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Traffic volume continues to rise at border stations
Fifty-eight people denied entry at two border crosssings in December
Some of the illegal drugs and contraband items that were confiscated by CBSA officers in December.
Traffic at the United States and
Canadian borders continues to increase according to information released
by the Canadian Border Services Agency following their assessment of
vehicle volume in December, 2011.
At the North Portal crossing
on Highway 39, a 24-hour per day port; there was a nine per cent
increase in traffic this past year compared with December of 2010. The
traffic count totalled 22,270. Commercial truck traffic was up by an
impressive 23 per cent to 9,295.
During the month of December,
there were 52 people denied entry into Canada, nine for serious
criminality and the remaining 41 for minor criminal records or who were
judged to be non-genuine visitors and/or for other inadmissibility
reasons.
At the Estevan Highway (No. 47) crossing, traffic was
also up by five per cent to 4,919 passengers with commercial truck
volume doubled to 314 compared with 2010 figures from December. Six
people were refused entry into Canada at the Estevan Highway crossing,
one of them for serious criminality reasons.
Some of the
examples of inadmissible people/events included a commercial truck
driver who attempted to enter on Dec. 11. When his record was checked,
it was noted that he had a prior conviction of criminal sexual
misconduct, so he was denied entry.
On that same day, a United
States resident stated she was entering Canada to visit her boyfriend.
She was travelling with her three children. During the interview she
made several inconsistent statements so additional checks were made with
her family and the children's father where more questions were raised.
The
woman finally admitted she was moving to Canada to live with her
boyfriend and that she had lied to her family and the children's father.
She was refused entry for being a non-genuine visitor and had failed to
answer the border official's questions truthfully as well as for
violating a custody order by attempting to bring the children into
Canada for an extended period.
On Dec. 16, a Missouri man was
refused entry after a background check revealed an extensive history
with Canadian Border Services officials. He had been refused entry
numerous times and had been previously deported, had also worked
illegally in Canada and was caught smuggling goods into Canada. He had
several criminal convictions in the United States.
On Dec. 17, a
North Dakota resident attempted to enter Canada to spend the night in
Estevan. The man was refused entry since he had previous convictions for
trespassing, possession of a switchblade, driving with a suspended
licence and giving a false report to a police officer.
On
Christmas Day a California resident stated she was meeting people in
central Saskatchewan before heading to Alaska. CBSA officers were
suspicious of the woman's intentions and through further questioning she
admitted she did not know anyone in Canada and had no ties to
California. She was seen to be criminally inadmissible for impaired
driving, assault and theft incidents in the past. It was also noted the
woman had attempted to cross the border in Alberta three days later and
was again refused entry.
CBSA officials also spent a good deal
of time ferreting out inadmissible goods, such as an incident on Dec. 3
when a Michigan man transiting to Alaska was subjected to a secondary
examination by border officials who used an X-ray unit on baggage and it
revealed a prohibited switchblade and a 12 to 30 round ammunition
magazine. Officers then uncovered a second switchblade in the man's
pocket. He was issued a $1,000 penalty and his weapons were seized while
he was refused entry.
On Dec. 9, CBSA officers seized 19 doses
of ephedrine HCL and 41 pills of oxymetholone from an Ontario man who
was travelling to northern Alberta for work. The pills were seized and
the man was issued a penalty.
The CBSA detector dog Holly was involved in two significant seizures over the Christmas holiday season.
On
Dec. 21, the dog helped officers find a total of 28 grams of marijuana
being carried by an Alberta resident. The drugs were concealed inside
several pairs of socks and a plastic bag. The man was arrested and then
turned over to members of the Estevan detachment of the RCMP.
Two
days later, Holly indicated there were some contraband substances in a
bag and a suitcase belonging to an Idaho male who was coming to visit
his family for Christmas. CBSA officers followed up on the dog's signals
and uncovered two containers of marijuana several pipes and a loaded
.38 calibre handgun in the bag while the suitcase contained marijuana
laced brownies. Officers seized a total of 16.1 grams of marijuana, 1.03
kilograms of marijuana brownies and the prohibited handgun. The man was
arrested and turned over to the RCMP, refused entry and penalized a
total of $5,128.
On Dec. 11, an Alberta couple was issued a
$1,070 penalty after they failed to declare $4,262 in various goods
including tires, auto parts, footwear and a laptop computer. If the
goods had been properly declared, they would have paid a total tax of
just under $43.
On Christmas Eve, a Saskatchewan resident was
given a $2,946 yuletide gift from CBSA after he failed to declare
$11,786 in modifications made to his two snowmobiles while he was in the
U.S. He told officers he had paid $3,000 for labour only and that he
had supplied the parts that had been purchased in Canada. Had the
declaration been made honestly, the man would have paid $117.86.
CBSA
offer some tips to Canadians who plan on making online purchases and
having the goods shipped to a United States address for pickup. They say
that when travelling to pick up your shipment, be sure to print out
your online receipt and take it with you. Not all shippers will send a
receipt with the product and this information is necessary for proper
processing the items at the border.
