Professional Driver or Professional Truck Driver?

We all heard the expression “Freight Relocation Engineer” and had a big smile to have such a title that seem like a lot of school years are behind it. A true Professional Truck Driver is not only a Professional Driver. A coach operator is also a Professional Driver and must use a lot of skill and smoothness in driving.

To be a Professional Truck Driver you must demonstrate a good general attitude. How many times did it happen towards the end of the week that a load is dispatched to you and it will bring you away from home and you may arrive a day later? The true professional won’t let it show to the customers and other road users. The driver will stay courteous, respectful of the laws, safety because if Murphy’s Law kicks in, if something has to happen, it will happen.

The roads are going to be bad, the weather non favourable, the things to slow down are all present and many are going to fall in the temptation to follow to closely, go over the hours of service or cut off as many stops as possible. Others will be noticed by a lack of patience, sarcasms towards the receivers of shippers, mostly if a spot in the docks is not available and if one is, the freight is not ready to be loaded.

I could write pages on the reasons and the causes that make these events, the psychological way to deal with them but, I am not a psychologist or a social worker. Many, I am one, are going to act in an impulsive way and could start singing the famous Johnny Paycheck song “Take this job and shove it”. Easier for a paid company driver to do so then the owner-operator with all the financial impacts to act too quickly.

We all have a story that involves a “4wheeler” that did something really dumb but, we forget easily the hundreds that are showing courtesy, making a sign with their lights when the path is clear to come back. Did you ever think that is also a two way street? What kind of thought they have on the truck driver?

It is by all your actions on the road, on the docks and with the general crowd that you will let your professionalism shine trough even if you are not noticed for it but you will be greatly appreciated in any circumstances.

Only fools don’t change their minds!

By this blog, I declare that I am not a fool…

Last February, I wrote on my French blog some comments on my past participation on XM 172 with Jacques. We had our differences but today, after many talks, meetings and we have settled many things we had the differences. It is for me today a pleasure to announce that I will join the “Plante Brothers” and put back my 2cents on hot topics of our industry.

Over the months, I have made many contacts among journalists of the trucking industry and I will comment the news when asked to do so. Far from me the idea that I am a journalist, no! Only a commentator like I do here on these blogs since November 2006.

To top it off, Jacques as asked me to look over the news lines and the texts on the web site LeCamionneur.com. It’s a new challenge that I am very happy to take and I hope I will be up to your expectations. If not, let me know!

If I understood of properly, I should become the “Over the Road” collaborator to the program. If you come across my path on the road, gimme a hauler and we can talk about any topics of the industry with a cup-a-joe.

I was recently having a chat with my friend Toto and I was telling him that I missed radio but I had no means to fulfill my passion for the moment. I must say a great Thank You to J-F and Jacques Plante to allow me to be back on air. Together we should have the means of our passion to inform you, entertain you and listen to you.

It’s coming soon!

Stay connected to the web!

Mandatory Speed Limiters and Bill 42

On December 21^st, Bill 42 got the Royal Sanction to become a law. This means that the Minister, or the successor, can by decree, put the various article in application. I still have hope that one day our ministers will have their nomination based on their qualifications and not only their gender to please some pressure groups.

At my testimony to the Transportation and Environnement Commission in Quebec, I did get for you the confirmation that the Minister would not impose mandatory speed limiters until all Canadian Provinces have the same article of law on the books. It is now to you to inform about the impact such restriction may have to your elected officials in your provinces so your governments don’t kneel down in front of the Canadian Trucking Alliance and their demand. After all, the main reason is to level the playing field to their advantage and repress competition from within Canada and from the outside.

For the rest of Bill 42, one more time we witnessed the lack of backbone at it’s best. When it comes to alcohol levels, other then the fines which are now doubled, it is still left to a judge to give a ridiculous jail time mostly done during weekends or reduced for good behaviour. Nothing really serious for repeat offenders unless, they have killed while driving under the influence. Even the Minister did drop out of the bill the reduction to ,05 of the legal limit of ,08. In my book, this was only a tax in disguise. Putting the rule like the rest of Canada would be a good idea.

Mandatory use of snow tires is a good point. I can not as a Professional Driver oppose to that. If a fatality accident is avoided because a four wheeler lost it in front of a truck, or mine, I agree on the measure. However, I find that keeping these tires on until April 1^st is a little late for Antique or Muscle car owners that would like to take for a spin their prised vehicle on Easter weekend. This only applies to taxis and cars so, I will be able to take my bike for a ride on March 1^st weather permitting.

The ban on hand held phones totally misses the point by not including text messaging devices. If holding and talking on the phone is a distraction and a cause of accident, reading or writing a text message is even more. In other words, if your Blackberry is not used as a phone, you can read or write message while going off the road or rear ending another vehicle. That is if you don’t want to stop in a secure area to do so.

For the new drivers, this will now include drivers over 25 years of age. Even if they have achieved a certain maturity, they still lack the experience of driving. All the reasons are good to ask for a permit at a later age.

Finally the high speed drivers have not been left out. If only the Minister of Public Safety would put on his pants and force to limit any tolerance on speeding and on delinquents like in Ontario, our roads would be safer.

Maybe we should ask the government, because we don’t do anything here any more by ourselves, the construction of drag strips and tracks for street racers?

