Over the Road January 2021

FOR

TRUCKERS

FR

JOBS

EE

January 2021

Keep this magazine in your truck...you never know when you’ll need it! /OverTheRoadMagazine

/OverTheRoadMag

www.overtheroad.ca

H E R E

VACANCY ALERT!

HIRING

F O R

T H E

L O N G

H A U L

DISPATCHERS COMPANY DRIVERS A-Z OWNER OPERATORS A-Z, D-Z MECHANICS

At Transam Carriers, we believe that success is not achieved without professional human attitudes. We are proud of providing some of the most flexible work options in the industry for an optimum work-life balance. All of these, in conjunction with new equipment, modern technologies, in-house truck shop, and cross-dock facility, make Transam an exceptional workplace that we call here our second home.

ALL JOB OPPORTUNITIES ARE

ON OUR WEBSITE transamcarriers.com/

careers

James Taylor: 416-907-8101 x5 Toll-Free: 877-907-8101 Address: 205 Doney Crescent, Concord, ON L4K 1P6 Email: hr@transamcarriers.com 2 www.transamcarriers.com • OVER THE ROAD

@TransamCarriers

@Transam_Carriers

JANUARY 2021

NOW HIRING AZ DRIVERS & OWNER OPERATORS 1-800-265-8789

Happy New Year to all our Drivers

Great work/home life balance Small family environment Pet/Passenger Program Health Dental Benefits Day 1 EZ Pass/Bridge cards/ Scanners in Truck

www.travelers.ca Over 7 Locations: Brampton* Midland* Wallaceburg* Prescott* Fergus* Hamilton* Carignan PQ A CANADIAN CARRIER SINCE 1985

DRIVERS & OWNER OPERATORS REQUIRED

New runs available for Teams Winnipeg/Brandon to Texas to Toronto/Montreal to Winnipeg Texas to B.C. to Winnipeg

Need O/O’s for our Deck Division

4 8 0 0 – 5 3 0 0 m i l e s /we e k For more information contact Dennis O (604) 503-0220 X103 C (204) 599-2260 E dennis@agamholdings.com

agamholdings.com JANUARY 2021

JOBS FOR TRUCKERS • 3

18 Parkglen Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K2G 3G9 1.800.416.8712 • 613.224.9947 Email: otr@otrgroup.ca 1189694 Ontario Ltd. C.O.B. as Over The Road

www.overtheroad.ca Publisher Peter Charboneau

Account Executive Earle Madden

General Manager Ed Novoa ed@otrgroup.ca

Graphic Design & Advertising LKDesign

Director of Operations & Editor-in-Chief Cathryn Charboneau

Controller Estela Navarrete

peter@otrgroup.ca

cathryn@otrgroup.ca

Account Executive Luke Zentil luke@otrgroup.ca

earle@otrgroup.ca

lennykuiper@gmail.com

estela@otrgroup.ca

Office Manager

Mary Charboneau mary@otrgroup.ca

All advertisements, and/or editorials are accepted and published by Over the Road on the representation that the advertiser, its advertising company, and/ or the supplier of the editorials are authorized to publish the entire contents and subject matter thereof. The advertiser, its advertising company, and/or the supplier of the editorials will defend, indemnify and hold Over the Road harmless from and against any loss, expense or other liability resulting from any claims or suits for libel, violation of privacy, plagiarism, copyright or trademark infringement and any other claims or suits that may rise out of publication of such advertisement and/ or editorials. Press releases are expressly covered within the definition of editorials.

Follow us on

@OverTheRoadMagazine

Follow us on

@OverTheRoadMag

Employers since 2017

Your Future is Loading at Carmen Transportation

Get a New Start with us in 2021 Steady Miles, Top Rates & Paid Dwell Time | Health, Dental & Life Insurance Plans Pension Plan | Friendly Atmosphere | Ongoing Training & Support | In-House Repair Facility Employee Parking | Secured Yard | Pre-Pass Transponders | In-House Truck/Trailer Wash We are now looking for US and local drivers New U.S. Short Haul Lanes Available Now

CONTACT RECRUITING AT 1-866-857-5166 EXT. 256 4 • OVER THE ROAD

JANUARY 2021

NOW HIRING

NEW PAY PACKAGE OWNER OPERATORS U.S. MIDWEST

EARN UP TO $1.57/MILE

U.S. CROSS BORDER SINGLES AND CANADIAN TEAMS

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Success in 2020 during these uncertain times couldn’t have been achieved without the dedication & commitment of all our drivers and staff.

