by wtfcanada2015@gmail.com | Nov 24, 2016 | BLOG

TRUCKERS HELPING TRUCKING FAMILIES IN NEED AT CHRISTMAS
We are excited to announce that we are now a 501(c)(3) registered charity and gearing up for our 2016 fundraising drive.
As many of you know we have run this group under various organizations every year. In 2014 we were informed by our latest partner that we would need to go out on our own. By August 10th 2014 we had a corporation formed and bylaws in place. Now after months of government forms etc. we are now a fully registered 501(c)(3) charity.
What this means is that we can now collect money legally and properly, and in our own name. We can issue tax receipts to donors and our corporate sponsors. It also means that the money donated will now be non-taxable, none of us want your hard earned money going to taxes instead of the families. We wanted to set this up properly and by doing so we are now fully in control and will not have to rely on others anymore.
The core group of founders, Maggie, Eldon, Greg, as well as Mark, Mary and Kerry, and many long term volunteers are all involved in this venture and want this to be the best year yet. Everybody involved in this group is a volunteer and receives no renumeration for there work with the TruckersChristmasGroup. All monies raised go towards the families and minimal operating expenditures.
The Truckers Christmas group began in 2008 by Truckers who wanted to help Truckers and their families that have fallen on bad times, have a better Christmas.
Thanks to your help the Christmas Group has raised $66,000 and helped 112 trucking families in need over the last 7 years and we would love to help even more this year.
You can help us help others by checking out our Truckers Christmas Group Christmas Store where you can shop for all sorts of deals on amazing products that have been donated by our sponsors. All proceeds raised in the store go to the Christmas fund. 50/50 tickets
On November 24th 2016 we will strart accepting nominations for trucking families in need until a couple of weeks before Christmas. Applicants must be truck drivers to qualify for assistance. We will be dispersing funds to qualifying families in time for Christmas. Check back here soon for more information and be sure to visit and like our Facebook page at https://m.facebook.com/truckerschristmasgroup.org
Open to Canadian and American Drivers.
Please help the Women’s Trucking Federation Of Canada support this worthy cause.
by wtfcanada2015@gmail.com | Nov 23, 2016 | BLOG

Did you roll your eyes at that 350-pound man in front of you in the all-you-can-eat buffet line? Would you judge him a little differently if you learned that he has an inoperable brain tumor and needs to take steroids that blow up his size?
Remember the way you screamed and glared at that lady who started to drift into your lane? Would you have reacted any different if you knew that she was driving home from the hospital after her daughter just passed away?
Did you judge that guy who stood helplessly by, while the lady in front of him struggled to lift her heavy carry-on bag from the overhead bin? Would you think differently if you knew he was flying home from two spine surgeries and wasn’t allowed to raise his arms or lift anything more than five pounds?
Or maybe that guy you thought was rude, because he didn’t acknowledge your greeting in the elevator? Would you cut him a little more slack if you discovered that he just left his lawyer’s office making a bankruptcy filing for his business, and was thinking about how to tell his family?
You remember what you thought about that lady in front of you at the checkout, trying to sneak 11 items in then 10 or less line? Would it matter so much to you if she had a special needs child at home, or was a caretaker for an elderly parent, and she was desperate to get back to them quickly?
You know that new guy that seemed aloof to you? Would you have given him more of a chance if you found out he has social anxiety disorder and needs extra time to open up to people?
Did you think that guy on the subway was a jerk because he didn’t get up and offer his seat to that elderly lady? What if he’s a wounded warrior and under those slacks are two prosthetic legs that he’s still learning to balance on?
Maybe the better question is simply this…
Are we too quick to judge?
Author unknown
by wtfcanada2015@gmail.com | Nov 16, 2016 | BLOG
My name is Sheryl and I’m 44. I have been driving since 2007. I came to trucking later in life when I needed a way to support my kids and be independent.
My mother told me that when I was 12 and I saw a big truck go past us, I swore that was what I wanted to do. Then when I got my license at 16 I got freaked out on a narrowed road and believed that if I was scared in a car I had no business being in a truck.
I had kids, got married and tried a variety of jobs.
I spent a fair bit of time working for Russell A Farrow as customs broker supervisor.
One young girl came into my shift and her parents owned a truck training school.
I took that as a sign to jump in and do it. I knew I was never going to be independent on $13 per hour.
I did it part time and am proud to say that at my school not one of the male trainees thought I could do it. (I was the only girl).
When I got my license on the first try, they all said it must be easy if I could do it.

