NS 55 Causeway Shopping Plaza, P.O. Box 329 Barrington Passage, NS, B0W 1G0

902-637-3133

NAPA TATAMAGOUCHE, NS 253 Maple Ave, P.O. Box 38, Tatamagouche, NS, B0K 1V0

PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND

QUEBEC

902-657-3307

NAPA LOURDES-DU-BLANC-SABLON, QC 1515 Camille Marcoux Blvd., P.O. Box 363 Lourdes-du-Blanc-Sablon, QC, G0G 1W0

418-461-2339

NAPA AMHERST, NS 63 South Albion St Amherst, NS, B4H 2W4

902-667-3311

NAPA CAP-AUX-MEULES, QC 375, chemin Principale, Cap-aux-Meules, QC, G4T 1E3

418-986-4294

NAPA KENTVILLE, NS 98 Aberdeen St Kentville, NS, B4N 2N3

902-678-3291

NAPA NEW MINAS, NS 8793 Commercial St., New Minas, NS, B4N 3C4

902-681-8944

NAPA NORTH SYDNEY, NS 127 King St., North Sydney, NS, B2A 3S1

902-736-6243

NAPA YARMOUTH, NS 183 Pleasant St., Yarmouth, NS, B5A 2J7

902-742-9141

NAPA NEW GLASGOW, NS 112 Park St., New Glasgow, NS, B2H 5B8

902-752-0844

NAPA PUBNICO, NS 1339 Hwy 335, P.O. Box 17, Pubnico, NS, B0W 2W0

902-762-3005

NAPA WINDSOR, NS 140 Water St, P.O. Box 817, Windsor, NS, B0N 2T0

902-798-9531

NAPA MIDDLETON, NS 428 Main St, P.O. Box 816, Middleton, NS, B0S 1P0

902-825-4803

NAPA GLACE BAY, NS 122 Reserve St Glace Bay, NS, B1A 4W3

902-849-8581

NAPA ANTIGONISH, NS 52 St. Andrews St., Antigonish, NS, B2G 2H1

902-863-6111

NAPA SACKVILLE, NS 528 Sackville Dr., Unit 9A, Lower Sackville, NS, B4C 2R8

902-864-0667

NAPA SHELBURNE, NS 148 Water St, P.O. Box 711, Shelburne, NS, B0T 1W0

902-875-2522

Expert advice and a wide selection of quality parts!

napacanada.com

ADVERTISERS DIRECTORY ADVERTISER

PHONE

INTERNET

PAGE

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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Cabot Shipping

1-800-565-0606

cabotss.com

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Dominion Sure Seal 1-905-670-5411

dominionsureseal.com

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Dunphy’s Mobile Wash 1-902-210-7279

halifaxpressurewashing.ca

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Fix Network

1-800-INFO-FIX

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Ideal Equipment Ltd

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Johnstone Media Inc

1-204-489-4215

convenienceandcarwash.com

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MacLellan & Moffatt 1-888-893-0508

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Maritime Auto Parts 1-800-565-7278

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Maritime Car Wash

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Maritime Pro Stock Tour 1-902-873-2277

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NAPA Auto Parts

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NAPA Auto Parts

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IN

Parts For Trucks

1-800-565-4700

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Rust Check

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Uni-Select (BtoB)

1-506-857-8150

uni-selectcanada.com

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worldpac.com

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T

HE FIX NETWORK, WHICH CONSISTS OF FIX AUTO COLLISION, NOVUS GLASS AND SPEEDY AUTO SERVICE HAS BEEN SERVING THE AUTOMOTIVE AFTERMARKET SERVICES INDUSTRY ACROSS CANADA FOR DECADES.

30

NAPA Auto Parts

Worldpac Inc. 1-800-888-9982

THE FIX NETWORK SEES TREMENDOUS GROWTH IN THE ATLANTIC REGION

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Their commitment to high quality repair, maintenance and service work makes each brand an industry leader in customer satisfaction.

Here in Atlantic Canada, Fix Network now has 21 Fix Auto locations, 10 Speedy Auto Service locations and 8 NOVUS Glass facilities; including mobile service at some locations. Each of the collision, glass and mechanical facilities are locally owned and operated and offer expert repair and maintenance services to vehicle owners and fleet companies from across the region.

With a continued focus on expansion for all three brands throughout the Atlantic provinces, the Fix Network is attracting new franchisees with their dedicated operations, marketing and sales teams all supporting the success of each shop. Every fall, owners from all three brands have the opportunity to gather together for the annual Fix Network Atlantic Regional meeting to take in business updates, meet with suppliers and insurance partners and share best practices. These valuable sessions support Fix Network franchisees as they operate and continue to grow their successful businesses.

Crossword Contest

CROSSWORD (ANSWERS IN THE NEXT AUTO & TRUCKING ATLANTIC)

SEPTEMBER 2019 WINNER!

Eileen Durant, of Dieppe, NB is our latest Crossword Puzzle winner! Congratulations on winning your new Rust Check package of goodies. Deadline for entry is November 15th, 2019

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IT’S SO EASY TO WIN!

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CROSSWORD BY MURRAY JACKSON - THECROSSWORDGUY.COM

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!

16 Fill out info below and fax your crossword to us in Halifax, NS at: 902-423-3354, or mail us: 51 Bethany Way, Halifax, NS B3S 1H6, or Email us at: rob@autoatlantic.com NAME:

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ADDRESS:

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PHONE:

ACROSS

DOWN

1. Succumbs to road salt

1. Skiers’ auto accessories (4,5)

4. Extended mobility tire (3,4)

2. Boat’s rear

8. Exceed safe RPM

3. Squeegee kids’ workplaces (6,7)

9. Bridge payment, once

4. Energizes, engine-wise (4,2)

10. Car wash cycle

5. C.B. Highlands & Kejimkujik (8,5)

11. Flexible driveshaft parts (1,6)

6. Enticing used-car ad words (4,3)

13. ‘71-’05 Toyota sports coupe

7. Dodge Viper cylinder count

15. Auto paint protectant (3,3)

12. Stickshift knob’s “6” (5,4)

17. Minivan habitats, often

14. Crustacean in a roll

18. Inner tube repair

16. Sable or Scaterie

20. Gas pump unit

19. Intersection accident, slangily

21. Gas station convenience (3,4)

(1,4)

22. Read the manual carefully

20. Once around Scotia Speedworld

23. Take the tiller

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

M

aritime racing fans, maybe you can name who this well known local Maritime Pro Stock Tour racer is, or anything about the racing team. Details please and a FREE Stanley 1/4” and 3/8” Drive SAE 123pc Socket Set from NAPA is all yours! The more the better!

Send in your answer at autoatlantic.com/Contest.htm or Fax us at: 902-423-3354, and make sure to include your name, town and province and telephone number. Maybe this time it’ll be you! Deadline for entry is November 15th, 2019.

Congratulations to Tom Jackson of St. John’s, NL who correctly answered that the car in the photo is a Halifax, NS assembled 1966 Volvo 122, pictured at Peggy’s Cove, NS. Thank you to all who entered our contest, you could be next!

YOUR NAME: DAYTIME PHONE: CITY / TOWN / VILLAGE: PROVINCE: EMAIL: YOUR ANSWER:

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