TORONTO, Ont. –– Polaris Transportation Group announced today that J.G. Drapeau has entered into an agreement to acquire the Ontario LTL division of Mainliner Freightways and transition into the 150,000 square foot cross-dock and warehousing facility in Etobicoke, Ont.

The acquisition is expected to be completed on July 3, 2018. 

Mainliner’s LTL fleet will continue to serve the Southwestern Ontario to Ottawa corridor and will significantly increase the Polaris/Drapeau LTL and warehousing capacity in the Ontario market. Mainliner’s LTL business boasts a blue chip customer base, dedicated team of professionals and a track record of strong performance since 1993.

Dave Cox, president of Polaris Transportation Group said: “This allows our Group of Companies to more quickly expand our already large LTL service coverage in Ontario. We have relationships with a significant number of premium shippers across North America and an acquisition like this gives us more opportunity to enhance our leadership position. With this acquisition, J.G. Drapeau more than triples in size, as our growth initiatives for that business continue to gain momentum with team members and customers.”

As PTG looks to continue to grow what is already the largest privately held Canadian cross border LTL fleet, this acquisition reinforces its growth strategy to be a premier transportation and supply chain partner for its customers. This acquisition marks the fourth acquisition in the company’s history and second in 12 months.

The Parisi family also commeneted:  “The next generation of leaders within our LTL unit will benefit from all the opportunities a large organization like Polaris Transportation Group can bring, coupled with what we believe to be an excellent cultural fit. PTG’s operational focus, with a passion around safety and well-being for employees, makes them an excellent fit for our team and long-standing customers and suppliers.”

Source of article click here : Truck News

RAPHINE, Va. – Like something out of a sci-fi movie, the AirFlow Starship initiative has produced a futuristic-looking rig that’s been in the making for several years.

Beginning with a simple drawing by former driver and owner of AirFlow Truck Company Robert Sliwa, the Starship, which is a joint venture between AirFlow and Shell Rotella, has been tearing up the road for a while now, and I recently had the chance to ride in the fuel-efficient truck during the Shell Rotella SuperRig Roadshow at White’s Travel Center in Virginia.

For those who haven’t yet heard of or seen the Starship, here is a general breakdown of the truck: it employs an aerodynamic design to minimize wind resistance (giving the truck its futuristic look), has an active grill cooling system, low viscosity, used full synthetic Shell lubricants, boasts an ultra-low RPM transmission (never surpassing 1,250), a 6×2 axle ratio configuration for lower weight, friction, and better fuel efficiency, low roll resistant, single wide-base tires, roof-mounted solar panels, predictive cruise control, regenerative braking, and relies heavily on driver behavior for peak performance.

“If you put the wrong driver in this truck, they won’t get as good of fuel mileage,” Sliwa said during our ride along June 14.

This past May, the Starship made a cross-country trip from San Diego, Calif., to Jacksonville, Fla., in an effort to showcase what the truck is capable of, which Sliwa said is comparable to any big rig out there.

“Both Shell and I wanted to prove that this a real-world truck that stops at truck stops just like everybody else,” said Sliwa. “I have to do an ELD like everybody else…it’s a real-world truck that hauls real-world freight.”

The truck was fully loaded during the trip, with a total gross vehicle weight of 80,000 lbs., while the Starship’s freight ton efficiency was measured by an on-board telematics system.

Riding in the Starship is like riding in many other tractor-trailer combinations. With an automated manual transmission, shifting gears was smooth and efficient, even while accelerating up to speed to enter the highway.

The air conditioning cooling the cab was powered by the 5,000 watt solar panel configuration on the roof, charging a 48 volt battery bank on the tractor.

Sliwa said he started building trucks back in 1983, a time when anything out of the ordinary in the trucking industry was not as accepted as it is today.

He said his first truck seemed to get about 95% negative reactions from those who saw it.

The next truck, the BulletTruck, which he started in 2009 and completed in 2012, was more accepted by the industry, but still there were reservations by many.

“We took that truck from coast to coast and everywhere else hauling real freight. Some guys really hated it and some guys really loved it,” Sliwa said, adding that there was about a 50/50 split between the two sides.

Sliwa said now with the Starship, some people still ask whether the truck is an electric vehicle or some other alternative fuel offering, even when he’s at a truck stop pumping diesel to power the truck’s Cummins X15 engine.

“This truck seems to be about a 90-95% positive reaction,” he said.

Sliwa said historically trucking is a very conservative industry and takes baby steps when it comes to change, and over the past five years progression has been glacial. He said several OEMs know that the Starship’s design is what is needed to help save fuel and put out a more efficient truck, but fear of the unknown and potential challenges selling a product like the Starship steers them away from the design.

