It’s the industry that literally never stops. Every minute of everyday, the trucking industry keeps on going and a driver is bringing a trailer or flatbed full of cargo to its destination.
September 7th to the 14th is National Trucking Week and it is a reminder of the importance of the industry and its workers to our economy and to our way of life. In Manitoba, there are over 35,000 people who are directly employed in the trucking industry. