June 24th, July 1st, The Vacations are Coming!

In Quebec we have the advantage to be able to rehearse the week before our neighbours of Ontario for Canada Day traffic. On Friday the 29th, I was on my way to Toronto for a delivery and another load to the USA, I saw a few situations of human non-sense I had to take pictures of.

I can say that there is some people in a rush to get to the day off and there is some people in a rush to get to destination to start the vacations. Here is two examples.

If you clic on the picture, you will see in front of the car in the left lane a tent trailer pulled by a minivan. The time it took to get out the camera, it was already far. The tent trailer is nose diving and the van has the rear lowered by the weigh. The kids in the back, the wife and even I think I saw a dog. This is an example of somebody in a rush to get on location for the vacations. At the time of the picture, I was cruising at 108Kmh



You will excuse the bad focus, it's a new camera and I'm still not familiar with all the fonctions.










This is an example of somebody in a ruch to get to the long weekend. Even a three hundred and something fine is not going to get in his way. There again, I was rolling about the same speed as my encounter with the happy camper. Fortunatly there is more professional drivers on the roads then there is careless truckers. Can you imagine what a MPP can think seeing this?
"When we vote for the mandatory speed limiters, I'll vote yes even if this is a situation of lacking enforcement"

With this in mind and on the upcoming vacation season at our front door, we need to act like what we are: Professional Drivers. We all saw in the past terrorist LCV's (I mean tourist), the kind that has a boat hooked to a car that is hooked to a motor home! Or the other version of a pick-up truck pulling a 5th wheel that pulls a boat trailer!

Many of these people don't even drive hauling a trailer the miles we run in a week, a five day week. Let's keep an eye open for them and let them enjoy their vacation.

Jean Catudal

LCV’s, Still Some Controversy!

There I go again being the devil’s advocate with my ideas. A study requested by the Canadian Trucking Alliance and Energy Mines Resources Canada shows the advantages about letting LCV (Long Combination Vehicles) and how they could reduce the GHG, the fuel needed to move the same tonnage of freight. The study, which is available on the web site of the CTA (www.cantruck.com), also shows that LCV’s are safer on the road then regular single trailer trucks. There are many forms of LCV

• Turnpike Doubles that are of two long trailers (48’)
• Rocky Mountain Doubles that are one long trailer (48’) and one short (28’)
• Triples that are of three short trailers (28’)

The points that I don’t understand in the study, maybe because I’m a driver not a scientist, is the data for the comparison that have been taken. Currently in Quebec, LCV are allowed only in the corridors of Rivière du Loup/Montreal on the south shore and Quebec/Montreal on the north shore of the Saint Lawrence. They are not allowed in the winter months. Considering the slippery roads of winter that would change the accident numbers, the data on safety is not quite accurate.

Another point to look at. The CTA would like to see these LCV’s run in the Halifax/Windsor corridor. Whoever has driven in the Maritime Provinces knows that this is not the flattest place. It’s almost 40% of thT road is in hills between the two furthest points. The data was taken on the actual corridors of Quebec and in the Prairies where most LCV’s are Rocky Mountain Doubles.

Another pilot project is going on in New-Brunswick for LCV’s. The route between Saint John and Dieppe is used there to measure the impact. Again that road is much flatter then the Fredericton/Edmundston on the Trans-Canada where most LCV’s will be running.

A study of the California DOT made in 1984 shows different results then the one requested by the CTA and EMR. That study also considers the infrastructures that are not adapted to these types of trucks such as rest areas, weigh station, shoulders and ramps. The state of California also has many grades. The speed was also measured and compared to regular single trailer trucks.

http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/traffops/trucks/trucksize/lcv-op-test.pdf

I’m no scientist, only a driver, but looking at the deterioration of the road network in Quebec, I really don’t know how it could support the extra stress of LCV’s all year round. The ones in favour of them will say that they are not as heavy per axel compared to a 5 axel single trailer truck rolling on the American road network but, to move the weigh, there is more torque put on the wheels and this will cause more wear and tear on upgrades and ramps. Simple physics will explain. If you put a carpet on a wood floor and you try to push a 25Kg load with your feet on the carpet, this one will be slipping under you. Now try it again with a 50Kg load. It will definitely slip and the load won’t move. Under an LCV, there is the same amount of drive wheels then under a single trailer truck. They just have to work harder to move the load.

