Dave Elniski

AMTA Industry Advisor, Safety & Compliance

This article has been accepted for publication by CVSA’s Guardian magazine; their digital editions can be accessed at this link.

Research is interesting. With the exception of discoveries that are completely new to humankind, there are two ways we research: working independently to repeat someone else’s prior discovery, or asking those who already know.

Most day-to-day research a carrier’s interested in is where the company is trying to learn what someone else already knows. For example, a safety professional may be looking for a solution to reduce the rate of falls that occur in the yard when the ground is icy. Other safety professionals already know ways to address this concern. There are likely best practices in existence. In this example, the first safety professional just needs to find the right person to ask.

Dave Elniski

AMTA Industry Advisor, Safety & Compliance

This article has been accepted for publication by Western Canada Highway News; their digital editions can be accessed at this link.

There is a feel that I get during the fall that I can trace back to my elementary school days. It’s a nice feeling, but it is also a longing feeling, sort of like a nostalgia that comes flooding in all at once. I’d call it a foggy fall feeling if I had to name it. Nostalgia can hit me at any time, but this feeling is tied to autumn.

The Alberta Motor Transport Association’s (AMTA) Board of Directors has proposed key changes to its bylaws so the Association can continue to lead and govern effectively, operate with modern practices, and comply with provincial laws.

Submitted by CVSA Programs Coordinator, Sheriff Highway Patrol, Sgt. Brian Davyduke

The 28th annual Alberta Inspectors Championship was held at the Alberta Motor Transport Associations training centre at the Edmonton International Airport on Saturday June 25th. There were five CVSA North American Standard (NAS) inspectors competing for top prize in the competition.

In today’s workplaces, it’s especially critical that employers consider the psychological safety of their workforce. The potential consequences of not doing so could result in increased WCB premiums through the acceptance of psychological injury claims; discrimination claims through a Human Rights Tribunal and the associated financial and reputational costs; or a violent event resulting from events at the workplace.

CTA: (TORONTO, June 14, 2022) — Government of Canada announced today that the mandatory vaccination mandate at the land border remains in place for all travelers entering the country, including truck drivers crossing the border.

Rob Dombowsky

AMTA Industry Advisor, Human Resources & Labour

On June 3, 2022, the provincial government opened the third intake of the Alberta Jobs Now Program (AJNP). The intent of this program is to support Albertans, including those with disabilities, to gain the right skills to find and maintain employment through on the job or formal training. This is accomplished by providing a subsidy to employers for 25% of a new hires annual salary up to $25,000, whichever is less. This increases to 37.5% or $37,500 when hiring people with disabilities. [1]

AMTA’s Professional Truck-driving Championship (PTDC) is one of our most exciting events, drawing our industry and the community together. However, this year, driver registrations and volunteer numbers are significantly lower than usual and are not sufficient to run the event.

Based in Houston, Texas, FleetWaze, the Transportation Management System (TMS), joined the Third-Party Certified ELD Service/Devices in Canada in April. And, as a proud AMTA+ member, FleetWaze provides a 10% discount to all fellow AMTA members!

Dave Elniski

AMTA Industry Advisor, Safety & Compliance

Whether federally [1] or provincially [2] regulated, trucking companies need to address psychosocial hazards in their occupational health and safety programs. In a recent survey, AMTA found confidence around addressing psychological and psychosocial safety to be limited, especially amongst small carriers [3].

Rob Dombowsky, MBA, CPHR

AMTA Industry Advisory, Human Resources & Labour

An intrinsic part of coaching and developing employees is providing effective feedback. The key word being “effective”. Effective feedback requires that a person has a goal, takes action to achieve the goal, and receives goal-related information about his or her actions. Information becomes feedback if, and only if, we are trying to cause change and the information tells the recipient whether I am on track or need to change direction.[i]

Safety in road transportation has evolved with technology, infrastructure, and societal expectations. Road planners have the challenging task of building highways today that account for future use given the resources, standards, and predictions available to them. While driver training and vehicle system improvements save lives, it is my opinion that infrastructure makes the biggest difference when it comes to increasing safety for motorists.

On day two (April 27) of the Canadian Hydrogen Convention AMTA President Chris Nash announced the association’s partnership with Suncor for the Alberta Zero Emission Truck Electrification Collaboration (AZETEC), among other projects.

Nash was joined on the Edmonton Global Stage by David Van Den Assem, (Senior Manager, Clean Technology and Climate Change Innovation, Alberta Innovates), and Grace Meikle, (Senior Business Partner, Alberta Innovates & Emissions Reduction Alberta).

Alberta Motor Transport Association (AMTA) President Chris Nash announced an ambitious two-year Hydrogen Vehicle Demonstration April 26 at the sold out Canadian Hydrogen Convention (CHC) Hydrogen Hub stage.

With an anticipated 4,000 attendees from around the world CHC serves to show the critical role Canada is playing in the development of a global hydrogen economy.

I find it interesting how quickly I can focus on one part of the industry. Take Alberta’s dual registration program, for example (which, pardon my unapologetic plug, can be found at this link). Dual registration became my biggest focus when I was working on that bulletin, and I’ve found it useful in work I’ve done with carriers since it came out.

The Alberta Motor Transport Association (AMTA) Driver of the Month program is expanding to include Class 5 drivers to increase the nominee pool and generate increased interest in the program.

Rob Dombowsky, Industry Advisor, Human Resources & Labour, AMTA

On April 1, 2022, the federal minimum wage will increase to $15.55 per hour from $15.00 per hour.

The federal minimum wage, which came into force on December 29, 2021, is adjusted automatically on April 1 of every year, based on the average annual increase of the Consumer Price Index (CPI), as reported by Statistics Canada. This is to ensure that the federal minimum wage keeps pace with inflation. This year’s rate increase reflects the 3.4% annual average rise of the CPI for Canada in the previous calendar year, rounded up to the nearest $0.05.[1]

– Rob Dombowsky, Industry Advisor, Human Resources & Labour, AMTA

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.”

Charles Dickens – A Tale of Two Cities

Rob Dombowsky, AMTA Industry Advisor, Human Resources & Labour

On occasion, WCB will circulate policy updates for review by its stakeholders. If you are impacted by the following policies, may be impacted or have an opinion you would like to share, please review the policies below and submit your feedback directly to WCB. Alternatively, AMTA is interested in hearing your feedback, so we are able to formulate an industry representative opinion on our members’ behalf.

The 2022 COVID Audit Plan is in effect from January 1 to December 31, 2022.

-On-site data gathering activities by auditors was suspended from January 1 to February 28, 2022.

During this period, Alberta implemented a public health measure for mandatory working from home in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Note internal maintenance auditors were allowed to continue on-site activities, if they were directed by their employer to remain on-site during the pandemic.