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Are your border-crossers ACE-ready?

PG. 24

The Business Magazine of Canadas Trucking Industry

PROFILE: His key to success? Keeping growth in check, PG. 32

Tested: CATS 07ACERT engine

PG.35

Sorting out yourtracking needs

PG. 51

SeawayExpresssFounderBobGauthier

January/February 2006www.todaystrucking.com

ALSO:The new-stopping-

distance rules, PG.45

Just Seter on Cruise?

Road Ahead for 06The

These are some of the things that lead companies

to us. For years weve been committed to building

you fuel-efficient trucks that lower your operating

costs and increase profits. Thats why we invested

in a state-of-the-art wind tunnel facility to

optimize the aerodynamics of our trucks, leading to

innovations in design not found anywhere else. The

result is a smart choice for your business. To learn

more about how Freightliner Trucks can help you

run smart, visit us at www.freightlinertrucks.com.

FREIGHTLIN

freightlinertrucks.com For the Freightliner Trucks Dealer nearest you, call 1-800-FTL-HELP. FTL/MC-A-605. Specifications are subject to change without notice. 2005, Freightliner LLC. All rights reserved. Freightliner Trucks is a member of the Freightliner Group. Freightliner is a DaimlerChrysler company.

ADVANCED AERODYNAMICS.

INCREASED PR

ER TRUCKS.MAXIMUM FUEL EFFICIENCY.

ROFITABILITY.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2006 5

FEATURES

32 PROFILEBOBS WAY Seaway Express expands by keeping growth in check.BY PETER CARTER

35QUICK SPINTHEYLL PLAY BEYOND PEORIA A preview test of Cats 07 ACERT engines. BY JIM PARK

40 COVERTHE ROAD AHEADIndustry leaders share their forecasts of 06and onwards.BY MARCO BEGHETTO

45BRAKESYOUR NEXT BIG BRAKEHow to prep your iron for the new stopping-distance regulations. BY STEPHEN PETIT

COVER PHOTO BY RICK COGBILL

OPINIONS

7 LETTERS9 ROLF LOCKWOOD23 JIM PARK29 RAYMOND MERCURI 31 SCOTT TAYLOR 62 PETER CARTER

SERVICE DEPT

24 ARE YOU READY FOR ACE?

51 HOW TO ASSESS YOURTRACKING NEEDS

55 LOCKWOODS PRODUCT WATCH

VOLUME 20, NO.01

32 Bobs way is Seaway

45 Braking news

Is the sun setting forOntarios older-driver testing?

12 Are ships taking truck business?

14 Drivers vs speed limiters17 Making Arctic inroads 18 On the Docket:

2006 regulations

20 New truck sales

NEWS & NOTES

35We put Cats07 ACERT to

the test

January/February 2006

10DISPATCHESSHADES OF GRAY

6 TODAYS TRUCKING

PUBLISHER & EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

Rolf Lockwood, MCILT ([email protected])416/614-5825

EDITORIAL DEPT.

Editor Peter Carter (peter@)416/614-5828

Senior Editor Marco Beghetto (marco@)416/614-5821

Contributors Jim Park, Duff McCutcheon, Stephen Petit,Allan Janssen, Steve Bouchard, Raymond Mercuri,

Steve Mulligan, David Kosub, Steve Sturgess

DESIGN & PRODUCTION

Director Tim Norton (production@)416/614-5810

Associate Art Director Frank Scatozza

NATIONAL SALES MANAGERCraig Macpherson (craig@) 416/614-5804

SENIOR SALES MANAGERJack Meli (jack@) 416/614-5827

REGIONAL SALES MANAGERSJoe Glionna (joe@) 416/614-5824Linda Nadon (linda@) 450/224-1114

(Montreal)Marketplace Advertising Joe Glionna (joe@) 416/614-5824

NEWCOM BUSINESS MEDIA GROUPPresident Jim GlionnaV.P., Corporate Services Wilson SmithController Anthony EvangelistaProduction Manager Lilianna Kantor

([email protected]) 416/614-5815Director of Circulation Pat Glionna

EDITORIAL & ADVERTISING OFFICES451 Attwell Dr., Etobicoke, ON M9W 5C4416/614-2200 416/614-8861 (fax)

CIRCULATION INFORMATIONP.O. Box 370, Station B, Etobicoke, ON M9W 5L3416/614-2200 416/614-8861 (fax)

Todays Trucking is published monthly except January and July by NEWCOMBUSINESS MEDIA INC., 451 Attwell Dr., Etobicoke, ON M9W 5C4. It isproduced expressly for owners and/or operators of one or more straight trucksor tractor-trailers with gross weights of at least 19,500 pounds, and fortruck/trailer dealers and heavy-duty parts distributors.Subscriptions are freeto those who meet the criteria.For others: single-copy price: $5 plus $0.35 GST;one-year subscription: $34 plus $2.38 GST; one-year subscription in U.S.: $40US;one-year subscription foreign:$65 US.Copyright 2006.All rights reserved.Contents may not be reproduced by any means,in whole or in part,without priorwritten consent of the publisher.The advertiser agrees to protect the publisheragainst legal action based upon libelous or inaccurate statements,unauthorizeduse of photographs,or other material in connection with advertisements placedin Todays Trucking.The publisher reserves the right to refuse advertising which inhis opinion is misleading,scatological,or in poor taste.Postmaster: Addresschanges to Todays Trucking,451 Attwell Dr., Etobicoke, ON M9W 5C4.Postage paid Canadian Publications Mail Sales Agreement No.40063170.ISSN No. 0837-1512. Printed in Canada.

Member, Canadian Circulations

Audit Board Inc.

We acknowledge the financial support of the Government ofCanada through the Publications Assistance Program toward ourmailing costs. PAP Registration No. 10788.

The Business Magazine of Canadas Trucking Industry

Canadian Business Press

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EXCELLENTRetreadability

Duelling dualsI think it is about time we conducted somereal-time super-single-vs-dual tire tests.

Dual wheels are far from trouble-freefor the roads we run on now. Two sets ofrain gutters headline almost every truckroute in Atlantic Canada now.

Improved puncture sealants allow aneven higher sense of security if we knowflat tires on super singles will not put unitsout of service.

Super singles will also permit moreconstant air pressure. The fact is, theyreally work.

Robert Goodwin,Moncton, N.B.

More research, pleaseIf speed limiters are to work, the conceptmust apply to all users of the road and notjust select groups. There is very littleresearch to prove that limiting truckspeeds has any effect on overall road safetyalthough there is evidence that a speed dif-ferential between different types of vehi-cles might in fact have a detrimental effect.

If you as a fleet owner choose to limitthe speed of your company equipment,you have every right to do so. However,when it comes to equipment you do notown, I fail to see how you can force yourpolicy on others.

Peter Campion,Hamilton, Ont.

The endless endorsement dilemma

Re: Is this gap fillable? by Rolf Lockwood,July/August 2005.

I have to disagree with the idea of notletting truck drivers adjust their ownbrakes because so few of them can do itcorrectly. This problem could be correct-ed by not allowing a person to have acommercial vehicle licence for life withoutany regular retesting for competency. Whyis it that a person could take a course onhow to operate and understand the airbrake system, pass the course, get theirendorsement on their licence, and gowork on the dock for the next 10 years andnever get into a truck, and still have the airendorsement on their licence?

Commercial pilots, divers, welders, aswell as many other professions, get testedregularly on their skills ability. Why notprofessional drivers? A licence has to berenewed regularly, so why not throw in aknowledge test on air brakes while theyreat it. Heck, why not throw in a drivers roadtest as well? Professionals are always tak-ing upgrading and courses to stay on top oftheir game. Whats wrong with asking thesame of professional drivers?

Ron Basi, Sidney, B.C.

A need for speedI have logged more than 10 years accidentand citation-free as a owner-operator.Loaded or empty (and depending on myschedule) I usually set my cruise control on105, and then just put my feet up. I used tobrag about the fuel-mileage I was getting.

On the other hand, when I saw a poten-tial situation that might box me in, I madethe necessary decision. That usuallymeant accelerating. And the feeling ofknowing you have the power or the meansis indescribable.

John Basler,Ottawa

HOW TO REACH US: We want your feedback.

Write [email protected], or Letters to

the Editor,Todays Trucking, 451 Attwell Dr.,

Etobicoke, ON M9W 5C4; fax: 416/614-8861.

Letters

Online ResourcesFor industry news, weekly features, daily management tips, truck sales stats,product reviews, and more, go to todaystrucking.com.


Weve come a long way, you and me. Together. And wereabout to take another major step forward. Weve beentravelling together because one thing we both do ismore or less the same: research. When youre looking to spec atruck, investigate some new technology, or just search for ways todo your job better, your movesif you have time to make themarent much different from mine.

