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TFI International Acquires Axsun

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sophie
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Image : La Presse
Image : La Presse

TFI International Inc. has announced its acquisition of Axsun Group, a North American intermodal and freight brokerage services provider. With multiple locations in Canada and the US, Axsun offers a range of intermodal services as well as over-the-road highway, drayage, logistics and warehousing. Under the leadership of President and CEO Steve Ramescu, the company operates a small fleet of approximately 20 tractors and 300 trailers, generating annualized revenues of around CAD$90 million.

Mr. Ramescu will continue to lead the business under TFI International’s Logistics segment, reporting to TFI Senior Executive Vice-President Steven Brookshaw. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Alain Bédard, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of TFI International, praised Axsun’s asset-light and technologically sophisticated approach to serving a demanding Fortune 100 customer base. He noted that the company’s existing business will complement TFI International’s service offerings in both Canada and the US, with many customers increasingly looking towards intermodal as a solution for their freight movement needs.

TFI International welcomes Axsun’s contributions to its continued growth and emphasis on service quality under its umbrella, and extends a warm welcome to Steve and his team.

Choosing the best transportation company for your professional trucking career

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sophie
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If you’re searching for a job as a truck driver, it’s essential to find a transportation company that supports you in your work and ensures your safety on the road. During your job search, there are several key factors to consider in order to find the best company for you.

First, it’s important to consider all aspects of compensation when comparing hourly wages versus per-mile/kilometer wages, including bonuses and annual salary. You should also take into account other benefits offered by the company, such as social benefits and retirement plans, as well as quality of life and professional growth opportunities. By carefully examining all of this information, you can make an informed choice to find the transportation company that best suits your needs.

In addition to compensation, here are some key elements to consider when looking for a job as a truck driver: make sure the company adheres to regulations to ensure your safety and that of other road users. Also, check that working hours are reasonable and do not endanger your health. Next, make sure the equipment is in good working order and that the trucks are well-maintained and equipped with cutting-edge technology to improve your safety, comfort, and efficiency. It’s also important to choose a company that values its employees, offers an inclusive company culture, encourages training and professional growth, and offers attractive social benefits to provide you with a pleasant work environment.

Quality of life is an important element to consider. Make sure the company offers social benefits such as paid time off, wellness programs, insurance, and other benefits to allow you to maintain a good quality of life. Finally, look for a company that offers professional growth opportunities such as training, promotions, or opportunities to become an owner-operator if that is part of your future goals.

To ask the right questions during the interview, here are some examples:

• What is the hourly wage or per-mile/kilometer wage offered?
• What are the bonuses and annual salary?
• What social benefits are offered, such as retirement plans and wellness programs?
• How does the company ensure the safety of its employees?
• How does the company value its employees and encourage professional growth?
• What are the working hours and expected workload?
• What types of equipment does the company use and how are they maintained?
• What professional growth opportunities are offered by the company?

In addition to the previously mentioned elements, it can be helpful to ask specific questions to better understand the working conditions and expectations of the company. For example, you can ask what routes the company typically uses to ensure that you are comfortable with the routes and driving conditions. You can also inquire about how communication is done between you, as a trucker, and the dispatcher, to ensure that you are informed of the latest updates and potential route changes.

It can also be helpful to ask what a typical day or trip looks like, to better understand the expectations and challenges you may face. By better understanding the company’s requirements, you can better prepare yourself and ensure that you are able to meet the company’s needs.

By asking all of these questions, you can be sure to choose a transportation company that meets your needs and expectations, and that allows you to work in a positive and fulfilling environment. Good luck in your search for a professional trucking job!

Truck drivers in America face a number of health risks due to their job

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sophie
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0

Truck drivers in America face a number of health risks due to their job, such as long hours of sitting, poor diet options on the road, and limited access to exercise facilities. Obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, sleep apnea, musculoskeletal disorders, and mental health issues are some of the most common health problems among them. To mitigate these risks, truck drivers can take several steps to improve their health.

