ATA January / February 2023

DIRECTORY: PAGE 38

/ OWNER Robert Alfers (902) 452-0345 rob@autoatlantic.com EDITOR Carter Hammett carter@autoatlantic.com SALES MANAGER Dan Hillier (902) 999-1027 dan@autoatlantic.com

auto & trucking

36

26

DEPARTMENTS

UP IN SMOKE? A relatively recent trend not readily discussed is marijuana’s impact on our beloved motive industry. Whoodathunkit?

NEWS OF THE WEIRD – Say it ain’t so! Car thieves using wildlife cameras? • More! Compiled by Alexander Johnson.

THE ATLANTIC ROAD REPORT – P.E.I. unveils some sexy new license plates • More!

ELECTRIC AVENUE – Canada’s first all-electric vehicle manufacturing facility opens in Ontario. GM Canada transmogrifies its CAMI plant into something with an eye on the future…

FEATURES: AUTOMOTIVE AND TRUCKING TRENDS FOR 2023

16

TOP TRUCKING TRENDS TO WATCH OUT FOR IN 2023 – Whether it’s driver recruitment, E-log enforcement or higher operating costs, the trucking industry will be facing a plethora of new challenges this year says our very own Mindful Trucker Dana Smith

24

THE ELECTRIFICATION OF EVERYTHING – Keep an eye on the horizon and watch out for the promising allure of Vehicle-to-Grid and all the magic it appears to offer. By Carter Hammett

6

THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY: Automotive Trends We’ll See on The Road This Year – Kristen Lipscombe surveys the landscape and learns about some surprising developments in store for the automotive world this year.

14

BUT WAIT! THAT’S NOT ALL!

Brown’ Auto Salvage Supports the Community in a Big Way – giving back to the community from which it sprang is something that transcends generations for this family-owned business…

UP IN SMOKE?

By Carter Hammett

stronger.  By all accounts this isn’t new information. In 1941 Henry Ford built a car out of hemp plastic and it ran on hemp fuel. Later on Rudolf Diesel, inventor of the engine that bears his name, designed a vehicle to run on vegetable and seed oils, including hemp. Using hemp material to construct and run the car suppos-

both economically and environmentally friendly. And it’s carbon-negative since it actually sequesters carbon.

In terms of its versatility, hemp assists in the reduction of carbon emission during production; it’s lighter than steel and fiberglass and can resist dents since it’s not nearly as brittle as carbon fiber.

True, some trends like the recent increases in car thefts, can be rather disturbing but often it’s inspiring to watch evolution in progress and marvel at the latest turns following where technology leads us.

Our first issue of 2023 is all about trends folks. From the latest apps to ELDs, from vehicle-to-grid to the latest technologies, it’s all here.

Alas, one trend that we haven’t yet covered (but rest assured, we will) is the impact of cannabis on the automotive industry. Yes, you read that correctly.

Turns out cannabis is an extremely versatile plant that, aside from the obvious, can be used for a variety of means, including fuel, as an additive, and even material to build a motor vehicle’s parts and components. An example of this would be hemp-based composites being used to make car parts that are lighter and

edly improved its fuel efficiency by up to 25 per cent. Unfortunately for both these men, hemp became illegal in the United States in 1937 so mass producing these cars became impossible.

Fast forward about seven decades or so, and everything old is new again. In this case, hemp’s finally being recognized for its potentially innumerable contributions to the motive world.

As an alternative to fossil fuel, hemp offers a variety of benefits. It’s a massivelyavailable sustainable energy source that’s

And it hasn’t taken long for manufacturers to jump on board. Indeed, Porsche has already introduced the 718 Cayman FT4 Clubsport a couple of years ago, made entirely of hemp and organic material. Similarly, Mazda created a sports car from hemp that runs on biofuel and doesn’t contribute to carbon emission. Mercedes, Audi and BMW have chosen to bypass cannabis in favour of plant fibres like jute.

Closer to home, we have The Kestrel. This vehicle is Canada’s design created by Motive Industries of Calgary and claims to be the world’s most eco-friendly car. It’s a three-door hatchback made of hemp that can travel up to speeds of 90km an hour. Currently it needs to be recharged every 160 kilometers.

The car’s body is created using hemp stalks mixed with polymer resin. It’s fairly light, strong and impact-resistant. It also performs at a better rate of fuel efficiency as well.

The vehicle’s still a while away from production-readiness, but it’s attracting global attention. And since Canada’s progressive policies shine positively for hemp farming, the timing and environment are both ripe for producing vehicles like Kestrel. Given the rising cost of fuel and global commitment to finding alternatives to fossil fuel, it appears the Kestrel’s timing is just about perfect.

TRENDS ARE ALWAYS FUN AND INTERESTING TO OBSERVE AND REFLECT ON AND THE AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY’S NO DIFFERENT.

THE GOOD, THE BAD AUTOMOTIVE TRENDS WE’LL SEE

BAD AND THE UGLY: SEE ON THE ROAD THIS YEAR

By Kristen Lipscombe

LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE

centre, Bethune is concerned “that a lot of these technologies are a distraction… away from the attention to the road and driving the vehicle.”

“I’ve seen an increase per capita in North America and Europe in distraction accidents, and they’re becoming more and more common, and more and more serious,” said Bethune, who is not only a Certified Red Seal Auto Technician himself, with an Interstate Diesel Licence and Interprovincial Auto Technician Licence and four degrees to boot, but also leads forensic mechanical and collision reconstruction investigations for insurance and legal companies.

“You’ve got a computer screen, and you’ve got to look at that screen and look at all the information that’s popping up on that screen,” Bethune said. “I don’t think that screen should light up and come on while the vehicle is in motion.”

IN

COMING YEAR.

Long-time automotive expert Doug Bethune of Chezzetcook, N.S., who is highly regarded as – quite literally – the voice of reason within the industry since he has been taking calls on CBC radio ranging from everyday drivers to skilled technicians for close to four decades, emphasizes that there are both pros and cons to that technology.

With newer model cars constantly adding more flashy features to lure drivers to the wheel, including those everimproving infotainment screens front and

“And you couple that with cell phones, even if it’s hands-free,” he explained, “and it’s not the hands-free that’s the problem, it’s the mind that’s not concentrating on the driving. If you’re talking on the phone, your mind is not concentrating on the driving, it’s concentrating on the conversation.”

Growing trends such as “more connected cars,” with built-in WiFi hotspots that mean access to 4G Internet without having to use data while on the road, and more multimedia options on board, of course add to those distractions. “If it was just for the passengers, that’s fine,” Bethune said, “but I think the driver should have not access to those features when the vehicle is in motion.”

That being said, Bethune also recognizes the benefits of increased computerization of vehicles, which also includes

new and improved safety features and warning systems that are “just wonderful.”

“Computers are pretty reliable,” Bethune said. “People say they don’t make cars like they used to, and I say, ‘well, thank God for that.’ ”

This improved safety technology in cars is also important because, as Bethune explained, newer vehicles are “very sleek, they’re very stylish, and what that has caused is very low roof lines with less glass.

“There’s less window area, so the newer style of cars, by their very design, have more blind spots than the old square cars did, so that’s why they’ve got back-up cameras and other safety features,” such as automated braking assistance, vehicle stability assistance with traction control, blind spot information systems and other indicators or sensors to help warn drivers of any trouble on the roads around them.

“They’re sleeker, so it makes them easier on fuel, but I know, particularly a lot of seniors that complain that they can’t see out of their cars when they back up,” Bethune said. “The styling has by its very design caused blind spots and (I believe that) all of those blind spots need to have cameras, not just the back-up camera.

“Cameras that are peripheral with wide angles, covering the front and side view and rear angle peripheral areas so if anything comes into those areas, particularly if you’re changing lanes or backing up, or even making a turn you can get a warning of any danger.”