Unless, of course, youre lucky enough to be working for a bigoperation with big resources and the clout to have manufacturersand suppliers come to you. If youdont have the time, and if yourenot part of a big machine, chancesare youll often rely on the effortsof this magazine.

Researching a story on yourbehalf used to be a long and ardu-ous task. Especially a technical piece. Id visit local maintenanceshops or dealers to watch an installation or a repair being done,maybe to borrow a manual. It was all very instructive, but very,very time consuming.

Id usually have to call a few manufacturers to ask them to sendme thingsmanuals again, spec sheets, whatever. When the faxmachine arrived on the scene (remember, Ive been doing this forover a quarter century), some things were simplified, but only toa point because not everything can be faxed.

And what about photographs? Necessarily snail mail or theexpense of couriers unless I could snap them myself. Either way,more time, more effort.

But none of that is true any longer. Not even close.Only one thing remains, namely chats with engineers and fleet

supers and a host of others, the people with the knowledge we tryto pass on. By and large those conversations can be done over thephone unless its a complex topic that demands face time. Andincreasingly, they can be done by e-mail.

In fact, I do just about everything at the keyboard nowadays.My basic research is accomplished online, and by judicious use ofsearch engines I find all manner of things I just wouldnt haveuncovered in days gone by. Photographs and other illustrationsare easily found and gathered over the Internet too, of course. Thetime required to research a technical story has been choppeddramatically, and the research is better, broader.

So where am I heading with all this? Its about that major stepforward that were about to take, you and me.

Recognizing that youre very unlikely to have the time to spendat the keyboard the way I do, that most of you work in smallercompanies where you wear a lot of hats and need to know a lot ofstuff, we conceived a way to simplify your lives by saving you timeand maybe frustration. On our website, TodaysTrucking.com,youll now find the first three of what will be at least eightDecision Centers by the time the Truck World show rolls aroundin April. Theyre unique in the trucking world.

Covering specific subject areasthe first three are Brakes;Lubes, Filters and Fuel; and Trucks for Small Fleets and Owner-Operatorstheyre broad collections of information from asmany sources as we can come up with, filtered by our usualeditorial process. Our own archives, manufacturers, associationslike TMC, schools like the University of Michigans reveredTransportation Research Institute, government departments,consultants, you name it. Think of each Decision Center as alibrary holding basic manuals and FAQs and research studies andall manner of advice from experts.

For you it represents one-stop information shopping. Ratherthan searching around a dozen or more websites, visiting a deal-ership, or waiting for the mailman to deliver something youverequested, chances are weve already found and posted whatyoure looking for online. So one quick trip to TodaysTrucking.commight well do the trick for you. If it doesnt, let us know and welldig up what you need.

These Decision Centers are not static creatures, I should note.Theyll be expanded as we gather new information, and updatedconstantly. As we progress down this road well add audio andvideo clips and who knows what else. The possibilities really areinfinite. Other subject areas will include Engines, Drivetrains,Medium-Duty and Vocational Trucks, and Human Resources,among others.

And lest you decide that this foreshadows the end of the mag-azine youre holding, relax. Theyre complementary efforts doingthe same thing: serving your information needs. The means aredifferent, but my job hasnt changed.

Editorial

Endless PossibilitiesWith a major addition to our website, were exploring newways to help you succeed. Knowledge, we figure, is king.

By Rolf Lockwood

Rolf Lockwood is editorial director and publisher of Todays Trucking.You can reach him at 416-614-5825 or [email protected].

We conceived away to simplify

your lives by savingyou time and

maybe frustration.

10 TODAYS TRUCKING

Football coaching leg-end Vince Lombardiused to say Theharder you work, the harderit is to surrender.

Older truckers shouldkeep that in mind as a newOntario law that ends thepractice of mandatory retire-ment at age 65 also throwsan ironic wrench into thegovernments own policy ofannual on-road testing ofsenior truck drivers.

The new retirement lawan amendment to OntariosHuman Rights Code, whichpassed final reading in thelegislature in Decemberlets employees decide whento call it a career. Previously,workplaces could forceretirement through collectiveagreements or company poli-cies even if an employeewanted to keep working.

However, when the legisla-tion takes effect at the end of2006, the government mayfind itself in court defendingan Ontariocentric, age-based

rule that targets commercialdrivers over 65 for annualmedical and practical driving tests.

That policyon thebooks in Ontario sinceclassified licences wereintroduced in 1977mightbe nearing its end, somelabour law experts predict.

If you can no longer dis-criminate against peoplewho are over 65, than howcan you justify arbitrarilypicking the age of 65 as thedate after which professionaldrivers should be tested?says Christopher Andree, anattorney at Lawrence,Lawrence, Stevenson LLP inBrampton, Ont.

I believe [mandatory test-ing] will be a breach of theHuman Rights Code whenthe [mandatory retirement]change takes effect.

A court challenge bytruckers against annual test-ing would hurl the conflict-ing pieces of legislation on acollision course, Andree

BY MARCO BEGHETTO

Shades of GrayOntarios arbitrary rule requiring mandatory testing of truck drivers over 65 may soon be stricken from the books.The government has itself to thank.

GOLDEN YEARS? Its not age thatsdiscouraged senior truckers fromstaying on the road in Ontario.


suggests. Theres lots of caselaw out there that says theHuman Rights Code is quasi-constitutional, he tellsTodays Trucking, meaningit takes precedence overthings like the regulationthat allows for mandatorydriver testing.

Jim Rylance, a 75-year-olddriver from Woodstock, Ont.,is one of a handful of theprovinces 3,000 senior truck-ers who have spent yearsfighting the governmentstesting policy.

I certainly hope it getsthrown out, he says, reactingto the apparent litigiouscrack in the current law.However, he wonders, if thegovernment faces toughsledding in justifying the rulebefore a judge or humanrights commission, whydoesnt it simply fold up itscards and go home, savingtruckers the time andexpense of a challenge theywould otherwise win.

For the record, Rylancedoesnt totally oppose retest-ing. But he does question thearbitrary age chosen fortruckers and the distinctionbetween AZ licence holdersand car drivers, who donthave to be tested until age 80.

And if older truckers aresomehow more likely to beinvolved in an accident, why,asks Rylance, is the road testthe exact same as the oneadministrated to newdriversand doesnt revealany shortcomings related toage, such as erodingcognitive skills, reaction, and decision-making?

Gerry Gerber, national

trucking manager for privatefleet Home Hardware, sup-ports yearly medical tests forsenior drivers. But he says hecant swallow annual roadtesting when, in his opinion,many of the MTO testinstructors probablywouldnt pass the samedriving exam themselves.

If one of these guys takesme out, I want to make surehe can drive first, says

Gerber. A driver should beable to ask [that question]before he puts his job on the line.

Andree doesnt think on-road testing based on age will be categoricallyeliminated in Ontarioonly that the goalposts willlikely be moved.

It depends on where theline is drawn of when itsreasonable to do testing, he

Want more news? Go to todaystrucking.comSend us your feedback. E-mail [email protected]

NOW THATS A KEG! For beer lovers, itsalmost worth getting stuck behind this Labatt truck convoy

knowing that these eight 60-ft tanks will boost suds-making

capacity to more than 50 million 2-4s a year.

The fermenting and ageing Uni-tanks were hauled across

Ontario in two convoys of four during a three-day period late

last year.

The first Uni-tank shipment originated in Germany where

four new tanks were made and later shipped from Rotterdam

to Sarnia, Ont.These 50,000-lb tanks were then rigged onto

120-ft-long flatbed trucks and transported to their new home at

Labatts London, Ont., brewery.The second shipment originated

in Toronto and passed through the towns of Brampton,

Orangeville, Arthur, Palmerston, Kirkton, and Bryanston on the

way to London.

The convoys were joined by a police escort with hydro and

other utility vehicles supporting the complex logistics

operation along the entire route.

Our main priority during this phase of our expansion was to

ensure the safe passage of the tanks to London,said Bob

Chant, director of corporate affairs for Labatt Breweries Canada.

We have worked very closely with local utility, hydro, and law

enforcement officials at every location to ensure compliance

with safety standards and to minimize disruptions.

12 TODAYS TRUCKING

Dispatches

LOG BOOK Go online for more events, visit www.todaystrucking.com

says. Whats likely going tohappen is somebody isgoing to challenge this bysaying 65or 80, for thatmatteris an arbi-trary date. So, is itgoing to be some-where between 65and 80? Is it going tobe every year? Well,someone smarterthan you or I is likely goingto have to come up withthat conclusion.

The plain statement thatits unfair to be tested on anannual basis because a[trucker] is no more danger-ous or incompetent at age66 than at 64 has someweight with me, Andreecontinues. But the idea thata driver doesnt want to betested at all, well, thetrucking industry hasenough problems.

Both Rylance and Gerberdont know many truckersthatll argue with that. They

say many independent driv-ers simply want a fairer sys-tem that doesnt arbitrarilyrequire them losing at the

very least a dayspayload everysingle year.