CBSA also note that Jan. 26
is International Customs Day. This special day recognizes the efforts of
the men and women working customs organizations worldwide and their
role in ensuring that communities remain safe, secure and propserious.
This tradition provides an opportunity to recognize excellent work
carried out each day by CBSA officers across Canada, all of whom play a
vital role in contributing to the security and prosperity of our
country.
Questions concerning CBSA services may be obtained by contacting them toll free at their information line 1-800-461-9999.
Transport truck explodes after collision with parked rig
A Dieppe, N.B., man is dead after the transport
truck he was driving caught fire following a collision with
another rig on Tuesday morning.
The 61-year-old, who hasn't been identified, was
pronounced dead at the scene of the collision just east of the Cobequid
Plaza toll in the westbound lane.
Colchester RCMP Cpl. Lisa McKay said the man was still inside the cab of his truck when it exploded around 7:30 a.m.
"A couple of people tried to extinguish the fire with fire extinguishers, but weren't able to," said McKay.
An investigation continues into the incident,
however, preliminary results show one truck had pulled onto the shoulder
of the road.
"It was still on the road a little bit. I'm not
sure if it had mechanical problems, and because of the fog, the other
driver didn't see it until it was too late."
The stationary truck was hit from behind. The driver, a 61-year-old Enfield man, was transported to hospital for assessment.
The truck the Dieppe man was driving collided
with such an impact that half of the passenger side of the trailer was
torn off, landing on the highway.
Debris was scattered between the two vehicles,
as well as in front of and to the sides, making it hard for anyone
walking through not to step on a piece of the truck.
The smell of fuel was strong, with firefighters from Great Village still at work, even though the fire was extinguished.
McKay said the westbound lane of the highway was
closed about an hour-and-a-half after the accident occurred. Motorists
were turned around and re-routed through Wentworth.
"The highway is still closed because crews are
still trying to clean up the vehicles," said McKay. It was expected the
highway would be closed until this morning.
A dozen or so transport trucks, and other larger
trucks, were stranded on the highway until the scene was cleaned up and
were free to pass.
Dawn Violo doesn't drive a big rig, but the
Mississauga woman is a star in the trucking industry. That's because
she founded Emergency Road Services Corporation (ERS) at her kitchen
table in 2006.
ERS is like CAA for truckers. With 90 per cent of all consumer products
and foodstuffs in Ontario and 75 per cent of the province's trade with
the United States delivered by truck, keeping trucks on the road is
essential.
Initially ERS covered the Greater Toronto Area; when a truck broke down,
the driver would call in and Violo sent the appropriate repair service
to get it moving again.
Violo answered 1,000 calls her first year and was on-call 24/7, 365
days. Between calls, she built up her database of service providers.
"I didn't know the difference between a reefer (refrigerated container)
and a heater," recalled Violo. "But I could send the right person to fix
the problem."
Demand from clients like Walmart and Sisco Foods has prompted ERS to
expand. It now covers all of Canada and the United States, except for
the territories and Hawaii.
"I never said no," said Violo. "I had three weeks to learn about the
U.S. before we started offering service there, and I figured out how I
could do it."
Truckers call ERS to get truck repair service coordinated for them no
matter where they're stranded. Once the work is done, ERS audits the
bills and deals with issues or overcharges. The company also rates each
service provider after a call based on response time, speed, quality and
expense.
ERS now operates out of an office on Wolfedale Rd. in central
Mississauga. Decorated in warm colours and paintings, the office is
Violo’s second home.
Her database of service providers is now at 17,000 and growing. From
1,000 calls in the first year in 2006, ERS got more than 10,000 in 2011.
By the time ERS celebrated its fifth anniversary with a party last fall,
it had answered close to 26,000 calls. Success brought two buyout
offers in the last year, but Violo's not interested.
"I enjoy my job, the staff, the people, customers and vendors so I won't
sell now," she said. "The day I don't enjoy it, I'll sell."
Violo gets help and advice from husband and ERS co-owner Alvis Violo,
whose family owns MTT Repair Services Inc. which services trailers and
trucks.
"She's amazing," he said. "There's not another woman in the world who could have done this."
TravelCenters of America Customers and Employees Donate More Than $212,000 to St
TravelCenters of America LLC (TravelCenters) wrapped up its second
annual ‘Band Together for SCF’ campaign with $212,538.87 in donations to
support the St. Christopher Truckers Development and Relief Fund (SCF).
Customers and employees of TA and Petro Stopping Centers made donations
from Nov. 15 – Dec. 31, 2011 to benefit truck drivers suffering from
financial hardship due to medical problems.
During the six-week event, guests and employees of TA and Petro were
invited to make donations of $1 or more, and commemorative wristbands
were given to those who donated. Additionally, employees at many TA and
Petro locations held other events to help raise money for SCF. One
hundred percent of all donations collected went to the organization.
TravelCenters began its annual SCF fundraiser in 2010, and generated
$211,115 in donations – the largest single donation the SCF had received
to date. The 2011 campaign donation – exceeding what was raised in 2010
– is now the largest donation the non-profit has received.