In the meantime, Bethune suggests adding dash cams to vehicles. Even with cell phone laws in place, and car computers not allowing drivers to use certain features while in use, “a lot of people don’t pay much attention.

IN THE WORLD, THE LATEST AND GREATEST TECHNOLOGY IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE DRIVING THE AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY FORWARD

THE

“But because I’m an accident investigator, I do and I can tell you that regardless of the law, people continuously use their cell phones while they’re driving and it presents a very potential and imminent hazard,” Bethune said.

But he also emphasized the importance of cell phones, not just for convenience but for safety purposes while on the road. In an emergency situation, cell phones, of course, are most people’s lifeline to contacting help while out on the road.

Nevertheless, Bethune remains concerned about the “digital transition” within the automotive industry and is hopeful that governments, auto manufacturers and drivers alike will use common sense by building and abiding to laws and regulations that put everyone’s health and safety above selling, taxing and optimizing profits.

As for whether he expects more people to start purchasing electric vehicles (EVs), particularly with high gas prices and inflation pressure creating daily stress for average consumers, Bethune said the production and popularity of EVs are certainly increasing, but he’s not quite sure if

the automotive industry is ready for a high rate of drivers making the much-debated switch from gasoline to electricity to fuel their engines.

“There is a push, mainly by government oddly enough (and) it’s part of the fight for climate change,” according to Bethune. “Canada and the U.S. governments, they want to force people to do away with internal combustion engines, and they want them off the roads and out of people’s garages, and they want to replace them with electrics with rechargeable batteries.”

But Bethune believes the EV focus may actually “shift the environment problem” from one place to another. “Matter can be created or destroyed, that is one of the laws of physics,” he pointed out.

“Electric cars, to start with, are much heavier,” Bethune explained. “They have to be to carry the batteries (and) you need more… steel aluminum in the frame and that means more greenhouse gases.”

According to Bethune, research, and development on EVs, including the number and locations of charging stations and other required infrastructure, simply have to catch up with that increase in popular-

ity and production. “I just think that the push to get them out there is much too early.”

“EVs are great for people who live in cities, and within suburbia in Canada, but we are so geographically dislocated; people live in rural areas,” Bethune said, “and you couple that with our (colder) temperatures here and most of the battery efficiency drops off too, so you don’t have good long range with EVs, particularly in winter.”

Nevertheless, the attraction to both hybrid and electric vehicles continues to grow for consumers across the country, including right here in Atlantic Canada. Steele Auto Group, for example, has acquired fast-growing company All EV, which has locations in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick and plans to expand in more locations in the near future.

The benefits to getting behind the wheel of an electric vehicle this year? Well, according to ALL EV, there are plenty of them, from being significantly cheaper to drive since “by powering your vehicle with electricity instead of gasoline, you can save thousands of dollars a year.” The company says that “fuelling” your EV

equals paying 30 cents per litre of gas.

Other EV pros? The driving experience, such as smoother handling and quieter output overall; the convenience of charging your car at home and waking “up to a full batter every morning” without having to stop for gas on your commute; several provincial government rebates and incentives available for buying new and even pre-owned EVs; and of course, letting off fewer emissions with the knowledge that you are helping reduce greenhouse gases and your own carbon footprint.

Avoiding high gas prices and reducing your own vehicle emissions doesn’t end up sounding like such a bad deal after all. But Bethune recommends doing all of your research and due diligence before making the big jump.

The Electric Vehicle Association of Atlantic Canada (EVAAC), co-founded and chaired by Kurt Sampson, aims to educate both the automotive industry and its consumers alike about the benefits of EVs, and about what is being done to ensure research, innovation and infrastructure keep up to buyer demand and how companies are working with governments and other partners to ensure high environmental standards and a long-term plan for a smooth transition to electric transportation.

The modern “EVs are still somewhat new,” Sampson explained, pointing out that the first Tesla Model S only hit the road in 2012. He’s also fully aware that “we need to use more renewables” to ensure the right infrastructure is in place to get more electric vehicles on the road.

That’s why EVAAC has been participating in pilot projects, including the Smart Charging Pilot, which just wrapped up at the end of 2022 and involved working with Nova Scotia Power to create a “vehicle-to-grid” system that would allow those driving EVs to give and take power to the system when needed.

“Renewables are intermittent, so we need a way to store that intermittent power when it’s windy or when there’s lots of sun, or both,” Sampson explained. “We need to be able to take that and store that electricity to be able to use it when it’s not windy and dark, and the battery is ideal for that.

“So, when we have ‘V-to-G’ we will be able to use the tens of thousands of millions of batteries that are in cars on the road as a grid buffer,” he explained. “The utility would have a connection to thousands of cars, and the user would have to opt in… (but) if there was more demand on the grid, (the utility company) could

send out a command to tell thousands of cars to offer load onto the grid.”

The latest pilot project for Sampson’s growing association? It’s called Smart Charging. “Nova Scotia Power can send out this mass notice to the 200-to-400 EVs in the pilot project and can tell them to charge, stop charging, etc., so that power on the grid isn’t wasted and participants are compensated financially.”

The EV industry still has much work to do, Sampson said. “We don’t even have the standards in Canada yet approved,” but these types of pilot projects are certainly moving the reality of EVs becoming more commonplace on our roads more quickly. And he believes drivers will start seeing rapid movement of more EV infrastructure across Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM) in the near future.

“When you’re looking at what the EV landscape here might look like in a couple of years, look at Europe now,” Sampson said. “If you look at the EV line-ups availa-

ble right now; there’s lots that we don’t see now. They have quite a bit more selection and almost all of the legacy manufacturers have EVs in their line-up.”

“Plus, there will be a lot of names that people haven’t heard that EVs are the only brands, coming out of Europe and coming out of China,” Sampson said. “I think this is going to hit Europe, probably significantly.

“I don’t know if we’ll see a lot of it in North America that fast, I don’t know how much we’ll see in 2023,” Sampson said, but when Chinese products start coming this way, product prices will start dropping.

Sampson admits the “sticker price” of electric vehicles can be tricky, making it harder for average Canadians to finance EVs. But he believes that finance companies “should be willing to give you more money, comfortably, under the same risk profile, for an electric vehicle, because you have more ability to pay that, because

you’re not going to be paying nearly as much for fuel. They haven’t gotten there yet.”

As for worry about whether EVs will be more environmentally friendly than gas-fuelled cars in future, Sampson said he hears about what he calls “FUD – fear, uncertainty and doubt” pretty frequently.

It’s important to ask those questions, Sampson said, but continued innovation should help alleviate those concerns. For example, he said, “based on today’s recycling technology, about 85 per cent of an electric vehicle battery can be recycled into a new product, and that’s getting better and better all the time.”

Many of the EV pilot projects happening in Nova Scotia involve being connected via apps, he said, so those will continue to be popular within the automotive industry. Other still-growing apps include Uber, Lyft and the like, along with taxi services competing by building similar apps. Car sharing services such as Car

Share Atlantic and Communauto Atlantic are also becoming a popular convenience for residents and visitors to our region alike. Brian Kingston is President and Chief Executive Officer of the Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers’ Association (CVMA), which represents powerhouse manufacturers Ford Motor Company of Canada Limited, General Motors of Canada Company and Stellantis (FCA Canada Inc.). His association and its members all agree that “the big trend moving through 2023” and far beyond “is electrification.”

“Over the past three years, Ford, General Motors and Stellantis have announced investments in Canada have $13.5 billion and the majority of that investment is dedicated to electric vehicle assembly and the associated battery supply chain.

“So, this is a huge focus of the industry right now,” Kingston said. “It’s all part of a $1.2 trillion transition that’s underway vehicle to electrification. Virtually every auto maker has a strategy and a plan, and you’re seeing more and more EVs coming into the market.”