One of the most important steps is to get enough sleep, as lack of sleep can lead to fatigue and impair cognitive function. Getting 7-8 hours of sleep per night is recommended. Poor sleep quality can also increase the risk of developing health problems, including cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Eating a healthy and balanced diet, staying hydrated, and exercising regularly are also essential for good health. Even simple exercises such as stretching or walking can make a big difference.

Truck drivers can also take breaks every two hours during long hauls to help reduce stress and prevent fatigue. During these breaks, they can stretch, walk around, and get some fresh air. Maintaining proper posture while sitting for extended periods is also essential to avoid musculoskeletal disorders, such as back pain.

Mental health is also important, and truck drivers should seek help if they’re experiencing symptoms of anxiety or depression. Stress-reducing activities like deep breathing, meditation, or yoga can also help. Social support, such as staying in touch with family and friends, can also be beneficial.

In summary, truck drivers face a variety of health risks due to their job, but by taking steps to prioritize their health, they can reduce the risk of developing health problems that may impact their ability to work. By getting enough sleep, eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, taking breaks, maintaining proper posture, and taking care of their mental health, truck drivers can improve their overall health and well-being, and continue to perform their essential role in the transportation industry.

U.S. auto manufacturers and carriers push for increased weight limits to transport electric vehicles

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sophie
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0

The Coalition for Electric Vehicle Transport (CEVT), which includes carriers, car manufacturers, and trailer makers, has written to Congress to demand a 10% (8,000 pounds) increase in weight limits for articulated auto carriers that transport electric vehicles (EVs). They are also calling for a 10% increase in single and tandem axle weight groups.

Industry professionals argue that truck weight laws have not been revised in 40 years and reduce EV carrying capacity by up to 28%. This makes transportation of these vehicles more difficult as they are heavier than gasoline-powered cars. Despite industry attempts to address the issue through innovation, they have been unsuccessful, leading the CEVT to turn to Congress as a last resort.

The coalition is made up of a diverse group of businesses, including the American Automobile Transporters Association, the American Trucking Association’s Automobile Transporters Conference, the Truck Trailer Manufacturers Association, and car transport companies Hansen and Adkins Auto Transport and Jack Cooper Transport. They hope that Congress will consider their request and make changes to truck weight laws to help the electric vehicle industry grow and thrive.

TruckParkingClub.com, the start-up that wants to revolutionize truck parking.

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sophie
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0

Truck Drivers Struggle to Find Parking Spaces in the United States

Truck drivers in the United States are having difficulty finding parking spaces. With only 313,000 spaces for around 3.5 million drivers, the situation is critical. On average, each parking space is contested by 11 drivers, forcing them to spend nearly an hour each day looking for a spot or even parking illegally three times a week. The government has added a few spaces, but it’s still not enough.

Evan Shelley: A Commercial Real Estate Professional

It was with this in mind that Evan Shelley joined the trucking industry. He had worked in commercial real estate for many years but had never been involved in the transportation industry as such. However, in 2021, he had the idea to use non-industrial land for truck parking, which put him in touch with the local community that opposed it.

Creating TruckParkingClub.com

Faced with this opposition, Evan Shelley decided to circumvent the obstacles by purchasing ideal parking locations all over the country, to bring them together under one brand. He met Keith Cristal of StoreMyTruck.com, who manages several parking facilities along the I-85 route between Atlanta and North Carolina, and together they created TruckParkingClub.com. This technological platform acts as an intermediary between property owners with parking space and truckers who need it.

Difficulties Encountered

However, the company faced difficulties due to the booming real estate market and high prices for parking locations. Nevertheless, they launched the company in November 2022.

TruckParkingClub.com: An Airbnb for Truck Parking Facilities

Since the launch of the company, Shelley and his team have focused on promoting their service to convince owners to list their locations through their platform. TruckParkingClub.com works a bit like Airbnb for truck parking facilities, attracting more and more truckers willing to invest in paid parking reservations.

Do you think the TruckParkingClub.com platform could solve the problems of parking shortages for trucks and make life easier for truck drivers looking for parking spaces?

