Road Warrior News

“We are asking Ontario to admit there is a problem, and to do something about it” says author of Highway 11/17 petition

January 8, 2022 Rita Smith

“My father was a trucker, and my uncle, too,” says Richard Deschamps.

“We grew up next to Highway 17; as kids, we would wait by the highway for transport trucks to drive by, so we could wave at them. They always blew their horn for us, of course,” he recalls fondly.

“Growing up, I don’t remember a time when I ever wanted to be anything else but a truck driver…but now, I am ashamed of Ontario, ashamed of the province I grew up in, to let Highway 11/17 become what it is now.”

News Trucking

Ontario’s MELT curriculum for new truckers does not use the word “winter” anywhere, even once

January 8, 2022 Rita Smith

The same automated search of the document finds that the word “snow” is used twice, in relation to the driver’s r

News Trucking

Transport Critic Lantsman wants to see government plan for truckers affected by vaccine mandate, supply chain disruption: Listen to the interview here

January 7, 2022 Rita Smith

We’ve got big concerns that this government has no plan to avoid a much worse disruption of supply chains, and hasn’t taken the steps to ensure that things like food and critical building supplies get where they need to go so Canadians can get what they need, during a crisis, which I should add, has been two years in two years.

News Trucking

10-day countdown to Border vaccine requirement begins; Transport critic Lantsman writes Minister to urge accommodations

January 6, 2022 Rita Smith

As Canada starts the 10-day countdown to January 15^th, when previously exempt truck drivers will require proof of full vaccination to cross the border, lobbying and other communications activities are intensifying.

The Public Health Agency of Canada has updated its website to include the point that truck drivers may need to “complete arrival test and quarantine if selected,” a concept that has taken some drivers by complete surprise: “No one has mentioned anything to me about the possibility of quarantine – none of the border guards I speak regularly, and not my employer,” one Alberta trucker told Road Warrior News. “I cannot park my truck and quarantine for two weeks. No way.”

News Ride Hailing news Taxi industry news

Centennial College digs in over in-car assessment as “crucial” to safety, success for new drivers

January 6, 2022 Rita Smith

Both of Centennial College’s submissions provided for consideration in Toronto’s vehicle for hire driver training program include an in-car assessment, says Janna Erichsen of Centennial’s School of Transportation.

News Ride Hailing news Taxi industry news

Centennial delays January Taxi driver training course in anticipation of Toronto’s new program, curriculum

January 6, 2022 Rita Smith

Photo: toronto.ca Centennial College has opted to postpone the Taxi driver training program originally scheduled to begin the week of January 10th as it waits to learn precisely what Toronto’s new program will entail. “We are waiting for confirmation that

News Trucking

January 4th flyer outlines “ArriveCAN requirements for Exempt Essential Travellers”

January 5, 2022 Rita Smith

Road Warrior News (RWN) has received a copy of the flyer handed to a truck driver on January 4^th, 2021. The image of the flyer is posted above, and the full text of the flyer is posted below.

Other truckers who crossed the border January 4^th have indicated they were not provided with any verbal or paper warnings of the January 15^th changes to Canada’s requirements.

RWN has submitted several questions to Transport Canada’s media department in an attempt to clarify some of the language which is not clear, including the definitions of “limited exceptions” and “fully vaccinated” and the “exemptions in the national interest” which are noted on Canada’s website. Updates will follow when information is received.

Opinion/Column

I call Bullshit

January 3, 2022 Rita Smith

In the 1970s, there was a popular game called “Bullshit Poker.” It was played with American $1 bills, and it really was fun. I lived in Sarnia, where there were always lots of American $1 bills around; you could always find two or more people to play a hand of Bullshit Poker at the bar.

The serial number printed on the face of your American $1 bill was your poker hand, with zeroes as aces. Every player took turns studying the number on their dollar before calling their hand: “A pair of 3s.” “Ace high.” “Three card straight.”

News Trucking

January vaccine mandates and border requirements

January 3, 2022 Rita Smith

Some truck drivers report they are already being asked to show proof of vaccination at the US border (“apparently, it is already linked to my Canadian passport” one driver notes) while others are being waved through. Since the launch of COVID restrictions almost two years ago, truck drivers have been exempt from showing proof of vaccination and many report they have never even been asked about it by Border Agents.