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November 2026
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OVER THE ROAD E S T. 1 9 9 3
Keep this magazine in your truck...you never know when you’ll need it!
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In Flanders Fields BY JOHN MCCRAE
In Flanders fields the poppies blow Between the crosses, row on row, That mark our place; and in the sky The larks, still bravely singing, fly Scarce heard amid the guns below. We are the Dead. Short days ago We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, Loved and were loved, and now we lie, In Flanders fields. Take up our quarrel with the foe: To you from failing hands we throw The torch; be yours to hold it high. If ye break faith with us who die We shall not sleep, though poppies grow In Flanders fields.
2 • OVER THE ROAD
NOVEMBER 2026
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JOBS FOR TRUCKERS • 3 www.transx.com
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Publisher Peter Charboneau peter@otrgroup.ca Director of Operations & Editor-in-Chief Cathryn Charboneau cathryn@otrgroup.ca Account Executive Luke Zentil luke@otrgroup.ca
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We are now Hiring Highway Drivers Steady weekly runs to Florida Flexible time off Paid Hub miles All picks and drops paid Waiting time paid EZ pass for scales and bridge cards Bi-weekly direct deposit Benefits from day one Great dispatch team
– AYR, ONT. / ORLANDO, FL.
Contact Randy Baker 1-877-665-6015
randyb@beyondtransportationinc.com
Minimum of 1 year of experience is required
300 Melair Drive Ayr, ON N0B 1E0
beyondtransportationinc.com 4 • OVER THE ROAD
NOVEMBER 2026
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 C-TPAT 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. We appreciate everything that you are doing.
HIRING RECRUITING DEPARTMENT
NOVEMBER 2026
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 • 5
MAKING YOUR MILES COUNT Robert D. Scheper
The Long-Term Effect of Saving Taxes Last month I wrote about the effects of high fuel costs on most Operators. Some Operators are doing much better than prior times while others are struggling more. The net effect of such vast inequalities is a net drop in the number of Operators. Some Operators are raking in margins; others are leaving the industry. When many leave/retire, capacity drops. There are other reasons for increased capacity. In the US, hundreds of truck training schools have been shut down and thousands of drivers taken off the road. This is primarily why freight rates have begun to get a little better. When capacity drops, eventually demand exceeds supply and prices rise. I’ve been in the industry for over 30 years. I’ve experienced the greatest drop in Operators ever, due to retiring (in 2024/5 and 25/6). Where historically I saw 2-4 Operators leave per year, within the past 24 months I’ve documented between 45 and 50. They were of the retiring age 63-70. Maybe the demographics of my clients were skewed a little, but I have contacts coast to coast, and the trend seems to be national. Some locations are more pronounced than others but more national exits than entries are for sure. 6 • OVER THE ROAD
There is one thing that I find gratifying for my work over the past 20 years. Saving people taxes. Not very often do those who prepare taxes keep track of their client’s tax savings. The reason is that usually those savings are ‘subjective’. The assumption is that savings comes from someone who knows more than their competitors. That’s almost a universal half truth. Saving taxes using Non-Taxable Benefits is usually not a matter of knowledge. It’s a matter of application. I can explain non- taxable benefits to most accountants in 3-4 minutes. The problem is not understanding how to save taxes... but whether the accountant is going to do the added work needed to comply with the regulations on it. The answer is almost universally NO! If the responsibility for defending the savings is the accountant, they will assuredly say no. Just this month the total tax savings since 2006 went above $90 million dollars. I keep track of tax savings because the formula to compare the TL2 with the NonTaxable Benefit system and our numbers is relatively easy to calculate and verify. When a client (following the rules) pulls the exact regulated amount from their NOVEMBER 2026