Last year, EV sales across the country had reached just over nine per cent by the end of the third quarter, Kingston said. That being said, the federal government’s objective is to get to 100 per cent sales by 2035. “To go from nine to 100 in 12 years is a pretty significant climb, so what’s happening now is that manufacturers are introducing EVs into the market at a record pace.

“As of today, there are 92 different models available and by the end of the year, we anticipate that there will be 130 models available,” Kingston said. “For the members of CVMA, we’re seeing electrified versions of highly popular SUVs and pick-up trucks coming into the market.”

The Ford F-150 Lightning is already on the market, while most recently announced to go electric is the Dodge Ram and the Chevy Silverado, Kingston said. “So, you’re going to see a lot of these very popular, very exciting vehicles being offered in electrified formats, which will have a big impact on overall sales of EVs across Canada.”

The higher price tags of EVs, persistent inflation, high interest rates, along with EV range and the infrastructure required to get more EVS on the road are currently our country’s biggest barriers. “We’ve got a lot of infrastructure to build in a very short amount of time.”

“The federal government is committed to building 84,500 public chargers,” Kingston said, but added that target isn’t ambitious enough. “The real challenge for Canada will be in multi-unit residential

buildings. A lot of Canadians live in either apartment towers, condos, or semi-detached housing where you may not have access to a driveway and therefore to put in a charger.”

Rural Canadians in colder climates will also need accessible charging infrastructure on the roads they use to get to and from their homes and work. “It’s one thing to have a big charging parkade on the side of the 401; you can make a business case for that…

“But up on the road that connects a small rural town to another, where you don’t have the volume, you have to give people the charging infrastructure or they won’t make the switch,” Kingston said, adding that infrastructure has to be in place before government regulates electric vehicles.

“This transition is happening. The vehicles are coming. But if consumers are turned off because they’ve made that switch, they’ve purchased an EV, and then they pull up to a station and they find it’s not operational, that’s going to be a real problem,” he pointed out. “We really need the charging infrastructure to catch up to make this happen.”

The EV batteries themselves “are highly valuable” at the end of their life spans and can either be used as a battery storage unit that will be stationary or by simply reusing and recycling its materials. “There is a very active industry-led initiative to make sure all of those batteries are brought back into the system… because the materials in them are valuable.”

As for other new automotive technologies to watch out for in 2023, “there’s a lot of rumour that Tesla’s full self-driving vehicle might actually be self-driving in 2023,” Sampson said. “I don’t think anyone is going to make promises about when something that Tesla is going to hit the road… They don’t hit their target date very often.”

We’re certainly not going to be seeing cars driving around on their own in Atlantic Canada any time soon, Sampson said.

Bethune, who always puts safety first, is of course concerned about the potential for self-driving cars and worries about what that would look like on roads and highways, so he’s keeping a close eye on that trend.

Another one he’s watching is the idea of what’s called “shared mobility,” which is most definitely on the rise.

“It’s a model that’s starting to grow in popularity and it’s an alternative to individual vehicle ownership,” Bethune explained. “Two or more people use the exact vehicle for short-term access.

“It’s like Uber or a personal rental but four or five people actually own this car,” Bethune said. “There are new companies coming up offering shared mobility options and they’re going to create affordable, convenient alternatives to individual vehicle ownership, with the high costs and insurance and responsibilities all shared.”

“So, my prediction is we’ll see this grown dramatically from 2023 onwards,” Bethune said. And in the post-COVID world, with more people working from home, this type of more modernized carpooling makes sense for many people who may live in the same neighbourhoods as some colleagues who are all only working in their offices on a parttime basis.

“The only glitch is having the vehicle available for people who need it,” he said, which means companies will exist to create agreements among shared car owners.

Another concern about upcoming trends Bethune has, though, is the fact that technology for authorities to test for drug levels in individual drivers has not and did not keep up with the legalization of marijuana in Canada.

“Since Cannabis has been legalized, we’re back into driving under the influence, and right now, there isn’t sufficient technology to control the law,” Bethune said. “It’s not accurate or prolific enough to create enforcement.”

At the end of the day, though, “people in Atlantic Canada and probably everywhere else, what they want out of their vehicle is reliability, said Bethune, who is also renowned as a race car tuner and owns a company aptly named Tune Bethune. Only high-income earners can really afford the bells and whistles, he added.

“It’s no different than back in the old west,” Bethune said with a chuckle. “Everybody had to get from A to B. Well, everybody had a horse, and if you couldn’t afford a horse, you bought a mule.”

“Not everybody traded their horse in and bought a racehorse because not everybody could afford a racehorse, and the racehorses are sexy and they’re fast but they’re dangerous.”

Summing up his decades in the industry, which included moving from technician to teacher, Bethune said, “my concern and always has been, particularly the last 30 years, is that people can drive safely, and their cars can be as environmentally responsible as possible.

“And that the people that have these vehicles, that they’ll have a car that’s reliable and give the maximum amount of longevity.”

BROWN’S AUTO SALVAGE SUPPORTS COMMUNITY IN A BIG WAY

By Tim Brown

In 1975, I started Brown’s Auto Salvage with my father, James ‘Lawson’ Brown in Wilmot N.S. in the Annapolis Valley. We started the business with an old truck and a rope and no clue what we were doing –but loving every minute of it.

Dad passed in 1998 and I made the

started as a rundown old gas station, we were able to renovate into a two-bay service centre with office space. In 2020 we added a third bay. Today, we have three red seal mechanics and a mechanic ap-

our community church, sport teams (and individuals) in hockey, baseball, bowling, golf, local race track and approximately eight race cars yearly, along with many different local charities, organizations and families.

Without the help of our association –The Auto Recycling Association of Atlantic Canada--we would not be where we are today. The meetings are a big highlight of our year to learn and see all the other businesses. A huge thank you to Luke from Car-Part - without him, we would not have taken the steps to expand and grow our business online, and we might still be seen as a “junk yard.”

Family is big at Brown’s, even today - Christopher (son) joined over 25 years ago; Candice (daughter) joined eight years ago; and Kailey (youngest daughter) joined the service centre in 2022.

decision to keep the business going and expand. In 2001 a new office and dismantling bays were built. Our learning curves have been tough - we burned to the ground… twice! First in 2002, followed by another fire in 2011. This taught us a lot about safe recycling practices. Each time we had to start from scratch, and even had our office out of an old car for awhile!

We operate on 15 acres and have a three-bay dismantling shop with two more bays being added in the near future. It seems we are always adding additional warehouse space to house more inventory. We have two choices in our future – invest and expand or stay small. Today we have 21 employees, and process about 800-to-1000 end-of-life vehicles per year. We also fully dismantle about 40% of those every year.

Brown’s Auto Service Centre opened in 2015 to install our parts and help our community with affordable services. What

prentice who specializes in body work.  There is very little in our community we have not been involved in. We support

Auto recycling has been good to me and my family and we enjoy serving the community every day.

MORE THAN JUST RECYCLING, BROWN’S AUTO SALVAGE ALSO PLAYS A VERSATILE ROLE IN SUPPORTING AN EVER-EXPANDING LIST OF COMMUNITY CHARITIES

TOP TRUCKING TRENDS TO WATCH FOR IN 2023

OUR TRUCKING PUNDIT REFLECTS ON A FEW TRENDS TO BE MINDFUL OF DURING THE COMING YEAR.

By Dana Smith

DRIVER RECRUITMENT:

Driver recruitment continues to be an issue for a lot of companies. For any company that owns trucks, it needs to put drivers behind the wheel of those trucks.

They are crucial in the everyday operation of your business. Covid has changed a lot of industries, and trucking is no different in this regard. Someone needs to drive the truck.

As we all know, It’s getting harder and harder to find drivers these days. Companies are using many different options to

the pack. Because when you are a leader, you will have no problem filling the seats of your trucks. You may actually have a line up at your door. In this challenging time moving forward, how will your company find its drivers?