While the anti-mandatory retire-ment amendmentis good news for

senior workers in otherindustries, older truckershave already gotten used toworking past 65 withindustrys consent.

Many couldnt afford toretire even if they wanted to,including Rylance. With nosolution to the growing driv-er shortage within grasp, itsimportant for industry andgovernment to encourageexperienced drivers to staybehind the wheel pastretirement age, he says.

At 75, Rylance doesntknow for sure if hell be onthe front lines of a court

challenge against the testingrule. Or perhaps he justdoesnt want to show all hiscards just yet.

What he does know ishell still be involved in oneway or another. Even if I doretire, or if they dont giveme a licence, Im certainlynot giving up on this, hesays. Ive put too mucheffort in to quit now.

Intermodal

Sea of Changein Maritimes?The coastal shipping lanesof the Atlantic arent thefirst thing that comes tomind when you think abouttrucking, but that might bechanging soon. Theres amove afoot in the Maritimesto bring the two modes oftransportation much closerto each other.

The encounter couldprove interesting. Will they

veer off in differentdirections or will the twomove in tandem?

Moving cargo by waterwas around long before therubber hit the road, and overits long history the marinepath has gone through cycles.It remains popular for mov-ing goods in Europe and inthe southern U.S. along theMississippi, holding a promi-nent place in the transporta-tion infrastructure.

Short-sea shipping orcoastal shipping, originallyunder sail, was the mainstayof moving goods, particularlybetween Atlantic Canada,New England and points asfar south as Jamaica andBermuda. It also has ahistory on the St. LawrenceSeaway and on the GreatLakes, plus has had somesuccess on the West Coast. However, as highways

improved and trucks

Andreethinks thegoal postswill move.

February 21-22Canadian Association of Importers & Exporters Western Canada Conference, Calgary Westin Hotel, Calgary.Focused on western sectors, this event covers customsaudits, transfer pricing and classification, C-TPAT, and benefits under NAFTA. Contact: 416/595-5333 or click on www.caie.ca.

February 26-282006 Atlantic Truck Technology and MaintenanceConference, Delta Brunswick Hotel, Saint John, NB.Presented by the Atlantic Provinces Trucking Association.Contact: 1-866/866-1679 or go to www.apta.ca.

March 1-3The Work Truck Show 2006, Georgia World Congress Center,Atlanta, Ga. Held in conjunction with the National TruckEquipment Association annual convention, the event includesmore than 30 educational sessions, the latest work truckequipment from Classes 1-8 displayed by 450 exhibitors.Contact: 800/441-6832 or go to www.ntea.com.

March 7-8Transpo 2006 Conference & Exhibition, Toronto CongressCentre, Toronto. The Canadian Industrial TransportationAssociation represents Canadian shippers. The annual eventhighlights freight shipping via all transportation modes. Contact:613/726-1577 or point your mouse to www.cita.acti.ca.

March 23-252006 Mid America Trucking Show, Kentucky ExpositionCenter, Louisville, Ken.With over 1 million square feet of space,this is North Americas largest truck show for truck OEMs,carriers, and component suppliers. Contact:Tim Young ExhibitManagement: 502/899-3892 or go to www.truckingshow.com.

April 20-22Truck World 2006: Canadas National Truck Show,International Centre,Toronto. Presented by NewcomBusiness Media, publisher of Todays Trucking, this is thesignature trucking show in Canada for fleets, truck-makers, and suppliers. Contact: Elizabeth McCullough at416/614-5817 or check it out at www.truckworld.ca.

continued on page 14


Newcom Business Media Inc. hasexpanded its trade-showoperations by buying the two key Quebec truck showsExpoCam and CamExpo.

Newcom, the company that publishesthis magazine, also produces TruckWorld, Canadas largest truck show. Abiennial exhibition that will take placeon April 20, 21 and 22 of this year at theInternational Centre in Toronto (formore details, visit www.truckworld.ca).

ExpoCam takes place in Montrealevery other year. The next show is sched-uled for October 18-20, 2007 at PlaceBonaventure. CamExpo, also biennial,will be held November 3-5 of this year atthe Centre de Foires in Quebec City.

Under Newcoms leadership, the twoQuebec shows will enjoy the support ofthe Quebec Trucking Association(QTA/ACQ) and the Canadian TruckingAlliance (CTA). ExpoCam and CamExpo

are the only Quebecshows to beendorsed by theseprominent associa-tions. CamExpo isalso endorsed by laCorporation desconcessionairesdautomobiles de largionale de Qubec(CCARQ). Similarly,Truck World is

endorsed by the CTA as well as theOntario Trucking Association (OTA).

Newcom has a long historydatingback to 1987of delivering crucialinformation resources to the truckingindustry. In addition to Todays Trucking,its trucking titles also include TransportRoutier, highwaySTAR, Truck & Trailer,and Truck & Trailer West magazines.

Believing that the Internet is now asimportant as other media in reachingtruck operators, Newcom recently

announced a significant upgrade to itsaward-winning web siteTodaysTruck-ing.com (see Endless Possibilities byRolf Lockwood, on page 9 of this issue).

This companyhas built its reputa-tion by providingthe truckingindustry with solid,trusted informationso that people inbusiness can makethe best decisionspossible, saysNewcom PresidentJim Glionna. And

this expansion of our trade-show divi-sion into Quebec just solidifies our corebusiness. From the industrys stand-point, having Canadas national truckshows (Truck World and ExpoCam)owned and produced by the same com-pany and endorsed by OTA and QTAensures that these events will continueto be held in Toronto and Montreal,Canadas largest markets, he adds.

Says CTA Chairman John Cyopeck,Ive known Jim[Glionna] a long timeand hes a man with avision. Under hisleadership, theyllput on the bestshows possible.

Newcom hasgained an indis-putable reputation inthe trucking indus-try. The group has

clearly proven its capacity to put on firstclass events, says Marc Cadieux, QTAPresident and CEO.

Newcom has created solid andtrustful relationships with the OTA andthe CTA and made TruckWorld inToronto an unequivocal success bothwith exhibitors and visitors, adds

Marc Brouillette,Chairman of theQTA. Newcombrought a new energyto that show. We areconvinced thatNewcom will bringthat same commit-ment and enthusi-asm to Quebec.

The quality ofNewcoms achieve-

ments, the strength of its team, itspresence and commitment to thetrucking industry, convinced us theyhave the best tools to assure theprosperity and development ofExpoCam and CamExpo. We are proudto endorse Quebecs two largest

trucking shows andto be associated witha group of Newcomscaliber and prestige,Cadieux concludes.

ElizabethMcCullough,Manager ofNewcoms ShowDivision, says thatthe addition of theQuebec shows willbe a plus for

exhibitors, too. Anyone who buys boothspace at these things knows that itseasier to work with one set of rules thanthree. Therell be far fewer headachesfor the OEMs and other exhibitors.

Visitors familiar with CamExpo, sheadds, will be glad to know that Roger

Paradis and RogerDesrosiers, who havebeen the faces of theshow for years, willbe staying on.

Newcom pur-chased the showsfrom dmg worldmedia canada Inc., awholly ownedsubsidiary of theDaily Mail andGeneral Trust plc

(DMGT), one of the largest and mostsuccessful media companies in theUnited Kingdom. The transaction wasfinalized on January 26.

Newcom Buys ExpoCam and CamExpoQTA, CTA and CCARQ endorse shows.

Dispatches

JIM GLIONNAPresident

Newcom BusinessMedia Inc.

RICHARDBELANGERGeneral Manager

CCARQ

MARC CADIEUXPresident & CEO

Quebec TruckingAssociation

JOHN CYOPECKChairman

Canadian TruckingAlliance

MARCBROUILLETTEChairman

Quebec TruckingAssociation

ELIZABETH McCULLOUGHManager

Newcom ShowDivision

14 TODAYS TRUCKING

became more the favouredmode of moving product,coastal shippingalthoughstill very much in thepicturehas taken abackseat to the faster formof transportation.

Still, with such mountingconcerns as the unpre-dictable fluctuations in thecost of fuel; the politicalscorn for highway conges-tion; the tighter securityregime at the Canada-U.S.border, and the generalescalating costs of truckoperations, short-sea ship-ping is once again appearingon peoples radarespeciallyon the Atlantic Coast.

The federal governmentsure thinks the two trans-port modes might coexist ina fruitful partnership. It hascaught the short-sea bug atleast to the point whereTransport Canada is jointlyfinancing a $52,000Atlantica study withDalhousie University inHalifax and the Halifax PortAuthority that looks into thepotential for a sophisticatedshort-sea shipping systemon the East Coast of Canadaand the U.S.

