MBiz

40 WINTER 2018 MANITOBA TRUCKING ASSOCIATION E verything we've achieved as a province is based on one thing, our collective ability to move goods and people. The raw materials for manufacturing facilities. The goods bought or sold at the store, be it groceries, school supplies, electronics, furniture or clothing. The products produced at farms, mines or manufacturing facilities. The equipment needed for a hydro project, constructing True North Square or a highway. While the methods of movement have certainly evolved since the early days of our province, today's reality is that Manitoba's quality of life is delivered in large part by the trucking industry. Because of this, as Manitoba grows so does trucking. Manitoba's most recent labour market data shows that for truck drivers alone we have 3,100 positions to fill by 2024. In more digestible numbers what this means is that in order to meet the needs of the trucking industry, and therefore the other industries we serve, Manitoba needs to hire, train and retain one truck driver every 19 hours — seven days a week, 365 days a year, without fail for the next seven years straight. Of 500 uniquely listed occupations in Manitoba there are only five that have greater labour market needs and all of those jobs require the services of truck drivers! Trucking is also more than truck drivers. Manitoba also needs 2,000 technicians to ensure our trucks and trailers are in good operating condition and aligned with road safety requirements. On the topic of road safety, we certainly have to acknowledge that trucking road safety policies and practices had a spotlight shone on them this year following the Humboldt incident. While obviously very tragic it was cause for many to seek to better understand the nature of trucking safety statistics. The reality is heavy commercial trucks are the safest vehicles on the road. MPI's most recent traffic collision statistics show that heavy commercial vehicles are almost five times less likely to be involved in a traffic collision than light duty vehicles are. The most impressive part of this stat is that it is "per 10,000 registered vehicles." Knowing that the average light duty vehicle averages less than 60-90 minutes of use daily and most heavy trucks operate 10 or even more hours daily puts trucking's relative road safety record off the charts. Despite our road safety record, our industry accepts that it is not incident free. There are a number of gaps between general industry practice and current "minimum standard" road safety regulations. Mandatory Entry Level Training (MELT) pre-licensing is not currently a requirement for truck drivers. This is something the trucking industry in Manitoba, and nationally, has been attempting to change for years. Aside from the very obvious road safety benefits, there is a very strong economic connection as well. Manitoba industry doesn't need Class 1 licence holders; Manitoba industry needs trained and employable truck drivers (3,100 of them!). Outside of the truck, our industry has also made some dramatic strides on the occupational health and safety front. Since the creation of our RPM Trucking Safety Program there have been 19 Manitoba trucking companies that have been provided their RPM Safety Certificate of Recognition. Not only did these companies qualify for safety rebates of $661,000, these same companies' average WCB rate dropped by over 21 per cent. As an industry, trucking's average WCB premiums also dropped by 20 per cent since 2015. When it comes to environmental considerations, our industry acknowledges our carbon footprint. However, with fuel accounting for roughly 1/3 of our industry's total costs, trucking has been hyper-focused on fuel efficiency for decades. Trucking's focus on efficiency has meant lower transportation costs, which benefits all consumers. Outside of industry-driven efficiencies, trucking is also very highly regulated. Since the 1990s, engine technologies have been evolving in advance of regulations that started in 2002. Current environmental regulations are in place through 2027 and these regulations cover not only engines but efficiency levels for the entire vehicle including tires, trailers and even the fuel we consume. Delivering the needs of Manitoba's economy is a significant undertaking. One that generates billions in revenues provincially and one that employs almost 30,000 Manitobans to do so. ■ KEEPING MANITOBA MOVING Trucking drives the economy and delivers quality of life

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