Your private fleet’s name and brand represent more than a service: it defines your team, your company’s values, and your presence and impact throughout the community.
Each and every day, within your team, there are individuals who see opportunities to go above and beyond in their role and duty to serve others – at work and throughout the community. These allies, mentors and leaders are the heart of your fleet; they set a new standard that positively reflects your company’s reputation on and off the road; and they deserve to be recognized by you, their peers, and industry at-large.
Introducing the PMTC Awards Program: the heart of the PMTC Annual Conference, where attendees, sponsors and industry professionals across North America gather to celebrate the Award nominees / winners and learn about their unique paths to success.
Every nomination has a story to be heard – from a professional driver with a million-mile incident-free driving record to a fleet with a top tier safety program – and with the support of our sponsors, our goal is to share every story at the Conference and throughout the year.
We interviewed PMTC members James Johnstone, Head of Transportation with Giant Tiger, and Jason Libralesso, Director of Transportation with Home Hardware Stores Limited, to learn more about their companies’ stories of success and what led them to nominating key individuals – and their fleet at-large – for the PMTC Awards Program.
GIANT TIGER
Giant Tiger has operated its private fleet, Tiger Trucking, for nearly 40 years. The Tiger Trucking fleet consists of over 250 fleet-related employees and 200 drivers who service 260 stores across Canada. Based out of Johnstown, ON, each store gets serviced three times a week, and the fleet operates on a very highly regulated schedule.
James explains that part of Giant Tiger’s success is how regulated and consistent its driving and delivery schedules are, stating, “We have the same drivers doing the same routes every day, so we know where they’re going, what location they’re going to, and what product they need to deliver – compared to other carriers where a different driver goes to a different location every day.”
Thanks to this consistent, weekly routine, Giant Tiger’s drivers have long-term relationships with the management team and staff within each designated store. And since each store is franchised, this opens the door for drivers – and the company at-large – to go above and beyond in their service to support the community.
“Our team is deeply involved with community engagement. Throughout the year, we participate in community-led initiatives and our drivers proudly participate and play a significant role in each event,” says James.
Another key element to Giant Tiger’s success is the company’s commitment to safety. Giant Tiger’s safety program is reviewed annually (if not sooner) and newly-hired drivers are enrolled in a 50-hour on-boarding program. Each month, the leadership team proudly presents one of their professional drivers with a “Driver of the Month Award” and celebrates the team’s accomplishments throughout the year.
James is grateful for his team and their commitment to Giant Tiger’s values, stating, “We have so many people on our team who make safety a priority, including our recent Canadian Hall of Fame for Professional Drivers inductee Dave Lalande, who has worked for us for over 35 years,” says James. “Over the years, Dave has seen generations of advancements in technology and has advanced his career along the way. It’s foundational members of the team, like Dave, who truly embrace our values, brand, and safety policies and procedures that make us very successful... and it’s equally important for them to know what we recognize these accomplishments.”
HOME HARDWARE STORES LIMITED
Home Hardware’s fleet consists of nearly 200 fleet-related personnel – including drivers, dispatch, and technicians – and their positive reputation precedes them. For 10 years in a row, Home Hardware has been named one of Canada’s Top Fleet Employers by Trucking HR Canada; is a 10-time winner of the PMTC Fleet Safety Awards; and has multiple drivers, including 2024 inductee Bob Kestner, in the Canadian Hall of Fame for Professional Drivers. The company’s team operates out of three sites and proudly services its stores across Canada.
Jason says that the company’s leadership is very proud of their team and their positive presence on and off the road. “Across our three sites, we have 1,000 years of safe driving combined within our different driver groups: a very significant achievement for a group of 135 drivers. We have drivers with 30+ years’ experience and, overall, a team who is proudly aligned with Home Hardware’s safety values. When you see our trucks driving down the road, it supports peoples’ positive perceptions of Home Hardware,” says Jason.
Part of Home Hardware’s long-term success is how the company values and prioritizes safety. Jason explains that when it comes to commercial vehicle safety, Home Hardware is consistently evolving its programs, policies and technology; meanwhile, places high emphasis on maintaining a strong CVOR score throughout the fleet. This dedication comes with building and nurturing trust with the drivers.
"We trust our drivers and know that they’re making the right decisions. With the acceptance of new technologies [in the trucks], drivers are becoming more interested and invested in their safety scores. Each month, we post the top safety scores and celebrate those drivers at each site,” says Jason. “The goal is to nurture engagement with the drivers and create opportunities for learning from and mentoring one another.”
THE VALUE OF RECOGNITION
In today’s world, it is vitally important to recognize your entire team and key staff members for their dedicated service and support within your company. All it costs is a bit of time, and your investment will pay off in spades: your team will feel valued, and their presence and impact will enforce your positive reputation in the community. It’s truly a win-win.
With the support of our sponsors, we are pleased to present this year’s line-up of Awards:
The Rick Austin Memorial Dispatcher Award, sponsored by CPC Logistics Canada, was established as a tribute to the memory of Rick Austin, Fleet Dispatcher at CPC, who passed away suddenly on March 15, 2017. This Award recognizes the exceptional (and often underappreciated) efforts of dispatchers, who have made an outstanding contribution to their company, in the past year or over the course of their career.
The PMTC-TruckRight Canadian Hall of Fame for Professional Drivers recognizes superior, over the road performance of drivers employed by PMTC members. Each year, the PMTC inducts up to four drivers – and collectively, the Hall of Fame celebrates all the great drivers who truly define the greatness of our industry.
The PMTC-AVIVA Canada Private Fleet Safety Awards promotes best practices in private fleet safety management and improved road safety. The Awards recognize the private truck fleets most committed to safety improvement – especially where they exceed National Safety Code requirements. (This Award is available to all private and dedicated fleets in Canada).
The PMTC-Tenstreet Young Leaders Education Bursary will award one PMTC Young Leader and one Mohawk College Supply Chain Management Program Student with an Education Bursary that will cover the costs to complete two of the four courses that are required to complete the PMTC Logistics Management Graduate Program.
The PMTC-KRTS Professional CMV Driver Training Scholarship will cover the costs for a full Training Program through KRTS (or another registered training provider outside of Ontario). This Program is an intensive 200-hour course that will prepare the professional driver with a high level of training set by the Truck Training Schools Association of Ontario (TTSAO)’s mandatory requirements.
The PMTC & 3M Vehicle Graphics Design Awards Competition recognizes fleet operators and graphic design companies who graphically enhance their vehicles. (This Award is available to all private and dedicated fleets in Canada).
Take the time to nominate an individual who inspires others, drives change, and takes great pride in operating safely – and we will take care of the rest. To learn more and submit your nomination(s), please visit www.pmtc.ca by April 30, 2025.
To register for our Annual Conference, taking place from June 17-19 at the Niagara Falls Convention Centre, visit www.pmtc.ca – where you’ll find our full Agenda, Awards Program line-up, sponsorship options and more! If you have any questions along the way, please contact Executive Assistant Annette Kieft at info@pmtc.ca or 905-827-0587 ext. 101.
Thank you for your time, consideration and dedication to our industry – we look forward to learning your stories of success and celebrating alongside you at the Conference!
Mike Millian
President
trucks@pmtc.ca