corporation for NTB and it totals $45,000 over a year, even the client knows and sees the drop in taxes. Its actually very exciting. I had several meetings with retiring clients in the last month. They were given a little award showing their tax savings. We have been giving out $100k, $200k and $300k awards. They may only be little, 3D printed plaques but they represent HUGE lifestyle and retirement achievements. Several of those who were given awards and were retiring knew they would not have been able to retire without using Non-Taxable Benefits. We are giving out 8 awards for passing $300,000 in savings, 64 awards for passing $200,000 and over 340 awards for passing $100,000. Those who reached over $300,000 were with us for over 15 years and most were husband and wife teams but remember... it is over $300,000! That level of tax savings places you at a very different place at the time of retirement. We have three clients that look to reach over $400,000 some time into the next 2-3 years. Currently, I don’t have an award for them. I’m still thinking about it. My greatest beef in the Operator business is that too many Operators either don’t believe that level of savings works... OR their accountant (who does not understand it) tells them it won’t work. It’s truly a cost that comes from DISINFORMATION! If you are an Operator, you are a businessperson. It is YOUR responsibility to take all opportunities seriously. If you don’t understand it... NOVEMBER 2026
don’t do it. If you don’t understand it, don’t give up until you DO! I can claim these savings confidently because less than 1% of Operators use Non-Taxable Benefits. If you are giving the number of days on the road to your accountant at the end of the year, you are using the TL2. You are NOT using NonTaxable Benefits. You are paying too much in taxes. If your accountant doesn’t teach you the plan... take my advice... your ACCOUNTANT doesn’t care about your taxes or your success. A great accountant should also be a good teacher. If at first you don’t understand, ask, ask again. Don’t stop till you understand. About the Author: Robert D. Scheper is a leading Accountant and Consultant exclusively serving 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 second book “Choosing a Trucking company” is the most in-depth analysis of the independent operator industry today. He has a Master 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. You can find him at www.makingyourmilescount. com or 1-877-987-9787. CHECK OUT THE PODCASTS AT “YOUTUBE.COM/@MAKING YOUR MILES COUNT”
JOBS FOR TRUCKERS • 7
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8 • OVER THE ROAD
NOVEMBER 2026
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YOUR CANADIAN SOLUTION! JOBS FOR TRUCKERS • 9
SAFETY DAWG Chris Harris
You Just Had a Crash. Now What? I know that your safety department may have told you things like, “Don’t talk to the media” or perhaps they also said, “Protect the scene”, and likely, “Take pictures, lots of pictures”.
Who you call first is likely company policy. But Call! Everyone that you call will be asking you if you are okay, then they are going to ask about others, the people, and any other vehicles.
These previous statements are all true. But what do they really mean?
Next “don’t talk to the media”. Now, if you can’t talk to the media, can you talk to anyone? And what can you say? First, you should know your company’s policy on this. Many companies have a policy that you speak only to the investigating officer, and you give them the information needed to complete their documentation. This includes your name, company name and company insurance information.
Protect the scene means to make the area safe so that you or the vehicles involved in the crash are not struck by another vehicle. Right after you have turned off your truck, this is the very next step after an incident. Now that you have placed your triangles correctly and protected the scene, before you call 911 or your company, survey the scene. You are about to be asked many questions. Some of which are: number of injuries or fatalities, number of vehicles involved and your location. Gather this information and then follow your company policy. It may be different than what I outline here. Call 911 and report the crash. Call your company and report the crash and if necessary, call your insurance company. 10 • OVER THE ROAD
Please notice, I did not say to make a statement as to what happened. Drivers at the scene of the crash are most often very upset. This is an event that either has never happened to you or happens so infrequently to you that you forget the last collision. Therefore, this is a reminder that you don’t have to give a statement, and for many companies, it is against policy to give a statement.