Two of those men had to take the test twice.
I started out with a big company as no one wanted to take on someone new especially in the winter. I spent only 7 months there and I really learned a lot. I don’t think a day goes by that I am not thankful for all those slow maneuver courses they put me through.
After that I found a smaller company that was willing to take a chance and for almost 7 years I was part of the Flash Freight family.
I had gotten remarried and my husband and I wanted to try driving as a team so we found a different company that could accommodate us. Three months later and with next to no sleep we moved on to another company as solo drivers.
I tried my hand at training and was stunned at what passes for driver training. This student had never seen the inside of the engine compartment!
That one week gave me HUGE respect for the trainers who put their lives and heart on the lines to help new drivers find the love of the job.
I learned quickly that driver training was not for me. I can do my job, but I could not explain from the ground how to back up. I am so happy I got the chance to try and learn about another role in the driving industry. I hope that some of the wisdom I shared with her (the trainee) helps her along the way.
I think the hardest things for me in all of my job aspects is trying to feel like I belong out here. My perception has been that it is very hard to earn the same respect men get, without going way above what they do. I have also had to “grow a thicker skin”. I am still having to work on that.
I think my favourite dumb question from a man about me driving my truck was “Did you really drive that big truck all the way here by yourself?” I smiled nicely and informed him that driving it was much easier then pushing or pulling it all the way.
After a couple years of shuffling around, my husband and I have returned home to Flash Freight.
If I could pass on knowledge to a new driver it would be to be very careful who you trust out here. Remember to make time for family and friends… Don’t let this career be your life. That gets very lonely.
And never stop challenging yourself. There is such a huge feeling of pride in myself when I successfully back in where that seems impossible. Speed isn’t the key to a successful backing up. No damage to anyone or anything and getting into the dock is success no matter if it takes 5 minutes or 30.

Put yourself in the Drivers seat !!
Flash Freight Systems is a family owned and operated company located near Guelph, Ontario. If you are looking for consistent freight, lots of available miles and home time configured to your needs, give Heather a call at 1- 877-392-3171 ext# 249
by wtfcanada2015@gmail.com | Nov 14, 2016 | BLOG

