To Download the October 2009 Truck
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
pg 01 tn oct 9/11/09 4:27 PM Page 1 October 2009 Volume 29, Issue 10 Delivering daily news to Canada’s trucking industry at www.trucknews.com Laying it all By Lou Smyrlis GUELPH, Ont. – This summer’s most sizzling acquisition an- nouncement – the purchase of the on the line St. Thomas, Ont.- based Walker Group of companies by MacKin- Widow hopes one non Transport – is getting two thumbs up from industry analysts trucker’s tragedy who believe it to be the start of will serve as a further consolidation in Canada’s beleaguered truckload sector. warning to others The deal, announced at the end of August, creates a combined en- By Jim Bray tity that will operate out of MacK- WOODSTOCK, Ont. – On Hwy.21 innon’s head office in Guelph in southern Ontario, there’s a cross where the company will now man- that burns with a bright white light age over 1,300 pieces of equip- – a lighthouse-like symbol that ment and employ a workforce of guides drivers safely through dark- 420 people. ness, snowstorms and fog. The cross The Walker Group consisted of stands not only as a beacon, howev- LE Walker Transport and Mid er, but as a memorial to a driver America Freight Systems, both who practically gave his life to get major players in the dry van and his load – and himself – home to his flatbed marketplaces in North beloved wife. America. The story of Ron Foulis’ final The Walker Group was led by months on the job could serve as the highly visible Julie Tanguay, a cautionary tale for any driver current chair of the Ontario who ranges far from home. It’s a Trucking Association. Tanguay tale of frustration and heartbreak, will now have joint ownership in peer pressure and economic pres- the combined entity and will take sure, and it illustrates the impor- on the newly-created role of ex- tance of knowing your health and ecutive vice-president sales, your insurance coverage, knowing heading up sales efforts for the your own body and the signals it combined fleet. sends you, and knowing your “I think this is a very interesting rights and responsibilities. play for MacKinnon and Walker. I Foulis had been driving for more think it’s the right move and I ex- than 30 years, but the last few had- pect more consolidation in the TL n’t been kind. He’d been involved sector,” said Elian Terner, a direc- in a fatal accident in Alberta, in tor of investment banking with which his truck had backed over a Scotia Capital. man and though, according to his This also represents a different wife, no fault had been found with HIGH FIVES ALL AROUND: Industry analysts applauded the summer’s major type of deal than what the indus- his actions, it affected him greatly trucking acquisition, with MacKinnon Transport acquiring Walker Group. try has seen in the recent past. A and caused him to be off work for Pictured, Julie Tanguay of Walker Group and Evan MacKinnon of MacKinnon lot of the mergers and acquisitions an extended period. Transport celebrate the new deal which creates the newest Canadian truckload the market had seen prior to the “Ron had been seeing a trauma powerhouse. Continued on page 7 Continued on page 8 One quiet shhh-unt truck InsideInside This Issue... • Rough seas: Maritime fleet operators say service at Marine Atlantic must improve. Ferry execs say it’s coming. Page 14 See our ad See page 34 • Maine Street: The state of Maine is looking at hiking weights page 42 on its Interstate system to 100,000 lbs. We take a look at some typical Quebec-based loads to see if it’ll pay for fleets. Page 16 • Fuel focus: As diesel prices begin to creep back upwards, we look at some cost reduction strategies employed by some of Canada’s best-run private fleets. Page 30 • Hands on Trucking: History repeats itself at a certain shipper, piquing Dalton’s curiousity. Page 44 905-795-2838 To view LIST OF ADVERTISERS visit us at www.trucknews.com Careers 36-41 Ad Index 43 PM40069240 pg 02 tn oct 9/14/09 5:24 PM Page 1 Confident winter grip that clears the way to fuel savings. ©2009 MNA(C)I. All rights reserved. The Michelin Man is a registered trademark licensed to Michelin North America (Canada) Inc. INTRODUCING THE MICHELIN® X ONE® XDN2® — THE ALL-WEATHER, FUEL-SAVING TIRE. With bold open-shoulder construction, the MICHELIN® X One® XDN2® tire is the premier all-weather drive tire, giving you the same superior winter traction and confidence you’ve come to expect from the MICHELIN® XDN2® tire. And because it’s also a MICHELIN® X One® tire, you can save fuel and haul more, helping you