Thank you everyone for your continued service.

Steve Hunt O 905.696.0700 x7224 C 905.229.9011 E shunt@lslinc.com 6015 Kestrel Road, Mississauga, ONTARIO L5T 1S8

Our Family Welcomes Yours

JANUARY 2021

www.lslinc.com JOBS FOR TRUCKERS • 5

Keep Your Company Moving With Online Training During this time of crisis, we need to ensure two things continue to happen: ● Continued transportation of vital goods and necessary food items. ● Open communication with drivers, dispatchers, and other employees.

COMPLIMENTARY TRIAL ACCESS WITH ONLINE TRAINING We are offering 30-day complimentary access to our system to assist companies in maintaining driver safety training, including tracking and reporting.

The Coronavirus pandemic has proven the critical need to Limit face-to-face interaction between employees.

But how can your company encourage remote work and still bring on new drivers safely and effectively?

How can you keep your drivers up to speed on safety content that would traditionally be covered in safety meetings?

“Amazing support staff.”

Remote online training allows you to do both: ● Ensures participation and comprehension ● Consistently delivers important elements of your orientation ● Quickly gets your trucks moving safely ● Saves time, resources and money ● Simple to implement quickly and with very little effort on your part There are no shortcuts when it comes to consistency and quality.

Infinit-I Workforce Solutions offers a communication and learning management system that allows you to simplify orientation through remote, online training. Spread Coronavirus awareness by distributing messages and policies from your company to your entire fleet.

Take advantage of our 30-day Complimentary Trial to increase the efficiency of your orientation. Keep your company moving!

For additional Coronavirus resources for Trucking & Logistics, visit https://www.infinitiworkforce.com/ppc/comp-access-cn-2/

www.infinitiworkforce.com 6 • OVER THE ROAD

JANUARY 2021

HIRING AZ COMPANY DRIVERS AND OWNER OPERATORS

THE BEST OF 2021 STARTS NOW! If you are reading this, you can apply in seconds!

STEP 1

Fill out the form below

STEP 2

Take a picture of the brief application below and send via text 416-452-0677 or e-mail: recruiting@ifstrans.com

IFS’ success with our customers has increased our demand for drivers and owner operators for Canada-only runs, short-haul US runs, or ON to PQ Regional runs.

Applicants with 24 months or more verifiable tractor-trailer experience, please apply!

Simply snap a pic and send it to 416-450-0677 or email to recruiting@ifstrans.com

I WANT TO WORK WITH IFS START MY APPLICATION NOW APPLYING AS A

Owner Operator APPLYING FOR

Driver

MONTHS DRIVING EXPERIENCE DESIRED TYPE OF WORK

NAME

12 mths

Local/Regional

18 mths ON to PQ

Fulltime

24 mths Canada-only

Parttime 30+ mths US Short-haul

WE WILL CONTACT YOU ASAP TO DISCUSS YOUR FUTURE WITH IFS IF YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, PLEASE CONTACT SHAWN GALLANT P 1-905-453-0545 E recruiting@ifstrans.com WINDSOR JANUARY 2021BRAMPTON KINGSTON CORNWALL

DORVAL QUEBEC CITY JOBS FOR TRUCKERS • 7

MAKING YOUR MILES COUNT Robert D. Scheper

Patience and Gentleness in Turmoil Advancing your career is a matter of both competence and character. When someone is good at what they do they produce value through the actions of their job (generally considered competence). Being a competent independent operator to a carrier will generally mean that you are picking up, transporting, and delivering freight in a safe and timely manner. A person can be competent and still be without much character. For instance, they can be rude, abrasive, whiny, demanding and “needy” yet they can keep the truck between the ditches and on time. They can even lie, cheat, steal and express violence all the while delivering a safe product on time.

Character issues are not always necessary for some trucking jobs, or at least not as critical to the success of the carrier. I know of some drivers who are placed on schedules that will minimize their exposure to clients or the public, all for the safety and reputation of the carrier. Many times, the drivers even know this… or directly ask for it. Minimizing public exposure becomes a mutual cooperative venture.

