Western Canada’s Trucking Newspaper Since 1989
April 2019
Delivering daily news at trucknews.com
Volume 30, Issue 3
Page 11
Page 12
Page 22
New rules for transporting livestock aimed at animal welfare.
Despite hiccups, convoy seen as success story.
Omnitracs session addresses women in leadership roles.
Moving livestock
Convoy wrap-up
Female leaders
Reach us at our Western Canada news bureau Contact Derek Clouthier Derek@Newcom.ca or call 403-969-1506
Northern access
RETAIL ING IS ADVERT 5-35 PAGES 2
Conference addresses various modes of transportation to service Canada’s north By Derek Clouthier
AMTA president Chris Nash braves frigid temperatures while providing members of the media a tour of the association’s new state-of-the-art facility in Edmonton, Alta., March 6.
Three new rest stops to open in Alberta AMTA holds grand opening of new Edmonton facility
WINNIPEG, MANITOBA Accessing Canada’s northern communities is changing along with the region’s climate. With trucks traveling on ice roads and other cargo coming in by aircraft, additional ways to open northern communities to the south has never been more urgent. This was the message sent during the Northern Transportation Conference at the University of Manitoba March 2, where a group of professors, engineers, pilots, and those in the trucking industry explored how the landscape of northern transportation is changing, and what Continued on page 18
EDMONTON, ALBERTA The Alberta Motor Transport Association’s (AMTA) advocacy efforts continue to pay off, with the government’s announcement of three new rest stops to be constructed in the province. Alberta’s Minister of Transportation, Brian Mason, passed along the message during the association’s grand opening of its new state-of-the-art facility at the Edmonton International Airport March 6. Two of the rest stops will be built along the Yellowhead Highway west of Hwy. 43, both for eastbound and westbound traffic. The other will be along Hwy. 2 at Wolf Creek, just north of Lacombe. The province is also supporting a private sector rest stop near Bowden on Hwy. 2. Mason said the rest stops will be fully equipped, with washroom facilities, food, and an ample number of stalls for truck parking. “These rest stops will offer plenty of opportunity for commercial expansion, including gas stations, restau-
rants, and facilities,” said Mason. “They will be safe places for truckers to pull off the highway and get some rest.” Construction of the rest stops is expected to create 89 jobs, with building costs around $20 million. “Safe highways are the number one priority for our government,” said Mason. “Rest stops allow our commercial carriers to rest so they are not fatigued behind the wheel. They’re also a good place for all of us to pull over and stretch our legs before getting back on the road.” AMTA president Chris Nash said the announcement of three new rest areas was “a good step, but there are still more needed.” Mason commended the AMTA for its efforts to push for more rest stops in the province, which is a nationwide issue, particularly with the electronic logging device (ELD) mandate looming. He also said the association played a major role advocating for a mandatory entry-level driver training program, which took effect March 1, super singles, and other safety requirements for the industry. Continued on page 9
TWT APR 2019.indd 1
Careers: 23 Ad Index: 36
PM40063170
By Derek Clouthier
2019-03-13 2:28 PM