“I’m honored to be associated with the generous customers of TA and
Petro,” said Tom O’Brien, President and CEO of TravelCenters. “The
professional driver community deserves recognition for taking care of
their fellow drivers this way,” he added.
A check was presented earlier today to Dr. Donna Kennedy, Executive
Director of SCF on Dave Nemo’s show on the RoadDog Trucking channel,
SiriusXM 106. Dave Nemo is one of the founders of SCF.
“With the very generous help of TA and Petro customers and employees,
the SCF has helped more than 470 drivers and their families,” said Dr.
Kennedy. “This donation will allow us to help many more with utility
bills, mortgage payments and other monthly bills,” she added.
Kennedy also added, “The TA/Petro fundraising campaign certainly has
helped raise awareness of SCF. We see a large increase in the number of
applications from drivers who need assistance during the campaign, and
while we would prefer drivers not have to suffer financially, we’re very
happy they know we are here.”
TravelCenters has been supporting drivers through SCF since the Fund was
founded in 2007.
Ontario court hears trucker’s challenge of speed-limiter law
Owner-operator Gene Michaud’s constitutional challenge of the
Ontario, Canada, law that requires heavy trucks to be equipped with
speed limiters is now in the hands of a judge. Michaud’s attorney
David Crocker of Toronto presented oral arguments to the Ontario Court
of Justice over a two-day period ending Monday, Jan. 23.
“We argued that the speed-limiter legislation, that being the
amendment to the Highway Traffic Act … violated Gene Michaud’s rights
under Sec. 7 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms to have his
security interest protected,” Crocker told Land Line on Tuesday following the proceedings in Welland, Ontario.
“We argued that speed limiters and the speed-limiter legislation put
him at risk because it created a variance between his speed and the
flow of traffic,” Crocker said. “That variance was itself dangerous, and
we had expert opinions to support that.”
Expert opinions included an affidavit from Julie Cirillo, retired
assistant administrator for the U.S. Federal Motor Carrier Safety
Administration. She stated in the document that speed limiters prevent
heavy trucks from operating within the flow of traffic and would,
therefore, increase the likelihood of accidents.
Michaud, an OOIDA member from St. Catharines, Ontario, received a
citation from a provincial truck inspector on June 19, 2009, five
months after the provincial speed-limiter law took effect. The inspector
found Michaud’s limiter to be working, but it was at 68 mph. Michaud
testified that he believes having his truck restricted to 65 mph is
too slow and too dangerous for operating on U.S. highways where he
routinely runs.
Michaud’s argument against the province also includes a rebuttal of
claims that speed limiters reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions.
“We argued that even if there was some minor emissions savings which
resulted from the speed-limiter legislation, it was so small as to be
irrelevant,” Crocker said.
The province, represented by attorney Michael Dunn of the Ministry
of the Attorney General for Ontario, also presented arguments on
Monday. The province stands by its initial justification for the law
that limiting the speed of the commercial vehicles improves safety and
reduces harmful emissions.
After arguments closed, Justice of the Peace Brett A. Kelly announced that he will reveal his decision on June 6.
Separate case pending in court Meanwhile, Crocker is
defending another trucker involved in a separate but important case
against the provincial speed-limiter law.
OOIDA Member Lee Ingratta of Gravenhurst, Ontario, received a
citation in July 2009 after “refusing” to allow an inspector to check
his truck computer for a working speed limiter.
Ingratta says he did not refuse access but merely asked the
inspector to sign a waiver to accept responsibility for damages caused
by the computer hookup. Ingratta, a former computer technician, says he
doesn’t trust the devices or the process used by inspectors to check
for speed limiters.
Ingratta won his initial case in traffic court when a judge sided
with him. The province filed an appeal and won, but the judge in the
case ordered a new trial. That trial begins in March.
Semi-truck bursts into flames on Trans-Canada Highway
Crews battled the semi-truck fire near McMunn on the
Trans-Canada Highway in Manitoba on Jan. 19, 2012. (image courtesy
Falcon Beach RCMP)
Firefighters battled a blaze in the RM of Reynolds after a semi-truck caught fire on the Trans-Canada Highway.
Falcon Beach RCMP and fire and emergency crews were called to the scene around 8 a.m. Thursday.
The truck was headed westbound near McMunn in southeastern Manitoba when the driver noticed a possible mechanical problem.
He pulled into a parking lot and noticed the vehicle was on fire. The
driver tried to extinguish it. Firefighters arrived on scene and were
able to put out the blaze.
No injuries were reported.
The vehicle is a total loss.
The truck was hauling general freight, and not hazardous materials, at the time of the fire, said RCMP.
The Heavy Equipment Transportation Centre on RRC's Notre Dame campus. (RED RIVER COLLEGE)
A building on Red River College’s Notre Dame campus is one of the
first education centres in Manitoba to receive LEED certification.