Character needs in any organization are subtle and varied from job to job.

8 • OVER THE ROAD

Sometimes it is needed and sometimes… not so much. If a person is looking to advance their career or get more responsibility (and therefore pay), consider the ability to handle conflict and turmoil as a possible need for improvement.

What can you do to make yourself more valuable? Can you become the emotional “go to guy” in a crisis? Can you keep your cool while everyone else is losing theirs?

If so, you can gain ground where others are retarding (verb: delay or hold back in terms of progress, development, or accomplishment).

I was in a lineup at Costco the other week. A young Costco employee “barked” disrespectfully at an elderly gentleman and I was appalled. I comforted the gentleman (from a safe distance of course), acknowledging the young man’s inexperience with “crisis” situations. The senior was appreciative of the respect. Not ten minutes later the young guy again created a conflict with another customer even calling the person “stupid”. Since I heard both sides of the communication, I realized that the young employee totally misunderstood the customer and his response immediately inflamed the situation. Within minutes a female staffer JANUARY 2021

from outside the company fail within two years. I know that there are other things in play (such as culture) but without a track record of character, it is very difficult to produce sustainable positive results.

(I assume a manager) got on the scene and assisted the customer in such a way as to solve the misunderstanding from both perspectives. I marveled at the middle-aged woman’s wisdom. I assumed the young lad would be let go (I do not think training alone could have helped his character).

Practice what you want your future to include. Keep your cool while everyone else is losing theirs so you can gain ground where others are retarding.

Every job has certain needs of competence and character. The only true way of advancing in your career or market share is to grow in both as needed. Sometimes a person must practice and display their character openly, well before they would be considered for advancement. Why would anyone hire a random (or untested) person they do not know for a job? Those who do end up paying for it by having to pick up the pieces.

About the Author: Robert D. Scheper is a leading Accountant and Consultant to the Lease/Owner operator industry in Canada. His first book in the Making Your Miles Count series “taxes, taxes, taxes” was released in 2007. His firm exclusively serves Lease/Owner Operators across Canada. His second book “Choosing a Trucking company” is the most in-depth analysis of the operator industry available today. He has a Master’s degree (MBA) in financial management and has been serving the industry since he and his wife came off the road in 1993. His dedication, commitment and strong opinions can be read and heard in many articles and seminars.

If you want to advance your career or market share you must/should first prove you have character beyond or outside the demands of what you are doing today. Display your patience, your calmness under stress. Can you consistently encourage people when they are down? You may not need it today, but character opens doors where competence and desire alone does not.

You can find him at www.making yourmilescount.com or 1-877-987-9787.

It may not be a perfect illustration but when a large company looks outside their own pool of employees for a leader, the statistics show they are only 20% successful. 80% of all CEO’s hired JANUARY 2021

JOBS FOR TRUCKERS • 9

SAFETY DAWG Chris Harris

NO ANSWER TO NO INSURANCE

Happy New Year Lately, trucking Insurance has been making the news. Or I should say the lack of trucking insurance or the lack of affordability of trucking insurance. On October 23, 2020 Doug Ford, the Premier of Ontario, told insurers, for the second time, to rein in the “astronomical” rate increases. He also talked about the denial of coverages for the trucking industry.

What is driving this lack of insurance for the industry? Is it you the driver?

Well, kind of. Since the trucks are still being driven by you or in other words, humans. Humans make mistakes from time to time. Even though statistically, commercial motor vehicles are only at fault 71% of the time in crashes, it does not mean that you are blameless.

Certainly, the lawyers try to make it your fault. And they are very successful at it. The lawyers will try to make the driver out to be the bad guy. If they cannot smear any mud on you, then the lawyers will go after your employer. With all the paperwork

10 • OVER THE ROAD

in trucking companies today, such as truck driver files and truck maintenance files, most lawyers can find flaws and mistakes. They can make even the best of drivers and their trucking company look like they are the evilest devil ever created. This drives up the cost of the court ordered settlements. Thus, court awarded judgements are part of the problem.

