Save Fuel, Save Environment, the maxim has all the relevance when we take a look at the greenhouse emissions caused by the commercial medium and heavy -duty trucks operating worldwide. A report of RMI dating back to 2012 clearly pointed that commercial trucking fleets are contributing 5.75% to the greenhouse emissions by pumping 1.6 billion metric tons of CO2 into the earth’s environment.  With an exponential growth in the field of trucking industry, the figures have multiplied in last one decade which has become a cause of concern for the environmentalists.  However, the trucking industry has come forward to shoulder the responsibility of saving the environment. Various organizations/companies have adopted a proactive approach to take initiatives for saving fuel.  To begin with, adapting the latest technology is the right approach. Automated Manual Transmission (AMTs) increase fuel efficiency by 1% to 3% which makes it “a must” for every truck.  Let us take a closer look at the factors that play a significant role in saving fuel for the fleets.  Regular monitoring and inflation of tires: It is a known fact that fuel consumption increases when the tires are not properly inflated thus drivers and their managers should be extra cautious while monitoring the...

Nearly 73% of the Canadians have raised their voice against the discontinuation of Driver Inc. Scheme.  The scheme has emerged as a blotch in the trucking industry as it is not just restricted to bypassing the labour, safety and environmental regulations but the companies using this scheme are siphoning up to $1 billion a year in terms of tax revenues.  It is pertinent to mention that for years, the Driver Inc. Scheme has given the trucking companies the power to manipulate employees who are lured falsely into working as independent contractors. Whereas, in reality the employees/drivers are deprived of their rights and emoluments/incentives which they are entitled to under Canada Labour Code.  While audits, penalties, and forced payback for those in violation of the Labour Code is a step in the right direction, the alliance made CTA in the last quarter of 2022 had called upon the government to conduct audits, impose penalties, and force payback where the employers were in violation of the Labour Code. The alliance had also made some recommendations towards intensifying for companies operating under Driver Inc. Scheme.

The Canada Truck Operators Association (CTOA), the newly formed body by trucking companies has demanded decision making powers from the government in addition to discontinuation of the Driver Inc. Scheme.  Recently, a meeting of almost 1000 people from 200 carriers was organized in Brampton wherein CTOA office bearers deliberated upon various aspects of Driver Inc. Scheme which have violated the rights of a large number of drivers of trucking companies for long.   It is noteworthy that under Driver Inc. the trucking companies register their drivers not as employees but as a corporation/contractors and hire them as an incorporated entity. This is a tax evasion practice wherein the trucking companies do not give pay checks but make payments to the corporations. By doing so, the companies deny their employees the access to rights and entitlements under the Canada Labour Code. The employees are deprived of paid sick leave, employer contributions for Employment Insurance and the Canada Pension Plan, and provincial or territorial workplace injury compensation.  Led by Jaskaran Sandhu, the executive director of CTOA, a Brampton based lawyer, the organisation comprises of Trucking companies owned by people of diverse backgrounds.  CTOA members also emphasized upon the need of representation of its members in the...

Were you one of many who made a New Year's resolution? If so you are not alone. The arrival of the New Year allows us to start afresh and put events of the past behind us in the rearview mirror. Some say the new year is like starting to write a book with all the pages blank, or for an artist, an empty canvas waiting for paint.  The problem with New Year's resolutions is that they are not very successful. Most fail within the first two months.  There's a famous saying, "(God) grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference."   This is where we need the wisdom to make the right choices or plans for the new year ahead and the future. Researchers say that resolutions fail because they are goals or objectives and that we approach them in a way that guarantees failure. Perhaps we focus too much on the destination and not enough on the journey. Most likely, we set goals that are too hard to achieve or unrealistic.  Goal-oriented perspectives can motivate some but are too black-and-white for others.  It is best to set attainable...