Dr. Mary Brooks and J.R.F.(Dick) Hodgson, both withDalhousie, will focus theirinsights on how to developa service you would want touse as an alternate way tomove goods and for somepeople this is an issue aboutgetting trucks off congestedhighways. For AtlanticCanadians one of thosehighways is the I-95 downthe East Coast of the U.S.,says Dr. Brooks, who has anextensive background inmarine transportation.

Meanwhile, one trans-portation analyst says thetrucking industry shouldnt

be concerned about losingfreight to this form ofmarine transport but shouldlook at it from a point ofhow short-sea shipping canbenefit trucking.

Sam Barone of InterVistas-ga2 Consulting, says thetrucking industry should useshort-sea to its advantage tomake moves in and out ofsome key corridors becausethe type of shipping beingcontemplated, I dont think isbeing geared toward timedefinite type loads.

He likened the situationto the trucking industryusing the rail to piggybacktrailers across the country. Idont think short sea will bea modal diversion. It shouldbe looked at for what theeconomics are and the eco-nomics of shipping are verywell documented, he said.The trucking industry canuse it as they do rail, as asupplement to their ownservices they are providing.

Wes Armour, president ofMoncton-based ArmourTransportation Systems sayshis company has been part-nering with Oceanex

Shipping Line out of Halifaxto send cargo toNewfoundland andLabrador. However, hes notconvinced moving cargofrom Halifax to Montreal, for

example, by sea would be agreat benefit because itwould take too long.

Roger Swallow of Halship,a feeder short-sea operationbetween Halifax, Portland,and Boston, is realisticenough to know time sensi-tive cargo wont work on his500-TEU vessel. But its thecheapest mode of transporta-tion, and when moving goodsinto the U.S., the containersare pre-cleared by U.S.Customs in Halifax beforethey are loaded onto thevessel, he says.

Patrick Bohan, manager ofbusiness development for theHalifax Port Authority, saysfor short-sea shipping totake a leap to a more practi-cal stage it would probablybe a result of trade that goesunder served by trucks.

He suggests the servicemight even be a bit of amotivator for truckingwhere shorter hauls from

port terminals could bringcosts down and less time onthe road for drivers may beencouragement for people toget into the industry.

Adds Sam Barone:

Transportation is a deriveddemand so it is the shippersand supply chains that aredeciding given the timerequirements and pricesensitivities. These are thecombinations of modes on ablended basis that we wantto have in our supply chainsto deliver the goods, he says.We have to look at it fromthat respect.

by Tom Peters

Speed Governors

Co-operation OnSpeed LimitersWith the Ontarios Ministryof Transportation (MTO)actively soliciting input onthe Ontario TruckingAssociations (OTA)suggestion that all trucksoperating in that province belimited to 105 km/h (65mph), owner-operatorgroups on both sides of theborder are joining forces to

Dispatches

SAY CAN YOU SEA: The Halifax Port Authority isembarking on a study exploring an Atlantica

concept for Maritime Canada and the U.S.

Co

urtesy H

alifax Port A

uth

ority

1767

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oppose the proposal.U.S.-based Owner Operator

and Independent DriversAssociation (OOIDA)whichrepresents about 130,000truckersand Owner-Operators BusinessAssociation of Canada(OBAC) have announced theywill speak with a single voicein opposition.

Should governmentsimpose such legislation, alltrucks travelling inOntarioincluding thosefrom other provinces andthe U.S.would be subjectto speed limiters, commonlyknown as engine governors.

Ontarios transportministry intended to acceptcomments from industrystakeholders until Dec. 23,2005. However, in a letter toMTO transportation enforce-ment director Peter Hurst,

OBAC director JoanneRitchie criticized the shortwindow of time truckers hadto weigh in on the proposaland asked the governmentextend the deadline.

That you should consider10 working days in the pre-Christmas period adequate

time to review andprovide thoughtfulcommentary on sucha significant issuecan only be charita-bly described asunreasonable, she wrote.

The MTO theninformed OBAC itwould extend thedeadline, but stillplanned to maintainits schedule of sub-mitting a brief to theminister for reviewby the end of January.

Asked by TodaysTrucking if, overall, thecomments submitted todate leaned to one opinionover another, Dwain Smith,senior policy advisor forMTOs Carrier Safety andEnforcement Branch, saidthe Ministry is still carefully

analyzing all responses.Ritchie also hints that

her group is being kept outof the loop. She claims thatneither OBAC nor OOIDAwere invited by the OTAs Blue Ribbon TaskForce to provide input onthe proposal.

Ritchie says she isfundamentally in favour ofreasonable road speeds forall vehicles, and particularlyfor owner-operators as itrelates to the cost of runningtheir trucks at higher speeds,but she has concern withOTAs approach to the issue.

Rather than governmentinterfering in the businessand operating decisions ofprivate industry, they shouldbe paying more attention totheir safety mandate byenforcing existing roadspeeds for vehiclestrucks

Dispatches

or four-wheelersthat areactually speeding.

OOIDA President and CEOJim Johnston said profession-al drivers will resist the planbecause they know creating aspeed differential is plainly abad idea.

One of my main objectionsto it is a group of motor carri-ers get together and decidethat they personally wouldlike their trucks limited at aspecific speed, which they cer-tainly have every right to doon their own, Johnston said.

But OTA insists that it justwants truckers to complywith the rules that arealready on the books. Andthe group isnt going to makeapologies for promoting anequal playing field formembersmany of whichalready voluntarily controlthe speed of their fleet, OTA

President David Bradley hassaid repeatedly.

This is a safety issue,and its to deal with fuelconsumption. But moreimportantly its to level thecompetitive playing field,Bradley says.

Highways

NWT PushesArctic HighwayTransport officials in theNorthwest Territories arecalling on Ottawa for $700million in loan guarantees inorder to extend the all-weather Mackenzie Highwayroughly 800 km from Wrigleyto Tuktoyaktuk.

Its certainly aboutresources, says DeputyTransport Minister Russell Neudorf.

CONTRANS INCOMEFUND has acquired itsthird consecutivespecialized flatbed carrier.The company, General

Freight Carriers in Saint John, N.B. is focused on thetransportation of building products like softwood lumberand other goods, primarily within Eastern Canada and theNortheastern U.S.

The 47-truck fleet operates about 60 trailers and employs10 owner-operators.

Larry Cox, owner of General Freight, told Todays Truckingthat the time was right to sell.I came to a point in my lifewhere I just turned 60, and the opportunity was there, hesays. The proposition was right where we could operate asan independent company and maintain all our staff.

SCHNEIDER NATIONAL, one of the largest trucking andlogistics firms in North America, has named John Fergusongeneral manager of its Canadian office. It is the first suchappointment at Schneiders Guelph, Ont. location.

Ferguson, who joins Schneider National from PBB GlobalLogistics, will lead the development and execution ofbusiness strategy in the Canadian marketplace, ensuringprofitability across all lines of business as well as thealignment of key shared services, the company announced.continued on page 20

heard on the

Street

Dispatches

18 TODAYS TRUCKING

CARGO SECUREMENTREGS CLARIFIEDNorth Americas cargo secure-

ment rules have undergone the

first of what insiders say will be

several clarification exercises.

During a meeting in New Mexico

in the fall of 2005, officials from

Canada and the U.S. met to

discuss the rules and to come up

with interpretation of how they

are to be applied. Heres a few

examples of the rule clarifica-

tions that emerged from the

meeting, taken from the first

National Safety Code, Standard

10 Interpretation Guide.

Inspection of Sealed Vans:

The NSC Standard does not

specifically require some form of

written documentation as proof

that the vehicle not be open for

inspection. However, it would be

good practice to have documen-

tation from the shipper or carri-

er that indicates the driver was

instructed not to break the seal.

Working Load Limit -

Tiedown: When determining the

WLL of a tiedown, it should be

known that anchor points are

not currently required to be

rated and marked. Consequently,

unmarked anchor points are

considered to be as strong as

the weakest link in the secure-

ment system (unless there are

obvious defects that would

place it out of service).

Rub Rails as Anchor Points:

Rub rails can be used as an

anchoring point if the tiedown is

fitted with a flat hook end and it

is not possible to attach the

hook to another more suitable

anchor point. However, best

practices would have tiedowns

routed inside the rub rail.

The entire document can be

found at www.ccmta.ca.

HIGHER STANDARDFOR INSPECTIONS Theres a sweeping new set of

trip inspection rules coming our

way soon, depending on various

provincial legislative schedules.

Saskatchewan introduced them

in the summer of 2005, but have

just started enforcing them

because none of the other

provinces are there yet. Most

provinces say theyll have

something in place by the end

of this year.

Under National Safety Code

Standard 13, trip inspections will

have to be more thorough, but

drivers and carriers will have

clearer guidelines on what each

is responsible for. It makes

allowances for trucks to be oper-

ated with minor defects, and its

quite clear on the difference

between a major and a minor

defect. Whats more, the training

material that will accompany the

new standard describes what is

to be inspected and how.

While the old standard listed

23 items the driver was expect-

ed to check, the new standard

has more than 70.