Another huge factor in the court are the safety records of both you the driver and your trucking company. In the USA it is called the Safety Management Score or SMS. In Canada, most provinces call the safety record their National Safety Score.

Trucking companies from Ontario call the safety record the CVOR. It doesn’t matter what you call it, the safety record of the company and your safety record impacts the settlement.

Thus, the safety department gets their shorts in a knot when you hand in a Commercial Vehicle Inspection Report (CVIR) with an “X” on it. An “X” means that a defect was found. Every defect carries points for the trucking company. So even though you didn’t get a ticket, the trucking

JANUARY 2021

company acquires points. And that is not good for them! When it comes to a crash, when the safety score is put on display for the judge and jury, they don’t understand how to read the scores and they don’t know what a good score is. So, this becomes a battle between the prosecuting lawyer and your defense lawyer. Between them, the one who can best explain this very complicated topic to the court will win.

Then what is the answer? The answer is: great drivers, driving more miles with fewer crashes -and trucking companies with great safety records who can afford to pay more for insurance so that the insurance companies can make a profit.

Of course, this would mean rate increases for the shippers and the shippers don’t want any part of that. The shippers want to move the freight at the lowest cost for them. So, this really is not an answer.

Poor safety records also have a huge impact on insurability. Every insurance company has investors, and the investors demand a return on their investment.

When you combine a poor safety record with a good prosecuting lawyer, the court awards are often skyward bound. This makes it extremely difficult for the insurer to make a profit and to give a sufficient return to the investor. Then, the insurance company must make a difficult choice.

They decide which trucking companies they will offer insurance to and those with poor records will not be offered any coverage. For those of you that say, “let the government ensure the trucks because they don’t have to make a profit and worry about investors”, you would be correct in a sense. But remember that the government is using our taxes and why would the government choose to insure a trucking company that hires any driver and does not care about public road safety? I don’t believe that the government being in the insurance business is the answer.

JANUARY 2021

As long as the shippers keep pushing rates to the bottom and trucking companies keep moving the loads, we will continue to have an insurance problem. Rates must go up. For everyone’s safety on the road, freight rates need to be raised so that everyone can make a profit.

Stay Safe!

Chris Harris Top Dawg, Safety Dawg Inc. 905-973-7056 chris@safetydawg.com @safety_dawg (twitter)

JOBS FOR TRUCKERS • 11

12 • OVER THE ROAD

JANUARY 2021

We provide License and Registration, Truck Decals, Satellite, Drive Wyze Scale by-pass & ELOG, EZ pass, Ambassador Bridge toll fee, Border Crossing Transponder, Paid by Mile, Health Benefits after 3 Months & Paid Orientation.

Email resume to maxp@keystonewestern.com or call 1-800-265-6460 ext 266 JANUARY 2021

JOBS FOR TRUCKERS • 13

SPEAKING FROM EXPERIENCE Ray J. Haight

Do You Work for a Leader or for a Boss?

Over the last couple of years, I have talked to many organizations and have been fortunate enough to play a business coach’s role to several leaders of trucking companies. For me, and not to oversimplify the process, all these folks fall into two categories: bosses or leaders. Determining which type is which is important because it dictates my approach to future discussions. One way of finding out is merely asking for the organizational chart. The conclusions revealed are mitigated by the size of the business and through experience gained over the years. A Boss will have far more lines coming off their names than a Leader. The watchout hint is an organizational chart that looks like one of a Leader but in reality, the Boss’s instinct is to be a fixer and they will circumvent their senior managers’ authority and go right around them to get at an issue. Bosses can’t help themselves and will continually circumvent the managers’ authority and minimize their roles; this is usually not a productive environment for anyone working under this type of structure.

Definition: A boss is an individual who believes that the success of every effort in their business needs their direction and stamp of approval for it to be successful. They may require input from others but rarely, and when they do, it is usually taken in a cursory manner and usually, it is asked only to support a decision already made by themselves. They determine their self-worth by the direction they give others. They look at themselves as THE problem solvers in the business. Beware if any individual 14 • OVER THE ROAD

below them were to make a decision on their own, successful or not, because to move ahead without approval can be disastrous for the individual. Usually, these Bosses are not evil in any way; they have just not been exposed to anything that might vary from their version of what they see as leadership. I believe that most people’s natural inclination would be to be a Boss, take charge, and get it done!

When facing this situation, my approach begins with trying to open the Boss’s eyes to the value that others will bring to the table if they are allowed. A leader looks at the organization from a different paradigm; they see their people as the key to success, not the obstacles to success.

The difference is a workforce who checks their brains at the door and follows as best they can the role they were hired to do. I say as best they can because many companies run by bosses do not even have detailed role descriptions for their employees. The leader’s workforce not only gets a detailed role description; they are encouraged to think outside the box, express ideas and challenge the norm.

Definition: A Leader is an individual who sees delegation as their best friend; Bosses see it as the enemy. Leaders think long term, Bosses think short term. Leaders put people first, Bosses put results first. Leaders understand that they must dedicate a significant amount of time working on their business whereas a Boss spends almost all their time working in the business. In other words, thinking and acting JANUARY 2021

company before we went outside our business, including our driving force. Every department had a budget item for their people’s education, and they were encouraged to spend it.

strategically instead of spending all their time bouncing between fires that happen regularly.

A Leader will surround themselves with competent senior managers and then allow them to act and manage with a considerable measure of autonomy. To get the most out of their staff, a Leader is constantly coaching and encouraging the best from them, while supporting their development.

My mantra to my senior managers was to work towards making themselves obsolete. Their objective was to mold their department and their people into becoming self-sustaining. They were told to become coaches to their people, with the underlying principle being to ask: ‘what obstacles might I remove for you to become more efficient at your job?’ I was not impressed with managers who might spend an inordinate amount of time in the office. This meant they had no balance in their life or they were not capable of coaching and supporting their staff.

I have seen some relatively large companies that are run by bosses who work very hard to attract bright young minds into their companies, only to lose them in short order. These new folks become frustrated very quickly if they are in an environment that does not allow them the autonomy to try new things and to learn.

Being restrained from coloring outside the lines will have them looking at new opportunities quickly as soon as they perceive a roadblock to advancement by a Boss.

I felt successful when I was able to walk through our office and see clusters of people standing in group kibitzing, laughing, and having a good time. I could do this because I knew they were dedicated, knowledgeable people who were in line with what our company was trying to achieve. A boss could never do this; they would have nightmares over the loss of control this would represent.

I was a boss for too many years and it almost cost me everything I had. I believe I came by it honestly. Coming out of the driver’s seat and directly running a small trucking company left me no knowledge of the difference between the two leadership styles. Through executive coaching and a ferocious appetite to read business books and biographies about successful leaders, I began to distance myself from the Boss role into a Leadership role.

All the best for 2021 and Safe Trucking Regards Ray J. Haight Ray Haight TCA Retention Coach ray@tcaingauge.com www.tcaingauge.com

It might sound cliché, but it began to become fun again when it started to be about the people rather than about me. It also began to be much more profitable. Suddenly, there was a real thrill in challenging people to take on new projects, giving them the tools to be successful and watching them as they gained confidence and looked for the next project to tackle. We posted every new job that came up to everyone in the

JANUARY 2021

JOBS FOR TRUCKERS • 15

• • • • • • •

16 • OVER THE ROAD

Great Pay Package All Miles Paid Weekly Permits/Tolls/Heavy Tax Paid General Insurance Paid Fuel Cards & Border Cards Pick Up & Delivery $50 Flexible Fuel Surcharge

JANUARY 2021

Networking. Support. Empowerment.

JANUARY 2021

JOBS FOR TRUCKERS • 17

As Over the Road enters its 27th year of publishing, we would like to recognize Robert Scheper and his company Making Your Miles Count. Robert has been writing a monthly article for Over the Road for over 12 years now, and we thank him for all the valuable information that he has shared with our readers.

Robert has been so generous with his knowledge and advice over the years, that we wanted to write an article giving our readers some more information about Robert and his company, and to give him a chance to share some more of his thoughts pertaining to the industry.

This article is Part Two of Two.

MAKING YOUR MILES COUNT Robert D. Scheper

Robert Scheper & Making Your Miles Count cont. from December 2020

Leading one of the largest and most innovative accounting firms in the Canadian Independent Operator market is a lonely venture. Firstly, there are only a few big players, if you define a big player as a firm with over 400-500 active monthly clients. Most Operators have their taxes prepared by a non-specializing firm.

Most accounting firms do not specialize in the Operator industry because of the money (or shortness of it). You will not get rich doing taxes for Operators. It is a labor intensive; low margin industry and you need to love the industry. You need great respect for those who make up the front line of the freight movement.

There requires a desire to make a difference in people’s lives, to help as many as you can to succeed, as much as they can.

In researching his first book, Robert Scheper stumbled across Non-Taxable Benefits for drivers. The difference between the standard method (TL2) and NTB represented thousands of dollars of savings per year for an Operator. The value produced for the client isn’t just an easy sell, it’s a “no-brainer”. If it wasn’t for the super value produced for the client, Robert probably 18 • OVER THE ROAD

would have gone into a different industry. NonTaxable benefits make a massive difference to every client’s bottom line… or as Robert states it... after tax wealth.

The tax savings value by the firm to the Operator is amazing by itself but Robert wanted to help Operators in more ways than just preparing taxes. In 2015 he published his second book “MYMC: Choosing a Trucking Company”. It dealt with many topics: fuel costs, carrier rates and all things in-between. The combination of both books totaled well over 15,000 hours of research and writing. Though it represents a monumental portion of his career, Robert says he would do it again (if he had the energy). It was a good choice for Robert to invest into the Operator industry.

The firm also purchased the copyright for Bill Cameron’s book “So you want to own a trucking company”, a lively advice compilation that Robert asks his clients to read before considering getting their running rights and going out on their own. It’s a very non-romantic observation of the industry, providing time saving and money saving advice to fresh, starting-out carriers.

JANUARY 2021

What is your biggest weakness?

Robert believes that having a library of resources for his clients (literally) is the first step to securing a classification of specialist.

If you don’t have passion for what you are doing… you are probably just doing it for the money. To be good at what you do, it CANNOT be just for the money.

Believing in people. Yes! That can get a person in trouble. I have always believed that when a person says they are committed to something and will do whatever it takes… they will literally do whatever it takes.

However, I now know that this is not true.

There are people who will say they will do what it takes to succeed but they are only interested in getting a helping hand… or even a hand-out. This sleight of hand (or mouth) is still very difficult for me to understand. In the past I had risked a huge financial commitment on people who baled when they were 75% finished. It cost me well over ten years of my life. However, I refuse to dilute my faith in people as I enjoy encouraging people too much. When it comes to hiring our staff, I’m only involved in the first few stages… my senior staff make the final choices. They have great instincts for BS… much better than I do, so I let them do a better job than I would.

Q&A with Robert: What is your most unusual approach to your job as President?

I always want to RELATE to my clients. I love talking personally one on one and can easily get tied up for hours in a good conversation.

Though I have my history as a driver and Operator to stand upon, I chose to do more.

For example: financially, I don’t draw a wage higher than my average client. I’ve never bought a new car… actually, I have never even test driven a new car. My wife has bought most/all our furniture from Kijiji and over 80% of what I wear comes from Costco. We try to live a simple life… though admittedly, each year, as time goes by, I’m having a more difficult time doing so.

What is your greatest virtue?

Humility… I wish I had it! Making Your Miles Count is an accounting firm for Canadian Independent Operators. Though it has a national presence, it will always have a smalltown feel with my staff and myself always happy to speak with anyone. At my firm, the answering machine only comes on when everyone calls in at once. If Making Your Miles Count ever get rid of the telephone receptionist… you will know that Robert Scheper has passed away.

What was the most difficult choice you ever made?

Trying to survive financially as a firm before I had 250-300 clients was brutal. I had to drive truck on weekends to make it work.

However, that wasn’t the really difficult choice. I had plenty of opportunity to make good money from other sources and industries while growing my business, but I chose to walk away from those opportunities.

Good opportunities always lead to other opportunities in or around the same industry. I did not want to dilute the firm’s specialty so walking away in that situation meant I had to sacrifice much more than the average sacrifice. I may have been wrong in this approach… but I don’t like second guessing after the water has passed beneath the bridge.

