National Trucking Week

September 2014

The Manitoba Home Builders' Association is celebrating 75 years.

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2 Manitoba Trucking Week 2014 Supplement to the Winnipeg Free Press Wednesday, September 10 Wednesday, M ost of us are dependent on the trucking industry, even though we may not realize it. Commercial trucks transport 95 per cent of everything we eat or buy in Manitoba. "Trucking in Manitoba contributes about 1.5 billion dollars annually to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). It consistently makes up six to seven per cent of the provincial GDP, which puts it towards the top," said Terry Shaw, executive director of the Manitoba Trucking Association (MTA). "The trucking industry is a large employer and a critical service provider. It's a major contributor to the provincial economy." The trucking industry plays a vital role in Manitoba's economy. Over 25,000 Manitobans are employed in the truck transportation sector. MTA figures show that for every 10 jobs created in the trucking industry, seven jobs are created in associated industries. "Trucking is not immune to economic downturns, but it's definitely recession- resistant. We felt the pains of the economic turmoil in '09, but at the end of the day, people still want to eat and purchase clothing, food, cellphones and televisions that were made somewhere else," Shaw said. "As a society, people are buying more and consuming more." A typical tractor-trailer raises about $40,000 annually in federal and provincial taxes and fees. More than 300,000 commercial trucks cross the Manitoba-U.S. border each year. Over 300,000 Canadians are truck drivers, making it one of the top occupations in the country. In spite of this, the industry is facing a critical people shortage. Shaw said that a 33,000-person deficit is predicted by 2020. "As we're already over halfway through 2014, this is a real concern. We need to find trained drivers and get them into trucks. We're communicating as much as we can so people know about the opportunities that exist in the industry," said Shaw. "We're always on the hunt for people who are willing to work as professional, trained truck drivers. Everybody is struggling to attract people. We're facing competition from other provinces and from other industries." One of MTA's strategies is the Entry Level Professional Truck Driver Training Program, which is a partnership with Manitoba Public Insurance (MPI). The commercial division of MPI funds the program, which trains students in essential skills and matches them with employers. "Trucking is becoming more regulated and more technical, so it's more difficult to break into the industry. A licensed driver isn't necessarily a trained driver — getting your Class 1 licence doesn't mean you'll get work as a driver. There's a certain level of pre- education the industry wants to see," Shaw said. "We've had a lot of success with the training program." Regulations that vary from province to province are one of the challenges facing professional drivers. The MTA consistently lobbies for standardized regulations. "Trucking is a highly-regulated industry. We're working to harmonize those regulations so we don't spend a lot of overhead trying to understand regulations in Saskatchewan, Alberta, B.C., Ontario," said Shaw. "Industry regulations just aren't keeping up with the advances in technology. These are lost opportunities that would improve economic efficiencies and have a positive environmental impact." As an example, Shaw mentions the full- length boat tail, which is essentially a big wing on the back of a trailer. The boat tail reduces aerodynamic drag, which means the truck will use less fuel. "It's being used in Ontario, but it's not legal for use in Manitoba yet," he said. "The cost of diesel fuel is significant now. Anything we can do to mitigate those costs will benefit consumers, and perhaps more importantly, it will lessen our environmental impact and result in fewer greenhouse gas emissions." Advances in technology, along with increased training and education, have made the industry safer. Satellite messaging and cellphones allow drivers to get help when they run into problems on the road. "As much as those who work in trucking love it, it takes a certain person to do this job. It can be isolating, although technology is improving that aspect. Drivers are still away from their families for long periods of time," said Shaw. "I'd like to thank the men and women who work in our industry. We appreciate their contributions." By Holli Moncrieff For the Free Press Pulling ahead Terry Shaw, executive director of the Manitoba Trucking Association. Photo by Darcy Finley Participants take part in the United Way Truck Pull. Participants take part in the World's Largest Truck Convoy for Special Olympics. Submitted photo Regulations that vary from province to province are one of the challenges facing professional drivers. Laura La Palme of the MTA shows off an 'I heart trucking' T-shirt. Submitted photo Trucking industry plays huge role in province

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