Theres more to check, but

drivers wont necessarily be held

responsible for all of itthings

that are hidden and beyond your

ability to detect at the side of the

road,says Chris Brant, manager

of Ontarios Carrier Safety Policy

Office. As for general mainte-

nance and upkeep, fleets

will be responsible for

the overall condition of

the vehicle, and will be

accountable for

repairing items written

up by drivers.

John Meed, program

manager for

Saskatchewans Transport

Compliance Branch, told

Todays Trucking recently

that out-of-province

drivers still using the old

inspection reports and

following their local

rules will not be penal-

ized in that province. He

did add, however, that

drivers who are stopped

for routine inspections

are being given

information packets outlining

the new requirements.They will

be expected to be in compliance

the next time theyre stopped.

TOLERATING WEIGHT New Brunswick Transportation

has extended the deadline for

weight tolerance elimination as

part of an agreement on uniform

commercial vehicle weight limits.

Originally, all four Atlantic

Provinces were ready for

implementation on Jan. 1, 2006.

But in December, Nova Scotia

announced the removal of

automatically applied weight

tolerance would be delayed one

year until January 1, 2007.

Responding to concerns

from the Atlantic Provinces

Trucking Association, New

Brunswick recently announced

it would delay implementation

for two years.

According to the APTA the

500-kg-per-axle weight tolerance

will apply until Dec. 31, 2006.

Other scheduled changes to the

regulations will also be delayed

until Jan. 1, 2007.

So were in harmonization

with Nova Scotia for another

year, says APTA and Warren

Transport President Vaughn

Sturgeon.Now were in talks

with that province about what

their stand iswhether theyll

further match New Brunswick

and what were going to do

about 2007.

The APTA is still awaiting

word from PEI if that province

plans to follow suit as well.

According to Sturgeon, the

weight tolerance elimination

was a growing concern for the

struggling pulp and paper and

wood bulk industry.

This was going to put their

prices up fairly substantially,

Sturgeon explains.The thinking

was that some of these

industries have already had a

rough couple years and [the

government] didnt want to be

adding to that extra suffering.

The feeling was they would put

that off to help industry.

ARE YOU FIT FORALBERTA TRUCKING?As of New Years Day, Alberta

carriers that operate outside of

the province are required to

obtain a Safety Fitness

Certificate.

Currently under Albertas

legislation, a carrier with a

commercial vehicle registered at

11,794 kilograms or more,

must obtain a SFC from

Alberta Infrastructure

and Transportation.

Dispatches

Docketon the


While this rule has not

changed,Transport Canadas

new MVTA threshold requires

truckers operating vehicles with

a GVW exceeding 4,500 kg to

obtain a SFC as well.

According to the Alberta

Motor Transport Association

(AMTA), the new SFCs will now

display an Operating Status,

which will be either federal

or provincial.

Provincial Operating Status

authorizes travel with vehicles

over 11,794 kg GVW in Alberta

only, while the federal Operating

Status authorizes travel any-

where in Canada (point to point

or to the US border).

If a carrier operates outside of

their allowed jurisdiction, they

will be in violation.

Alberta Transportation will

determine what Operating

Status to issue carriers based on

available information. Carriers

wishing to declare a new

Operating Status must submit

an OS Declaration form.

Changes from a federal to a

provincial Operating Status is

restricted, however. All carriers

that obtain a SFC must imple-

ment written safety and mainte-

nance plans and maintain driver

and vehicle files on all drivers and

vehicles that operate under the

authority of the SFC. In January,

inspection, conviction, and colli-

sion information on all vehicles

will appear on the NSC profile for

federal carriers and will be taken

into consideration when deter-

mining a carriers safety rating.

For more info visit www.

inftra.gov.ab.ca, or contact

Carrier Services at

403/340-5444.

US STOP DISTANCESTANDARDS PROPOSEDThe U.S. National Highway Traffic

Safety Administration (NHTSA)

has issued a proposal for more

stringent stopping distance

requirements for heavy trucks.

The agency intends to amend

the air brake standard in order to

improve the stopping distance

performance of truck tractors.

After performing an exten-

sive series of stopping distance

tests, the NHTSA has determined

that stopping distances for trac-

tors can be reduced by 20 to 30

percent from current standards.

Furthermore, because of new

developments in air disc brakes,

enhanced larger-capacity drum

brakes, electronically controlled

brake systems (ECBS), and

advanced ABS, NHTSA concludes

that tractors can achieve these

new conditions with existing

available technology, with modi-

fications only to the foundation

brake systems.

With disc brakes at all wheel

positions, test vehicles at GVW

rating conditions travelling at 60

mph were able to exceed a 30

percent stopping distance

reduction from the current

requirements.To read the

full report go to: http://

edocket.access.gpo.gov/

2005/05-24070.htm. For more

on the new rules, see Your Next

Big Brake, page 45.

Dispatches

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20 TODAYS TRUCKING

truck sales index October 2005

U.S. RETAIL TRUCK SALES

12-month Class-8 Sales

Online Resources: For more truck sales stats, go to todaystrucking.comSources: Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers Association and Wards Communication.

CLASS 8 This Month YTD 05 YTD 04 ShareFreightliner 607 6853 5723 23.4%International 601 6582 5254 22.5%Kenworth 459 4257 3569 14.5%Peterbilt 321 2844 2748 9.7%Volvo 241 2675 2712 9.1%Sterling 172 2113 1761 7.2%Western Star 243 2105 1663 7.2%Mack 149 1869 1508 6.4%TOTAL 2793 29298 24938 100.0%

CLASS 7 This Month YTD 05 YTD 04 ShareInternational 87 1127 1132 28.9%Freightliner 48 575 543 14.7%General Motors 36 528 615 13.5%Kenworth 44 454 391 11.6%Peterbilt 47 420 412 10.8%Sterling 79 361 396 9.2%Hino Canada 26 224 223 5.7%Ford 73 216 22 5.5%Western Star 0 0 3 0.0%Mack 0 0 2 0.0%TOTAL 440 3905 3739 100.0%

CLASS 6 This Month YTD 05 YTD 04 ShareInternational 31 517 528 40.4%General Motors 15 231 143 18.0%Freightliner 23 167 187 13.0%Hino Canada 26 163 85 12.7%Sterling 6 105 64 8.2%Ford 40 97 2 7.6%TOTAL 141 1280 1009 100.0%

CLASS 5 This Month YTD 05 YTD 04 ShareFord 205 1887 1887 46.1%General Motors 145 1182 1182 18.6%Hino Canada 57 574 574 8.9%International 21 529 529 8.2%Freightliner 23 66 66 1.0%Sterling 0 0 1 0.0%TOTAL 451 4238 4239 100.0%

650

600

450

300

150

0


300

200

100



12-month Class-8 Sales, United States

Jun

e 20

05

July

200

5

Au

gu

st 2

005

No

v.20

04

Jan

.20

05

CLASS 8 This Month YTD 05 YTD 04 ShareFreightliner 6720 67445 47925 31.8%International 4099 39200 31210 18.5%Peterbilt 2685 24413 21277 11.5%Kenworth 2378 22020 18613 10.4%Mack 2252 21593 16086 10.2%Volvo 2399 21504 16388 10.1%Sterling 1494 12810 9551 6.0%Western Star 251 2426 1788 1.1%Other 57 510 727 0.2%TOTAL 22,335 211,921 163,565 100.0%

Jan

.200

5

May

200

5

Jun

e 20

05

July

200

5

Au

g.2

005

3,500

3,000

2,500

2,000

1,500

1,000

500

0 Ju

ne

2005

July

200

5

Au

gu

st 2

005

No

vem

ber

200

4

Jan

uar

y 20

05

Sep

t.20

05

Oct

ob

er 2

005

Oct

.200

5

No

v.20

04

Dec

emb

er 2

004

Dec

.200

4D

ec.2

004

Feb

ruar

y 20

05

Ap

ril 2

005

Feb

.200

5

Ap

ril 2

005

Feb

.200

5

Ap

ril 2

005

Dispatches

Sep

tem

ber

200

5

Oct

ob

er 2

005

Mar

ch 2

005

Mar

ch 2

005

Mar

.200

5

May

200

5M

ay 2

005

1200

900

600

300

0

Sep

t.20

05 Oct

.200

5

Dec

.200

4

No

v.0

4

Au

g.

05

Jan

.05

Mar

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Ap

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May

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Feb

.05

The proposal estimates10,000 trucks a year couldbe rolling along the greatWhite North route by2010, although Neudorfadmits that date is a little ambitious.

Trumpeting severaladvantages, the territorialgovernment also said thislink to the Arctic coastwould make northerntransport more resistantto climate change byeliminating the need forseveral ice roads.

The cost of building theroute would be financedover 35 years with debtpayments of $35 million ayear. That means the truecost of paying for theextension would be $1.225 billion.