JANUARY 2021

If you have any questions for Robert or would like more information about Making Your Miles Count you can reach him at 1-877-987-9787, or visit their website at www.makingyourmilescount.com

JOBS FOR TRUCKERS • 19

SUPPORT YOUR DRIVERS FROM DAY 1

Drivers join your company because they believe they will prosper with you. The main reason they leave a company is the breakdown in communication and promises unfulfilled.

Proven Results.

PDA is an extension of your driver support system.

Our people develop a meaningful relationship with your newly hired driver from Day 1. We proactively call them, on a scheduled, weekly basis, to learn about their experience with their new company: Are they satisfied? Is it what they expected? Is there anything that they were promised that is not being met? Any issues are immediately reported back to you, the carrier.

Would you like to know more?

Give me a call or send me an email to discuss!

20 • OVER THE ROAD

RAY HAIGHT 1-519-820-1632 JANUARY 2021 ray@rayhaight.com

NEW SIGN ON BONUS FOR COMPANY DRIVERS AND OWNER OPERATORS

New Increased Base Rates for Single and Team O/Os

NEW COMPANY DRIVER BASE RATES Singles $0.55/Mile Teams $0.62/Mile Call Today for Details!

TOTAL LOGISTICS TRUCKING INC.

HIRING COMPANY DRIVER TEAMS Needed for Western Canada and U.S. lanes

OWNER OPERATOR TEAMS Needed for Western Canada and U.S. lanes

OWNER OPERATOR SINGLES Needed for U.S. lanes

W I S H I N G E V E R YO N E A H A P P Y N E W Y E A R !

Your commitment + Our Great Pay Package = Success!

Call our Recruitment Professionals today and let’s get started!

Bill Scott

Ontario and Western Canada

Sebastien Larivée Quebec Region

1-844-400-8521 1-888-827-8521 E bscott@totallogistics.com

E slarivee@totallogistics.com

Dri Refe ver Bonurral s

Committed to Mutual Success | Through Customer Service Excellence | Together we can move your business forward

JANUARY 2021

JOBS FOR TRUCKERS • 21

Index Agam Holdings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

PDA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

AYR Motor Express . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Robert Scheper Article . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8,9

Carmen Transportation Group . . . . . . . . . . 4

Speaking from Experience . . . . . . . . . . 14,15

Chris Harris - Safety Dawg Inc. . . . . . . . 10,11

Total Logistics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

CNTL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

TRANSAM Carriers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Genesis Express . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Travelers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

IFS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Truckdriver.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Infinit-i . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Trucker Buddy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Keystone Western . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Women in Trucking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24,25

Light Speed Logistics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Women’s Trucking Federation of Canada 17

Making Your Miles Count . . . . . . . . . . 18,19

Happy New Year from

22 • OVER THE ROAD

JANUARY 2021

THE BEST IS THE LEAST WE CAN DO

IT’S TIME TO MAKE YOUR MOVE! Driver planned home time | Full load dry van – No touch Freight Steady year-round miles | Group benefits and pension plan | Paid weekly Mostly warehouse and industrial area deliveries in US CTpat and FAST approved Carrier and Loads

A huge thank you to all of our Drivers and everyone in the industry that is working so hard during these challenging times.

We appreciate everything that you are doing.

HIRING RECRUITING DEPARTMENT

JANUARY 2021

DARTMOUTH Yard MONCTON Yard

WOODSTOCK Head Office DORVAL Yard

BRAMPTON Terminal WINNIPEG Terminal

1-800-668-0099 | ayr.recruiting@ayrmotor.com

ayrmotor.ca

JOBS FOR TRUCKERS • 23

WOMEN IN TRUCKING Ellen Voie

The Invisible Gorilla Have you ever watched the You Tube video about the invisible gorilla? Click on the link (https://youtu.be/vJG698U2Mvo) and count how many times the ball is passed between the players in the white shirts. As you focus on the basketballs and their handlers, a gorilla walks through the middle of the activity and when the video is over, most people never noticed him (or her!)

Christopher Chabris and Daniel Simons, authors of the book, “The Invisible Gorilla,” explain that our minds are susceptible to everyday illusions because of our faulty intuitions. They describe the way we “misperceive” our world because of our own perceptions.

For those of us who have worked in the trucking industry for decades, it sometimes feels as if we are missing something crucial in how we see the world.

