At the core of any training program for drivers is the need
to repeat, repeat, and repeat. That repetition makes practice permanent not
necessarily perfect. So the need to monitor, assess, and hone training programs
is as important as the delivery of those programs to drivers. The trucking
industry fails miserably on both of these counts. The only universally mandated
ongoing training Canadian drivers receive is for the Transportation of
Dangerous Goods, once every 3 years. My best guess is that professional drivers
in Canada will receive between zero and forty hours of safety training from
their carrier annually. My 18 years of experience tells me most drivers
training time will be closer to zero than to forty.
As someone with a background in the delivery of training programs
I recognize the importance of self-assessment in relation to my own
performance. My income, personal safety, and professional reputation are
dependent on keeping my skills sharp and my knowledge up to date.
One of the things I do each year is review the SmartDriver
for Highway Trucking program made available online by Natural Resources Canada.
It’s a free program proven to help improve fuel efficiency by up to 35%. Safety
and fuel bonuses are a significant part of my financial compensation so this is
important to me.
So as I was reading my February 2017 issue of Truck News and
saw the headline ‘Budget should focus on low-carbon trucking’ by the Canadian
Trucking Alliances’ (CTA) CEO David Bradley the question that first sprung up
in my mind was in regard to available training dollars and programs for
professional drivers. After all, improving fuel efficiency is still largely in
the hands of the driver and this is the most direct way to reduce carbon emissions,
cut operating costs, increase profits, and keep a carrier competitive.
But no, despite an industry focus on training &
recruiting drivers of late, the CTA submission to the federal government stated
in its introduction, “The 2017 federal budget can play a significant role
assisting and accelerating investment in equipment and technology designed to
reduce GHG from trucking”.
Absent was any mention of the role the driver plays in the
trucking industry’s ability to meet new emissions regulation standards.
The CTA goes on to say in its submission that, “Carbon
reducing programs that target long-haul trucks will generate the most return on
government investment as this sector of the trucking industry consumes the most
fuel.” The government recognizes that drivers’ impact fuel efficiency by up to
35% so why doesn’t the CTA?
I care deeply about the plight of other drivers and the
health of our industry as a whole, I recognise that a driver’s welfare and
well-being is tied directly to the success or failure of the carrier he or she
works with. The CTA has assumed a mantle of leadership in the trucking industry
by speaking for the over 4,500 companies it represents as a federation of
provincial trucking associations. In doing so it also represents the 400,000
direct jobs in the Canadian trucking industry, 300,000 of which are truck
drivers. These are the CTA’s own numbers. By focusing on GHG reduction solely
through investment in equipment & technology, while ignoring investment in
human resources, the CTA is slapping drivers in the face and fueling a growing
disregard for carrier associations amongst the rank & file.
Let’s not forget that the CTA’s own Blue Ribbon Task Force
on the driver shortage had some strong things to say about how drivers are
treated. A minimum standard of entry level training, recognition as a skilled
trade, and mandatory ongoing training/certification were recognized as core
values for drivers. This much lauded report was to lead the change in
recognizing and treating drivers as skilled professionals.
The CTA should be lobbying the federal government to be
partnering in funding these initiatives not allowing them to gather dust on the
shelf.
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