lower your costs and increase your revenue. Upgrade to the MICHELIN® X One® XDN2® tire - better grip and better fuel efficiency in a better tire. Learn more about the new MICHELIN® X One® XDN2® tire and MICHELIN® Durable Technologies at gowidesavegreen.com. Michelin. Improving your bottom line through innovation. That’s a better way forward. pg 3 tn oct v3 9/14/09 2:32 PM Page 3 October 2009 TRUCK NEWS Page 3 look around and see what the fleets into Toronto. This isn’t about speed Are you ready for the recovery? around you are doing.And ask your- limiters – it’s about identifying and self a few questions. taking advantage of emerging op- There’s no doubt, the last couple of During the slowdown, have you portunities. years have presented some of the Editorial taken advantage of a stable work- As the trucking industry prepares most trying times ever faced by the Comment force to implement meaningful, last- for recovery, ask yourself: Are we trucking industry. And while no- ing driver training? It doesn’t have stronger/leaner/more competitive body’s popping the champagne just James to be costly, but when drivers aren’t coming out of this than when we yet, there’s reason to believe the Menzies jumping ship every few months due went in? If not, you may have missed economy is slowly beginning to find to an abundance of job opportuni- a major opportunity. I its legs. Some bold prognosticators ties, some well-run fleets have have already declared the recession We launched and grew our weekly stepped up training initiatives. – James Menzies can be reached by over in Canada and in parts of WebTV show, Transportation Have you elevated hiring criteria? phone at (416) 510-6896 or by Europe. But I’ve yet to hear any Matters, which has no equal any- When you do hire drivers, you can e-mail at [email protected]. fleet managers or owner/operators where in the North American truck- now be more selective about who You can also follow him on Twitter voicing such optimism. ing industry and we’ve developed you put behind the wheels of your at Twitter.com/JamesMenzies. At any rate, a return to better our own YouTube channel. We’ve vehicles. Are you taking ad- times is inevitable, which raises a few expanded our blog line-up and pro- vantage of that and revisit- questions: Have you taken advan- vided a great forum for two-way ing hiring tactics that may tage of the opportunity to improve conversations between our readers have been compromised your business or was it merely a mat- and editors as well as other bloggers when there were always ter of survival? Are you a stronger from within the industry.And we’ve more loads to move than company coming out of this reces- become active on social media sites drivers to move them? sion or will you emerge battered, such as Twitter to further enhance Have you sought out part- bruised and still vulnerable? our communication capabilities. nerships or developed new Here at Truck News, we’ve faced We’ve also developed a new business opportunities as many of the same challenges those subscription-based online infor- other carriers have closed of you operating trucks have faced. mation video series at their doors and left cus- There’s been a significant decline in www.TheDriversSeat.ca and pub- tomers high and dry? One advertising (our version of ‘freight’) lished our first comprehensive col- successful Ontario fleet has and in some months we’ve had less lection of industry stats and seized an opportunity to space to work with within our tradi- trends, Inside the Numbers. work with US carriers that tional printed products. But the edi- Now I’m not trying to boast about don’t want to restrict their tors here didn’t go on an extended all this (okay,maybe just a little), and trucks to 105 km/h to run vacation. Instead, I’m proud to say I know our world is different than into Ontario. It’s picking up we’ve found new ways of dissemi- yours. But before you accuse me of 25 loads per week at the nating information. comparing apples to oranges, take a border and delivering them changes in the transportation serv- lar. While that growth is welcomed ices sector and economic reces- news, it is well short of a typical re- How’s your patience? sions.The transportation sector typ- bound and what’s needed to bring For the third straight month, I must ically reaches a peak six months prosperity back to our industry.We admit to doing a double take when Viewpoint ahead of the economy, while lag- need growth of at least 3% to fully going through the monthly Class 8 ging by two months at the trough, engage the trucking industry.