The Heavy Equipment Transportation Centre (HETC) is considered one of
the most environmentally-friendly buildings in the province by the
Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC). The 60,000-square-foot complex
includes nine classrooms for theoretical instruction, and a large shop
area that replicates a typical work environment in the transportation
and trucking industry.
“HETC is a model for development of new learning facilities,” said RRC president Stephanie Forsyth
in a release. “It provides us with modern, flexible space for training
programs and applied research, while simultaneously minimizing our
impact on the environment.”
HETC’S efficient heating and cooling systems produce a 50% reduction
in energy use compared to a building of a similar size, a 72% reduction
in space heating, and a 54% reduction in operating costs.
Red Tape Reduction Good News for Trucking Industry
OTTAWA – Starting a business typically comes wrapped in government red tape, but that may be about to change.
The
Harper government's Red Tape Commission issued its final report
yesterday, titled "Cutting Red Tape; Freeing Business to Grow," and many
of the recommendations in the report are key to the trucking industry.
In
fact, one of the dozen MPs and business stakeholders on the Red Tape
Commission is Denis Prud'homme, former owner of Prud'homme Trucking and
past president of the Saskatchewan Trucking Association.
For
the past several months, the Commission has been holding various
roundtables, meeting with representatives from various industries. The
Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA), along with its members, appeared
before the Commission in 2011 to recommend areas where reducing red tape
could improve business efficiency and job growth.
In a statement released yesterday evening, the CTA outlined the pertinent parts to the trucking industry:
Eliminate
administrative burden on small businesses, Transport Canada implement
plans to exempt small businesses that use smaller trucks locally from
the administrative requirements in relation to hours of service
(including the maintenance of logbooks).
Increase the
uniformity in the enforcement of the transport of dangerous goods
regulatory regime and reduce administrative burden, Transport Canada
accelerate initiatives designed to effect improvement in the consistency
of application of program delivery and their communication to regulated
parties.
Provide a predictable and uniform business
environment across Canada for the trucking industry and to reduce
current compliance burden and associated costs, Transport Canada engage
its provincial and territorial counterparts with concrete proposals to
advance the harmonization of regulations that pertain to the National
Safety Code (including hours of service). The department should aim to
eliminate unnecessary compliance burden on inter-provincial truck
commerce stemming from differences in regulatory requirements across
jurisdictions.
Provide businesses with greater certainty
and predictability through reasonable timelines and service standards,
Transport Canada streamline its processing of exemptions under the Motor
Vehicle Transport Act.
The CTA also noted that many of the recommendations echoed initiatives outlined in the Border Action Plan,
including harmonizing “trusted trader” programs with the U.S., and
reducing border wait times by improving programs such as Free and Secure
Trade (FAST).
While only time will tell how much of the
Commissions' recommendations are put into practice, the 79-page report
does cover many of Canadian business owner's grievances — from the
amount of administrative paperwork to the unprofessional attitude of
regulators.
NIAGARA FALLS, Ont. -- Truck News has partnered with Alexis Broadcasting Company to produce and promote a new syndicated radio show called Trucker Radio.
While
the show was first heard in its current form on Jan. 7, it actually has
a history dating back to 2006, when radio veteran Stan Campbell
partnered with radio program syndicator Steve Graham to produce the
Canadian Trucking Radio show.
"Steve had formed a tentative
partnership with a fledgling trucking magazine based in Oshawa,"
Campbell recalls. "Together, they decided to fill a void for the
Canadian trucking industry. Several trucking radio shows existed in the
US, but there were none in Canada."
Graham decided to market the
program to country music stations and soon had 15 stations on-board,
marking the launch of the one-hour program. Shortly thereafter, the show
was extended to two hours. But eight months later, the magazine went
out of business, leaving the program in a state of flux.
In 2008,
Campbell and Graham changed the focus of the show to include all
drivers and renamed it Driver Radio. Hindsight being 20/20, Campbell now
regrets the change.
"Trucking news was watered down in an
attempt to go after a wider audience," he admits. "As a result, the show
lost much of the trucker audience."
In October 2010, Campbell's
company, Alexis Broadcasting Company, purchased the show for an
undisclosed amount and began to target truckers in the second hour of
the two-hour program.
Still, Campbell felt the show lacked direction and a clearly defined target. That's when he approached Truck News "with an eye towards a strategic partnership between Truck News and the radio show."
Truck News
executive editor James Menzies began providing weekly trucking news
updates and the magazine began contributing guests. As the calendar
turned to 2012, Campbell had reached an agreement with Truck News
publisher Rob Wilkins to launch Trucker Radio, a full two-hour show
featuring an entertaining mix of country music and trucking industry
banter. Campbell hosts the show along with co-host Tim Denis, another
longtime radio professional.
Menzies continues to provide weekly news updates and other Truck News
personalities including columnists Mark Lee and Harry Rudolfs
frequently call in as guests to discuss the hot topics facing
professional truck drivers. Other well-known trucking personalities
including Alfy Meyer (a health-conscious professional driver), Ellen
Voie (Women in Trucking) and Ray Haight (Transrep) will round out the
lineup.
