AMTA sends its condolences to the family of G. Ben Docktor, of long time association member Docktor Freight Solutions Corp.

Dave Elniski, AMTA Industry Advisor, Safety & Compliance

I recently had a conversation with Harmeet Shoker, the Safety and Compliance Director for Rig Logistics. We discussed a number of topics (mostly sharing our thoughts about what skills and attitudes make someone a professional driver). Both of us started in Canada’s trucking industry as a truck driver – flatbeds for me, vans for him – but our experiences have been dramatically different.

*Photo via TAT newsletter

Through a Coalition Build (CB) in Alberta, a Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA) meeting in British Columbia and a Fleet Safety Council Event in Ontario, Truckers Against Trafficking (TAT) staff engaged leaders from the energy and trucking industries and law enforcement in efforts to combat human trafficking in Canada.

Alberta: The Government of Alberta is making changes to the eligibility criteria for Alberta Transportation and Economic Corridor’s Driving Back to Work (DBTW) Grant. These changes will make grant funding available to a wider variety of Albertans. The grant will continue to provide funding to support recipients in the process of obtaining their Class 1 licence, specifically to complete Air Brake training and Class 1 Mandatory Entry Level Training (MELT).

Everyone in Alberta’s commercial transportation industry is familiar with the name Dean Paisley.

Throughout his 48-year career, Dean had tremendous impacts not only on the industry but also on the lives of all who knew him.

In honour of Dean’s life – and his many significant contributions to both AMTA and the industry, the association’s Board of Directors has announced that AMTA’s Service to Industry Award has been changed to the Dean Paisley Service to Industry Award.

The Canadian Trucking Alliance and the provincial trucking associations fully support Transport Canada’s electronic logging device (ELD) mandate. All of the provincial associations in the Alliance are reporting to CTA that their respective governments are ready to enforce the ELD regulations starting January 1, 2023.

Known as a ‘champion for positive relations with the commercial transportation industry,’ Steve Callahan, who served the industry for 38 years, is the recipient of AMTA’s 2022 Historical Award.

CTA Oct. 18, 2022 – For over five years, the Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA) has been calling for action on a tax and labour scheme that has emerged in the trucking industry. Known as Driver Inc, this scheme radically breaks with both the traditional employee and owner-operator models.

The Alberta Motor Transport Association (AMTA) community is grieving the loss of Dean Paisley, who served the association, its membership, and our industry for many years.

Federally regulated carriers in Alberta can partake in the International Registration Plan (IRP) through the Alberta Transportation IRP Online system (ATIOS), administered through Alberta’s Prorate Services, to save from getting trip permits when they leave the province. AMTA’s Compliance & Regulatory Affairs (CRA) has been meeting regularly with Prorate Services to relay industry feedback and find ways to reduce processing times.

AMTA Supporters:

Are you looking for an effective way to promote your products/services in 2023 to key decision-makers in Western Canada’s trucking industry?

Dave Elniski, AMTA Industry Advisor, Safety & Compliance

Federally regulated carriers in Canada need to be ready for the enforcement of the electronic logging device (ELD) rule which will be starting on January 1st, 2023. Given this deadline is fast approaching, it is important carriers consider how their daily compliance habits will be affected. This article will, hopefully, ease some of the confusion that exists around the ELD rule on two specific topics: regular hours of service (HOS) monitoring and managing ELD malfunctions.

AMTA’s Compliance & Regulatory Affairs (CRA) committee, in collaboration with provincial governments, has brought about a significant policy change that is sure to please concrete haulers in Alberta.

Every year, more than 2,100 North Americans are killed or seriously injured because of unsafe behaviour around tracks and trains. Every one of these incidents and deaths are preventable. By looking out for each other and working together, we can help keep our communities safe and prevent injuries and fatalities on or near railway property.

Dave Elniski, Industry Advisor, Safety & Compliance

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.

Announcement from AMTA’s Board of Directors

When it comes to managing one’s safety on the road, even the most seasoned commercial drivers will tell you that knowing when and how to install tire chains can mean the difference between getting home safely at the end of the day… or not.

On June 16, the Canadian government tabled new workplace legislation that specifies what employers can and cannot do in terms of employee privacy. Bill C-27[1], is designed to update Canada’s federal private sector privacy law, the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA), to create a new tribunal, and propose new rules for artificial intelligence (AI) systems.[2]

Below is a letter from Rob Feagan, executive director, OHS Prevention Services (Alberta Labour and Immigration), regarding the collaboration with Certifying Partners (CPs) on initiatives to modernize and improve the COR Program

Alberta OHS released a new OHS legislation search tool which amalgamates the Dec 2021 versions of the OHS Act, Regulation and Code into a new interactive, online tool. The tool enables employers and workers to more efficiently search, access and apply the current legislation to the business and its employees.