Neudorf says ratherthan looking at $1.225billion or $700 million, heprefers to focus on $35million per year, callingthat potentially morepalatable to the federalgovernment.

Part of the proposalcalls for a $500 toll for allcommercial vehicles usingthe route to help offsetthe cost.

Based on 10,000 trucksper year ... $500 seemedlike a nice round number,says Neudorf.

Long-time Hay Riverowner-operator EarlRuttle, who started run-ning NWT ice roads in1967, says the savings inrepairs would make up theprice of the toll.

You have to use tirechains as soon as you gonorth of Wrigley, he says.Those cost $1,000 for agood set and you need tocarry two.

by John Curran

27,000

24,000

21,000

18,000

15,000

12,000

9,000

0

May

200

5

Jun

e 20

05

July

200

5

Au

gu

st 2

005

No

v.20

04

Jan

uar

y 20

05

Sep

tem

ber

200

5

Oct

ob

er 2

005

Dec

emb

er 2

004

Feb

ruar

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05

Ap

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Sep

t.0

5

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Commentary

Many of you will haveseen the featureWeve been runningin highwaySTAR over the pastyear: the Classic Series.(highwaySTAR is published byNewcom Business Media,which also publishes TodaysTrucking.) For those whohavent seen it, weve run adozen pictures, so far, oftrucks from bygone days. Theoldest was a 1944 KenworthModel 524 owned by KurtzTrucking in Breslau, Ont. Theyoungest was a 1980 MackCruiseliner, belonging toTackaberry Construction ofAthens, Ont.

You dont see manyCruiseliners on the road any-more, and that makes it wor-thy of a page in the Classicfeature. Nor do we see much60s-vintage iron anymore, likeBrian Cathcarts Pete 281,streaming twin plumes ofcoal-black smoke from thestacks. At night, youd oftensee a tongue of flame pokingout the top of the stackadead giveaway that its driverhad turned the wick up a little.

I havent been around long,but I do remember whenpower steering was optional,and air suspensions were justbreaking into the mainstreammarket. As the new guy, Irarely got a taste of suchluxury. But I did get to drive arather interesting truck for awhile: it was a long-wheelbase double-bunkFreightliner COE with a V-12Detroit. Each bank of cylin-ders had its own turbocharg-er, and it had .85 injectors in

it. It was said to put 625 hp tothe flywheel. I cant say pre-cisely, but it was quick and itwas fun to drive. Had a ton offun at traffic lights with thatone, but the old oilslinger hadquite an appetite for fuel too.

Most of us whove beenaround 20 yearsor more have atale like that, Ivefound, which iswhy Ive reallyenjoyed huntingdown trucks forthe ClassicSeries. Its mostlybecause of thecharacters whoown themparticularly theones who usedto drive them.

One describedto me the dayswhen truckswere beginningto gain populari-ty over horses. His dad had ahorse-driven business and herecalls doing battle with thecritters to get the job done.The horses worked compla-cently for the old man butkicked and bit when the sons tried to elicit a bit ofequine cooperation.

Those early trucks werenothing to write home about,but at least they didnt fightbackdirectly. (Another chaptold me that horses had oneother advantage over trucks:They always found their wayhome even if the driver madea few too many stops on theway home.)

Okay, so those twin-stick

gearboxes only broke a fewwrists. There probablywerent that many toes lost tofrost bite, and those low-roofed B-models probablydidnt cause that manycrooked backs. But heck,those were the good old days.

The transition fromgasoline to diesel power wasanother great time for truck-ing. When the first dieselsstarted appearing undertruck hoods, they boasted 160185 hp. Ross Mackies 1954White WC120 (picturedabove) came with a 180-horseCumminsand it was aheavy-hauler! I started on a290-Cummins, and lookedforward to working on week-ends when my company sen-iorityor lack of itallowedme to enter the hallowedrealm of the 350. Talk aboutmoving up in the world.

For better or worse, thosetruckswith all their short-

comingswere where manyof us cut our teeth. We retainmostly the fondest of memo-ries of our time inside thethings, and laugh about thetougher moments. Were stillhere to talk about them, right?

HighwaySTARs ClassicSeries, sponsored generouslyby Chevron, is a tribute to thetrucks that built trucking,and in a way, to the folks whodrove them to glory. If youhave such a truck out behindthe shop or tucked away in abarn somewhere, or if youknow someone who does,please let us know aboutthem. Were after trucks builtbetween 1950 and 1970,roughly. Older or newer willwork too, if theyre unique or noteworthy.

The Classic Series alsoresulted in a great 2006calendar that this companypublished and included in the December issue ofhighwaySTAR. If you didnt getone, all you have to do is sendus your idea for a classic truckand well put a calendar in themail for you. Send your pho-tos to me at the email addressbelow or mail it to Classics, 451Attwell Dr,., Etobicoke, Ont.,M9W 5C4. Also, the projectwas such a success were goingto keep the feature around forthe foreseeable future. Thereare plenty of pages to fill withthese old beauties, and one ofthem could be yours.

A former owner-operator, Jim

Park is the editor of highwaySTAR

magazine. Reach him at 416/614-

5811 or [email protected].

Looking Backward, Fondlydrivers side HighwaySTARs Classic Series is a tribute to the trucks we cutour teeth on, and were looking for yours. By Jim Park

Rare andReclusive

24 TODAYS TRUCKING

I ts early days and there are lots of bugsstill to work out, but the U.S. Customsand Border Protections (CBP)Automated Commercial Environment(ACE) looks like it might actually speed upcross-border traffic.

The new program is currently beingtested at selected border crossings in Washington State, North Dakota,Minnesota, and Michigan.

I think the concept behind it is great,says Ron Cameron, Project and SystemsAnalyst with Liberty Linehaul. I like thefact that, from a drivers standpoint, I getto the border and everythings there in

advance. I havent sent anything to thebroker. My carrier has done the electronicmanifest and sent that ahead to customs.Im free to concentrate on driving andgetting my load to its destination.

And Sandra Perrigo, the director of bor-der services for the Mullen Groupone ofthe first Canadian companies to submit ane-manifestsaid the program is workinggreat the drivers are a lot happier now.

Basically, ACE is a streamlined releasesystems protocol mandated by the TradeAct in 2002. It involves pre-selected truckcarriers who will transmit electronic man-ifest data and obtain release of their cargo,

crew, conveyances, and equipment via theACE Portal or electronic data interchange(EDI) messaging. Information is shippedto U.S. Customs via an electronic or e-Manifest so customs computers cancheck shipments and make a go/no-godecision before the before the truckarrives at the border.

ACE Secure Data Portal access and e-Manifest features are expected to bedeployed at all land border crossings bythe end of 2006, according to CBP.Customs expects ACE to be fully deployedat all border crossings by 2010.

Carriers can access ACE in a variety ofways. First, theres the do-it-yourselfmethod. The carrier can establish an ACESecure Data Portal account or file an e-Manifest via Electronic Data Interchange(EDI), with no charge from the U.S. gov-ernment. Or you might choose to useproducts supplied by private service

ACE Up Their Sleeveborders How e-Manifests should help your loads clearCustoms faster. By Duff McCutcheon

MANAGING PEOPLE, TECHNOLOGY, BUSINESS, AND SAFETY

I N S I D E :

29 Mercuri on safety31 Taylor on TaxesStreet SmartsStreet Smarts

ACE: It should take the wildcards out of border crossing.

Street Smarts


providers, such as value-added networks(VANs) and software developers, to fileyour e-Manifests for a fee.

The key to the system is the e-Manifestthe tool that gets the information into thecustoms environment. The e-Manifestprovides customs officers with cargo infor-mation, such as crew details (driver andpassenger); description of conveyance(vehicle/truck/cab); description of equip-ment as applicable (trailer); and shipmentdetails, so they can begin processing thetruck even before it arrives at the gate.

If the computer determines the ship-ment is low risk, then its given the green

light to get it out of there. If the loadmatches something in the systems searchcriteria, then its flagged for a closerinspection once it arrives at the border.

Customs officers dont have to remem-ber to look for everything because thecomputer handles it all, says Cameron.Instead it frees customs to concentrateon things that shouldnt be going on.

Its also reducing traffic lineupsbecause now that we have pre-notice in,when I arrive at the border, its already intheir system, I hand in my paperwork andproceed on through.

Besides potentially expediting border

crossings, ACE has other benefits, includ-ing greater flexibility in which crossingsdrivers can use. With PAPS, if a driver sayshes going to cross at Windsor, Ont., he orshe has to cross at Windsor. If theres awreck on the 401, he will have to find a wayaround and continue on his way to theWindsor border. ACE will remove thatrestriction. You could send your informa-tion to Ft. ErieBufallo, N.Y. and cross atBlaine, WA if you wanted to.

It will also remove the old trap load limit,according to Linehauls Cameron. If I have10 shipments on the truck and theyre allset up on ACE, Ill clear without gettingout of the truckthats the ultimate goal.