The show can now be heard on more than 30 stations across
Canada as well as in the northern US. Campbell admits neither he nor
Denis are truckers, but says the combination of radio pros and trucking
pros is what makes the show work. Two of Campbell's sons are truck
drivers and he is dialed in to trucking issues.
For more
information on Trucker Radio, to listen online or to check out a
complete list of stations carrying the show, visit its Web site at www.truckerradio.com.
Trucks For Change launches new online freight matching tool
TORONTO,
Ont. -- Trucks For Change Network, a nonprofit association of leading
Canadian trucking firms helping community charities with donated
transportation services, has launched MOVEmatrix, an online freight
matching tool developed for the exclusive use of its member trucking and
charity partners.
"MOVEmatrix offers our members a quick and
secure way to find and respond to charity needs which match their
available resources," said Pete Dalmazzi, president and founder of
Trucks For Change Network. "It has all the features to become the
one-stop transportation marketplace for charitable organizations across
Canada."
MOVEmatrix was developed in a partnership between Trucks
For Change Network and The Aidmatrix Foundation, a Dallas-based firm
specializing in supply chain management technology for humanitarian
relief.
"Trucks For Change Network's mission of connecting
private industry with community charities is a creative and exciting
application for our technology," said Keith Thode, chief operating
officer for The Aidmatrix Foundation. "We're proud to add them to our
family of nonprofit partners."
"Many trucking companies already
generously support their communities," said Ontario Trucking Association
president David Bradley. "Trucks For Change Network and its Movematrix
technology will help them to do so more efficiently and at a lower
operating cost. It's a win-win situation."
Canadian trucking firms and registered charities can apply for membership in Trucks For Change Network by visiting Truckforchange.org .
TravelCenters of America Installs GPS Technology on All of Its RoadSquad(TM) Tru
WESTLAKE, Ohio, Jan 25, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) --
TravelCenters of America LLC (TravelCenters) has completed its
fleet-wide installation of GPS tracking technology on its RoadSquad(TM)
fleet of more than 400 emergency road service vehicles.
Tom O'Brien, President and CEO of TravelCenters, said:
"Our GPS technology allows us to know exactly where to find the downed
driver and provides service technicians that drive our emergency service
trucks with detailed directional information to the breakdown site. Our
national dispatch center knows exactly where everyone is; that allows us
to provide more accurate arrival time and status information to downed
drivers, lowers our response times and gets our customers back in
business faster."
"TravelCenters invested significant capital in the new system, which
also provides critical RoadSquad fleet maintenance, operation and driver
performance data. This data is critical to optimizing in-service time of
all of the vehicles in the RoadSquad fleet, further enhancing the
ability of the nation's largest owned fleet of emergency roadside
vehicles to respond to customers' needs and get them back on the road.
This, I believe, is what TA and Petro do best -- help drivers optimize
their business, even in the face of a breakdown."
Professional drivers can reach RoadSquad by calling 1-800-824-SHOP
(7467). Drivers with iPhone(R) or Android(TM) smartphones can call RoadSquad
with a touch of a button through TravelCenters' TruckSmart(R)
mobile app. A smartphone's location services will allow the driver to
provide the exact latitude/longitude coordinates of the breakdown to
RoadSquad dispatchers.
RoadSquad service trucks are driven by qualified technicians from TA
Truck Service and Petro:Lube locations across the country. These
locations represent a distinguished service and repair network with more
than 2,500 technicians that hold more than 1,500 ASE certifications.
RoadSquad service trucks and technicians handle more than just tire and
fuel issues. Vehicles are equipped for, and technicians are trained to
handle, a multitude of road side issues -- the broadest scope of road
side services offered by any travel center chain.
About TravelCenters of America LLC
TravelCenters of America LLC (TravelCenters), headquartered in Westlake,
Ohio is a leading travel center business in 41 states and Canada
operating under the TA and Petro Stopping Centers brands. With
convenient locations off interstate highway exits, TA and Petro offer
customers diesel and gasoline fueling services, full- and quick-service
restaurants, 24-hour convenience stores, heavy truck maintenance
services, RoadSquad(TM) (24/7/365 emergency roadside service), electronic
communication (WiFi), and many other services -- all within large, high
traffic facilities. For more information on TravelCenters and TA, please
visit
www.tatravelcenters.com . For more information on Petro Stopping
Centers, please visit
www.petrotruckstops.com .
Canadian woman beaten in Mexico returns to Calgary
Sheila Nabb and her
husband were on a winter getaway after finding a last minute deal at the
five-star Hotel Riu resort in Mazatlan when she was attacked.
Sheila Nabb, the Calgary woman who was viciously beaten less than a
week ago while staying at a Mexican resort, has now returned home to
Canada.
Nabb was in a medically-induced coma for days following what appeared
to be a random attack at the five-star hotel she was staying in with
her husband. She was found outside their hotel room lying in a pool of
blood. So brutal was the beating she sustained that the bones in her
face were broken.
Nabb’s uncle Robert Prosser confirmed to the Toronto Star that his niece is now in a Calgary hospital.
