May 2010 Volume 30, Issue 5 Delivering daily news to Canada’s trucking industry at www.trucknews.com
Post-mortem of a costly recession
Stranded
Driving for Profit seminar explores recession’s impact
RCMP rescues stranded truckers as Manitoba winter roads suffer a sudden spring meltdown
By James Menzies MISSISSAUGA, Ont. – By now, everyone has seen the much-discussed Nike commercial in which the voice of Tiger Woods’ late father said to the golfer: “I want to find out what your thinking was, I want to find out what your feelings are – and did you learn anything?’’ While the question was taken out of context, the suggestion was that Tiger’s late father was referring to the golfer’s well-documented offcourse transgressions. Meanwhile a similar scene was playing out at the Capitol Banquet Hall in Mississauga during the latest Driving for Profit seminar. Only this time it was the voice of Transportation Media editorial director Lou Smyrlis asking a panel of three courageous fleet managers what their thinking was and, of course, ‘did you learn anything?’ from the recession. The recession Smyrlis was reffering to has hammered the trucking industry over the past couple years. While it’s finally loosening its grip on the Canadian trucking industry, mistakes were made and lessons learned. Candidly fielding questions about the impact of the recession and how to take advantage of the
MELTDOWN: The sudden thawing of Manitoba’s winter road network left drivers stranded – and northern communities without access to vital supplies. Photo supplied by the RCMP
WRONG LAKE, Man. – Truckers became stranded and required RCMP rescue when Manitoba’s winter road network suddenly and unexpectedly
thawed in mid-March. On March 15 at about 8:30 a.m., a trucking company called the RCMP and informed them one of its commercial drivers was unac-
counted for during a run to St. Theresa’s Point First Nation. The 52-year-old driver left St. Theresa’s Point on March 12 but had not arrived in Winnipeg. The RCMP discovered the driver’s rig had become stuck in the mud and the driver was stranded without food. The driver, who also suffered from a medical condition, needed help. Believing the driver had become separated from a convoy of truck drivers on the winter road, the RCMP said it acted quickly and dispatched a plane to search for the missing driver. The pilot noticed a stranded semi with a flatbed carrying another semi just north of Wrong Lake and also saw the driver nearby, waving at the plane. During a second loop, the pilot discovered several more stranded semis on the south side of Wrong Lake. The stranded drivers kept a fire going to keep warm. “Since there is nowhere to land a plane in that area, RCMP chartered a helicopter to retrieve the driver with a nurse and RCMP officer from Bloodvein First Nation with food and water on-board,” the RCMP reported after the rescue. “At 2 p.m., the truck driver was found safe and otherwise in good health. He was transported to safety to Bloodvein First Nation where arrangements were made to fly him home.” For industry reaction on what went wrong, and the continuing difficulty of serving remote communities, see the related story on pg. 14. ■
Continued on page 16
Comprehensive Mid-America coverage Including a new T700 from Kenworth
Inside This Issue... • Ready for Roadcheck?: Roadcheck 2010 is just around the corner. An Ontario MTO official shares some tips on how to pass the blitz with flying colours. Page 11
• Got a dime?: Financing criteria hasn’t changed, but getting financing could be more challenging.
Page 31
• Report on Maintenance:
Our mufflers are stronger, last longer and save you $$$!
A special report focusing on issues related to truck maintenance, including coverage from this year’s TMC annual meetings. Pages 35-42
• Licence renewed: Mark Dalton can’t get any answers from the MTO on its senior driver policy.
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