E-LOG ENFORCEMENT:

E-log enforcement is coming very soon. As soon as January 2023 for some jurisdictions. Is your company ready? What plan do you have in place in 2023 to have your drivers certified, properly trained, and feeling confident on how to use them with minimal violations?

Depending on where you run, there are different rules. This has been an ongoing issue for companies for a few years now. There are many different options available these days to choose from. Understanding your business and getting the right information out of your e-log system will help you and your company stay the course moving forward.

Remember, understanding the data you get from your tech systems is how you make those crucial decisions for your business. All systems provide data, but knowing how to read it, and using it to your advantage is key.

With enforcement taking hold in 2023, it’s crucial to have your business ready. Are you ready?

TRUCK TECHNOLOGIES:

HIGHER OPERATING COSTS:

In the past three years since Covid came around, there have been many rising costs associated with running a trucking company. Insurance and fuel have been the ones that really have increased dramatically.

Fuel has almost doubled in some places, fluctuating almost on a daily basis. Having a good fuel management system in place, and a good relationship with your fuel supplier will help you to grow your business for the long haul.

Then there is the cost of buying a new truck and the increase in pricing for parts, if you can even get them. Parts will continue to be a big problem in the future. Some pricing on parts have doubled just in the last two years.

This coupled with all the other increases can play havoc on your entire trucking operation. How will you manage your costs in 2023?

INCREASED DRIVER TRAINING:

We all know a skilled driver is a good driver. Or is he? Proper training is all well and fine, but the number one thing is always attitude. You can train people to do anything, but you can’t teach attitude. It’s either there or it’s not.

find new drivers. Increased compensation, sign-on bonuses, new equipment, more home time with a better work-life balance for family time, etc. But is this enough? Some will say yes, others will say there isn’t a problem. I guess that depends on which side of the fence you‘re on.

But seriously, there just aren’t enough drivers to fill the demand. With the younger generation coming into the game, they have different wants and needs than the older generation did. Finding out what those are will help you plan for your future recruiting efforts.

Being proactive, rather than reactive to future changes is always the best policy. Being a leader will set you apart from

Truck technology is an ever-changing animal these days. Trucks don’t operate like they used to, and pretty much drive themselves these days. We have adaptive cruise control, active brake assist and roll over warning protection, just to name a few. What about lane departure warning systems? Then there are auto light tests for pre-trips, onboard cameras, both dash cams and driver facing cameras. All of these things combined, can significantly reduce insurance claims, make the roads safer, and reduce your overall costs as a company. At the end of the day, the system is only as good as the person using it. Make sure your team knows how.

What technologies are you implementing in your business in the future?

Companies will have to step up their game when it comes to driver training in 2023, not just for themselves, but for the insurance requirements as well. Starting with setting the bar higher on hiring criteria. Just hiring anyone to fill the seats is not only bad for you from a safety aspect, but bad for your reputation as a company.

There are some driver training courses on the market that don’t quite meet standards these days. Be specific about your hiring requirements. Demand the best from the drivers you hire, check them out, do driver evaluations, and screen the potential driver to the best of your ability. It will save you a ton of time and money with your future hires.

What changes will you implement in 2023 to make your company safer?

Read more of Dana’s articles at themindfultrucker.com

THE ELECTRIFICATION OF EVERYTHING

By Carter Hammett

In the aftermath of a global pandemic, and the supply chain fiasco that resulted from it, I dare say that we are inching— perhaps limping—towards something I hesitate to call “recovery.”

They say good things always emerge out a war and in the context of the automotive industry  some good things have indeed happened, especially in the electric vehicle (EV) sector. On December 5,

Canada’s first full-scale EV manufacturing plant opened in Ingersoll Ont. Most recently Ottawa announced December 21 that one fifth of all passenger vehicles will need to run on electricity under new regulations by 2026.

By 2030 that number rises to 60 per cent of all sales and by 2035 all passenger vehicles sold in Canada will need to be electric.

While that sounds promising indeed, Canada lags far behind many industrialized countries in terms of sheer sales. Indeed, EVs and plug-in hybrids accounted for about 8.4 per cent of new car registrations in 2022, up somewhat from 5.6 in 2021.

Perhaps that will change as knowledge about the latest generation of EVs starts to sink in with the general public. Exciting things are happening in the EV world, not least of which is the ability to keep your family safe and warm in the event of power failures.

Indeed, an EV feature that’s becoming increasingly present is something called Vehicle to Load (V2L) which enables users to plug in items ranging from laptops to coffee makers to electric power tools and run them off the car’s lithium-ion battery. Just imagine being able to plug in your Keurig for that perfect cuppa jo while operating the photocopier, all from your vehicle.

Some countries have been experimenting with this kind of technology for a few years now and this development is gradually being introduced into an increasing number of vehicles. One of the most promising is the 2022 Ford-150 Lightning, says Jérémie Bernardin, Business Development Manager with All EV (www.allev.ca)

“The latest incarnation of the F-150 can provide power to a home in the event of a power shortage using an item called Vehicle to Home (V2H),” says Bernardin.

The car’s system can store up 131

AS WE LOOK TOWARDS

2023 AND BEYOND, A PLETHORA OF NEW DEVELOPMENTS INCLUDING VEHICLETO-GRID IS PROMISING A POSITIVE EVOLUTION IN THE NEXT GENERATION OF ELECTRIC VEHICLES.

kilowatt hours of energy and deliver up to 9.6 kilowatts of power directly back into your house if a power outage occurs. A home integration system is needed to make this happen and costs a fair amount if the purchaser wants a turnkey structure that powers the whole electrical system, with a supplier to be determined by Ford. However, if the price is elusive, and the consumer chooses to opt out of installing expensive infrastructure, they can simply buy an extension cord and power critical loads including your fridge, freezer, coffee machine and other appliances.

The typical home uses an average of about 30kWh daily and the F-150 can generate enough power to keep your home going for three days at full capacity or a maximum of 10 days depending on staggered energy use. Given that this story is being written as “Snowmaggedon” approaches, this is one feature that sounds especially attractive. Other vehicles that offer similar performance—for Vehicle to Load--include the 2022 Kia EV6 and the 2023 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV.

Perhaps the most exciting development in the EV world though is an item known as Vehicle to Grid (V2G). Using a

capability called bidirectional charging, which, in addition to reducing the impact of most power failures, it will eventually also be able to return power to the grid.

Up to now, most EVs’ batteries have been designed only to run the vehicle, but with bidirectional charging cars are able to actually discharge power from the bat-

teries, returning it back to the grid when plugged in.

And with extreme weather more likely to manifest in oncoming years—the power outages throughout the Atlantic region caused by Hurricane Fiona come to mind—due to climate change, this technology could be a God-send.

But with V2G technology feeding power can conceivably go beyond a single building to the grid and eventually assist the entire power system.

“This has the potential to usher us into a field of smart grids,” says Bernardin. “We could be decarbonizing society.”

And while researchers have been experimenting with fossil fuel alternatives like wind and solar for decades, they have proven to be reasonably good intermittent source of renewable energy. When combined with large battery storage, they can be counted on for a sizeable portion of energy production.

At present, wind and solar combined account for 10 per cent of the power variables as of 2019 but need to grow to 60 per cent by 2050 if they intend to meet the goals of the Paris climate agreement. Furthermore, their capacities vary and

will need more storage and backup power to manage system demand. EVs can potentially solve this issue by using bidirectional charging.

With this capacity, when vehicles aren’t in use—typically while people are either sleeping or working—they can potentially sell power back to the grid. This way, everyone can benefit when demand for energy is highest. Increased use of air conditioning during a heatwave might be a good example of this.

The global number of EVs expected to be in use by 2050 will top one billion. This has the potential to create a major storage capacity. This will take some time to develop, however. Bidirectional chargers simply haven’t been widely available—one exception

being DCBEL out of Quebec--and, as of this writing, haven’t even been certified for use in Canada.

