December 2011 Volume 22, Issue 12 Delivering daily news to Canada’s trucking industry at www.trucknews.com Convoys for a Cure raise Big BuCks See story, pg. 14 B.C. fleets can earn cash for credits One year later… By Jim Bray VICTORIA, B.C. – A new venture in B.C. claims to offer truck- ers a way to enhance their bottom lines, saving them money via re- A year after the attack, the ‘Good duced diesel fuel purchases while putting cash in their jeans by sell- ing “carbon offsets.” That’s the carrot, anyway. The stick, as it were, is that the trucking Samaritan’ truck driver speaks out company has to buy equipment that allows its fleet to be monitored By Harry Rudolfs everything was going well, the and mentored and, if B.C. joins the “Cap and Trade” wave being made LUMBY, B.C. – It’s been a little truck was purring and Fraser was currently in some jurisdictions around the world, they could even lose more than a year since Alex Fraser’s only about five hours away from the capacity to make their own decision in the matter. life changed forever. On Sept. his home outside of Vernon, B.C. “The ability to remove carbon is going to be a larger and larger 24, 2010, the 67-year-old owner/ Then he noticed a car parked requirement as we move forward,” says George Stedeford, CEO of operator was heading home on a on the shoulder facing towards the Carbon Offset Aggregation Cooperative of B.C. (COAC), who Friday night after unloading in him, and what looked like some- likens his group to a kind of “Wheat Board” for carbon emissions, Edmonton. body waving arms at the side of Continued on page 12 It was a warm autumn evening the road. on the Yellowhead Highway and Continued on page 8 Driving Volvo’s 750-hp FH16 InsideInside ThisThis Issue...Issue... Mark Dalton O/O The I-Shift • Tools for truckers: The AMTA has developed a toolbox that should help fleets navigate the challenges ahead. Page 13 shines in • What to expect: We report from the American Trucking Associations’ annual convention, including a recap of the popular Sweden ‘All Eyes on the Economy’ panel. Page 16 • Driven to distraction: A look at how one progressive fleet is tackling the distracted driving epidemic. Page 22 • Made in Canada: A small Canadian firm has pioneered the use of waste heat recovery to power an APU. 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International.indd6715-INTNT-027-P-11-E.indd 1 1 11-11-0411/4/11 2:562:28 PM Production Artist: RM Date: Nov 3, 2011 Revision #: 0 SC: Y JAN Kelley Marketing, its employees and agents (collectively referred to as “JKM”) shall not be held liable for any loss or damage su­ ered by you, or by any third party, from the use of these marketing materials (the “Materials”) if they have been modi ed, distorted, combined with third party content, or manipulated in whole or in part by any party other than JKM. Further, once the proof of the Materials has been approved by you, JKM shall not be liable for any loss or damage su­ ered by you or any third party arising from any alleged or actual defect in the Materials or in any way arising from their reproduction by a party other than JKM. December 2011 TRUCK WEST Page 3 Are provincial nominee programs really the answer? December 2011, Volume 22, Issue 12 In mid-October, B.C. carriers country; progressive fleets could Canada Post Canadian Publications lauded a decision by the province be tapping into this pool more ef- ISSN 0700-5016 – Truck West (Print) Editorial ISSN 1923-3531 – Truck West (Online) to permanently include long-haul fectively and offering training and Mail Sales Product Agreement No. 40069240 truck driving among the profes- compensation that would elevate “Return Postage Guaranteed” Comment sions qualifying for inclusion in the quality of our overall driver 80 Valleybrook Drive, Toronto, ON M3B 2S9 JameS MeNzIeS Sales: 416-510-6892 / Editorial: 416-510-6896 its provincial nominee program force. They’re right here, folks, you Fax: 416-510-5143 (PNP). don’t need to cross any oceans to Truck West, USPS 017-178 is published monthly by That essentially means B.C.- cations. find them. BIG Magazines L.P., a div. of Glacier BIG Holdings Company Ltd., a leading Canadian information based long-haul trucking firms will I certainly wouldn’t go that far. As far as the PNP is concerned, I company with interests in daily and community be able to recruit qualified drivers In my opinion, the PNP is a stop- think when we look back on it five newspapers and B-2-B information services. US office of publication: 2424 Niagara Falls Blvd, from overseas and the province will gap measure that will not have years from now, we’ll find it had no Niagara Falls, NY 14304-5709. Periodicals Postage expedite their immigration process, far-reaching implications on the significant impact on the trucking Paid at Niagara Falls, NY. US postmaster: Send fast-tracking their transition to per- industry, simply because it’s an industry, good or bad. address changes to Truck West, PO Box 1118, Niagara Falls, NY 14304. manent resident status. Reaction ineffective and shortsighted so- Larry’s not so sure. He sees the SENIOR PUBLISHER – Rob Wilkins has been mixed. Many fleets in- lution to the driver shortage. It’s PNP as an elaborate plot by big ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER – Kathy Penner EXECUTIVE EDITOR – James Menzies sist they can’t find qualified Cana- costly (some estimates peg the carriers to drive down wages. The MANAGING EDITOR – Adam Ledlow dian drivers willing to accept the cost of recruiting a foreign driver answer may be somewhere in the CIRCULATION MANAGER – Mary Garufi pay and lifestyle afforded by a ca- through the program at $10,000), middle. What do you think? Should CIRCULATION ASSISTANT – Anita Singh CREATIVE– Carolyn Brimer, Beverley Richards reer as a long-distance truck driver. many drivers either return home or Canadian carriers be permitted to V.P. PUBLISHING – Alex Papanou Bringing experienced drivers from jump ship to another carrier when recruit from abroad? Check out my PRESIDENT – Bruce Creighton Circulation inquiries: 416-442-5600 ext. 3553 countries in Europe and the Middle their initial contract expires and blog on the subject at Trucknews.com Change of address: Please include subscription East fills a vital need for the indus- in many cases, drivers who arrive and have your say. n number from mailing label. Subscription rates: Canada (Includes GST) – try and will benefit the economy, here realize they were sold a bill of One year $40.60; U.S. – one year $66.95; proponents contend. goods and the realities of long-haul – James Menzies can be reached foreign – one year $66.95 Send subscription orders, address changes (incl. mailing label On the flip side, others are left trucking in Canada are not as glam- by phone at (416) 510-6896 or by from latest issue) to above address. On occasion, our subscrip- wondering how conditions for pro- orous as they imagined or were led e-mail at [email protected].