< Previous10 // www.womendrivingchangemagazine.ca and many are past the age of 65; the shortage that is now here will not go away. In fact, it is likely to get worse in the years ahead. Recent numbers from Trucking HR Canada for the period up to the end of September 2022 show that there are 26,900 vacancies, with over half of these jobs being posted for over 90 days. The “over 90 day” portion indicates this is not a seasonal peak or valley, but a long- term position that is going unfilled. The unemployment rate for drivers in the industry for the first three quarters of 2022 and was only 3.2 per cent, which is well below the national average of five per cent that was reported in December. driver, a vacant seat does not mean a shortage exists. What truly indicates whether a shortage is real is if freight goes undelivered and services not ful- filled. With that in mind, the last three years have shown us that a shortage is now truly here. Rates skyrocketed, driver pay increased, and shippers had to bid for ser- vices at unprecedented levels if they want- ed to get their products delivered. While we may be at the beginning of an economic slow down – and demand has been reduced, which has subse- quently pulled rates back – we are still above pre-pandemic levels and short- ages still exist. And, don’t forget that the average age of a driver is over 50, inding new talent, train- ing them, and also retaining them is a problem in almost every industry in the majority of coun- tries across the world. The transportation industry is certainly near the top of the list of fields that are suffer- ing from a chronic shortage. For as long as I can remember, the sector has spo- ken about a major driver shortage. Whether the shortage was real over the last several decades can and has been debated by many as rates were low and driver pay had not kept up with inflation. While not every truck has a SOLUTIONS Funding available for entry and job level training in the transportation industry Mike Millian F ONLINE: https://www.pmtc.ca FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/Private-Motor- Truck-Council-of-Canada-1561523780752504 TWITTER: https://twitter.com/privatefleets INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/ pmtcylg/?hl=en LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/company/private- motor-truck-council-of-canada/about YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/user/PMTCvideos DIGITAL CONNECTIONS PRIVATE MOTOR TRUCKING COUNCIL: BOARD OF DIRECTORS (2022/2023 TERM) OFFICERS Chairperson Steve Lawn Parkland Corporation Past Chairperson Jim Dimech Linde Canada Inc. 1 st Vice-Chairperson Leanne Drummond CPC Logistics Inc. 2 nd Vice-Chairperson Angela Munsterman Coca Cola Bottling Ltd. DIRECTORS Patricia Burke Canadian Blood Services Phil Camp Paccar Leasing Company Kevin Carlyle Penske Transportation Services Gerald Carroll Wesbell Logistics Scott Creighton Northbridge Insurance Brad Fletcher GFL Philip Fletcher TTSAO John Harrison Transrep Inc. Fred Hildebrand Rush Truck Leasing James Johnstone Giant Tiger Keith Lamb 4-Refuel Jason Libralesso Home Hardware Sud Malhotra Intact Public Entities David Marvin Tandet Matt Richardson KRTS Kevin Riley Maple Leaf Foods Michelle Roberts Infrastructure Health & Safety Assoc Michael Thompson MEE/ISB Canada Andy Walker Molson Coors Donald Williams Aviva Canada Steve Woodward Volvo Canada Women Driving Change Magazine // 11 Recruiting new workers to our indus- try is crucial, and something we have struggled with for years. One of the hurdles has been funding, specifically when it comes to the driving occupa- tion. As the occupation is not considered a skilled trade (which it should be, but that is a whole other article…) obtaining student loans or grants is almost impos- sible, leaving the roughly $10,000 fee that it costs to take the training required to obtain your Class A or Class 1 license out of reach for many. The good news is the government has seen the issues a shortage has created and have reached out and are now listen- ing to industry. The government brought together the views of many stakeholders through the National Supply Chain Sum- mit and Taskforce. They have heard the industry’s viewpoints and have acted on several, with a large-scale program for funding training programs, both pre- and post-employment, now in effect. Through Trucking HR Canada, the government has provided funding to expand the Career Expressway Pro- gram. The funding includes driver train- ing grants for entry level training and wage incentives to help bring on new drivers. It also includes financial incen- tives for non-driving roles. Through the program, new and existing employees can obtain up $10,000 to cover the cost of their entry level training. These funds can be accessed by any Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or persons grant- ed refugee status, and there is no age restriction. Do you have current employees who you would like to upskill to Class 1/A license? If so, they will be eligible as well. Once a newly licensed driver has been onboarded, the employer is also eligible to receive up to $10,000 in wage incentives to help with the post license training, commonly referred to as mentor or finishing training. There is also funding up to $10,000 avail- able for non-driving roles, and there is an additional $5,000 available for underrepresented groups, such as women, Indigenous Peoples, racialized communities, visible minorities, peo- ple with disabilities, and newcomers to Canada within the last five years. This funding is available now and can be accessed by employers by con- tacting Trucking HR Canada. Their staff will guide you through the process. For more information on the program, go to https://truckinghr.com/career- expressway-thrc/driver-training-grants. Please take the time to reach out! As an industry, we must utilize these funds and help bring in the workers who are needed to carry our industry to new heights going forward! Mike Millian President Private Motor Truck Council of Canada There is also funding up to $10,000 avail able for non-driving roles, and there is an additional $5,000 available for underrepresented groups, such as women, Indigenous Peoples, racialized communities, visible minorities, peo ple with disabilities, and newcomers to Canada within the last five years. 