We put in some big miles last week on the Professionals of the Highway Tour as we visited carriers and training facilities from Mississauga to Cambridge to Fort Erie Ontario. All in search of professionalism in the industry and the people that make our lives better by keeping the shelves stocked in our stores. We did three stops per day usually starting around 7:00am each morning.
Day 1
We started on Tuesday August 4th in Mississauga Ontario at Rosedale Transport. We talked with professional drivers and staff that had 3-33 years of experience and seemed extremely happy at their jobs with the carrier. Rosedale has a huge network of terminals across Canada and transports and variety of products.
We moved into Brampton Ontario to Canadian Blood Services to visit with their team for our second stop. This is the team of professional drivers that set up the blood donation clinics across the Province and transport the blood to the various locations for testing and supply.
We then went to Canadian Truck Warranty that supplies financing and warranties for equipment to help drivers be safe on the road. We had some fun talking transportation with these folks to round out day one of the tour.
Day 2
Our second day of this section started at Sharp Transportation in Cambridge. Sharp has teamed up with Turbo Images and the Salvation Army to promote the charity with a custom wrapped trailer. We talked to the team and featured the trailer in a video shoot. The Women’s Trucking Federation of Canada was also featured as part of the Sharp Transportation visit.
After that it was off to the Flying J truck stop in Ayr Ontario to visit with the team at DriverCheck. DriverCheck is working on a new pilot project with the Province of Ontario to help test truck drivers for Covid-19. Watch for the video as I get tested for Covid-19.
We rounded out the day in Guelph Ontario with John Barry who is an owner operator, recruiter for Rims Transport, and C.B. Radio engineer. We featured his trucks, his business, and his passion for the industry on our final stop of the day.
Day 3
Hamilton was our location for the day as we stopped into Ontario Truck Driving School in Hamilton Ontario to talk with students and trainers about the industry and why they got into the world of transportation.
We moved onto Rims Transport in Hamilton for our second stop where we featured another amazing truck and talked with owner operators about their experiences in the business.
We finished the day in Caledonia at KRTS (Kim Richardson Transportation Specialists) talking students and trainers about the industry and why they are getting into the trucking industry.
Day 4
Day 4 of this section of the trip was spent in the Niagara Ontario area. We began at Zavcor Trucking which owns a school and trucking company. We talked with a number of people from drivers to trainers to mechanics. We got some great insights into the professionalism of the industry.
Afterwards it was over to Ontario Truck Driving School in Niagara on the Lake where we talked with new and seasoned instructors about the industry and the professionalism in it.
We finished out the day talking technology with IMVR in Beamsville Ontario. IMVR develops programs in virtual reality to develop skills of professional drivers.
So that was our second section known as the Southern Ontario Section of the Professionals of the Highway Tour. Look for the interviews and more information on these spots through our podcast and YouTube channels as they are released. Thank you to everyone who has been involved with the tour. We will be starting our final leg of the tour towards London and Windsor Ontario on the19th of August. Watch for it.
About the Professionals of the Highway Tour
The Professionals of the Highway Tour is traveling across Ontario and Quebec promoting the professionalism of the trucking industry including the people, equipment, and culture. Interviews with drivers, industry professionals, and businesses throughout the industry. Learn more about the tour here. https://theleadpedalpodcastfanclub.com/professionals-of-the-highway-tour-2020/