Right now several studies are being conducted across North America and Europe to test the viability of V2G. In St. Jérôme P.Q., electric school buses successfully demonstrated that power could be fed back to the White Plains N.Y. grid because these vehicles are only used for a fraction of the day.

Presently, lots of variables and unknowns exist. Utility companies need to determine specific rates for consumers as they do rates for V2G, which will continue to evolve and be affected by regional differences as well. There are currently a number of programs across the country where the utility incentivizes the consumer with significantly lower electricity costs if they charge during off-peak times. And with the average number of Canadians only driving about 38 kms daily, this is a relatively easy feat to accomplish.

That said, the future looks ripe with potential for this emerging technology says Bernardin.

“Fuel prices fluctuate yet electricity’s pretty stable,” he says. “This makes it easier to plan budgets. In the long-term everyone will save money, including the utility, ratepayers, and not least, EV owners. Pretty soon we’ll be looking at the electrification of everything.”

NEWS OF THE WIERD

BITS AND BYTES OF THE BIZARRE AND STRANGE GATHERED FROM AROUND THE WEB SO YOU DON’T HAVE TO . . . YER WELCOME!

Compiled and edited by Alexander Johnson CAR

THIEVES ARE USING WILDLIFE CAMERAS

We’ve seen criminals not only get more aggressive about stealing cars from dealerships and private citizens, but also turn to more creative measures. Now a report out of the UK details how thieves are using wildlife cameras to stalk and steal classic cars.

The scheme often starts with spotters checking out cars at local shows. When they find the make and model they need to steal, one of them will craftily hide a magnetic tracking device on the classic car. That allows them to find where the vehicle is being stored so that they can then stake out the location.

That’s when these criminals will put up wildlife cameras around your property. It might sound bizarre, but these crafty individuals use the cameras to figure out when you usually come and go from your house, determining when it’s likely you’re not home but your classic car is.

This all sounds like something out of a movie but was 2020 in a nutshell, and just because this scheme is being deployed in the UK doesn’t mean it hasn’t already been put to use in North America. We’ve seen crimes tested in one area quickly spread to another. Like vehicle rebirthing.

Authorities in the UK are advising classic car owners to inspect their vehicle, especially the chassis, for any magnetic tracking devices upon returning from a show. They also say owners should be on the lookout for camouflaged cameras attached to trees on their property. Installing a set of security cameras, an alarm for the garage, and a tracker on the classic car are also good ideas.

We really hate being right about the awful trend of increasing car theft. Some automotive sites have tried to paint this rosy picture that the rise in car thefts isn’t real or that it’s a temporary blip, but not us. We’d rather readers be armed with ac-

curate information so they can take appropriate actions instead of not realizing

just how bad things are currently https://www.motorious.com/articles/

Come join our team!

Auto & Trucking Atlantic is seeking a an energetic ad sales professional with prior sales, or print or digital experience. You will have a chance to grow with our expanding publishing company.

The position involves working with current clients as well as sourcing and building new sales leads. We offer an independent, flexible work environment with lots of opportunity for growth and a competitive commission structure. We’ll even provide the business cards.

Visit our website at: autoatlantic.com and forward your resume to rob@autoatlantic.com.

news/car-thieves-using-wildlife-cameras/.

FLIPPED FORD TRUCK CRUISES AROUND TOWN

Have you ever flipped a car? If so, you might not find this spectacle particularly funny considering it might bring back some painful memories of a devastating car crash. However, it’s safe to say that the rest of us can admire this incredibly well-designed custom truck by Rick Sullivan of Clinton, Illinois. At first glance you might cringe at the thought of a terrible accident, but soon realize that it was indeed built to look like it’s upside down. So why did the owner do this?

A little while ago, Sullivan was hard at work responding to the scene of the accident where a Ford Ranger was overturned. Sitting with all four wheels sticking upright in the air, he decided that he might as well make a truck that looked just like it without having to go through the expensive process of wrecking his vehicle. He wanted to see what his capabilities really were when it came to building a classic custom and this truck really does show off his talents well.

Nowadays, you’ll find the truck driving around through the streets with the owner’s family accompanying him along the way. The truck gets a lot of attention which is something that everybody close to this guy can enjoy. There are always comments and questions about what might happen if the truck flipped over, pointing out paramedics might initially think it was completely fine due to its looks. While this is, of course, an absurd scenario, everything about this truck is about having fun and thinking outside of the box which is why it is fantastic creation

https://www.motorious.com/articles/news/flipped-ford-truck-cruisesaround-town/

A GM CRUISE AUTONOMOUS CHEVY BOLT STUCK IN TRAFFIC

A Cruise-operated Chevy Bolt got stuck at an intersection and turned on its emergency lights, even though the traffic light was green. According to the Twitter user who filmed the whole thing, the autonomous vehicle sat there for multiple light cycles as all the other cars passed it.

Interestingly – and this is when things started to look like a satirical science fiction movie – a Waymo-operated Jaguar I-Pace pulled up behind the stuck Bolt and waited for the intersection to clear. Unlike GM’s Cruise, which has a permit to charge for rides without a driver present, Waymo still has an emergency driver on board to take over when things don’t go as planned, so the Jaguar didn’t sit for too long in the autonomous traffic jam.

Eventually, after 13 minutes, another Cruise Chevy Bolt arrived on the scene with a technician on board, who drove the stuck car away and freed up the road. Nobody was injured, but some drivers were not pleased with the situation. Thankfully, driverless cars don’t have feelings

https://insideevs.com/ news/625602/gm-cruise-chevy-boltgets-stuck-in-intersection.

ARIZONA GRINCH GETS PULLED OVER IN CARPOOL LANE

We’ve seen people try to pull the wool over law enforcement’s eyes in the high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane using dummies and other realistic “passengers”, but this is the first time we’ve seen someone use an inflatable Christmas decoration. Why this driver thought that was clever is beyond us.

After determining the passenger wasn’t someone wearing a suit, and that nobody was in the backseat, the trooper cited the driver for the HOV lane violation. Just like in many areas, there are time restrictions when nobody driving with just one person in a car can use the carpool lane. The exception is if you have a “clean” vehicle like a hybrid or EV, depending on the regulations where you live.

608 - 56 Jacob Lane

Bedford, NS B3M 0H5

Tel: 1.902.452.0345

Email: rob@autoatlantic.com

autoatlantic.com

GM’s Cruise self-driving service in San Francisco has been offering driverless rides since June 2022, and its cars have reportedly covered over half a million miles without a driver at the wheel. Unfortunately, autonomous driving technology isn’t exactly bulletproof and Twitter user @k_pendergrast captured how things can go sideways when there’s no one in the car to intervene.

As everyone heads out for holiday gatherings and vacations, we all need to watch out for the rules of the road. Sure, it’s annoying dealing with heavy traffic and the HOV lane can look tempting, but it’s best to just not go there if you’re driving alone or the trip can cost.

https://www.motorious.com/articles/news/arizona-grinch-pulled-over

CANADA’S FIRST ALL-ELECTRIC VEHICLE PLANT OPENS IN ONTARIO

ON DECEMBER 5, 2022 THE ONTARIO GOVERNMENT CELEBRATED THE OPENING OF GENERAL MOTORS OF CANADA’S (GM CANADA) FIRST FULL-SCALE ELECTRIC VEHICLE (EV) MANUFACTURING PLANT IN INGERSOLL, O.N. AND THE FIRST BRIGHTDROP ZEVO 600S TO BE MADE AT THE FACILITY.

With support from the province, GM Canada has transformed its CAMI manufacturing plant into an all-EV manufacturing facility, the first of its kind in Canada. This project helps secure the province’s position as a global automotive hub with the vehicles of the future being built in Ontario by Ontario workers, from start to finish.