Of course, the systems not without itsbugsand thats to be expected consider-ing the magnitude of the system and thefact that its still very much in the testphase. CBP is also introducing ACE at theU.S.A.s southern border crossings.

For example, currently e-Manifest hasnot been fully implemented and carriersare still relying on brokers to relay theinformation to customs, which means Ihave to get them the information earlier[than the current three-hours beforearrival at the border] so they can do theirjob, says Cameron. Depending on howACE-savvy the broker happens to be,some brokers need more time than others.And if a shipment has a lot of line items onit, they have to list it all outwhich takeseven more time.

Scott Johnston, president of YankeGroup in Saskatoon says another problemis the fact that the shipper community islargely in the dark about ACE and otherchanging border regs. While Yanke haskept abreast of the changes, when oursales group talk to our customers about itthey dont know what were talking about.Theyre all still on PARS, so when you getto PAPS and ACE they just dont know.Customers just arent there yet.

Need an incentive to sign on with ACE?Heres one: In theory, the new e-Manifest system should go a longway in minimizing a problem that truckers

have lived with for yearsinconsistencies at

the border.

Just as different trucking companies are

governed by markedly different manage-

ment styles according to the executive talent

at the helm, so too are border crossings run

by directors that set their own policiesat

least to a degree.

Thats why you might, for instance, hear

that at one border crossing, a load with five

different shipments from five brokers

requires five manifests while at another

crossing, that same load will only need one

manifest. Or about how the guards on

dayshift treating your trucks differently than

the guys on graveyard?

The reasons for the inconsistencies vary

and might be as simple as staffing policies

that put people in lousy moods. Or, according

to Maureen Celmer, vice president of

Livingston Internationals U.S. Customs

Brokerage Operations, different ports of entry

may have different lookouts for particular

kinds of traffic coming throughvery much

port-specific kinds of things.

Its supposed to function the same, but the

local customs officials do have the authority

to decide what or whats not important on a

shipment-by-shipment basis. So you can visit

one port and not experience any problems

and visit another with the same issue and find

lots of additional questions being asked.

The sooner every crossing employs

e-Manifests, the sooner this problem will at

least fade to gray.

Meantime, whats the best way for drivers

to deal with some extra attention at a border

theyre not accustomed to?

Keeping a level head is always a good idea,

because getting into a shouting match with

someone with the power to arbitrarily keep

you out of their country is never a good idea.

The best bet: Arm the drivers and

dispatchers with intelligence on the port

even the particular shift theyll be dealing

with. Are they sticklers for paperwork? Are

they consistent?

Ask around.Youll find drivers and

dispatchers whove been to the crossings in

question. Its always good to check with your

dispatcher or operations manager or other

drivers that have crossed there before so your

driversll be prepared.

by DUFF McCUTCHEON

STRANGE CUSTOMSEVER GET THE FEELING THAT ONE BORDER CROSSING IS WORSETHAN ANOTHER? YOURE NOT ALONE.

Scott Johnsons right. Its time to learn

more about ACE. Start here: www.

cbp.gov/modernization. Its the very

user-friendly website for the U.S. Customs

and Border Protection Cargo systems

office. Or call 703 650-3000.

FORMORE INF

26 TODAYS TRUCKING

Youve heard about RFID (RadioFrequency Identification) and if yourelike most people in trucking, yourewondering if and how its going to affect you.

Youre right to be concerned.

RFID is technology based on communica-

tion between wireless tags and readers and its

revolutionizing, albeit in a January/molasses

sort of way, the world of warehousing and

logistics. In other words, trucking.

RFIDs been around in one form or another

for 80 some years and its already very much a

part of trucking. Where, for example, would

over-the-road drivers be without their E-Z Pass

chips that let them zip through tollgates?

You also might have read that the worlds

biggest retailer Wal-Mart is introducing RFID

tags and readers into its vast network. Each

piece of merchandise is tagged, and RFID not

only reads the tags on incoming freight but it

also writes to the tag, so the merchandise

carries new information as it passes through

the system.

Specifically, the RFID tag on a skid of DVD

players will reveal that that the player was

assembled in Thailand, shipped through

Singapore to Vancouver, trained to Toronto,

trucked to Concorde, then Mississauga and

finally sold to an end user. (Of course, if he

collected bonus points on the purchase, well

know everything about the end user, too.)

Recently, Wal-Mart, in conjunction with the

University of Arkansas completed a study that

proved that stores in which products were

tagged with RFID sensors rather than bar

codes had 16-percent less out of stock

reports, and the shelves were

replenished three times faster.

This, according to Wal-Mart

brass, is sufficient evidence to

proceed with an aggressive

RFID program. And by 2006,

more than 1,000

Wal-Mart stores and clubs and

distribution centers will be

going live with RFID technology.The following

year, Wal-Mart will expect its 600-plus top

suppliers to be equipped with RFID sensors.

What does this mean to you? For one thing

as the technology spreads through retailing

and manufacturing it means more rigorous

scheduling. More communications between

you and your customers.

And later, in the more distant future, youll

see RFID opening up communication

channels you didnt even know exist.

Gene Griffin is the director of the Upper

Great Plains Transportation Institute, a

division of North Dakota State University. He

says RFIDand its ancillary technologies will

be universal.

Griffin and other RFID advocates foresee

an international logistics system in which vir-

tually everything is taggedevery piece of

merchandise, carton and envelopeand

trackable via universally compatible

transponders at manufacturing plants,

warehouses, truck terminals, airports and

even along highways.

A decade from now, if you see a tractor

trailer barreling by with Alien Inside printed

near the registration numbers, dont phone

the authorities. ET has not landed.

It will probably be referring to Alien

Technologiesthe company operating as a

partner with Griffins department at the

university. Right now, he says, the barrier to

wide-scale adoption of RFID tech is simply the

cost of the tags, but hes looking forward to

the day when an RFID chip is cheaper to create

than a bar code and smarter than the

computer thats on your desk.

As the tracking technology becomes feasi-

ble, the sensors will evolve from being dumb

and reactive to smart, and proactive.That

means the tiny chips will not only read and

record information, they will make things

happen as a result.

Roadways equipped with the chips will be

able to not only measure temperature change

mid-season, but the chips will

also be able to dispatch the salt

trucks as well as issue weight-

restriction orders to the offices of

the trucking companies.

Or, a chip in a truck will be

able to communicate with one

implanted in the roadside speed

limit sign so an alarm will sound

in the cab if a driver errs and enters a slow

zone going too quickly.Your freight will be

telling the customers loading dock that youre

heading into the warehouse.

An alien inside? No. Just the future of

your business.

BY TODAYS TRUCKING STAFF

NO BORDERS HEREHOW TRACKING TECHNOLOGYS GOING TO SPEEDYOU UP, TOO.

Street Smarts

As the trackingtechnologybecomes feasible,the sensors willevolve from being dumb.

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Street Smarts

Hey Barkeep!safety dept. Set that thing higher. Your employers will thank you for it.By Raymond Mercuri

Early in my career, Iassigned a manager toa problem terminalfacility. His mandate: turn theplace around.

The first thing he did waspaint the reception area, theoffices, and the drivers room.Next, he revamped andreorganized the workstations.

Then, he hung up hisTeamwork poster. Hescheduled meetings withevery terminal employee andowner-operator to outline hisexpectations and his commit-ment to open and honestcommunication.

Within a year, this so-calledproblem terminal facility wentfrom being the worst in thecompany to one of the mostproductive. Turnover fell,morale rose, and teamworkprevailed. Productivity, budgetcompliance, and safetymeasures all improved.

Profitability quicklyfollowed.

Nothing says more aboutyour work culture and thestandards you place on yourstaff than the pride you showin your place of business. Itsa fact that people work moreproductively and are moresatisfied, focused, and effec-tive when they actually enjoytheir work environment.

And this is truly a hallmarkof real winners.

Successful fleets set expec-tations higher for themselvesthan do their less profitablecompetitors. They also pro-vide staff with professionalwork environments, executewell-conceived business

plans, offer above-averagepay, and provide training andsupport to staff.

The unfortunate reality isthat not every truckingcarrier can deliver on this list.And those that cant tend tooperate on the financial edge.

They seem to lack a robustbusiness plan and get bypicking loads off the link,putting trucks on the roadand drivers behind the wheel.

This is reflected in thequality of their workplace andtheir vulnerability to marketpressures, such as fuel pricehikes and staffing shortages.

Of course its not all aboutkeeping an office bright andtidy. A commitment to highstandards is also needed. Oneof the first things I look forwhen I enter a companysoffices is whether a missionstatement is displayed. Aclear mission statement setsexpectations for integrity,employee and customerrespect, and workplace safety.People need to see this everytime they work, and whatbetter place to do this than inthe front office?

