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Our wish list to improve the business of private trucking

Every private fleet manager is on a quest to control costs and improve productivity, but these are no small tasks. Enhancements must be made against a backdrop of everything from rising equipment prices to limited weights and dimensions. Fleets could use a helping hand.

In this context, Private Motor Carrier magazine has assembled a wish list of seven government decisions that would improve the business of private trucking. Dear ministers, could you help us with the following?

1.

The wish: Be open to vehicle configurations that increase productivity -- even if they are unique to your jurisdiction.
The reason: Safe productivity gains can be maximized by focusing on local and regional highway networks.

Steps to harmonize vehicle weights and dimensions should be applauded. We have seen gains made between Ontario and Quebec, through the Atlantic Agreement on Uniform Vehicle Weights and Dimensions, and in Canada’s New West Partnership. Each agreement plays a key role in supporting the seamless move of equipment and freight from one jurisdiction to the next.

But when it comes to safely maximizing a truck’s productivity, some advances are best made at a local or regional level, reflecting available infrastructure and safety targets alike. Look no further than the successes of Ontario’s Long Combination Vehicle (LCV) program for a perfect example. Its permit system, monitored speeds, driver requirements and limited routes have all helped to ensure an enviable safety record for twinned 53-foot trailers. By requiring permit holders to use Electronic Stability Controls, regulators have even found a way to promote the early adoption of a valuable technology.

It is an approach that allows gains to be made quickly and effectively.

2.

The wish: Introduce tax relief or other subsidies for the early adopters of greener trucks.

The reason: New trucks generate lower emissions than previous generations of equipment, but come at a steeper purchase price. In some cases they have also come with operating costs that are higher than expected.

Truck emissions have been dramatically reduced in recent model years. Exhaust Gas Recirculation systems lower smog-producing NOx, Diesel Particulate Filters capture flakes that once blew into the air, and Diesel Exhaust Fluid transforms NOx into nitrogen and water. Regulators are now demanding lower Greenhouse Gas emissions, and every sign suggests there are tighter limits to come. Looking beyond diesel, selected fleets have even realized environmental gains by experimenting with everything from natural gas to hydraulic hybrids and electric package cars.

There should be little surprise that private fleets are playing an ever-increasing role in broader corporate sustainability programs.

While nobody can argue against the value of cleaner air, cash-strapped fleet operations are shouldering the entire cost for the new technology. This can delay purchases and the resulting environmental gains that are only realized when older trucks are replaced. A great way to support early adopters of this equipment, and help meet environmental mandates, would be to offer tax relief through accelerated depreciation schedules or other subsidies.

3.

The wish: Add more ACI-trained staff to border crossings during peak traffic periods.

The reason: Confusion around the program designed to speed up low-risk shipments has actually led to other delays.

The Fraser Institute’s Measuring the Costs of the Canada-U.S. Border report says border delays cost the Canadian economy an astounding $19 billion a year.

The irony is that early adopters of the Advanced Commercial Information (ACI) program and its eManifests – designed to process low-risk shipments more efficiently – are reporting added delays of their own. It’s because many Border Service Officers have yet to be trained in the related procedures.

There is a learning process for any new initiative, but challenges can be offset by ensuring that individual ports of entry have extra ACI-trained staff on hand during high-traffic periods.

4.

The wish: Update safety standards to allow for boat tails on trailers.

The reason: The fuel-saving components have already proven their worth.

Every fleet is looking for ways to offset fuel costs, and one of the most promising options appears to come in the form of “boat tails” that could improve the flow of air at the back of a trailer. Federal studies have shown that boat tails which extend between two to five feet from the barn doors can reduce aerodynamic drag between 7.6% and 11.8% at highway speeds. This can offer fuel savings of 4.7 to 7.3%.

The devices are becoming more popular in the U.S., but in Canada we are still waiting for better definitions of a “rear extremity” that will allow domestic fleets to open boat tails of their own.

5.