“Today’s exciting, made-in-Ontario milestone is more proof that there is no better place to build the cars of the future from start to finish than right here in Ontario,” said Premier Doug Ford. “From the critical minerals in the north to our manufacturing excellence in the south, Ontario has every advantage and will continue to build on our legacy as a global automotive leader for decades to come.”

The CAMI plant will be GM Canada’s designated EV hub for its new all-electric

commercial vehicle brand BrightDrop. As part of today’s grand opening, the first BrightDrop Zevo 600s also rolled off the CAMI EV line, marking a new chapter in EV production in Ontario.

In April, GM Canada announced an investment of more than $2 billion to transform its CAMI and Oshawa manufacturing plants and improve operations across all of its manufacturing and R&D facilities in Ontario. This investment was supported with $259 million in funding from the province.

“This is truly an exciting day for Ontario as we celebrate the grand opening of GM Canada’s transformed CAMI manufacturing plant and the first all-electric vehicle manufacturing facility in Canada,” said Vic Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. “Watching the first BrightDrop vehicles roll off the assembly line, it is clear that Ontario will build the cars of the future. Our government continues to attract transformative investments by creating the right economic conditions and reducing red tape.”

future, including the production of hybrid, battery EVs, EV battery production and increasing exports of Ontario-made auto parts and innovations.

Over the last two years, Ontario has attracted $16 billion in transformative automotive investments by global automakers and suppliers of EV batteries and battery materials. This includes more than $12.5 billion in EV and EV battery-related manufacturing investments.

QUICK FACTS

GM Canada’s investments in Ontario include vehicle assembly, engine manufacturing, R&D, and vehicle testing.

BrightDrop is an example of Canadian innovation, with BrightDrop’s Trace electric carts developed and tested in large part by GM Canada’s CTC engineering team in Ontario.

The size and scope of this investment will accelerate the speed of Ontario’s 10-year

vision for the Driving Prosperity

The Future of Ontario’s Automotive Sector plan. Phase 2 of Driving Prosperity is an important part of the government’s plan to transform the province’s automotive supply chain to build the cars of the

Ontario is the only place in North America where five major automakers build vehicles — Honda, Toyota, Ford, General Motors and Stellantis — as well as truck manufacturer Hino. Ontario’s auto supply chain comprises over 700 parts firms and over 500 tool, die and mold makers.

Vehicle assembly and auto parts production directly supports nearly 97,000 Ontario jobs, with hundreds of thousands more spin-off jobs in communities across the province.

DON’T BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU THINK

palms, stomach problems, or feeling hot or flushed are not uncommon. Regardless of how anxiety is described or what triggers it, the commonality is a sense of discomfort.

As a counselling therapist, I believe it’s important to have a general sense of how anxiety affects our bodies and particularly our nervous system. Our nervous system is made up of two branches, sympathetic and parasympathetic. The sympathetic branch is responsible for “fight or flight” and is responsible for safety and survival.

things we may feel are irritability, anger, fear, panic and frustration. Identifying the warning signs that we are experiencing anxiety is a skill we can learn. Anxiety can also be felt in the body in many different ways. Some people describe feeling their anxiety as tightness in the neck or shoulders or jaw, feeling warm, tightness in the chest, racing heart, feeling of nausea to name a few.

By Felicia Burchell B.Sc. O.T. Reg (NS,NB, PE), RCT,

CCC

“KNOWING I’M GOING TO BE DRIVING IN SNOW AND ICE, MY HEART RATE WILL SPEED UP. BY THE TIME I GET INTO THE CAR, MY PALMS WILL BE SWEATY. I DO NOT LIKE PEOPLE TALKING TO ME. I’M WHITE KNUCKLING THE STEERING WHEEL. DON’T TOUCH THE RADIO. IT TAKES A WHILE TO FEEL GROUNDED, TO FEEL LIKE THE CAR IS CONNECTED TO THE GROUND.”

Anxiety. Oxford dictionary defines it as “the state of feeling nervous or worried that something bad is going to happen.” Does this sound familiar? If so, you are not alone. We have all experienced stress or anxiety in various situations like before a test or a presentation, after losing a job or breaking up with a partner. Some people experience a generalized feeling of anxiety seemingly unrelated to any specific event.

According to Statistics Canada, anxiety is the most prevalent mental health struggle that Canadians face– and since COVID-19 1 in 4 have reported experiencing high levels of anxiety. Much higher than when I started working as a counselling therapist.

In talking to countless clients over the years, I’ve seen that there are a number of different ways that anxiety can be experienced. Some people describe not being able to slow down their thoughts or racing heart. Others describe feeling nervous, restless, or tense and others talk about their inability to stop worrying. Sweaty

That is, when we are in danger or our mind believes we are in danger, it is our sympathetic branch that gears the body up to flee the scene or to stay and fight. On the other hand, when our parasympathetic nervous system is in charge, we feel calm and relaxed, that “rest and digest” feeling kicks in. When we’re feeling anxious, our body mistakes that anxiety for danger and goes into fight or flight mode – even if it doesn’t have to.

When this happens, some of the

In order to help my clients cope with their anxiety, it is important to begin a process where they can feel a sense of empowerment. We work by learning to activate the parasympathetic nervous system. Being grounded and calm is the goal. There are many tools a person can learn to manage anxiety including a breathing practise, mindfulness, emotional regulation skills and changing the way we think and behave. For many with anxiety, negativity can also be a contributing factor. Being able to identify thoughts, challenging them and looking at whether that mode of thinking is helpful is the first step.

Anxiety affects so many Canadians, but there is a lot we can do to learn to mange it. There are online programs, books, support groups and therapy to name a few. Therapy can help you learn more about your anxiety, what triggers it and skills to change thinking and behaviour, learning grounding exercises, how to regulate emotions and mindfulness. By

learning to mange our anxiety, we don’t have to believe everything we think.

About Felicia Burchell: Felicia graduated from Dalhousie University with a Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy in 1989 and from Acadia University with a Master of Education (Counselling) in 2005. She is a mem-

ber of the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists, the College of Occupational Therapists of Nova Scotia, the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association and the Nova Scotia College of Counselling Therapists. Currently a member and Secretary, of the Board of Directors of the Nova Scotia College of Counselling Therapists.

ACCORDING TO THE CENTRE FOR MENTAL HEALTH AND ADDICTION, NOVA SCOTIA, “MORE THAT 80% OF CANADIAN ADULTS EXPERIENCE LEVELS OF EXCESSIVE STRESS IN THEIR DAILY LIVES.” ALSO MORE THAN 25% OF ADULTS REPORT FEELING MODERATE TO SEVERE ANXIETY. ACCORDING TO THE CENTRE FOR ADDICTION AND MENTAL HEALTH (CAMH) ANXIETY HAS BEEN AT ITS HIGHEST LEVEL SINCE COVID-19, PARTICULARLY WITH WOMEN AND FRONT-LINE WORKS.

GM CANADA SALES INCREASE . . .

OSHAWA,

“Our sales demonstrate the team’s success increasing vehicle availability to meet strong customer demand,” said Sandor Piszar, vice president, sales, service and marketing, GM Canada. “As a result of those efforts, as well as working closely with our GM Canada dealers, we grew retail sales by 31 per cent this quarter, compared to Q4 2021 and more than doubled our commercial fleet sales for the calendar year.

We expect to see that momentum accelerate in 2023 as we continue to rebuild dealer inventories and launch new EV and ICE vehicles across our portfolio.”

2022 SALES HIGHLIGHTS

Based on strong Q4 sales, GM Canada is on track to account for 14.5 per cent of the Canadian market, up 1.8 points over 2021.

GM Canada continues to lead in fullsize SUV sales, with a total of 19,842 sales for Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban, GMC Yukon and Yukon XL, and Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV.

GM Canada is on track to lead the market in heavy-duty truck sales, with a total of 36,143 sales for Chevrolet Silverado HD and GMC Sierra HD in 2022.