There are some advantages for the carriers using LCV’s

• Reduction of fuel costs to move the same freight
• Helps with the driver shortage

There are also some advantages for the governments

• GHG reductions

There are also some disadvantages for the governments

• Accelerated road deterioration
• Less revenues from registrations
• Less revenues from fuel taxes
• Less revenues from income taxes on drivers
• More unemployment

However, even with all the studies available for now, the highway network of Quebec and Ontario is not ready for LCV’s. Autoroute 85 has only 15 of the 100Km required, there is no belt way around Montreal, route 2 in New-Brunswick has some two lanes stretches and the 407 is not completed around the GTA.

Well look at that! One company operating the 407 is also one of the companies retained for the extension of Autoroute 30 in Quebec. Funny coincidence!

Jean Catudal

Too Many Topics on Hold!

I am not on vacation yet, I am waiting after replies from some offices of our nice government of Quebec. The Commission des Transport and the SAAQ are having a ping-pong game with the demands I made for some informations.

You know I don't like to give you informations I can not verify first. So, I'm waiting and I'm rolling the roads of North America.

If you come across me, call me and if I don't reply on 19, try the 12!
If you are passing me, make me a sign to take the mike!

Happy trails!

Welcome to the Aussies!

Will it be the Australian flag, the Quebec flag or a sleeping pill maker’s flag that will float on the new bridge of Autoroute 25?

The lease operator of the bridge is the same that operates the Chicago Skyway, the Indiana, Toll Road the 407ETR and is running up for Autoroute 30 on the south shore of Montreal. This bank puts to sleep the governments with lump sums of money in exchange of all the revenues from the tolls. Puts in non competition conditions in the leases to take out of our pockets as much as possible for the use of the roadway. Remember that a private company must pay dividends to the stock holders before pleasing the users.

I don’t usually hold these kinds of socialist comments. I am the first one aiming to make profits out of my small business, but to serve on a silver platter an infrastructure to a foreign entity, NO WAY!!!

We are not talking about the management of a building on a public ground it is a roadway we are talking about. When the construction will be over with, the local contractors paid, where will the profits go? There will be no income tax paid on the salaries of the toll collectors, they use electronic tolling. A picture of your plate is all that is needed. After they will ask the SAAQ to hold the renewal of your plates if you don’t pay the tolls like they did in Ontario. I’d like to remind you that the government of Ontario has tried in court to keep the tolls low on the 407 and never succeeded.

With all the involved Ministers, the Mayor of Laval and many of the elected officials of the area, we got served our first PPP roadway this Saturday morning. As a former citizen of Laval, I wanted that bridge and I had even signed the petition for it but, when I observe the way this company acts elsewhere, it leaves me with questions.

Jean Catudal

Truck Stop 500!

This is not a list of the best 500 truck stops, it is in the spirit of NASCAR that I gave the title this twist. Being a dog owner, I often park on the side or the back of parking lots. My little Coffette is fussy and takes care of her business on grassy patches instead of blacktop.

Walking around my furry friend, I hear, before I see, a truck here and there passing gears in high revolution and gears are passed, 1^st,2^nd,3^rd,4^th,5^th, the rpm very high and if I judge by my truck, it’s in the 22 to 25 mph that truck is rolling in the aisles of the lot. Frustration from the last call to dispatch, a message on the satellite, waking up late, or any other reason to put the hammer down.

We can almost hear: ”Gentlemen, start you engines!” but, the engine was already idling for long hours and the excess of oil in the cylinders is burning blue in the stack. It happened that another truck stop stressed driver comes along the end of a row and in the path of the first one that is rolling out. We all heard of fender benders, I was even a victim of one in early December (see pictures at the end). How many times in an angled parking lot, we can barely see on the right side what is coming up and all of a sudden, the stressed driver pulls up.

In the debate on speed limiters, should we ask to also put a device as found in IRL and Formula 1 in the pits that limits the speed and turns off the engine brake. I was forgetting these stressed drivers often don’t turn it off. I like them with straight pipes too…

I know, I am a little bit sarcastic but, please, have some considerations for the other ones. Going out of the parking lot a little bit slower may only take a few seconds more in you day of work and may avoid you a fender bender that will hold you up for way longer

Jean Catudal

Mandatory Speed Limiters is Picking up Support

Since July 2005 when the OTA first started to push this issue, the political supports have been growing. A recent comment from the OPP’s commissioner Julian Fantino shows his support, The Minister of Transportation Donna Canfield also, even Prime Minister Dalton McGivney has fallen under media pressure according to a press release of the Association on its web site. The official opposition in Queen’s Park support to with Laurie Scott and her Private Bill 115 proposed in 2006.