14 // www.womendrivingchangemagazine.ca Muir demonstrates a passion for inspir- ing others, supporting the community, and sharing valuable insights while fol- lowing best HR practices. With previous career experience at other transportation and international logistics companies and running her own venture, she feels her personal values and vision align well with those of Polaris. Muir has been supporting Polaris’ vision to establish an inclusive work environment where qualified candidates and employees of any gender can thrive. “We’re opening doors at Polaris and inspiring women to consider transporta- tion as a career,” she says. Some of the company’s strategic partnerships include their three-year commitment with the Ontario Transpor- tation Association’s “Choose to Truck” campaign and establishing networks with Ontario colleges and agencies that share Polaris’ commitment to diversity and promoting professional growth. freight brokerage serving the Greater Toronto Area. Their original family val- ues remain embedded in Polaris’ iden- tity as it has evolved into one of the larg- est privately held Canadian LTL carriers, annually moving hundreds of thousands of shipments between Canada and the United States. The company is now led by their son, Dave Cox, President and CEO, who contin- ues honouring the mission to create a wel- coming work environment for everyone, while Geri serves as Co-chair on the com- pany’s board. They oversee an executive team with 40 percent female members. Dave believes in hiring top talent, pro- moting career growth, and building stra- tegic partnerships to attract and retain a strong and diverse workforce. Laura Muir was hired by Dave about two years ago and was promoted to her current position as Chief Human Resources Officer last year. olaris Transportation Group is earning national recogni- tion for truly walk- ing the talk when it comes to equal-oppor- tunity hiring, training, and advancement for women in our industry. Known as #CrossBorderPros, the transportation and logistics company received the 2022 Achievement of Excel- lence for Women in the Workplace Award from Trucking HR Canada. This annual award is given to the Top Fleet Employer that demonstrates exception- al commitment to gender equality and female representation in the industry. Polaris Transportation Group’s com- mitment to being an equal opportunity employer began in 1994 when husband and wife, Larry (1945-2017) and Geri Cox founded the company as a regional FEATURE By Andrea Geary , Women Driving Change staff writer what you preach P PracticingWomen Driving Change Magazine // 15 share their learning experience with Polaris teammates. As a testament to Muir’s drive to inspire and mentor new employees, she is extremely proud of bringing Esther Odediran onboard. Muir hired Odedi- ran as Senior HR Business Partner in November 2021 to support onboarding and advancement initiatives. Odediran was new to the transportation indus- try with previous experience as an HR Generalist for Amazon. She says she was impressed with the company’s interest in her. “At the interview, they wanted to know about me as a person.” Odediran’s accomplishments to-date include recently completing her Master’s in Human Resources from the University of Regina. Commenting on Odediran’s progress, Muir says, “I’ve watched her mature and I’m very proud. She’s taken the initiative to learn more about the industry.” In 2022, Muir and Odediran devel- oped the Polaris Leadership Program so new leaders and high-potential employ- ees can build managerial skills. Partici- pants complete online classes individu- ally, then are placed into classroom-style groups where they undergo more train- ing and case work with their cohorts. This was made possible through the company’s partnerships with a Canadian learning and development platform and an interna- tionally renowned organization. Polaris also tests its team’s potential with trial advancements. “We’ll promote By showcasing the stability of the trans- portation and logistics industry, Polaris has been able to attract talent and facilitate professional development as the company continues expanding. “Freight’s always going to move,” says Muir, adding this became very evident during the pandemic when trucking companies were deemed essential for their vital role in maintaining Canada’s economy. What started as a three-person opera- tion has grown to employ approximately 360 employees and owner-operators. Muir says over 40 percent are women, with departments such as Human Resources, Customs, and Customer Ser- vice having an even higher percentage. Over their decades of serving the North American shipping community, Polaris has established a reputation as innovators. In 2022, they launched two professional development programs as part of their diversity and inclusivity- focused recruitment and retention plan. To commemorate the fifth year of Co-founder Larry’s passing, Polaris executives created The Larry Cox Acad- emy. This program spans 15 months dur- ing