“All I know is that she was flown back to Canada late last night,” he said.
Nabb’s husband, Andrew and Andrew’s father had been with the 37-year-old woman at the Hospital Sharp in Mazatlan.
Nabb, an office worker in Calgary and her husband Andrew, a truck
driver, were on a winter getaway after finding a last minute deal at the
five-star Hotel Riu resort in Mazatlan. The attack happened shortly
after they arrived for their vacation.
State and local police in Mazatlan are investigating and have video
of a man in his 20s who they claim is a suspect. Mexican police have
been reluctant to talk to the Canadian media about the incident and
refused to confirm whether anyone has been questioned about the assault
on Nabb.
Nabb’s brother Paul Giles has issued a statement saying Andrew Nabb
had been questioned by authorities and released “when it became apparent
that he was innocent of any form of abuse.”
“Anyone who has ever met Andrew will immediately disregard any and
all accusations against him. They are the most loving couple that I
know, and anyone that knows them would agree.”
Family members say Andrew Nabb didn’t realize his wife had been taken to hospital until he woke up that morning.
Ground transportation costs rise for ninth consecutive month: CGFI
The
cost of ground transportation for Canadian shippers increased 1.6% in
November when compared with October results, according to the latest
figures from the Canadian General Freight Index (CGFI). The results
represent the ninth consecutive monthly increase since March. During
this time, the CGFI has risen 7.1% in aggregate.
The Base Rate
Index, which excludes the impact of accessorial charges assessed by
carriers increased by a modest 0.4% in November versus October. Since
March, base rates have risen 4.3% in aggregate.
Officials say
an increase in fuel surcharges assessed by carriers is the primary
reason why total costs are increasing at a faster rate than base rates.
In November, fuel surcharges assessed by carriers equated to 20.86% of
base rates, up from 18.79% in March.
"We are starting to see
increases in some sectors that have been hit the hardest during the
economic downturn" said Doug Payne, president and COO of Nulogx. "This
may be a sign that we are seeing both an increase in demand as well as
continued operational and pricing discipline from carriers."
What are the rights and obligations of cyclists and motorists if the
cyclist should choose to ride on the highway under snowy winter
conditions? Uncleared pathways and cycling routes were forcing cyclists
to choose to ride on the plowed streets of one Vancouver Island
municipality resulting in a number of inquiries at city hall. Should
cyclists be using the streets in winter time?
The legal answer to that question is yes, cyclists have every right to
ride on the streets at any time of the year. In fact, they have the same
rights and duties as the driver of any other vehicle on our highways.
They must ride as closely as practical to the right side of the highway,
which in winter may mean riding in the right side cleared track left by
vehicle traffic. Expect to find cyclists using left turn lanes and
crossing between them and the right side as well.
What happens when a vehicle driver overtakes a cyclist in these
circumstances? The answer should be obvious, treat the cycle as you
would any other motor vehicle. Follow at a safe distance, pass when
permitted and leave a generous safety margin as you go by.
Idaho State Police still investigating deadly chain-reaction crash on U.S. 95
It may be a few months before Idaho State Police can determine what
factors led to the deadly chain-reaction crash on U.S. Highway 95,
involving four tractor-trailers and two cars, that left one truck
driver dead and two other drivers injured.
Truck Driver James M. Mady, 40, of Creswell, OR, died after the car
driven by Zachary Henager went left of center and struck another
tractor-trailer, driven by Richard D. Walston, 58, of Colville, WA. The
impact of the crash forced Walston to lose control, striking Mady’s
rig head on.
Cpl. Allen Ashby of the state police told Land Line on
Tuesday, Jan. 24, that the investigation is still ongoing in the
multi-vehicle crash that occurred around 8:40 a.m. on Saturday, Jan.
21, near Cocolalla Creek, ID.
“At this point, speeds for all vehicles involved have not yet been
conclusively determined. And it may be a few months or longer before
that happens due to the nature of the crash,” Ashby said.
Once his investigation is completed, he will forward it on to an
accident reconstructionist who will “attempt to determine the physics,
including pre-collision speeds, of all vehicles involved.”
The driver of the third tractor-trailer, Brian M. Fendos, 39, of
Bonners Ferry, ID, took “evasive measures to miss Henager as he went off
the southbound shoulder” and struck the driver of the fourth truck,
Pavlo P. Shevchuk, 21, of Manitoba, Canada, who was northbound on U.S.
95.
The driver of the sixth vehicle, Roger C. House, 45, of Post Falls,
ID, who was northbound, swerved to miss Shevchuk and drove into the
ditch.
The accident closed U.S. 95 for more than 11 hours, according to the state police report.
Henager was airlifted to the Kootenai Medical Center in Coeur
d’Alene, ID, and Walston was airlifted to the Providence Sacred Heart
Medical Center in Spokane, WA. Henager remains in critical condition,
while Walston’s condition was upgraded from critical to serious.
Mady was driving a 2006 Freightliner and was hauling a load of peat
moss, while Walston was driving a 2012 Mack with an empty flatbed
trailer.