Last year, when the Quebec Government presented the “Plan d’action Québécois 2006-2012 sur les changements climatiques”(Quebec’s plan for Climate Changes 2006-1012), the figures show a reduction of GHG by imposing a government mandate to have all heavy trucks limited to 105Kmh.

I have to say that I don’t have the exact number for the truck count in Quebec but, with the size of the population and the number of carriers, I am leaded to think that the truck fleet is smaller then our neighbour of Ontario. What I am questioning on this issue, unless someone somewhere did a miscalculation, how do we get a greater reduction in Quebec of GHG?

A total of 330kt is what the document forecasts for 2012 while Ontario has a forecast of 140kt. Even if I subtract the 82kt that the PIEVAL Program should cut in GHG, note that Ontario has the “Drive Clean” program since many years, the sum is still over 100kt then our neighbouring province.

Still to this day, nothing is in the plans for light vehicles in Quebec, other then a tax on engines over 4liters, attached to the yearly registration fee, or incentive to get more fuel efficient cars. Nothing to have mandatory yearly C02 inspections on cars like in most jurisdictions in North America, to be able to register it with the government.

When will we have higher fines for speeders? Air pollution tickets for speeders, in general, over the fines for smoking heavy trucks? If I can allow me a comment on speeding, cut the 20Kmh tolerance over the posted speed limit. A tolerance of 5Kmh if enough and a fine scaling to discourage lead foot or repeating offenders. Why is it only to heavy trucks to do the effort? Speeding and fines, this is surely another topic to talk about.

What can we do, professional drivers, to put a stop to the issue or to start up a real debate on mandating speed limiters to regulate the speed of heavy trucks?

A few easy solutions can make a difference. We, Owner-operators and drivers, have to regroup to show our strength. In Canada, there is OBAC and in the USA OOIDA. They are the voices for the professional drivers. The power is in the numbers, the more we will be, the more we will weigh in. Currently, I know that the Canadian Association needs our support more then ever to represent us well at all levels of government.

You must also let you elected officials know about the impacts of these mandates can have on your income, on you business. You can find on the “Useful Links” in the right column, how to access to your MPP or MP, the sites of the Premiers of Canada, Ontario or Quebec.

I invite you to have another look at some previous posting on this blog.

March 2007: “Sharing My Views on Driver Pay and Leases to O-O’s”

January 2007: “Aren’t you tired of dying dummies? It’s enough!”

If some influent members of the trucking industry want to level the playing field by imposing on all to activate the speed limiting chip of the ECM of trucks starting from 1995, like in Europe, it’s all the European plan that has to be setup. This includes the way drivers are paid.

Asking to everyone to operate the same way, by modifying laws, is like asking the governments to step back and regulating the road transportation. This time, it’s not the permitting that is to be regulated, it’s the operations that will be. The deregulation was asked to let the market do its job in the industry, to take away the barriers of territories and the multiplicity of permits.

We need to remember that the economies of Canada and the USA are based on free market. The choice of an entrepreneur to have his truck, or trucks, run in a certain way is and should stay a business decision, not another rule or regulation to comply by. But if my memory is still good, this is why there is a “Highway Safety Code”.

Jean Catudal

A Real Nice Volvo!

This morning, while doing a fuel stop in Lake Station, I saw this truck. A Volvo with a 120” sleeper is not a common thing in any truck stop. I was wondering if I was the only one to have that idea to take a day-cab and put on a custom sleeper. I got my answer. But to be honest, I had seen one at the MATS in Louisville last year, in the parking a FedEx truck with about the same setup.

Except, this morning, the owner was there and he gladly answered some of my questions. Donald Beukman, a very good guy, even gave me a little bit more. We talked a good 45 minutes while enjoying the nice sunshine.

I couldn’t tour the interior, Ms Dale Beukman, which is also the co-driver, was in her rest period. I can tell you what you can find inside. Refrigerator-freezer, sink, toilet and shower, double bunks, a table and storage, lots of it for the long trips they have to do.

DD Haulit, from Florida, is leased to Clark Transfer and they haul shows. Being out on the road for months at the time and stopped for days, they need a good living area.

About the truck, it’s a day-cab with a 274” wheelbase, powered by a Cummins ISX engine, 18 speed automatic transmission, 8Kw generator, deep cycle marine batteries, topped off by a 120” by 96” custom sleeper by ICT.

2 other questions you may have, the weigh of it is 25,000lbs. You can see Joe Brown of S+S Volvo in Lima Ohio for the specs and you will need a cheque of $186,000 to roll it out with all warranties and prep.

But, it’s a real nice truck!