The wish: Support industry efforts to tackle the driver shortage.

The reason: Fleets are ultimately responsible for recruiting and retention strategies, but they can still be encouraged to share best practices.

There is no escaping the reality of demographics. The average driver is now 46, which is older than employees found in other industries. This reflects an increase in retiring workers and a failure to attract a new generation of people behind the wheel. The Conference Board of Canada expects we will be short as many as 33,000 for-hire drivers by 2020, and private fleets will have needs on top of those.

The challenge is not limited to drivers, either. The industry also requires new managers, salespeople, mechanics and accountants, among other support staff.

Long-term solutions will come from the fleets themselves. Those who hire the personnel will ultimately be responsible for individual recruiting and retention strategies. But federal and provincial governments can still play a role in supporting initiatives which bring competing industry voices together to share best practices in Human Resources.

The Canadian trucking industry responded to recent funding cuts for sector councils by joining together behind Trucking HR Canada. Ongoing financial support for this group’s work will help to ensure every business voice is heard, and it will strengthen Canada’s long-term strategies to promote career opportunities.

6.

The wish: Think beyond people-moving strategies when funding infrastructure.

The reason: Canada’s infrastructure deficit slows freight as well as commuters.

Canada’s infrastructure is crumbling faster than it is being replaced. The result is a $145-billion infrastructure deficit, according to the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. Existing investments would need to increase $20-30 billion a year over the next decade just to catch up.

Still, many recently approved projects seem to focus on the movement of commuters, suggesting that freight is often an afterthought.

Everyone benefits from steps to reduce highway congestion, but investments which focus exclusively on the movement of goods – such as intermodal connections or enhanced highway interchanges -- will make a difference of their own.

Where should the money for this work come from? We would suggest larger shares of existing road taxes, fuel taxes, permit fees, licensing fees or vehicle-related HST payments.

7.

The wish: Continue ongoing research to support evolving regulations.

The reason: Challenges do not end when potential solutions emerge.

Effective regulations are not set in stone. They evolve as new science emerges. Look no further than changing Hours of Service regulations or proposals to screen drivers for sleep apnea.

Better science comes through an ongoing commitment to research around commercial vehicles and drivers. Canada has already played leading roles in setting the standards which govern everything from rear under-ride guards to daytime running lights and North America’s cargo securement rules. During the Private Motor Truck Council’s recent annual conference, meanwhile, we learned about Canadian research which proved Low Rolling Resistance (LRR) tires can deliver better fuel economy without sacrificing winter traction or durability. Those are just a few examples.

Transport Canada’s EcoTechnology for Vehicles II (eTV) program is now testing vehicle technologies that will be on the market in the next 10 to 15 years, shaping safety and environmental rules alike. And where else but Canada should we test how well natural gas vehicles run in cold conditions, or how we might prepare our highway network for future convoys of automated “platooning” trucks which are led by a single driver?

Our industry and regulations continue to move forward. A federal commitment to related research will keep things moving in the right direction.

Current News

It's well past time the Feds Provinces Territories Come Together to effectively Monitor Commercial Motor Carrier Safety Fitness Rating

The Feds, Provinces & Territories Must Work Together to effectively Monitor Carrier Safety Fitness

 

The System in place currently has been broken for a long time, and solutions offered by Industry have yet to be acted upon

(the below is an exert of a communication that was sent by the PMTC to the CCMTA, Transport Canada & The Council of Ministers Responsible for Transportation)

Currently Commercial Motor Carriers who wish to operate a trucking fleet in Canada must apply for a Safety Fitness Certificate to the Provincial Authority in which they plan to licence their vehicles. If the Provincial Authority of the base jurisdiction approves the application, a National Safety Code (NSC) will be issued to the Carrier. The base jurisdiction is then responsible for monitoring the motor carrier for safety and compliance, based on National Safety Code 14, which is a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) all jurisdictions agreed to several years back. https://www.ccmta.ca/en/national-safety-code 

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