Have you heard the number one concern among carriers is the Driver Shortage while the number six issue is Driver Retention? Does anyone see disengagement from the obvious? This suggests to me that some carriers have lost their enthusiasm on retention in a climate of demanding drivers. It is this disenchantment within the industry that has made driver managers, safety and compliance personnel, and human resources unable to make the association between driver shortage and driver retention. Driver turnover in the trucking industry is unacceptably high and should not be an acceptable part of doing business.
Trucking managers want dedicated employees who worked diligently in their given role to the maximum benefit of the company. This is what the employer employee relationship has been for as long as I can remember and we are seeing with great enthusiasm on the driver’s part – it is not working. Empowered employees who work towards mutually benefiting both themselves and their employer are more satisfied and tend to stay longer.
Henry ford believed that coming together was a beginning, keeping together is progress, and working together is success. To be successful the driver manager must engage their drivers and listen to their ideas. If the driver manager brings the drivers together with their many diverse ideas and accept and implement some of the ideas, it will inspire other drivers to look around them and come up with innovative thoughts as well.
“Trucking has not been very good at this and as such it has lagged behind other sectors of the economy and it has suffered ridiculously high turnover for years because of it. It has become a self-fulfilling prophecy for many companies” says Ray J. Haight. If you do not change with the industry, the industry will pass you by. There is a new breed of drivers in the market place who embrace technology, lifestyle, and are not the least bit interested in “old school trucking” methodology’s or perceptions.
A successful company of today embraces the new type of driver. You have to. If we are worried that the average age of the truck driver is nearing semi-retirement to retirement you must realize you cannot continue with the thoughts of those men and women. They may have built the industry but they did that to make things better for the next generation. Not only is the next generation of drivers here, there is a whole other group behind them entering the driving workforce as well. Companies are going to have to embrace the thoughts and ways of these younger people and begin modelling their business concepts around them – the Millennials.
The Millennials are looking for a whole different job description and way of doing things. If you cannot adapt to the Millennial they will move on with ease. And why not – they have their dis-enfranchised parents to back them up and support them. The same parents who have been, in their minds, putting up with the traditional workplace too long. A company must show and actively demonstrate opportunities for growth and education for all drivers. These front line workers are going to be the people coming up with ideas on new electronic programs and apps to make life easier, more bearable, while embracing safety, fairness, and strategies for the future. They are making connections. Those companies who view their Millennial drivers as a strategic advantage in the marketplace are set to move forward into the future. Are you one of them?
Written by
Heather Darrington CCLP
Flash Freight Systems
www.flashfreight.ca
by wtfcanada2015@gmail.com | Nov 13, 2016 | BLOG
As the weather gets colder (although as I write this column it is a humid 26 degrees on October 17th), and the leaves continue to change, the thoughts of winter and the weather that could come with it begins to creep into our heads. That also means that some of the calls we receive from potential students include concerns about training in winter. For some people these are just concerns, but for others, they are wanting to know about class dates for the spring and refuse to listen to why training during the winter can actually benefit them. For the individuals who decide to participate in training over the winter months, there are some definite benefits.
One of the biggest benefits to training during the winter months, where one could experience some inclement weather, is that the student doesn’t have to experience driving a tractor trailer in snowy or icy conditions on their own. They have the benefit of an experienced instructor with them who has no doubt dealt with similar conditions before and is able to educate the student on how to properly deal with the different situations that arise. These instructors are able to pass on their experiences and provide best practices to the students which is invaluable as they deal with winter conditions for the first time.
Another benefit of training during winter comes with the fact that students are able to first learn to operate the tractor-trailer unit in potentially difficult weather conditions in a fairly low stress environment. They are not on the clock, pulling a load worth thousands of dollars from Point A to Point B. They are in a somewhat controlled environment, with no time constraints or need to rush. They can take their time, first getting experience with snowy conditions on rural roads and lower traffic areas before progressing up to towns, highways, and cities. This makes it possible for the student to feel comfortable with the conditions and surroundings as they progress through their training modules.
Once a student has gone through their training and passed their road test, hopefully they go to work for a reputable carrier or private fleet that has a training program in place for entry level drivers. If this is the case, the student now has the opportunity to learn from an experienced trainer/mentor performing day to day duties of the job during winter weather. To me this is very valuable to any student. They get to learn the specifics of their new job in the toughest season to operate while receiving daily tutorials and guidance from a professional driver who has seen and experienced the situations before. Students who graduate from AZ training and pass their tests while the grass is still green could be done with mentorship programs well before snow flies which could mean the first time a person operates a tractor trailer in snowy or icy conditions is with a live load in situations they have never dealt with before. Don’t get me wrong, many good companies will provide more training to entry level drivers before and during the winter months, but there are a number of companies who will not which puts the driver in a difficult position.
Aside from the educational benefits that come from training in the winter months, not putting training off until the snow melts allows students to start their new careers quicker. Think about this; if a student decides to put their training off until the end of March or April when they could have started in December, they have lost 3-4 months of work and training experience. In that amount of time they could have completed a six-week training program, passed their MTO road test, passed a company road test at their employer, completed anywhere from a 4 to 8 week finishing/mentorship program and be out on the road with a long term sustainable career.
All seasons provide different learning opportunities and scenarios that are valuable to individuals training to operate a tractor trailer unit, however training in the Winter has some major benefits as compared to the others.

Matt Richardson has been in the trucking industry all his life. Currently he is the Sales & Operations Manager at KRTS Transportation Specialist Inc. (KRTS). A graduate of the University of Guelph, Richardson spent 5 years attending school and playing varsity football for the Gryphons. Since graduating in 2012, he has worked in numerous roles at KRTS and is also heavily involved with the PMTC Young Leaders Group. Matt resides in Caledonia with his wife Julie.