NOVEMBER 2026
The company knows that you are upset. They also know that you want to tell your side of the story, especially if you believe the crash was not your fault. But many companies tell you not to say a word. They believe that it is better to let the officer investigate the crash and have the evidence speak for itself. Whatever you say may be used in the courts by the prosecuting attorney and perhaps used against you. It is very necessary to know your company policy and what you should do after a crash. You may speak to your insurance company’s investigator. They are on your side working for you and your company. Lastly, take pictures. Yes, do take pictures, but pictures of what? Pictures of the location. For example, if the accident occurs at an intersection, take pictures from the direction that you were travelling. Take several from different distances. Then do the same from the opposite direction. Then take pictures from the direction that the other vehicle(s) were travelling. Again, from several distances. And then again from the opposite direction. Make sure that you include in your photos, if possible, items that will likely still be at the accident scene years from now, such as a building, or tree. Also, include any obstructions to your vision or to the other NOVEMBER 2026
vehicle operator’s vision. There may be a large bush blocking someone’s vision. So yes, take pictures and lots of them. Include the damage to the vehicles and take a picture of all four sides of a vehicle. Take pictures of the licence plates of the vehicles involved and even undamaged units. And speaking of undamaged units, you may consider taking pictures of them as well on all four sides. This shows that they truly did not have any damage. There you have it… what to do at the scene of the crash. Protect the scene, don’t speak to the media, and take pictures. As soon as you are released from the scene, you should legally park your truck and start making your notes if you have not already done so. Every truck should have an accident package in it. Use this to jog your memory and make good notes. You don’t know what may happen in two years. You may be sued, and you will be glad that you made great notes. Be Safe Chris Harris Top Dawg, Safety Dawg Inc. 905-973-7056 chris@safetydawg.com @safety_dawg (twitter)
JOBS FOR TRUCKERS • 11
Index Ayr Motor Express . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
GPS To Go . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8,9
Beyond Transportation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Making Your Miles Count . . . . . . . . . . . 6,7
Brian Kurtz Trucking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Trans-West . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Chris Harris - Safety Dawg Inc. . . . . . . 10,11
TransX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
DeckX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
CONNECT WITH US ON @OverTheRoadMagazine
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NOVEMBER 2026
Now Hiring AZ Owner Operator TEAM Drivers USA Long Haul in GTA area
We’re hiring AZ Owner Operator Team Drivers for long-haul routes across Western USA & Western Canada. If you’re looking for a company that values efficiency, transparency, and driver success, we have the perfect opportunity for you!
Why Drive with Trans-West?
What We’re Looking For
• Real Team Service Company – Easily run up to 20,000 miles/month
• Minimum 1 year of AZ (USA, Western Canada) driving experience
• Competitive Pay – Paid after each trip, direct deposit every Thursday (no holdbacks)
• Clean Clearinghouse Record
• Empty miles paid • Fuel Surcharge – Provided and adjusted weekly
• Valid AZ (CDL) License – With a clean driving record
• Exclusive Fuel Discounts – Fuel card with full Trans-West discount
• Owner Operator Experience – Proven track record in freight transportation
• Company Coverage – We cover plates & insurance
• Flexibility – Ability to adapt to changing schedules and routes
• Must be eligible to drive into the USA
• Premium Equipment – Satellite communication, ISAAC ELD, BestPass bridge transponder • Secure Parking – Available in the GTA paid by Trans-West • IFTA Managed & Paid by Trans-West • Decals Paid • This is a full-time position that pays $325,000.00-$400,000.00 per year
How to Apply Call our recruiting team at 416-606-8296 for more information Or e-mail us your application: hiring@groupetranswest.com
JOIN A COMPANY THAT RESPECTS YOUR TIME, NOVEMBER 2026 YOUR WORK, AND HELPS YOU SUCCEED VALUES ONFOR THETRUCKERS ROAD! JOBS • 13
WE ARE HIRING!
WE ARE LOOKING FOR COMPANY DRIVERS Company LTL Drivers averaged $95,000 in 2025
Drivers are paid $0.60\mi with a FAST or TWIC card along with Picks and Drops, Idle and Performance bonuses.
Visit our website at www.kurtztrucking.com for complete Pay Package details.
Contact Safety at 1-800-265-2835 ext.770 or email safety@kurtztrucking.com A N Y T H I N G . . A N Y T I M E . . A N Y W H E R E .NOVEMBER 2026
14 • OVER THE ROAD