For Immediate Release
PMTC & AVIVA AWARD
PRIVATE FLEETS FOR SAFETY PERFORMANCE
The Private Motor Truck Council of Canada and Aviva Canada announced awards for Canadian Private Fleet Safety as part of the PMTC’s annual conference on June 22nd in Hamilton, On.
The competition is open to all Canadian private carriers, and membership in the PMTC is not a requirement. Judging is conducted by an independent panel and follows established criteria with a focus on the company’s overall safety regime and it’s over the road record.
The 2023 award winners were:
Mid-Sized Fleet, under 75 Power Units: John Deere Canada ULC.
Large Fleet, 75 and over Power Units: Home Hardware Stores Ltd.
“The members of the PMTC appreciate the support of Aviva for these private fleet safety awards. The awards are a tangible sign of the commitment of Aviva and the PMTC to truck safety, a commitment that has been part of the PMTC’s mandate since our inception in 1977.
“The process of applying for one of these awards provides a checklist for fleet managers to see what the best in class fleets are doing to maintain their safety programs. Even if you do not believe you will win an award, there is an immense benefit to going through the process of entering”, said PMTC President Mike Millian.
“Along with Aviva, we at the PMTC congratulate the management and drivers of these fleets,” Millian went on to say. “The efforts of everyone involved with these fleets, and many others in the PMTC membership, points to their desire to keep road safety foremost in their operations. All of the 2023 award winners and applicants deserve our congratulations.”
Millian also expressed the PMTC’s appreciation to Aviva for making these awards possible, saying that “Aviva is an example of a company that promotes and supports the safe operation of truck fleets – we, along with the trucking community, appreciate their involvement and support.”
Additional information on award winners follows.
Additional information contact:
Private Motor Truck Council of Canada Tel: 905-827-0587
225 Main Street East Fax: 905-827-8212
Milton, Ontario. L9T 1N9 website: www.pmtc.ca
email: info@pmtc.ca
-30-
John Deere Canada ULC
John Deere has operated its private fleet in Canada for 46 years. It consists of 64 power units and 295 trailers running 11.2 million kilometers in 2022.
The fleet distributes agricultural parts throughout Canada and the United States. It is C-TPAT, CSA, and FAST approved.
The fleet personnel includes 76 employees, and their drivers are supplied by CPC Logistics Canada. As a ten-time winner of the Private Fleet Safety award, John Deere has demonstrated a strong commitment to safety in its operations.
The company has a written safety policy that is updated annually. Prior experience, education, and reference checks all factor into the hiring process.
Potential new-hires for driving positions are preferred to have 3 years of verifiable driving experience, are required to submit current driver and CVOR abstracts, undergo a pre-employment medical, drug and alcohol screening, and must pass a written and road test.
New hires receive 2 days of in-house training on company procedures, product handling, and safety practices. Drivers are trained and certified on TDG, HOS, and CSA regulations and participate in quarterly safety meetings. John Deere also uses Electronic Logs, and utilizes EOBR’s to monitor its driver’s compliance with speed limits.
John Deere conducts a full investigation into every incident involving the fleet, including written reports, interviews and remedial training where required.
Monthly supervisory and management safety meetings are held, and quarterly driver meetings.
The company also offers a broad-based safety related awards program for the drivers, which includes tracking performance on HOS, fuel consumption, over speed, sudden stops and on time performance, which can result in performance bonuses. This program has been strongly embraced by the drivers and has resulted in significant performance improvements.
All of this effort pays dividends as the John Deere fleet has an incredible CVOR violation rate of only 2.11% and an accident ration of 2.3 per million km’s.
Home Hardware Stores Ltd.
Home Hardware has operated one of the most visible private fleets in Canada for over 58 years. Home Hardware consists of 176 fleet related personnel; drivers, dispatch and technicians. The fleet consists of 148 tractors, 605 trailers, and 2 straight trucks, and in the current year they operated 20.8 million kilometers.
Selection of new drivers for Home Hardware is a rigorous process that consists of a review of their application, current driver and CVOR Abstracts and previous employment history. This is followed up by 2 interviews, as well as reference checks prior to a road test. Newly hired drivers receive a week of in-person and online orientation and training, dock training, and time accompanied by a driver coach.
If the new hire has less than 3-years’ experience, they will be placed with a driver coach for a period of up to 6 weeks, and must have gone through an approved Entry Level Training Course. Although drivers are continuously monitored throughtout the probation period, a formal performance review is undertaken with all new drivers after 3 months. Providing performances are acceptable, the driver may then offered full time employment.
All accidents or incidents are reported immediately and reviewed by a direct supervisor and the safety and compliance manager. GPS tracking, Elogs, statements, dashcam video and pictures are reviewed and an interview is conducted with the driver. Annually, all accidents are reviewed by an accident review committee, consisting of management members and a committee of drivers, elected by their peers. The committee will make a determination on preventability and on the driver’s eligibility for the companies’ safe driving awards, safe driving bonus program and a profit-sharing bonus program.
Home Hardware encourages its team members to participate in the Regional and Provincial Truck Driving Championships and has been named one of Canada’s Top Fleet Employers by Trucking HR Canada 10 straight years.
Home Hardware currently has an impressive CVOR violation rate of 7.03%. As a 10-time winner of the PMTC Fleet Safety Awards, Home Hardware continues to stand the test of time.