which time applicants spend three- month intervals exploring various func- tional areas within the business from Operations to Finance. Each participant will have a sponsor to provide guidance throughout the entire process. Upon successfully completing the program, graduates will be presented with an LCA certificate and have the opportunity to The Polaris team that accepted the Top Fleet Employer of Distinction & the prestigious Achievement of Excellence for Women in the Workplace. Laura Muir, Chief Human Resources Officer, running a professional development program as part of the diversity and inclusivity-focused recruitment and retention plan at Polaris Transportation Group. Photos provided by Polaris Transportation Group. This annual award is given to the Top Fleet Employer that demonstrates exceptional commitment to gender equality and female representation in the industry. Women Driving Change Magazine // 17 skilled, dedicated employees on an inter- im basis so they can try a new position,” Odediran says. “If it doesn’t work out, they can transition back into their former role.” “Learning is a part of Polaris’ culture,” says Muir. “We don’t breed a climate of complacency.” She actively demonstrates this by continuously striving to improve her own skills, having recently completed an Executive Leadership Program with the University of Oxford. She is regularly invited to speak at institutions and forums and uses these opportunities to motivate students towards a career in the transpor- tation industry. Lesley Killingsworth, Director of Traffic & Pricing, has also been active in initia- tives to “raise the bar” for women at Polar- is, including mentoring while serving on the National Motor Freight Traffic Associa- tion, Inc. (NMFTA) Board of Directors. Muir and Odediran believe the com- pany’s family tradition helps foster a com- fortable and secure workplace for women new to the transportation industry. The family-oriented culture is evident in their social and community outreach initiatives. “Polaris prides itself on being strate- gic and intentional in everything we do. That extends from how we serve, to how we take care of our people,” Muir says. “We actively support our employees’ work-life balance as much as possible,” says Muir. “Accommodations are made for those needing to adjust their hours to meet their personal, educational, and family commitments. It is essential to be flexible so we can support everyone.” To help employees stay engaged and connected during the pandemic, Polaris started a “Hot Chocolate Hour” where par- ticipants could enjoy informal online chat sessions and decompress. These meetings were usually casual, however occasionally involved special guests such as Andrew McBarnett, founder of Neale’s Nice N’ Sweet ice cream, as part of their Black His- tory Month initiatives. With current rising grocery prices and living expenses, Polaris introduced a new employee benefits program in addi- tion to an Employee Assistance Program. “Our team should get the most out of their wages and we’re here to help,” Muir says. Muir and Odediran are committed to keep strengthening Polaris’ culture to cre- ate a more inviting space for women to join and find fulfillment in their careers. “The Achievement of Excellence for Women in the Workplace Award shows that we’re doing something right,” Odediran says. “But there’s still more we can do.” “We talk about the women who are driving change, but it’s also the men driving change,” Muir added. She feels grateful to witness all Polaris leaders and employees fulfilling the values originally established by the Cox fam- ily, ensuring employees of all genders are treated equally. “Polaris is a non- discriminatory place where everyone feels safe, welcome, and supported. We embrace all skilled talent here with open arms!” Visit www.polaris transport.com/en to learn more about Polaris and their company culture. ONLINE: https://www.polaristransport.com/en FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/PolarisTransport TWITTER: https://twitter.com/PolarisTrans LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ polaris-transport/ INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/polaristrans- portationgroup/ DIGITAL CONNECTIONS18 // www.womendrivingchangemagazine.ca brings our industry into the 21 st century,” says Private Motor Truck Council of Can- ada (PMTC) President, Mike Millian. An ELD connects to the electronic control module of a vehicle, enabling it to track, manage, share, and improve the accuracy of a driver’s hours of service record. While the driver is still required to manually enter some of the informa- tion from their record of duty status, such as on-duty time related to fueling, loading, or unloading, the ELD will auto- matically record other information like driving time, odometer readings, and engine power-up. This will help drivers stay within the legally allowed driving hours, with the ultimate goal of reducing in 2007, Transport Canada and the Council of Motor Transport Adminis- trators (CCMTA) rolled out new rules that tried to combat driver fatigue across the country. In 2019, Transport Canada started the official process to upgrade those regulations and, while none of the rules that placed restrictions on a driv- er’s off-duty time, on-duty time, or driv- ing time were changed, the requirement to replace paper logs with an electronic logging device (ELD) was added. “Keeping track of your hours with a pen and a piece of paper is a little out- dated for 2023, and moving to ELDs river fatigue is one of the top risks facing com- mercial drivers in Canada. Both physical and men- tal fatigue can have a significant impact on driv- ers