However, commitment to awork standard doesnt end atthe front door, especially in atrucking business. Every one

of your driverswho proba-bly conduct more companybusiness on the roads than atthe officeshould alsocommit to that standard.

For example, one Maritimeowner developed a detailedset of rules that clearly out-lined expectations for hisprofessional drivers. Theowner then reviewed everyone of these rules during eachcandidates initial interview.

One rule stated that nospeeding violations would betolerated. The first offencewould mean a one-on-one

meeting with the owner. Asecond rap would lead to dismissal.

Another rule required driv-ers to follow hours-of-serviceregulations. Any violationswould lead to remedial train-ing. And if an HOS offenceinvolved log falsification, thedriver would be fired.

Driver candidates had tosign-off on each rule. Thereward not only included a job

with the company, but alsoabove-average compensation.

These rules were not limit-ed to the drivers. Even man-agement was required to signa corporate code of conducta code that committed themto working within industrylaws and the companys ownmission statement.

Creating expectations isone thing. Communicatingthem and then rewardingthose who meet them arecrucial subsequent steps.

Finally, expectations andstandards require flexibility.

Without periodic monitoringand review, your people willget complacent. Theyllnegect the rules. Your entireplan will be renderedirrelevant.

This is perhaps worse thannot having any expressedstandards at all.

Raymond Mercuri writes

about safety and training for

Todays Trucking.

The first offencewould mean aone-on-onemeeting with theowner. A secondrap would lead to dismissal.

To learn more about how we can help your business, call 1 866 222-9258 or visit www.businessonthego.ca/transportation

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Meals on Wheelsbig money How to make sure the government doesnt get more than its fairshare of your lunch money. By Scott Taylor

Street Smarts

One of the mostconfusing areas oftax complianceinvolves claims for meals andtravel expenses.

Part of the problem is thatCanada Revenue Agency(CRA) has changed its poli-cies about how truck driverscalculate deductions for mealexpenses incurred duringbusiness travel.

Like anyone else whoworks away from his employ-ers place of business but doesnot receive a meal allowance,a truck driver can claim hisactual meal cost providedthat each expense is reason-able, itemized, and verified bya receipt. However, most driv-ers use a simplified flat-ratecalculation method requiringa travel record but notreceipts for each meal.

Starting with the 2003 taxyear, CRA raised the simpli-fied claim rate from $11 to $15per meal. At the same time, itallowed for an exchange rate

on meal expenses incurred inthe United States.

While CRA has giveth byboosting the food-expenseallowance, it also hastaketh away in otheraspects of its meal policy,outlined in InformationCircular 73-21R8, Claims forMeals and Lodging Expensesof Transport Employees. Youmay not have recognized

these changes, but CRA audi-torsnow investigating 2003and 2004 tax-year claims onTL2 formscertainly knowabout them, because wereseeing them vigorouslyquestion claims.

Here are the areas to watchout for:

MEAL CLAIMS GENERALLY REQUIRE AN OVERNIGHT STAY:To make a meal claim, CRApolicy states you must gen-erally be away from homeovernight while on the job.That means whether youwork eight, 10, 12, or morehours a day, if you returnhome within 24 hours of yourdeparture, CRA expects youto eat at least breakfast andperhaps supper at home. Theold rule that every four hoursis a meal no longer applies.If youre not sleeping on theroad, your meals-allowed-per-day is much more limitedthan it used to be.

NO SIMPLIFIED METHODFOR THE SELF-EMPLOYED:Canadas Income Tax Act hasseparate rules for the self-

employed, and they require alldeductions (meals, fuel,repairs, etc.) to be based onactual expenditures withreceipts to support them.Therefore, if youre a sole-pro-prietor, you should use thedetailed method to calculateyour meal expenses and notcount on an away-from-homededuction. Keep a record bookand receipts to support theamount you deduct, and knowthat your hours-of-service log-book probably is not sufficientto support meal claims.

MORE MEAL-CLAIM TIPS:1. The CRA meal-claim

policy is not the same for anemployee of a transportbusiness as for one whos afull-time truck driver for amanufacturer, courier,driver/employment-servicecompany, or an employer insome other line of work.

2. The meal deduction isdesigned to compensate youfor the extra cost of having arestaurant prepare your meal.Groceries bought on the roadare treated no differently thangroceries you would havepaid for and eaten at home.

3. Provincial and U.S. DOTregulations may allow you todiscard your logbooks aftersix months, but if you usethem to substantiate yourmeal claims, keep them forseven years like any other taxreceipt.

4. Meal limits are not law.Truck drivers using thesimplified method have beenclaiming more in light of anAugust 2000 case involvingDon Wilkinson, a Winnipegdriver who used a daily mealrate of $40 on his TL2. Hewas audited and won hisappeal in a federal tax court.The decision doesnt establishwhats reasonable for alltruck drivers, it only says that$40 was appropriate forWilkinson. Any driver makinga similar argument should beprepared to defend the claimin court for each tax year.

5. For an owner-operator,perhaps the best course ofaction is to incorporate andcreate an employmentcontract between yourselfand your company where youdraw a meal per diem aspart of your overall compen-sation package. The combi-nation of personal incometax savings, corporateincome tax savings, and areduction in Canada PensionPlan could be substantial.Something to chew on as westart off 2006.

Scott Taylor is Vice President

of TFS Group of Waterloo, Ont.

For more information visit

www.tfsgroup.com or call

1-800-461-5970

The old rule thatevery four hours is a meal no longer applies.

32 TODAYS TRUCKING

Profile

When Bob Gauthierstarted doing quick-ie local deliveriesaround Cornwall, Ont. in his straight truckback in early 90s, the biggest player in thelocal economy was the pulp-and-papergiant Domtar Inc.

The kraft mill employed more than 1,000people and pumped almost $100 millioninto the local tills. At the time, youngGauthier, who had earned his truckingstripes at the now-bankrupt GTLTransport, decided to strike out on his own.

He had been working in GTLs Brockville,Ont., terminal, overseeing about 15 employ-ees. What he couldnt see was a future withthe company.

So with the moral support and sweatequity of his high school-sweetheart-turned-wife Linda, Gauthier borrowedenough money to buy a truck, pokedaround town looking for loads until, as hesays, a few people felt sorry for me, andthus was created Seaway Express.

Gauthiers operation has since grownbetween 10 and 15 percent annually. Hesrunning 20 power units out of a spic-and-span 30,000 sq.ft warehouse and officespace. He employs almost 40 people andhis regional operation serves the Ottawa,Montreal, and Cornwall triangle.

He has earned a local reputation as a

philanthropist and a few years ago, five ofhis 53-ft vans became advertisementstouting investment in the Cornwall area.His office walls are cluttered withplaques, family photos, and citationsfrom the local Chamber ofCommerce and the OntarioTrucking Assocation. Veryrecently, a Seaway truckand trailer full of $100,000worth of supplies madeits way to the disaster inNew Orleans.

Bob Gauthiers a valu-able and respected corpo-rate citizen, a real asset tothe community, CornwallMayor Phil Poirier says of Gauthier.

And these days, Poirier needs all theassets he can muster. Come the first weekof March, Domtar is closing its doors.

Poirier admits that the closures a seri-ous suckerpunch to the gut of the localeconomy. Those were high-paying jobs,he told Todays Trucking. The unemploy-ment rate has been minimized by theopening of a few call centers and otherlight industries, but Poirier has to work atsounding optimistic.

Not Gauthier. Hes downright bullish. In fact, hes busier than ever and

gearing up.

His buoyancy? Its theresult of 15 years of provid-ing a tightly focusedregional LTL service, man-aging growth with an

auditor-generals eye on the finances,treating staff like family, and, well, findinghimself just down the street from one of the newest, but definitely the mostinfluential players on the Canadian truck-ing scene.

Cornwall is already somewhat of atransportation hub. It sits on the St.Lawrence Seaway (hence the nameSeaway Express) on the 401 pretty muchwhere Ontario, Quebec, and New YorkState conjoin. Gauthier made a name forhimself working with larger carriers deliv-ering into this Eastern Ontario neigh-bourhood. A good half of his customers

BOBsWAY

BY PETER CARTER

So what if hes in a town about to lose its mainindustry. SEAWAY EXPRESSS BOB GAUTHIER

is as cheerful as a Wal-Mart greeter.

BobGauthier


are other larger truck fleets who havefreight going into the Cornwall area.

But about six years ago, Wal-Martopened one of its warehouses less thantwo klicks from Seaways offices. You cansee the SCM Warehouse from Gauthiersproperty. Indeed, you can see it for miles.

SCM Inc. has three of these facilitiesone in Calgary; one in Mississauga; andthe third in Cornwall.

The Cornwall place has 1.4 millionsquare feet. Read that again. One PointFour Million. More than 300 bays. It takesa good 10 minutes to drive around theplaces circumference.

The reason for the size is eas

cummisn motores

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