Is avoiding toll roads profitable in 2023?

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sophie
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0

Toll roads are becoming more expensive and are expanding in terms of miles, with many different state authorities setting tolls, leaving owner-operators to sort through a patchwork of options for toll collections. A five-axle truck running the Pennsylvania Turnpike on I-76 East can rack up a $212 toll by the time it exits the state near Scranton on I-81, without stopping once, and if the bill isn’t paid in 30 days, add another $5 on top of that.

State-collected toll fees and fuel taxes account for about 37% of all funding for highway and road spending. With so many toll authorities setting tolls, owner-operators are left to sort through a patchwork of options for toll collections, with plenty of regional and some national options.

However, services like BestPass and PrePass offer centralized platforms and provide summaries of recent toll transactions and help spot mistakes. They can also provide a single bill rather than taking on a piecemeal approach. Additionally, if a toll gets double-billed, these companies will initiate the process to fix things for you.

In the past, some trucking companies tried to avoid toll roads. With the rise of fuel prices, do you think it is profitable to avoid tolls?

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is suggesting a much-needed overhaul of the Safety Measurement System (SMS) for CSA carriers.

By
sophie
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0

On Wednesday, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration will release a notice proposing changes to its Carrier Safety Measurement System (CSA) based on recommendations from a 2017 National Academy of Sciences study, which was required by Congress nearly a decade ago.

In its report, the Academy agreed that FMCSA’s approach to measuring carrier safety, which is based on accident prevention rather than prediction, is sound, but Wednesday’s notice clarifies that the Academy recommended a variety of improvements to the overall CSA SMS approach. The FMCSA’s notice focuses on one of six National Academy of Sciences recommendations to the FMCSA regarding improvements to the SMS, which is to develop an item response theory (IRT) model to more accurately target high-risk carriers for intervention.

However, the FMCSA is not adopting such a model, as the agency states in the notice that changes will be made to various aspects of the current SMS that FMCSA Director Robin Hutcheson believes will improve “the fairness, accuracy, and clarity of our prioritization system,” she said.

Among these changes, the FMCSA proposes to reorganize the current Behavior Analysis and Safety Improvement Categories (BASICs), which will be renamed “Safety Categories,” to better identify specific issues. To accomplish this, the FMCSA proposes to group the 959 violations currently used in the SMS, as well as 14 additional violations not currently used in the SMS, into 116 new violation groups.

In addition, the proposed changes include a drastic simplification of the gravity weights of violations, currently rated on a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being the most negative for safety); changes aimed at eliminating percentile ranking jumps that occur when carriers move into a new safety event group, a well-known problem for small carriers; and adjusting the intervention threshold for safety categories, the percentile ranking at which a carrier is prioritized for agency/state investigation or other action.

Furthermore, a new website, the Compliance Safety Accountability (CSA) Prioritization Preview, which is now live, is the first phase of planned updates to the FMCSA’s SMS. Carriers can visit the website to preview how their data would appear under the proposed changes. Companies are encouraged to preview these results and submit comments on the proposed changes.

The FMCSA will accept comments on the proposed modifications starting from Wednesday, February 15th.

Don’t get tempted to lower your premiums by being dishonest!

By
sophie
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0

The effects of being dishonest when giving information for an insurance policy can be disastrous. A good example of this is the story of a driver who was reentering the industry and starting his own trucking company. He filled out the insurance application with an agent who then submitted it to several insurance companies. However, all the companies he typically worked with declined to offer a quote.

The agent checked all the information and found that none of the drivers owned by the company had any tickets or violations, there was only one insurance claim from the driver’s past (which is usual for most drivers), and all the trucks and trailers were fairly new. The agent then contacted one of the insurance carriers and found out that the driver’s previous federal operating authority had been revoked because his insurance had been canceled by the insurance company.