after long periods without a rest or break and, like the effects of intoxica- tion, reduce their alertness, focus, and decision-making ability, all of which are needed for safety on the road. Hours of Service regulations have been in place in some shape or form across Canada since the 1980s. However, FEATURE By Paul Adair, Women Driving Change staff writer D ELD enforcement: Coming to a province near youWomen Driving Change Magazine // 19 will enforce the regulation for provincially regulated carriers and, if so, how soon they need to comply. Some provinces, such as Quebec, still need to update their regu- lations to be able to enforce the rules. In addition, carriers that solely operate with- in the boundaries of one province or ter- ritory are governed by provincial regula- tions, not federal. At the time of writing this article, Man- itoba, New Brunswick, Ontario, Yukon, and Northwest Territories are enforcing the regulation within their borders. Que- bec will begin mandating ELDs begin- ning April 30, 2023, followed by British Columbia on August 1, 2023. Nova Scotia has indicated that it will start enforcing the mandate on January 1, 2024. Alberta and Saskatchewan are two outliers that will not be putting regulations in place to enforce the rules within their provinces and will only be enforcing it for federally regulated carriers. Prince Edward Island is another prov- ince that will not be enforcing the ELD requirements for provincially regulated carriers, but their reasoning is sound. “You only need an ELD if you’re required to have a logbook, and you’re only required to have a logbook if you oper- ate outside of a 160-kilometer radius,” says Millian. “So, any anybody who oper- ates solely within the island of PEI will be automatically operating within that radius because of how small the island is and are therefore automatically exempt from the ELD requirements.” Leveling the playing field Not all false records are created equal. While some errors made to driving logs are unintentional, others may have falsi- fied logbooks to get in a few more hours of driving past when they should. In both cases, the new rules mandat- ing ELDs have made it easier for enforce- ment agencies to identify those willing to bend or break the rules to gain an unfair advantage over the competition by squeezing more miles into the day. Prior to these regulations coming into effect, auditors needed support- ing documents to verify that a driv- er’s paperwork was filled out accu- rately, and they were limited by the types of records the carrier might keep. While supporting documents are still required, the ELD provides more opportunities for validation. “Before, I might have only be able to verify the times where a driver fueled up or went over a particular that the driver can see while they’re seat- ed in the driving position. A long time in coming The conversations between industry and the federal government about ELDs have been going on for some time. The first official contact between Transport Canada and the PMTC occurred in 2010, but others can remember talking about electronic logging further back than that. “For at least 20 years we’ve been try- ing to find some kind of perfect solu- tion where there’s no chance for errors,” says Kris Fulgham, Certified Third Party Auditor (Alberta Transportation), Cay- Can Safety Consulting Ltd. “But, as any- one in transportation knowns, there is no perfection when it comes to trans- portation regulation. While everyone in the process strived to ensure that the current ELD mandate covered all possi- ble angles, there will certainly be issues identified. Effective legislation will be required to receive numerous updates and modifications as everyone learns more about how ELDs are used.” Stakeholders in the trucking industry were granted significant input through the CCMTA, which worked closely with Transport Canada, provinces, and ter- ritories to extend the implementation of the regulations. The PMTC was one of the stakeholders that was instrumental in calling for third-party ELD certifica- tion when Transport Canada was origi- nally leaning towards adopting a U.S. model of self-certification, where ELD manufacturers could submit documen- tation to claim that they did all the tests, and their product would be put on the approved list without verification. “In the United States, there are cur- rently over 800 certified devices, and I would guarantee that less than half of them would be compliant if anyone bothered to check,” says Millian. “Self- certification does not level the playing field and only makes it easier for some of the bad actors to cheat. We were one of the first and loudest voices pushing for third party certification, and – to the government’s credit – they listened.” Who needs to comply? Because this is a federal regulation, all federally regulated carriers that are currently required to use a logbook (with few exceptions) must comply with the ELD mandate. Individual provinces and territories have been able to determine whether they fatigue and making travelling safer for all vehicles sharing the road. There are currently 80 approved devices from 30 manufacturers listed on Transport Canada’s approved list (at the time of press). Certified ELD modules must have a dedicated chip that can track GPS and communicate back to the central serv- er, whether that is via cellular, Wi-Fi, or satellite. The module also needs some method for the driver to interact with it, such as a dedicated tablet or screen that is permanently installed in the truck. Some ELDs may also use existing mobile technology to interface with, which is fine so long as it’s installed in a position Next >