Mandated technologies like Electronic Logging Devices and an increasing focus on environmental standards will be among \u201cgame changers\u201d for Canada\u2019s trucking industry, Canadian Trucking Alliance CEO David Bradley said in an address to the Alberta Motor Transport Association.<\/p>\n
As reported by Today\u2019s Trucking\u2019s John G. Smith:<\/p>\n
Bradley, who has announced he is leaving the job at the end of 2017, said he always felt the environment would replace safety as the \u201cmajor preoccupation\u201d for regulators. But he also believes that Canadian regulators are beginning to see the challenges that would be introduced by simply adopting the next round of greenhouse-gas-reducing standards established in the U.S. (There have been questions on whether some of the related equipment would stand up to Canada\u2019s heavier weights and harsher operating environments.)<\/p>\n
The increasing environmental focus could even help to open new opportunities for wide-base single tires, he added, referring to the association\u2019s push to have related weight penalties removed. \u201cAll of a sudden GHG arguments count more than they did before.\u201d<\/p>\n
Of course, emerging technology is not limited to environmental gains alone. Federal Transport Minister Marc Garneau committed in a meeting with CTA Chair Gene Orlick that the Government of Canada is moving to mandate Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs). That will improve productivity, Bradley said, recommending that fleets begin adopting the technology before it is mandated. \u201cAt the end of the day, drivers really like the technology \u2026 if it goes down for a day, you really see how much they appreciate it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe know certain types of equipment, certain types of technology are inevitably going to be mandated.\u201d<\/p>\n
The economic struggles in Alberta did not escape him, either. \u201cLast year I said we needed a strong Alberta in Canada,\u201d Bradley said. \u201cWe need Alberta back, and I\u2019m sure it will come back at some point.<\/p>\n
But he cautioned the trucking industry against becoming complacent about the threat of a driver shortage. \u201cThe white heat of the driver shortage is not what it was in Alberta,\u201d he admitted. \u201cIn Central Canada, guys are coming home from the Oil Patch.\u201d The relief, though, is temporary. \u201cEventually economies come back and exceed their previous growth,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Bradley also made the case for Mandatory Entry Level Training for new drivers. \u201cIt\u2019s hard to make the case it\u2019s a professional skill or trade if you can just walk off the street (and get a job),\u201d he said, adding that Ontario and Alberta are taking lead roles on the issue, using the foundation of National Occupational Standards developed by Trucking HR Canada. A recent move by the U.S. to establish mandatory driver training is not as \u201cstrong\u201d as emerging Canadian programs, but they will have to be heeded to ensure licences are recognized on both sides of the border, he said.<\/p>\n
Bradley predicted other mandates are coming, too. Speed limiters, now in place in Ontario and Quebec, are among them. \u201cIt\u2019s an unstoppable force and it makes sense to do it,\u201d he said of the engine programming that sets top vehicle speeds.<\/p>\n
Looking further into the future, Bradley also reflected on roles for autonomous vehicles. Syncrude is already using fully autonomous trucks in northern Alberta operations, he said. When it comes to highways, though, he expects there will always be a pilot or driver on board.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s an opportunity to improve safety and productivity,\u201d he said. \u201cCrashes are caused by human error. If we can take that equation out of it, or supplement the skills of the driver \u2026 I think that\u2019s a good thing.\u201d<\/p>\n
A recently announced pilot project will review in-transit moves in the U.S., he also reminded the crowd. Nine carriers are involved in that. But U.S. regulations are slow to change, he said. \u201cWe don\u2019t know that the \u2018pilot\u2019 will ever end \u2026 I don\u2019t care as long as we\u2019re able to conduct those movements.\u201d<\/p>\n
Still, Bradley said the federal government has not flexed its \u201cconstitutional muscle\u201d over extra-provincial trucking that could help harmonize other standards. The recently reviewed Canada Transportation Act has little effect on the trucking industry, even with some rules around mergers and acquisitions, he said. How could that change? Maybe by linking goals to infrastructure funding, although that would likely be fought by provincial governments.<\/p>\n
There were also moments of reflection during the address, when he also spoke about the voice of provincial associations within the Canadian Trucking Alliance. \u201cNobody does a better job of managing those issues, of being innovative, of focusing on safety and fuel economy, than the Canadian trucking industry,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The Canadian Trucking Alliance\u2019s record compares well with any trade association, he added, referring to gains made on behalf of the 4,500 members. \u201cThere hasn\u2019t been an issue since deregulation that the entire industry has been behind.\u00a0\u00bb But wins for different segments add up over time, he said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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