Rolling down the highway at around 60 mph, I asked Sliwa how the truck performs in adverse weather conditions as seen in Canada and the northern states.

Having driven through a snow storm in Nebraska, Sliwa said the experience was no different than if he were driving any other truck, and took the same precautions as the other drivers had.

He also drove in 75-mph cross winds north of Salt Lake City, Utah, and unlike some assumptions, the truck was sturdy.

“A lot of people contend that the truck will be less stable or tend to blow over with full trailer skirts, but it’s really the reverse,” he said. “If you didn’t have skirts and the wind was blowing 75 mph, it’s only going to hit the top of the trailer and blow it over. When you have the full skirts, it pushed it sideways.”

He also said the skirts eliminate splash and spray, an advantage for both the truck driver and others on the road around them.

The Starship does not have any traditional mirrors, which Sliwa said can get dirty in adverse weather. The driver instead relies on a mirror eye system, using cameras around the truck, which have their own boat tails to help reduce any debris from inhibiting the view.

The cab was extremely roomy, with the bed having been removed and replaced with seats for the ride along.

No testing has been done on the Starship yet, even after its journey from California to Florida. Sliwa said testing will come, but that is the second phase of the Starship initiative.

All in all, other than the look of the truck, it rode much the same as several other trucks I’ve been in. I did not get the chance to drive the Starship, which of course means I am missing out on what driving the truck would really be like when it comes to power, torque, and maneuverability.

But as Sliwa pointed out, trucks like the Starship represent the future, and if the industry is going to embrace a more fuel efficient vehicle, it just might catch on soon.

Source of article click here : Truck News

OTTAWA, Ont. — Marijuana legalization is on the way, whether we like it or not. On June 7, after more than six hours of speeches, the Senate passed Bill C-45, the Cannabis Act, 56 to 30 with one abstention.

Since shying away from the July 1 deadline, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said that Canadians will still be able to spark up sometime this summer, ending a prohibition that has been in place since 1923. It is still expected to take months after the bill is finalized and becomes law before provinces and territories are ready to sell marijuana in retail stores.

As it relates to trucking, several provinces have announced plans for zero-tolerance laws while operating a vehicle, as well as increased penalties for impaired driving.

In addition, Federal Transport Minister Marc Garneau says the federal government is working to put policies in place to address marijuana impairment in the workplace as well as to analyze the scope of the problem, especially as it relates to transportation workers. Privacy issues, human rights issues that may be raised by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and occupational health and safety standards will also be part of the conversation.

The Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA) claims its goal through its discussions with government is to ensure commercial drivers remain the safest operators on public roads.

“This is a complicated issue involving multiple departments and legal matters. The policy direction outlined by the minister is sound and CTA looks forward to working with Transport Canada to ensure that our industry’s concerns are taken into consideration,” said CTA president Stephen Laskowski. “CTA’s goal is to see the eventual introduction of mandatory drug and alcohol testing for commercial truck drivers in Canada.”

What complicates issues is that currently, despite having Bill C-45 passed in the Senate, there is no roadside test to determine if a driver is actually impaired, just an oral fluid test that detects if marijuana is in one’s system or not. And this is simply because there is no device out there yet to determine how much tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is in a person’s system.

While the details of the legislation are still being ironed out, Barbara Butler, who has been helping government, industry, and labor associations deal with the workplace and alcohol and drug issue since 1989, says the news of the legislation shouldn’t be a shock to anyone in trucking. She urges fleets without a drug and alcohol policy in place to get one – and fast.

“This is not new,” she said. “Employers should have drug and alcohol policies in place already…and not just for cannabis but for every drug, mood-altering substance, and alcohol.”

Butler said these policies need to cover all employees, not just drivers, and be clear and well-communicated.

“You want to make sure your employees know their expectations by providing a clear policy around fitness for work and be very clear on what is expected in the workplace,” she said.

If you already have a plan in place, that’s great, Butler says, but make sure you are reviewing your policy on a regular basis to keep up with legislation that may be coming down the pipe.

Source of article click here : Truck News

EDMONTON, Alta – Michelin North America is launching the most aggressive drive-axle tire it has ever produced this August, aiming to meet the extreme conditions of oil field and logging fleets. And the inspiration for the tire – the Michelin X Works Grip D – came from the same place where the tire was launched: Alberta.