If we wait after them, and all the studies of the BAPE, the spotted bullfrog protection committees, and, to say like a radio person I know, the one-legged-croatian-lesbian groups, this will not happen in a short term. We are still waiting for completion of A-30 around Montreal for over 30 years…

Happy New Year 2008

I did not update my English blog recently. The topics were mostly for the French speaking Canadians. I hope you will forgive me this time. In this time of the year, most of us take a step back to look at what happened in the last 365 days and what could be in store for us for the next 366, 2008 is a leap year…

2007 has surprised many with diesel fuel over the $3.25 mark in the USA while in Canada, the price of a litre of the same precious oil has closed over the dollar in Ontario. The manufacturing slow down had a toll on the trucking industry also. Many plants are either moving where the labour costs are cheaper, are cutting back on the shifts if not closing completely. Our governments are saying that every thing is going good. I wonder if they live on the same planet we are, especially in Quebec

Enough pessimism, let’s look at some good things that happened too. There is a rise in the solidarity among Owner-Operators and Professional Drivers. The associations that regroup them are picking up membership to voice their comments. Here in Quebec, we have seen the start of a new activity for drivers and their families with the Convoy for Special Olympics. The true Professionals are taking a stand and leaving their mark by their courtesy, respect and communications, not only within the driver’s community but also with the public and other road users. Many Medias don’t see it this way and are still showing trucks and truckers as nuisances on the roads with biased polls to sell more papers. To communicate our passion of trucks and lifestyle we have, this will help the general public to understand that without trucks, the economy comes to a screeching halt and if we keep on having restrictions and new regulations, the price of consumer goods is only going to go up.

What I see coming up for 2008.

Honestly, I would be a fool to say that fuel prices will go down. I see a little bit of relief with some more stable prices. I may not have a crystal ball but, I have a feeling that 2008 will see some funny merges among carriers, if not some unexpected closings. The battle to stop Mandatory Speed Limiters in Canada will go on and to stop this madness and we will need a strong voice represent us in all Provinces. The governments needs to know that there is more Owner-Operators then carriers in this country and we need to keep all the tools we currently have to keep up with the large fleets.

Since many laws in many jurisdictions are made that we can not stop to protest, I have a suggestion to make in the beginning of the New Year. Why not make it a habit to run compliant? This is the only way to show to every one that the rules and regulations we have to deal with every day are putting a burden on us. If we keep on hiding the facts, how can we show them!

The true secret is to stay informed. All public documents are available online to read. Staying ahead of the ball is more then ever important if we all want to succeed in this industry we love so dearly.

Happy trails and stay safe for 2008

Presentation at the Quebec Parliament

Friday November 30th, OBAC was at the « Committee on Transport and Environment » to represent you Professional Drivers. Yours truly was asked to do the presentation. I did my best to be as communicative of your concerns to the government of Quebec. OBAC has made some allies at this commission. I invite you to follow the links to make up your mind. I should comment on t shortly. . The links are to the presentation of OBAC, Quebec’s Road Controllers and the QTA. Quebec being a French speaking Province, unfortunately, all presentations are in French. If you are curious, go ahead and look them up

OBAC’s presentation
http://diffusion.assnat.qc.ca/video/cte/cte200711301221.wmv

Quebec Road Controllers
http://diffusion.assnat.qc.ca/video/cte/cte200711291709.wmv

QTA’s presentation
http://diffusion.assnat.qc.ca/video/cte/cte200711291556.wmv

We will talk about it soon!

Calculating Green House Gases (GHG)

If you go back on my blog in the month of May, I was sharing some apprehensions on the calculation by our Quebec civil servants and their researches on the GHG reductions
See: http://thetruckingblog.blogspot.com/2007/05/mandatory-speed-limiters-is-picking-up.html

I saw today a survey made by Statistics Canada on registered vehicles in Canada. The numbers leave me with event more questions and they should do the same for you.

The Green Plan 2006-2012 in Quebec expects that heavy trucks could reduce 330kt of GHG by a mandated speed limiter. I am still wondering how Ontario comes to 140kt.

It there is in Ontario 7,130,694 vehicles including 211,779 vehicles over 4,5tonnes, how can we in Quebec with 4,471,723 vehicles including 98,320 of these over 4,5tonnes and double the GHG reductions?

I suggest you ask the question to the concerned Ministers…

Source:
http://www.statcan.ca/english/freepub/53-223-XIE/53-223-XIE2006000.pdf

A Strike! To Do or Not To Do?

Funny question as an opening title. Personally, I never was in favour of such a movement mostly because international and inter-provincial transportation are ruled by the Canadian labour laws. The only big losers are the drivers and the small business trucker. I am using the topic Jacques Plante talked about last week on his radio program. I wasn’t able to air my comments on his show.

Jacques also pointed out the rules of law in Bill 130 that puts a restriction to pressure tactics that can be used by truck drivers after the road blocks done in the past. Our governments being reactive administrators, they answered to drivers demands against load brokers in their protests by new laws to keep trucks rolling in the late 90’s.

What do we have left?

Many would say: “nothing!”

No, we still have a very powerful weapon and we use it every day. If we apply the proverb “The pen is stronger then the sword” we all have a pen, a ruler and a log book. The best way to beat the system which we are cheating with the lame excuse that we don’t make a profit is to run the system by the book. How can we prove our points if we continue to be creative and sweat at any scale that is slow to give the green light?

If written words meaningful, spoken one are lost in the air. We can complain until the cows come home, if we have nothing to support our sayings, these are only words. By taking action and with some good will, we have the possibility to slow down the economy without putting it to a screeching halt, without breaking any rules or laws and with no fines attached. We must deliver the goods and not use cheating to cover up an extended stop to shoot the breeze in a truck stop or to cover the expected traffic jam. We must assume the consequences of our actions too. This is the basics of professionalism in any field of work. If the demands of the customer are impossible to do, you must advise them from the start.

I once told a dispatcher that my job is to carry a load from point A to Point B in a safe and legal manner. We are not there to repair others mistakes. The road throws at us enough things unexpected already. After all, the first one blamed is the driver in many cases.

Why not take the resolution for 2008 to make things change by running compliant?