Chevrolet posted the brand’s best year ever for the all-electric Chevrolet Bolt and Bolt EUV, with 6,372 total sales.

Cadillac total sales increased 15 per cent as the brand delivered record retail sales for the third consecutive year.

2023 NEW PRODUCT LAUNCHES

In 2023, GM Canada will introduce significant EV and ICE vehicle launches across GM’s most popular segments.

For EVs, Canadian shipments for the Cadillac LYRIQ have already begun, with

the first customer deliveries expected in January. Also launching next year are the Chevrolet Equinox EV, Chevrolet Blazer EV, Chevrolet Silverado EV, GMC Sierra EV, and GMC HUMMER SUV EV.

For internal-combustion vehicles, in 2023 GM Canada will launch the all-new Chevrolet Trax, the all-new Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon, and the updated Chevrolet Silverado HD and GMC Sierra HD.

ABOUT GENERAL MOTORS CANADA

General Motors of Canada is headquartered in Oshawa, Ontario and is part of a global company that is committed to delivering safer, better and more sustainable ways for people to get around. In Canada, General Motors markets Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac vehicles through our strong Canadian network of dealers, as well as OnStar services. More information can be found at www.gm.ca or by following @GMCanada on Twitter and Instagram.

ONT. (JANUARY 4, 2023) — CHEVROLET, BUICK, GMC AND CADILLAC DEALERS DELIVERED 228,003 VEHICLES IN 2022, INCLUDING 55,724 VEHICLES IN THE FOURTH QUARTER, UP 5 PER CENT AND 42 PER CENT, RESPECTIVELY.

PEI’S OYSTER BED SPEEDWAY RELEASES 2023 RACING SCHEDULE

CHARLOTTETOWN, PE – JANUARY 29TH, 2023, THE MANAGEMENT OF OYSTER BED SPEEDWAY IS EXCITED TO UNVEIL THEIR 2023 STOCK CAR RACING SCHEDULE.

The calendar for the Summer of ’23 features 11 race events from the Victoria Day Long Weekend in May to the Labour Day Long Weekend in September. Bringing a mixture of local racing divisions and

the top touring divisions in the Maritimes, the schedule packs a lot of action into a fast paced Prince Edward Island Summer.

The season kicks into high gear in Oyster Bed Bridge on Sunday afternoon, May 21st with the traditional Season Opener and Demolition Derby. From there, the racing action moves to nine Saturday evenings, each with a 6pm start time. The track will see visits from the East Coast International Pro Stock Tour and Cross Roads Maritime League of Legends Tour on Saturday, July 29th. The new Super Late Model Series will cross the Confederation Bridge for two events on Saturday, July 17th and Saturday, August 5th. The Heart of a Champion Hot Rod Classics powered by Conrad Bros will join the new Series on the August 5th card.

The season comes to a close on the Monday afternoon of Labour Day Weekend. In addition to the championships being decided in the Mini Stock, Outlaw and Street Stock classes, the Tim’s Corner Motorsports Bandolero September Shootout will return for a second season. A Demolition Derby will cap the year.

The Bandolero, Mini Stock, Outlaw and Street Stock divisions will compete for house championships in 2023 with each class having at least one extended distance event throughout the Summer. The Legend class returns to Prince Edward Island for three events on June 10th, July 1st and August 19th, in addition to the Maritime League of Legends Tour date. A newly created Bomber division will hit the track July 1st, July 22nd and August 26th. Details surrounding the Bomber class will be released by the track as available.

Marketing partners, nightly promotions, ticketing information and more will be announced as the season gets closer. Rain dates, if required, will be announced as available. Please note, the 2023 racing schedule is subject to change without notice.

DIVISIONAL LEGEND:

PS – Pro Stock

SS – Street Stock

OUT – Outlaw

MINI – Mini Stock

BN – Bandolero

LG – Legend

MPST – East Coast International

Maritime Pro Stock Tour

SLMS – Super Late Model Series

MLOL – Cross Roads Maritime League of Legends Tour

HOAC – Heart of a Champion

Hot Rod Classics powered by Conrad Bros

More news is on the horizon for the 2023 season and beyond. Stay tuned as information is released ahead of the Season Opener on Sunday, May 21st.

ABOUT

OYSTER BED SPEEDWAY:

Oyster Bed Speedway is Prince Edward

Island’s premier auto racing facility and features fun and excitement with weekly stock car racing special events throughout the season.

The 1/3 mile paved oval is located in Oyster Bed Bridge at the intersection of routes 6 and 7, halfway between Cavendish and Charlottetown on beautiful Prince Edward Island. Phone: (902) 8926684. Website: www.oysterbedspeedwaypei.ca

CAPE BRETON’S BUD’S SPEEDWAY RELEASES 2023 RACING SCHEDULE

SYDNEY, NS – THE MANAGEMENT OF BUD’S SPEEDWAY IS EXCITED TO RELEASE THEIR RACING SCHEDULE FOR THE UPCOMING 2023 SEASON.

The 1/4-mile paved oval located on the Grand Lake Road in Sydney, Nova Scotia will see five racing events throughout the upcoming season, which is the second full season under the ownership of Lynden MacDougall and Kyle Mackinnon.

Each race will take place on a Saturday with the following day being reserved as a rain date. The season will kick off on Saturday, May 13th with following events on June 17th, August 5th, August 26th and

complete with the Second Annual Caper Memorial on Saturday, October 21st. Each race date will see the four Bud’s Speedway house divisions compete – including the Mini Stock, Bandolero, V6 Thunder and Hobby Stock classes. The Late Model Sportsman and Street Stock divisions will be added to select racing cards throughout the season and will be announced at a later date. Start times, event promotions and spotlight divisions are to be announced.

BUD’S SPEEDWAY 2023 RACING SCHEDULE

Saturday, May 13th

Saturday, June 17th

Saturday, August 5th

Saturday, August 26th

Saturday, October 21st – Second Annual Caper Memorial

Race fans are encouraged to stay tuned to the Bud’s Speedway social media channels as event details and news is released as it becomes available.

ABOUT BUD’S SPEEDWAY:

Opened in 1975, Bud’s Speedway has built a racing tradition on Cape Breton Island over the past four decades. The track is home to a number of stock car racing divisions and is a destination for local touring series and motorsports events. For more information on Bud’s Speedway, find them online on various social media platforms at @BudsSpeedway.

THE ATLANTIC ROAD REPORT

NEWS AND VIEWS COLLECTED FROM AROUND THE ATLANTIC REGION SO YOU DON’T HAVE TO…YER WELCOME!

NEWFOUNDLAND

New Galway Interchange to be Constructed on Trans-Canada Highway

Work will begin soon on a new interchange to allow for more motorists to travel between Galway and the TransCanada Highway.

A $10.3 million contract has been awarded to Farrell’s Excavating Ltd. to construct an underpass below the TransCanada Highway at Exit 41 as well as ramps and a roundabout on the western side of the highway that will connect to Danny Drive via the underpass.

The contract also includes the construction of a temporary four-lane diversion on the Trans-Canada Highway to allow motorists to travel around the construction site at a reduced speed.

The new infrastructure will allow motorists to depart and enter Galway via the highway’s westbound lanes. The new interchange will also ease traffic congestion on Pitts Memorial Drive and nearby roads.

“Constructing a new interchange to Galway on the Trans-Canada Highway will help ease traffic congestion on Pitts Memorial Drive, which is one of the busiest highways in the province. Transportation infrastructure is critical to help growing communities like Galway. Creating easier access to the area will also help economic development,” said The Honourable Elvis Loveless, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure.

Updates on construction progress and lane reductions will be provided as work progresses. The department anticipates construction being completed in 2024.

Information on active highway construction projects, highway repairs, and winter driving conditions is also available by visiting nl511.ca and on the NL 511 mobile app. Information on tenders issued and awarded by the department and other public bodies is available by visiting www.merx.com/govnl.