Ashby said both semis involved in the head-on collision “were completely destroyed beyond recognition and ‘broken apart.’”
“Wrecker crews were essentially able to lift both cabs off the
frames of both trucks as neither the cabs, engines or drive trains were
attached or recognizable any longer,” he said.
Trailer Wizards Selling Vanguard Trailers Coast to Coast in Canada
Trailer Wizards Ltd. has started selling Vanguard Trailers
nationwide, including dealership locations in Vancouver, Calgary,
Winnipeg, Montreal and Moncton.
The addition of trailer dealerships compliments Trailer Wizards'
existing operations in trailer rentals and leasing. The addition of
trailer dealerships was a part of the coast-to-coast trailer strategy
put into motion by President, Doug Vanderspek, in 2008.
Why Vanguard?
"They're a great North American made trailer with many standard
premium features,” says Mark Diamantopoulos, Trailer Wizards' VP of
Sales, "I've been in this industry for over 15 years and Vanguard
Trailers are terrific value for fleets that need a solid, durable
trailer with low lifecycle maintenance costs and hassles."
The new Vanguard line-up at Trailer Wizards includes dry vans, heated
vans and refrigerated vans. Some trailers will be kept in stock and
others will be custom-ordered to fit specific fleet needs.
"We're proudly Canadian and our goal was to build a trailer network
nationwide so that a trucking company in Vancouver can go to the same
people for trailer service and parts as far away as Halifax", says
Vanderspek. "With the establishment of trailer dealerships, our
customers can now purchase brand new trailers from the same folks
they're used to leasing them from."
To support the sale of new Vanguard trailers, Trailer Wizards will
also offer finance leases, warranties, maintenance and repair services,
authorized parts, and a competitive trade-in program. As a nationwide
trailer dealership with service locations across Canada, Trailer
Wizards is uniquely positioned to offer customers seamless service with
minimal disruptions and delays. With Vanguard as its main product
line, Trailer Wizards will be fully stocked with authorized parts and
Vanguard-certified mechanics.
Trailer Wizards Ltd. formed in 2010 as a result of the merger between
Lions Gate Trailers Ltd. (founded 1963, Vancouver, BC), Provincial
Trailer Rentals (founded 1964, Mississauga, ON), TIP Canada (Canadian
operations date back to 1957) and other select providers that form a
strategic network. Trailer Wizards is committed to "Local service ...
Nationwide," bringing regional expertise and service to an organization
that serves Canada coast-to-coast with 25 locations including
Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary Winnipeg, Mississauga, Montreal and
Moncton.
A federal judge rejected Navistar's bid to have the Environmental
Protection Agency recall 2010 engines that use selective catalytic
reduction to meet emission standards.
The judge, Colleen Kollar-Kotelly of the U.S. District Court for the
District of Columbia, said Navistar's arguments for the recall are not
persuasive and dismissed the case.
Navistar was incorrect in its contention that EPA's revision of its
certification requirements last year means that the SCR engines violate
the rules, the judge said.
EPA last year tightened its rules, requiring for instance that
manufacturers install warning systems to let drivers know when they are
running low on diesel exhaust fluid.
But the revision does not mean that EPA's earlier requirements were
inadequate, the judge said in her Dec. 17 decision. If such changes
required a recall, then EPA would be forced to either never make changes
when new understanding of emissions technology emerges, or to recall
all engines whenever it makes a change.
"The court will not … allow Navistar to go on a fishing expedition in
the EPA's records simply because Navistar is dissatisfied with the fact
that the EPA has not made a determination that the EPA is under no
obligation to make," she said.
Navistar is the only truck manufacturer that does not use SCR technology
to meet the 2010 standard. It uses exhaust gas recirculation
technology.
In a Jan. 20 press release on plans for an Analyst and Investor Day
February 1, Navistar said it will soon seek certification for an engine
that uses EGR to emit 0.2 NOx.
"Our EGR technology has proven itself in the marketplace and remains the
best solution for our customers," said Jack Allen, president of
Navistar's North American Truck Group, in the release.
The other manufacturers, Cummins, Daimler Trucks North America, Detroit
Diesel Corp., Mack Trucks and Volvo Group North America, were
interveners on the side of EPA in the case.
The Atlantic Provinces Trucking Association called on the federal
government to put the brakes on Marine Atlantic ferry fee increases that
hit commercial carriers to the tune of about 11 per cent per crossing.
“Instead of passing along to us irrational and unjustified fee
increases they should examine their own operations and find
efficiencies,” Jean-Marc Picard, executive director of the association,
said in an interview Thursday.
An increase in trailer drop fees of about 24 per cent was singled out for criticism.
Picard said the new drop fee adds $50 to the previous $210 charge for a total of $260 per crossing.
“Where are the increased cost to Marine Atlantic of holding and
handling trailers? This fee hike alone will add hundreds of dollars to
the per-crossing fee charged to the many commercial carriers that drop
off multiple trailers,” said Picard.