For example, the issue of truck parking has been a top concern for more than four decades.

Recently the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) held a session to provide an update on what is being done to solve this issue. Legislation enacted in 2012, called “Jason’s Law,” required the government to make the truck parking issue a national

24 • OVER THE ROAD

priority. Do we really think the government will provide areas for truck parking when they haven’t passed a transportation bill since 2015?

Why are we missing the invisible gorilla?

You’ve heard the expression, “timing is everything.” When you go to a concert, a parking spot near the entrance is valued.

However, hours after the last fan has left and the lot is empty, who wants a spot near the door? No one. The concert is over, and everyone has gone home.

What about the parking lots at a carrier’s operating center? How much room is available when most drivers are on the road delivering loads? Have you ever driven past a large carrier’s facility between Christmas and New Year’s? The lot is full because (most) drivers are home. After the first of the year, the lots empty out as the drivers leave to go back to work.

What if the trucking industry took it upon themselves to provide parking? What if a carrier allowed ANY driver to park in their lot?

Charge a small fee and then let them into your operating center to use your showers, your driver’s lounge, food service and fitness area.

There are apps available that require a driver to

JANUARY 2021

resolve the issue of truck parking. Their app allows a driver to reserve and pay for secure parking. “Without drivers, you cannot operate.

Without drivers, we cannot be economically sustainable. Want to be an agent of change?

Put your drivers first and hear their outcries.

Pay for parking, fuel, maintenance and give them the best health care benefits. This is a simple request and will save companies millions. Stop focusing on the money and worry about the people who built it. That will make you truly successful.” – Anthony Petitte CEO of TruckPark Inc.

schedule a spot and pay in advance for a safe, secure parking spot. Wouldn’t it make sense to allow a tractor trailer to park at a facility designed for professional drivers?

Think about the recruiting aspect of allowing a driver from company X to park at company Z and see how the carrier treats its own drivers.

The app records the driver’s name, truck and credit card information, and if you have problems with a driver, then you block them through the use of technology.

If you’re a trucking company with a huge truck parking area and you’re keeping drivers away because they don’t work for you, then you are missing a great opportunity to treat a potential driver well and possibly recruit them. Even if you have ten spaces available and you allow a driver to use your rest room and offer them a cup of coffee, it could be the difference between a good night’s sleep or parking on an off ramp on the interstate.

Every trucking company has a place for their own drivers to park. Why not open those spots to your competitor’s drivers? Stop passing the ball off while you ignore the invisible gorilla.

Let’s work together as an industry and solve this without waiting for the government.

Ellen Voie President/CEO/Founder of Women In Trucking, Inc. ellen@womenintrucking.org www.womenintrucking.org

The FMCSA reported that 98 percent of drivers have a problem finding safe parking in every state and region and the most frequent period for shortages is from 4:00 pm to 5:00 am.

I’d be willing to bet that even the corporate headquarters of trucking companies have parking spaces vacated by salaried employees during those hours.

Mission: Women In Trucking was established to encourage the employment of women in the trucking industry, promote their accomplishments and minimize obstacles faced by women working in the trucking industry.

Instead of passing the ball to the next player, what if you stopped and addressed the invisible gorilla and invited him to be on the team?

I reached out to Anthony Petitte, CEO of TruckPark Inc. to ask him how technology can

JANUARY 2021

JOBS FOR TRUCKERS • 25

CNTL HAS OPENINGS FOR TRUCK OWNER OPERATORS IN

Moncton, Montreal and Quebec City

If you are an Experienced, Safe, Owner Operator, now is the time to look at CNTL! CNTL is CN’s Trucking Subsidiary, the continuing growth of Intermodal freight means we always have the moves available that meet or exceed your revenue objectives.

Keep more of your earnings with your fuel price capped at 35 cents per litre. Take advantage of our Tire, Bunk and Engine Heater programs, and Group Truck Insurance.

Ask about our Safety Bonus, and Safety Awards!

If you would like to talk about joining our team please contact us Email cntljobs@cn.ca Fax 1-866-803-2702 65 Devon Rd., Brampton Ontario L6T 5B6

CNTL.ca 26 • OVER THE S EROAD A S O N G R E E T I N G S A N D A H A P P Y N E W Y E A R JANUARY 2021