NOVA SCOTIA Investment in Road Upgrades

“The Province is investing an additional $4 million in the Rural Impact Mitigation program and equipment to improve roads in Nova Scotia. The government had already increased its commitment

to the program by $11 million, as well as investing $20 million more in the Gravel Road Capital program.

“Improving our provincial roads is important for the safety of Nova Scotians and an investment that makes sense to extend the lifespan of this vital infrastructure,” said Public Works Minister Kim Masland. “The sooner we make this investment, the sooner people are safer, and the longer our roads will last.”

Investments will be made by the end of the fiscal year and will include rebuilding gravel roads, brush cutting, pavement patching, ditching, shoulder gravelling, guardrail repairs, shoreline protection and equipment purchases.

The government had already budgeted more than $62 million for these two programs, bringing the total investment this year to more than $66 million.

This additional support for the Rural Impact Mitigation program is greatly appreciated. There is no shortage of projects that need to be completed. This program is particularly beneficial for some of the smaller contractors within road building. These smaller contractors are very important to the overall Industry health,” said Grant Feltmate, Executive Director, Nova Scotia Road Builders Association

plates

The province of Prince Edward Island is introducing a new design for its license plates and for the first time, there will be a distinct plate for electric vehicles.

“It has been almost a decade since Prince Edward Island introduced a new license plate design and it is time for a refresh. The traditional, simple design will allow greater visibility as we start getting into 6-digit numbering.”

- Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Cory Deagle

Since 2013, Island residents have been able to purchase a wildlife conservation plate and the funds from the sale of those plates are donated to the Wildlife Conservation Fund. Conservation plates will still be available in the new plate design.

Additionally, Island residents will have the new option to purchase a Canada’s Food Island license plate. All proceeds from the sale of these plates will be donated to Island Food Banks.

The cost will remain at $5 for a new license plate and $10 for a conservation or Canada’s Food Island plate and will be available in late December 2022 at Access PEI locations across the province.

People will not be required to purchase a new design plate upon renewal if their current plate is in good condition.

SEXUAL HARASSMENT IN TRUCKING

By Ellen Voie

Tdescription of harassment and will deny any insensitive behavior.  The next guy acts as if he wants to be your mentor or friend and takes you under his wing until you realize he’s crossed a line with his “friendly” behavior and isn’t truly looking out for you.  The third type doesn’t even hide his actions, but the company tolerates him because he’s an important part of the team.

Everything from recruiting and retention to harassment is analyzed and the results are either White Papers, webinars, or benchmarking information.

Late last year we conducted a survey on harassment and over 400 drivers responded.  The results were disturbing.  Nearly seventy percent of drivers claimed verbal harassment and nearly half said they had been verbally threatened at least once.  Shockingly, 57 percent reported receiving unwanted physical advances and six percent claimed they had been raped.

The results are unfortunate, and now our goal is to work to prevent these occurrences to make the trucking industry a safe place for women (and male) drivers. Adrienne Lawrence, former anchor, and legal analyst for ESPN wrote about her experience in her book, “Staying in the Game.”  The subtitle is, “the playbook for beating workplace sexual harassment.”  Her insights and her advice are valuable.

First, according to Lawrence, men are the dominant initiators of workplace sexual harassment accounting for ninety percent of the harassment toward women (and 70-80 percent of harassment toward men)!  Jobs where harassment is most likely to occur are in historically masculine jobs, such as trucking.  This is partly due to the gender imbalance, but also increases against those who don’t fit the gender norm for that occupation.

Forms of harassment in order of occurrence beginning with the most common are staring, suggestive comments, attempts to talk sex, offensive images, asking the victim out, trying to initiate a sexual relationship and finally, unwanted touching.

The author describes five types of harassers.  There is the “borderline inappropriate” guy who is subtle but shady and often operates just under the legal

The final two types of harassers are the power player whose goal is to dominate you and he’s got the authority to make you uncomfortable, and finally, the guy who claims to support you but doesn’t do a thing to stand up to the harasser.

Many female drivers will tell you they’ve never experienced harassment while others claim to be the subject of harassment often.  How do you know if you’re being harassed or not?  Lawrence says to trust your judgement.  Ask yourself why you feel uncomfortable around certain people and whether you are making a conscious effort to avoid that person. Would you feel ashamed telling someone else about the behavior?  Trust your gut, the author advises!

Lawrence’s “playbook” starts with documenting the behavior.  Without timely and accurate evidence, the harasser will claim it never happened.  If possible, record the interaction with your phone, and use video if possible.  A second option is to get an eyewitness account from a bystander and record their recollection. If the harasser leaves a paper or electronic trail, such as notes, emails, text messages or social media posts, be sure to capture them and save them for future reference.   Lawrence suggests you send all of these “receipts” to an encrypted email or other account, so you don’t lose them.

Adrienne Lawrence sued ESPN for sexual harassment in 2018 for not addressing her complaints dating back to 2015.  She reached a settlement the following year.  As an attorney, she has a better understanding of the legal terms and describes the process to stop harassing behavior in the workplace.

For those of us in the trucking industry, we hope you never experience this type of negative interaction, but if you need a playbook on beating it, check out Lawrence’s book, “Staying in the Game.”

HE WOMEN IN TRUCKING ASSOCIATION STRIVES TO BE A RESOURCE FOR THE TRUCKING INDUSTRY. THIS MEANS WE SPEND A GREAT DEAL OF TIME COLLECTING DATA FROM OUR MEMBERS.

ADVERTISERS DIRECTORY

OPPORTUNITY TO HARMONIZE EV BATTERY MANAGEMENT POLICIES TO BENEFIT CANADIANS, NEW REPORT FINDS

AS GOVERNMENTS

ACROSS CANADA

DEVELOP ELECTRIC VEHICLE (EV) BATTERY MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS, A NEW REPORT HIGHLIGHTS OPPORTUNITIES TO HARMONIZE THE DEVELOPING EV BATTERY MANAGEMENT ECOSYSTEM WITH GREATER COORDINATION AND ALIGNMENT OF POLICIES.

“Greater alignment between provincial and regional requirements for EV batteries at end-of-vehicle life will promote innovation”, said Brian Kingston, President & CEO of the Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers’ Association (CVMA). “As vehicles are designed, tested, and sold in a highly integrated North American market, so too should the management of EV batteries be harmonized to support the development of common processes, efficiency of scale, and a competitive market.”

The report, “EV Battery Management at End-of-Vehicle Life”, proactively developed by the CVMA and Call2Recycle Canada Inc., aims to promote awareness of EV endof-life battery management and highlight opportunities to harmonize EV battery management policies. It examines current EV battery life expectancy, management practices, battery performance and diagnostics methods, and the roles and responsibilities of

stakeholder groups involved in EV battery management at end-of-vehicle life.

“Call2Recycle has a 25year history, with almost 40 million kilograms of consumer batteries diverted from landfills, seeking out environmentally conscious solutions to end-of-life challenges across multiple business sectors and product segments, including power tools, e-bikes, retailers and battery companies. We are pleased to partner with the CVMA to expand into the automotive sector as our latest step in our mission to create a cleaner, safer environment in Canada. We look forward to supporting the growing EV battery ecosystem in partnership with the CVMA,” said Joe Zenobio, President of Call2Recycle Canada, Inc. “We believe this report will benefit not only industry partners but Canadians across the country.”  Together, Call2Recycle and the CVMA are helping to build a comprehensive “5R” model to reflect the available pathways for EV batteries: Repair, Remanufacturing, Resale as is, Repurposing, and Recycling. This will help drive evolution of the ecosystem for EV battery management in Canada, making it more efficient and ensuring its own circular economy is formed.

Copies of the report can be found at https://www. cvma.ca/news/publications/ and https://www.call2recycle.ca/EV/.

For further information, contact: Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers’ Association: 416.364.9333 / Call2Recycle: media@call2recycle.ca