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    13 ultimate toys for truck lovers

    Dear Santa. We like to think we’ve been pretty good this year. And when Christmas morning rolled around in days gone by, we remember how great it was to find a toy truck under the tree. It made us wonder. What kind of toy trucks are on the market today? (Photo: istock) Since price was no object, Today’s Trucking went shopping for the ultimate truck toys from OEMs and toymakers alike. Here are 13 that caught our eye: (Photo: Western Star) Western Star 49X radio-controlled dump truck Daimler Trucks North America launched its latest vocational truck in the form of the Western Star 49X. But even those who don’t get…

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    ICBC licensing offices requiring appointments

    VANCOUVER, B.C. – ICBC is now requiring customers to book appointments before visiting driver licensing offices at Burnaby Metrotown, Richmond Lansdowne, Surrey Guildford, Kamloops, and Victoria Wharf Street locations. The measure, which begins today, is meant to minimize the number of people waiting for service and maintain the physical distancing required by the Provincial Health Officer and WorkSafeBC. (Illustration: iStock) Walk-in service is still available, but during specific timeframes. Burnaby Driver Licensing (Metrotown), 232 – 4820 Kingsway, Monday – Saturday from 8:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. Kamloops Driver Licensing, 937 Concordia Way, Monday – Friday from 8:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. Victoria Wharf St. Driver Licensing, 955 Wharf St., Monday…

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    Transportation hub seeks UN designation

    BRAMPTON, Ont. – The Region of Peel, one of Canada’s biggest freight hubs, is seeking to join a global network of jurisdictions that promotes sustainable development, a top official Friday. Nando Iannicca, chairman of the Region of Peel, told the Smart Freight Symposium 2020 that Peel has applied for designation as one of the United Nations Regional Centres of Expertise (RCE) on Education for Sustainable Development. He said a decision is expected next month. The establishment of an RCE in Peel would focus on the theme of sustainable transportation and goods movement. (Photo: RCE Network) The RCEs play a key role in implementing the UN’s sustainable development goals (SDGs). There…

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    Truck OEMs charting course to ‘ultra-clean’

    TORONTO, Ont. – The path to ultra-clean truck transportation begins with clean diesel engines today, but will eventually be dominated by electric trucks. But on that journey, truck manufacturers must work closely with fleets to build the entire ecosystem needed to support those trucks and make total cost of operation more viable. Five OEM representatives discussed that challenge during a recent ACT Virtual session dubbed The Future of Ultra-Clean. (Photo: Daimler Trucks North America) Michael Scheib, director, eMobility platform with Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) said efforts will continue to clean diesel engine technology, but “To get to real, truly ultra-clean technology, we are heavily investing in battery-electric technology.” It…

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    Freight’s carbon footprint soaring

    BRAMPTON, Ont. – Freight is one of the next frontiers for climate action because it accounts for an increasing share of the transportation sector’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in Canada, the environmental think-tank Pembina Institute warned Friday. “In fact, at its current rate, it is expected that GHG emissions from freight will surpass those of passenger vehicles by 2030,” said Maddy Ewing, a transportation and urban solutions analyst at the institute. Freight GHG emissions in Canada are expected to surpass those of passenger vehicles by 2030. (Source: Pembina Institute) She was addressing the Smart Freight Symposium 2020. “As urbanization, economic activity, online shopping and the demand for same-day home delivery…

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    Be prepared before heading out onto the roads this winter

    Winter in British Columbia can be beautiful — especially when a fresh layer of snow covers the ground. But winter also means increased safety risks when driving. Black ice, freezing temperatures, rain, snow, fog, and sudden weather changes are all hazards drivers must be prepared for.  For those who drive for work, November, December, and January are the most dangerous months of the year. Almost 28 percent of all work-related crashes that result in injury and time-loss claims occur during these three months. Truck drivers are involved in almost one-third of these crashes. Good preparation is key to preventing crashes, injuries, damages, and delays. As a commercial driver, it’s important…

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    Canadian among TCA Driver of the Year finalists

    FREDERICTON, N.B. – Armour Transportation driver Susie De Ridder of Fredericton, N.B., is one of three finalists for the Truckload Carriers Association’s Company Driver of the Year award. She is up for a $25,000 grand prize, and assured of a $2,500 runner-up prize from sponsors Cummins and Love’s Travel Stops. Susie De Ridder (Photo: Supplied) The finalists were selected “based on their demonstrated ability to operate safely on public highways, their efforts to enhance the public image of the trucking industry, and their contributions to their local communities,” TCA said in a release. Grand prize winners will be announced April 20 at TCA’s annual convention, scheduled for Las Vegas. Software…

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    Telematics can help control rising insurance costs

    MONTREAL, Que. – The most effective way fleets can control their insurance costs in a hard market is to leverage telematics to drive out risky driving behaviors. That was the consensus of a panel of trucking insurance professionals who spoke at the virtual Isaac Instruments user conference Nov. 17. Insurers are increasingly relying on telematics data to measure risk. Intact, for example, has more than a trillion data points collected from telematics generated by its North American customers, according to Angelique Magi, national vice-president, specialty auto and transportation. More than 200 data scientists are employed to analyze that data. If you’re not using telematics to monitor risky driving behaviors and…

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    ECONOMIC WATCH: Canadian spot market load volumes increase for sixth consecutive month

    TORONTO, Ont. – Loadlink Technologies has reported overall spot market load volumes increased 2% in October, with load postings up 18% year-over-year. Freight volumes were similar to pre-pandemic levels recorded in the first quarter of this year, with volumes growing each month since April. Volumes saw an uptick at the end of the month. (Source: Loadlink Technologies) Highlights included decent volumes at the end of the third quarter, followed by a 6% dip at the beginning of October, attributed to the Thanksgiving holiday. New Covid-19 cases are on the rise, particularly in Ontario and Quebec, altering usual freight flows in and out of those hardest hit regions. Loadlink reported an…

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    CTA campaign to educate shippers about cost of non-compliance

    TORONTO, Ont. – The Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA) is launching a broad awareness campaign in a bid to convince shippers and receivers to consider the “cost of compliance” when choosing transportation providers. The program, anchored by a social media campaign, is asking those who purchase transportation services to ensure that carriers are not cheating on taxes, cutting corners on safety, or willfully polluting the environment. The CTA has been a public opponent of Driver Inc. – a business model that involves misclassifying employees as independent contractors – and those who bypass emissions controls using so-called delete kits, among other issues. “The cost of transportation services includes the cost of compliance.…