Fleets and dealers in the Grande Prairie area were at the heart of the customer-centric process, which included in depth discussions to drive the design process followed by input on 2D- and 3D-tire prints. Coming to market with the X Works Grip D took about 20 months.

“The customers in this market (Alberta’s logging and oil field fleets and the dealers serving them) are very knowledgeable. They know exactly what they want so the path was very clear,” said Kamal Adhikari from Michelin’s Greenville, SC office.

Nor were these fleet customers and dealers shy about telling Michelin when it missed the mark as they felt it had with the previous offering for this market segment, the EX2. Dealers were losing sales and pressing Michelin to either bring back the predecessor to the EX2, the EX, or come up with a new solution.

Michelin chose the second option, explained Adhikari, who was directly involved with the new tire development process all the way to the tire launch in Edmonton’s historic Fairmont hotel June 19th.

“This is not an evolution of what we previously offered for this segment of the market. We started from a blank sheet. We started new,” Adhikari said.

In designing the X Works Grip D tire Michelin focused on three key performance attributes: traction, casing durability and uptime.

Traction was addressed through the combination of an extra-wide tread, which provides more biting edge across the ground, and improving the rubber-to-void ratio. Staggered shoulder blocks provide lateral grip to handle slippery conditions and sawtooth lugs with more than 800 serrated edges boost grip on ice and snow-packed surfaces.

“We wanted to design the tire so that every rotation brought traction,” said Adhikari.

Casing durability was addressed through four separate features, which in combination help prevent casing damage.

Stone ejectors placed around the center block to fight stone retention and drilling. They were strategically placed in the center because that’s where stones usually get trapped and then drill into the steel belts in the heart of the tire.

Shock, impact and road hazard protection through four steel belts at the crown of the tire. That’s one more belt than the next leading competitor, Adhikari pointed out. “Customers can’t see the inside of the tire and that’s an easy area to cut costs. Steel and rubber are not cheap. But it’s important to do the right thing even when customers are not looking. Four layers of steel protect against rocks that do go through.”

Sidewall protection realized through extra-thick sidewalls, which protect the tire in extreme conditions from chipping and scaling.

Co-Ex Technology for a cool-running tread rubber that reduces temperatures in the crown area and preserves the casing, increasing the ability for the tire to be retreaded.

To maximize uptime, Michelin redesigned the housing of the tread and the positioning of the shoulder blocks, allowing for a quick installation and removal of snow-chains, a reality for many of the fleets serving this segment of the market. Specifically, the X Works Grip D was designed with a large enough notch between the outer lugs to accommodate most tire chains.

“Putting on and taking off tire chains is a pain point. It’s critical to drivers. If a driver doesn’t like (how easy it is to place a chain on a tire) you’re done,” Adhikari said. “The challenge is to make the notch just big enough that the largest chain would hold and the smallest chain won’t wiggle.”

The MICHELIN X Works Grip D tire is available in the United States and Canada in 11R24.5 size and load range H. To learn more about truck tires and services, visit www.michelintruck.com

Source of article click here : Truck News

CALGARY, Alta. – One of the drivers and trucks from the carrier involved in the Humboldt Broncos bus collision is operating under a new numbered company, according to Alberta Transportation.

Though the lone driver currently employed by the numbered company is not the individual who was involved in the incident that claimed the lives of 16 people and injured 13, Alberta Transportation is keeping a close eye on the carrier.

“Alberta Transportation did its due diligence by immediately suspending the numbered company’s Safety Fitness Certificate (SFC) until the company could demonstrate it was in full compliance with all commercial transportation safety legislation,” read a statement released by Alberta Transportation. “Once the carrier demonstrated that it was in compliance Alberta Transportation had no legal grounds to maintain the suspension and the suspension was lifted on June 1.”

Conditions have been attached to the SFC of the numbered company, and a follow-up audit will be conducted over the next three months.

Graeme McElheran, director of communications for Alberta Transportation, told Truck West it is important to understand that the suspension of Adesh Deol Trucking, the company involved in the Humboldt Broncos bus collision, applies to the carrier’s SFC, not to any individual involved with the company or its assets.

“While the carrier’s SFC remains suspended,” said McElheran, “there is nothing stopping any of the people involved with the company from seeking employment elsewhere.”

However, if a carrier’s SFC is downgraded to unsatisfactory, all owners, directors, and stakeholder of the company are prohibited from applying for a new SFC for a period of six months. And if the SFC is suspended, and the owners, directors, and stakeholders attempt to operate another company, Alberta Transportation will investigate their roles with the new carrier.

“They might work for another carrier, but if they are found to have executive or management roles, Alberta Transportation may suspend, downgrade, or apply conditions to the carrier’s SFC,” said McElheran.

