The Red Seal in the Hot Seat

Over the past couple of months there have been any number of questions being raised about the feasibility of a Red Seal certifications for truck drivers. We know that many truck driver schools are supportive, but I know of a few that question the probability that such a project will ever happen. Many have other questions about how such a high-minded project will solve the problem of the quickie schools, and what are we going to do about governance and enforcement of current laws? One thing we can agree on is that something needs to be done to raise the bar for graduated truck drivers to make our road safe again.

We have questions for the guy who leading the Red Seal camapain, the chairman of the Professiona Truck Training Association of Canada, Don MacDonald. You might say that Jim Park and I are putting him in the hot seat. Jim Park is both a truck driver and journalist and former broadcaster. I'm and outsider looking for the past 20 years. I have a vested interest to ensure that my kids and may grandkids and my wife and family can feel safe on the highway. Right now they don't. We expect better of the trucking industry.

Thanks to Thanks to Howes Products, makers of Diesel Defender, a diesel Fuel Lubricator & Injector cleaner with advanced IDX4 Detergent.

Driver Inc -The Transformation

Driver Inc…a phrase that sends chills through the hearts of legacy fleet carrier owners everywhere. But…come on, is the Driver Inc way of doing business really that bad? Could there be such a thing as Driver Inc Lite? However, I'm sure that anything other than the rules and the long-held traditions of legacy carriers is unacceptable. But not so fast. There are new kids on the block, and they are getting noticed, and even, praised by the Truckload Carriers Association.

This week, on the TNT podcast, I talk to a lady who I view as somewhat of a magician, performing a transformation in company considered by some to follow the evil Driver Inc model. She came out of retirement to work for them. Her name is Lisa Arseneau. Listen to her story. Thanks to Howes Products, makers of Diesel Defender, a diesel Fuel Lubricator & Injector cleaner with advanced IDX4 Detergent.

Over the past several TNT podcasts we have talked about the campaign to create a Red Seal level of training and certification for truck drivers. I have spoken initially to Mike McCarron, who is probably the most outspoken voice in the Canadian Trucking industry and then Don MacDonald of the PTTAC, then journalist Jim Park, and this week Jim Park is back with me to talk to Guy Broderick, former Highway Star of the Year and now Safety & Training Supervisor at Kriska.

We will discuss and maybe debate the Red Seal campaign and truck driver training standards in general. Personally, I have my own opinions. Jim Park and I will join Guy Broderick on the TNT Podcast thank to our friends at Howes Products, makers of Diesel Defender, a diesel Fuel Lubricator & Injector cleaner with advanced IDX4 Detergent.

On the next TNT a Driver Inc miracle.

The Pilot Program

Good quality truck training schools are not doing as well as they once were, thanks to the budget quickie so-called schools. A good quality school can cost anywhere from $8,000 to $15,000. It's tough for a young guy or girl to come up with that kind of money. But this is interesting…did you know that there is no shortage of young people showing up to fork out around 20 thousand to become a pilot…and $80,000 to become a commercial pilot. Yet, it's interesting that, unlike in the trucking world, there a no bad or crooked quickie pilot schools.

Well, I thought I should talk to some pilot training schools and a pilot to see how they train and how they are monitored and learn about the training testing licensing. I have a flight instructor on with me from Manitoba, and after that, I will talk to a pilot who is known to you all. Let's see if we can learn anything from how they do things under the eagle eye of Transport Canada.

You'll never see a 737 flying next to school bus, or a family in an SUV. So why is safety in trucking less important than flight?

The Enforcement Province

There seems to be a lot of handwringing and anger about the scourge of bad poorly trained and sometimes fake licensed truck drivers on our highways…and the suggestions and strategies to fix the problems. There have been, as usual, plenty of disagreements about what needs to be done to make our highways safer. The one seemingly logical simple solution that obviously evades us is… ENFORCEMENT. Enforcing minimum training standards and enforcing verifiable testing and licensing. It's a bigger problem in Ontario than just about anywhere…but there is one province where it's not nearly as huge an issue.

I talked to my friend Benoit Therrien about how Quebec's system works to make highways safer. Benoit is a 20-year veteran driver and the owner and main host of the hugely popular Truck Stop Quebec radio station, on air and on line 24 hours a day.

Listen and comment.

Slightly Revised

Trucking journalist Jim Park and podcast creator Stan Campbell will discuss the proposed Red Seal idea for truck drivers on this TruckNewsTalk podcast. Anything that cleans up the crooked schools and suspect testing and licensing would be a move in the right direction. However, other ideas have been tried and failed. Are there options? We have a lot of questions. In addition, Stan has a crazy idea he thinks would solve the bad schools and suspicious licensing problems forever. It's sure to get dismissed by just about everybody. Let's just say...control is hard to surrender.

We invite you to please comment. We will pass on your comments and suggestions. Send email messages to stancampbell@outlook.com.

Safety Sam

Lately there have been far too many stories about crooked driving schools and unsafe drivers on our road.

In the big move lately to rid the trucking industry of quickie budget schools, we sometimes forget that Canada is a long list of excellent driving schools from coast to coast. Schools that can almost guarantee a good career with a reputable fleet. New and prospective drivers assume that truck driving schools teach you how to drive a big rig. Unfortunately there is an assumption that if you how to handle a truck with a load on the highway and streets, then, you're good to go. What prospective students may not get is how among top fleets, there is a laser focus on safety. It seems to be one of the areas that the El-Cheapo schools ignore. However, workplace safety not only applies to the trucking industry.

I talked to lady who well connected in the transportation industry and works for a company that is all about safety….and not only about trucking. The company is NATT Safety Services. My guest's name is Samantha Clark. I took the liberty to call her "Safety Sam" because Sam knows safety probably better than anyone. Listen to my conversation with Samantha.