The Alberta Motor Transport Association (AMTA) held its 74th Professional Truck Driving Championship June 1 at the AMTA track at Edmonton International Airport.

AMTA is pleased to announce the appointment of Tim Bennett as Chair of its Board of Directors. Bennett is the Vice President at NCSG Crane & Heavy Haul and has been actively involved with AMTA for more than 15 years, including serving as the Senior Vice Chair since 2018. As Board Chair, Bennett will help advance the AMTA’s proposed safety and innovation campus and other initiatives to tackle Alberta’s commercial driver shortage.

Calgary, AB - Nine individuals were recognized for their contributions to Alberta’s commercial transportation industry at the Alberta Motor Transport Association (AMTA) annual Awards Celebration on April 18, at the Grey Eagle Event Centre.

On January 24, 2024, AMTA completed a Canadian first by taking AMTA’s Nikola Hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV) through Alberta’s busiest corridor using only 61% of the tank of hydrogen.

This historic roundtrip on the QEII between Edmonton and Calgary was a tremendous success and proved these zero-emissions vehicles (ZEV) are more than capable for long-haul operations in our province and climate, compared to other ZEV capacities tested in Alberta better suited for return-to-base short-haul operations.

October 2023, Edmonton, AB – last week, AMTA was thrilled to attend Edmonton Region Hydrogen HUB’s State of the Province Hydrogen Luncheon to celebrate Alberta’s hydrogen economy, and it was an incredible event!

Our very own Terri Johnson, manager of Industry Advancement, spoke on AMTA’s actions in our province’s hydrogen economy and our collaboration with our incredible partners. All our initiatives and projects could not continue to move the needle on innovation without the involvement of many organizations.

In April 2023, AMTA and Nikola Motor Corp. jointly announced the purchase of a Nikola Class-8 commercial vehicle, and it is now ready to hit the road in the hands of commercial carriers across the province.

Doug Paisley, of LTT Logistics and RK Trailer Rentals – based out of Lethbridge, has been named Chair of the AMTA Board of Directors for the 2023 term. Paisley has served as an AMTA board member since 2011, most recently as Immediate Past Chair from 2019-2022. He was also the Board chair from 2018-2019.

Each year, as part of its AGM, AMTA celebrates the achievements of professionals in the commercial transportation industry who go above and beyond expectations. This year, AMTA honours six individuals who have made significant impacts to the association and/or industry.

The Alberta Motor Transport Association (AMTA) hosted its 2022 Annual General Meeting (AGM) Sept. 24.

On Tuesday, September 13th, 2022, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that Monday, September 19th will be a federal holiday in honour of the funeral

Commercial drivers ensure we have what we need for our day-to-day lives, from the food on our shelves to the shoes on our feet, and AMTA’s annual Driver Appreciation Days are a small way to say, on behalf of all Albertans, ‘thank you.’

For Immediate Release (Calgary, Alta.) – The Alberta Motor Transport Association (AMTA) and Free Rein Resources (Free Rein) have jointly announced the signing of a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to explore a commercial-scale business to produce blue hydrogen for use in heavy trucks in Alberta. Under the terms of the MOU, Free Rein will be responsible for collecting and studying data and information relating to the production and safe disposal of any CO2 produced during production, while AMTA will assess the viability of transportation, storage, and distribution.

Rolling closures mean that a highway closure will be in place before and after the Pope’s motorcade passes by.

Motorists can expect delays and should plan ahead and consider alternate routes where possible.

The Alberta Motor Transport Association (AMTA) is celebrating the successful completion of Canada’s first on-road commercial truck platooning trials. For years, researchers have studied simulations and test track data to assess the potential benefits of platooning technologies. Now, the AMTA – together with its industry partners – will be able to analyze accurate data collected during real-world platooning operations.

Alberta’s Transportation Minister Rajan Sawhney, addressed about 50 Alberta Motor Transport Association (AMTA) members and industry March 11 for an industry mix and mingle.

COVID-19 is everchanging, as such WCB Alberta and OHS regularly review and update their positions and interpretations. This article provides information on a few recent WCB fact sheets that employers should be aware of as well as the potential impact of recent changes to the OHS Act.

Commercial drivers ensure we have what we need for our day-to-day lives, from the food on our shelves to the shoes on our feet, and AMTA’s annual Driver Appreciation Days are a small way to say, on behalf of all Albertans, ‘thank you.’

January 3, 2022 (Winnipeg, MB) James Richardson & Sons, Limited (JRSL) and Bison Transport (Bison) are pleased to announce that, effective December 31, 2021, Bison Transport acquired 100 percent of the issued and outstanding shares of Hartt Transportation Systems, Inc. (Hartt) Headquartered in Bangor, Maine, Hartt is one of the largest truckload carriers based in the Northeastern US with 360+ tractors and 2100+ trailers and a sizeable logistics offering. Hartt is a 2nd generation business, founded in 1948 by Delmont E. Hartt and then owned by his son, Billy Hartt, until it was acquired by Bison. Hartt’s success over the last 70+ years has been driven by a long tenured and reputable customer base, low driver turnover, a focus on safety, a quality fleet and a strong company culture. These factors are similar to those that have allowed Bison to be successful, leading us to see a strong strategic fit between our companies.

The Federal Government has finalized the Exemptions from and Modifications to Hours of Work Provisions Regulations for the federally regulated road transportation, postal and courier, marine, and grain sectors. The final regulations will come into effect on February 1, 2022. Once in effect, our industry will be affected by these exemptions. Additionally, as of February 1, 2022, the Interpretation, Policies and Guidelines (IPG) 101 will no longer apply to the road transportation, postal, and courier sectors. This bulletin does not apply to provincially regulated employers.

On Dec 1, 2021, WCB announced the 2022 industry rates. The average industry rate will increase by 3 cents to $1.17 rather than $1.42, which would be required to cover the total forecasted claims cost for 2022. WCB will absorb the additional costs from its accident fund, to cover $265 million in employer premiums.