He said the association is appealing to the federal government for some
explanation of the fee increases, which also include a four per cent
increase in all commercial vehicle rates and a new $3.50 security fee
for each adult ferry passenger.
Depending on the type of commercial vehicle and the crossing — ferries
depart from North Sydney to Port Aux Basques or to Argentia — the new
one-way rates range from $216.46 to $1,438.17 or more.)
Commercial carriers regularly drop multiple trailers at the Marine
Atlantic terminals. Marine Atlantic handles loading, and local truckers
pick up the trailers on the Nova Scotia or Newfoundland side for transit
to the final destination.
“This lessens the number of drivers and tractor-trailers required to make the crossing,” explained Picard.
He said Newfoundland residents will ultimately pay for the fee hikes
when commercial carriers pass on the extra costs to their customers.
“We’re trying to get some answers from Marine Atlantic about the fee
increases and seeking some intervention from the federal government,” he
said.
Marine Atlantic spokesman Don Barnes said the fee increases are
required to cover increased operating costs linked to efficiency and
reliability improvements with the service, which resulted in savings for
the commercial truckers.
“Our average wait time in 2009 was about 16 hours, and for 2011 this
average was reduced to just seven hours,” said Barnes, who is Marine
Atlantic’s vice-president of customer experience.
“This adds up to a 63 per cent reduction in wait times for our
customers, or a significant cost-saving for them,” he said in an
interview.
He said Marine Atlantic achieved efficiency and reliability
improvements by investing in new vessels and also by replacing all of
the shunt trucks used to load dropped trailers onto the ferry.
“The commercial trucking industry is responding to these improvements.
The service handled 100,000 commercial units in our last fiscal year.
This is the greatest annual number in the history of the service,” he
said.
About half of these commercial units were dropped trailers, he said.
Maritime Atlantic said in a press release the new security fee is
required to meet Canada’s Domestic Ferry Security Regulations.
The press release also indicated services such as accommodation and
food were increasing between three and four per cent on average, to
reflect inflationary increases in the cost of materials, labour and
supplies.
One of the biggest misconceptions is that batteries charge the same
throughout the year. They simply don't! In warm weather (above 40
degrees), batteries are very easy to recharge. They can normally take as
much charge that the vehicle charging system can provide. Even deeply
discharged battery packs can be completely recharged in a few hours if
the only issue is a discharged battery not defective batteries.
However, the colder it is outside, the less charge the battery pack
wants to accept. When it is very cold, the electrolyte in a flooded cell
battery becomes like jelly and the molecular action in the battery
slows down. The battery is similar to a tube of toothpaste -- difficult
to get out and almost impossible to put back in.
The operator may become fooled by the way the vehicle responds in cold
weather. The voltmeter on the dash displays a correct charging range and
the lights are bright so it is assumed that the batteries are charging
as normal.
What is really happening is that the vehicle's alternator is at the
correct voltage and is powering the vehicle loads, but because the
batteries are cold, the charge acceptance of the batteries is very low,
sometimes as low as 2 amps per hour. Driving times of up to 40 hours
can be required to charge deeply discharged cold batteries.
While AGM batteries have up to 40% better recharge capacity across all
temperature ranges they will still require more time in cold weather to
recharge than driving laws allow.
Things to remember in cold weather operation:
* Discharged batteries can freeze in cold weather.
* Never try to jump-start a vehicle that has frozen batteries.
* Cold batteries will not accept a normal charge until the batteries
reach an ideal temperature or extensive charging time is available.
* Cold batteries can take up to 30 hours to warm back up to room temperature.
* While jump-starts can get the vehicle started, many hours of charging
may be required to recharge the battery pack. It might be a more
prudent path to change batteries as normal vehicle operation cannot
recharge the battery pack adequately during a normal workday.
Police are warning drivers to be careful because of messy road conditions across southern Quebec. (Radio-Canada)
Snow and freezing rain created messy driving conditions and prompted several schools to cancel classes Friday across Quebec.
Quebec provincial police said the weather was to blame for about 50 accidents overnight in Montreal, Laval and the Laurentians.
In one incident, a 21-year-old man was killed when his car collided
head-on with a pickup truck on a road south of Highway 20 in Ste-Julie
Friday morning.
Police said the man was not wearing a seat belt.
The driver of the pickup truck was treated for shock.
Daniel Thibaudeau with the Sûreté du Quebec said drivers should slow down.
"The best thing to do is reduce your speed, keep a good distance
between yourself and the car in front of you and everyone will get there
safely," he said.
Freezing rain warnings are in effect for Montreal, Laval, the South
Shore and the Eastern Townships, with up to four millimetres expected
Friday, as well as about 10 centimetres of snow.
About 15 centimeters of snow blanketed the Montreal area on Thursday.
Some schools closed
The forecast prompted several schools to cancel classes Friday.
Classes at Joliette School, Joliette High School and Rawdon Elementary in the Sir Wilfred Laurier School Board are cancelled.
Vanguard's three campuses are also closed today.
All schools in the English Montreal School Board and the Commission scolaire de Montreal are open.