The Alberta government will be monitoring the new numbered carrier’s profile on a regular basis over the next three months to see if any events are added by authorities when conducting inspections and roadside enforcement to ensure compliance.

Taking all matters of road safety seriously, McElheran said Alberta Transportation is in process of reviewing driver training polices.

“Alberta Transportation has been reviewing several of its policies and regulations for commercial carriers as a matter of due diligence to address concerns and enhance road safety,” he said. “These reviews include mandatory driver training, enhanced pre-entry requirements for new companies, and the safety of intersections across Alberta.

“Like millions of Canadians and people around the world, we were deeply saddened by the tragedy in Saskatchewan involving the Humboldt Broncos, and we extend our condolences to the families and friends of the victims of this heartbreaking incident.”

Source of article click here : Truck News

NIAGARA FALLS, Ont. – “If a proper pre-trip is done, 90% of the stuff I find doing roadside inspections should be caught.”

That was the blunt message delivered by Const. Pat Martin, an officer with the Ontario Police Commercial Vehicle Committee (OPCVC), who was speaking June 14 at the Private Motor Truck Council of Canada’s annual conference. He was joined by Staff Sgt. Mike Hinsperger of the same organization to discuss road safety and inspection blitzes.

Last year, said Hinsperger, the police agencies making up the OPCVC conducted blitzes that included 1,837 commercial vehicle inspections, resulting in 1,574 charges and a startling 40% out-of-service rate. However, Hinsperger noted these are targeted inspections, so the high OOS rate doesn’t mean as much as the better rates resulting from Roadcheck.

Officers Pat Martin (left) and Mike Hinsperger gave PMTC delegates a talk on road safety.

“I have to throw a grain of salt in there,” he said of the results. “The type of enforcement we are doing is very subjective. When our officers see three trucks going down the road and one is a brand new Peterbilt and the other is a 1991 International Binder with parts falling off it, which one do you think we’re going to bring in for inspection? Yes, it’s a high out-of-service rate, however that out-of-service rate represents those vehicles we brought in for inspection.”

The good news is, 2018 results have improved so far, after about 12 years of consistently high OOS rates.

“The 2018 results we’ve been seeing have been vastly improved over what we have seen in the past,” Hinsperger said, noting they’ve been in the 22-28% OOS range at the blitzes conducted this year. “Hopefully we’ll see that trend continue.”

The most common defects found at these blitzes tend to be brakes that are out of adjustment, as well as load securement. Other issues that come up include: defective steering; unsafe trailers; cracked frames; defective tires; loose wheel fasteners; expired inspection reports; and false logbooks. But many of the mechanical items should be discovered during a proper pre-trip inspection, the officers noted.

“Loose wheel fasteners consistently come up,” said Hinsperger. “Drivers should be doing a thorough inspection of the vehicle before the vehicle goes on the road. How preventable is a loose wheel fastener? I’d say very.”

After highlighting a number of commercial vehicle violations Martin and Hinsperger have encountered in the field, the session moved to a question and answer format. PMTC delegates had plenty of questions about distracted driving, which Hinsperger said is now the number one cause of collisions.

He said there were nearly 65,000 crashes on Ontario’s 400-series highways in 2017, with most of them involving distraction.

“Distracted driving has surpassed impaired driving as the number one cause of collisions,” said Hinsperger.

“From what I see every day, it is a huge problem,” Martin agreed.

While the Highway Traffic Act doesn’t specifically address distracted driving, the enforcement officers pointed out careless driving charges can be laid if a driver is distracted. And it doesn’t have to be by a mobile phone.

“Say a person lost control drinking coffee or tuning the radio or reaching to pet a dog. Is that distracted driving? It’s called careless driving and that is the investigation avenue we will take,” Hinsperger explained.

Drivers can help roadside interactions with enforcement officers go more smoothly by being organized.

“The biggest thing for me is documents,” said Martin. “Are they in a nice folder? If a guy is looking under his seat for his pre-trip, that’s a big indicator for me that maybe I upgrade to a Level 2 or Level 1 inspection. If everything is in order, off he goes.”

Hinsperger urged fleets to make it easier for drivers to do their pre-trip inspections, by taking advantage of available tools such as pushrod stroke indicators, which make their jobs easier.

“Let’s make the job as easy as possible for the drivers,” he said. “It’s going to improve the safety of your trucks. Put things like tattletales on the pushrods so a driver can recognize quickly if it’s coming out of adjustment.”

Source of article click here : Truck News