If someone suggests that you deceive your insurance company, whether it’s a business partner, a friend, or even an insurance agent, resist the temptation. Here are some of the most common ways that people deceive insurance companies:

  • Failing to include all vehicles owned or operated on the policy, including trucks and trailers.
  • Failing to include all drivers on the policy.
  • Using someone else’s address as a garaging address.
  • Using a P.O. Box address as the physical location of the business.

These deceptions might result in a lower premium, but they can also lead to your insurance policy being canceled. Once that happens, it’s hard to get it reinstated and nobody wants to be associated with a dishonest owner. This is why insurance companies deal harshly with dishonest policyholders.

ISAAC Instruments will be exclusive sponsor of Fleet Owner’s Private Fleet of the Year awards

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sophie
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0
Dan Ledbetter Photography
Dan Ledbetter Photography

ISAAC Instruments has just announced that it will once again be the exclusive sponsor of Fleet Owner’s Private Fleet of the Year awards! This annual awards ceremony honors the best private fleets in the country, highlighting their performance in safety, the use of innovative technologies, and their involvement in the community. The results for this year will be announced during the National Private Truck Council’s annual management conference, which will take place from May 7th to 9th in Orlando, Florida.

Companies of all sizes can submit their application or be nominated by a driver, customer, or partner by filling out an online participation form before March 1st. The enthusiastic Jean-Sébastien Bouchard, co-founder and executive vice-president of sales at ISAAC, will present the awards alongside members of Fleet Owner magazine. He is proud to be a part of this event for the second year in a row, as it shines a light on the efforts of fleets that continually improve their operational performance, thereby contributing to the improvement of the trucking industry’s image.

And that’s not all! During the conference, ISAAC Instruments will showcase its full range of products at booth 725, including its electronic logging device and fleet management solution, which are used by over 40% of Canada’s largest carriers. These products optimize vehicle efficiency by closely monitoring fuel consumption, engine data, driver performance, safety, and compliance with service hours. It’s an opportunity for industry professionals to discover the latest technological innovations in trucking and draw inspiration from the best practices of the most successful companies.

(QC) New conduct review policies for heavy vehicle owners, operators and drivers will come into force on January 1, 2023

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sophie
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0

The conduct review policies that apply to heavy vehicle owners and operators and to heavy vehicle drivers were developed in order to meet the requirements of the Act respecting owners, operators and drivers of heavy vehiclesThis link will open in a new window. These policies govern the creation of heavy vehicle owner, operator and driver records. They also define the conduct review process and the procedures used by the SAAQ when intervening with heavy vehicle drivers, owners or operators (heavy vehicle users) that present a risk to road safety or to the integrity of the road network.

Given that these policies had not been revised for several years, the SAAQ undertook to revise them in their entirety in order to take into account both the evolving socioeconomic and regulatory context of the freight and passenger transportation industry, and the government’s goals regarding road safety and the integrity of the road network. The revision process was carried out in collaboration with government partners and industry representatives between 2015 and 2019. Before the new policies could be implemented, important changes also needed to be made to the existing computer programs and systems in order to accommodate the requirements of the new policies.

Consult the new policies before they take effect: https://saaq.gouv.qc.ca/en/transportation-goods/conduct-review-policies

PRINCIPAL CHANGES

  • New conduct areas (separation of the “Operational Safety” conduct area into two new conduct areas)
  • New event-weighting scale
  • Different driver and HVOO weightings for some offences
  • New offences taken into consideration
  • New conduct review measures (additional points for repeat offences of the same nature and decreased weighting based on the age of an event)
  • Notices of non-compliance introduced as a means to raise awareness
  • New approach to assessing critical events and vehicle safety
  • New threshold values (number of points that must not be reached)
  • New HVOO Good Conduct Recognition Program

The policies were revised with a view to :

  • making the policies more effective at allowing the SAAQ to identify and intervene with heavy vehicle users that present a real risk to road safety or to the integrity of the road network
  • introducing new awareness-raising measures while continuing to intervene with heavy vehicle users through a series of gradually escalating steps, with the aim of encouraging heavy vehicle users to correct their conduct and there by avoid having their records referred to the Commission des transports du Québec
  • recognizing good conduct
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