The news lately has been full of stories regarding trucks losing tires and wheels. About 95% of these issues can be traced to 2 causes, both of which are easily detected by even a cursory pretrip inspection. The first and most common cause is loose lug nuts. Any time a time is unmounted from the truck and remounted, It should be retorqued within 100 kms (62 miles) at most. Failure to have them retorqued could lead to the lugs coming loose and the tire coming off at highway speed. If it’s on the steering axle, you will feel the tire wobbling as the lugs start to come loose. If anything feels odd in the steering wheel, pull over immediately, have it checked out and corrected before continuing to drive. Don’t let anyone pressure you into driving to a repair facility, it’s just too dangerous. The second leading cause of tire separation is a leaking wheel seal. Again, even a cursory pretrip will detect this, as evidenced by oil on the wheel rim, and not enough oil visible in the hub cap. If the oil level is low, top it off, and keep an eye on it throughout the day. If the...

Fuel island safety is more than just fueling safely, it’s also about protecting yourself, the company’s reputation, as well as the environment. When you pull up to the pumps, take any garbage you have with you, and dispose of it in the garbage cans provided. Climbing in and out of the truck while pumping fuel is extremely dangerous, due to the build up of static electricity you will accumulate. When you’re outside at the pumps, be aware that any spilled fuel will turn the concrete very slippery. Even after you get back in the truck, some of the spilled fuel will be tracked in on your foot wear, and you could have a nasty fall getting into the truck, or possibly inside the truck. If you’re cleaning your windows and head lights while fuelling, do not use the squeegee for anything other than cleaning the windows. Using it to clean and/or wash the fuel tanks, fairings, rims etc causes the squeegee to pick up sand and other road grime, which then makes a mess on the next driver’s windows. Once you’ve finished fuelling, pull clear of the pumps before going in to use the facilities or grab a coffee. If...

Dressing appropriately when at a customer’s facility can mean the difference between a new contract for freight services, or the termination of freight services. For the most part, when you arrive at the customer, you are the face of your company and how you present yourself will reflect on your company. If you arrive neat and well kept, your company looks good. If you look like you just crawled out from under a dumpster, well, you can imagine what the customer will think. Let’s say, ABC company is looking to move their freight business to a new trucking company. You, as a driver for 123 trucking arrive to pick up a load at the same time as a driver from 987 freight systems. You’re wearing a clean shirt, clean pants, hair combed, facial hair trimmed, and a ball cap with your company’s name on it. The driver from 987 arrives with cut off jeans, a ripped T-shirt that says “I’m with stupid”, a ratty beard with parts of his last meal still stuck in it, a dirty, greasy ball cap with some racial slur on it and smelling like his last shower was a few days ago. If you were the...

There’s an old saying, “You get what you pay for.”  Nowhere is this statement more true than in trucking.  Work gloves that cost $10.00 for 3 pairs are great for gardening, or other yard work, but in trucking, you’ll be lucky if all 3 pairs last 2 days. A good pair of winter work gloves run about $15.00 a pair, and they are lined with fake fur to keep your hands relatively warm. The best winter work gloves are very expensive, and can be hard to find, but welding supply stores will likely carry them. They have a pocket for 3 fingers and one each for your thumb and index finger and are felt lined, so your hands will stay nice and toasty all day. These are the same gloves hydro linesman use outside in the winter all day.  It’s also a good idea to wear a pair of latex surgical gloves under your work gloves to help keep your hands dry. You can get a pair of winter work boots for under $20.00, but they won’t keep your feet very warm, especially on the prairies.  Shell out the money, and get a pair that are winter rated - certified...

We all know how important it is to perform a proper pre trip inspection, but it’s equally important to do a post trip inspection, especially when you’re dropping the trailer.  This way you can identify and report any minor or major defects so they can be addressed and corrected before the trailer is dispatched again.  As a driver, there is little more annoying than hooking up to a trailer and finding issues during a pre trip that should have been found and reported by the previous driver. When the next driver finds these defects, it causes delays in his trip, and causes the shop to pull mechanics off another job to make the repairs on demand. Had the defects been reported when they trailer was dropped, the repairs could have easily been scheduled and completed before the next driver hooked up to it. To combat the problem, some companies have started disciplining drivers for not reporting defects and others have started inspecting trucks and trailers every time they enter the yard. Some companies are even inspecting equipment before they leave the yard. As a rule, every time you stop, you should walk around the truck and check all the...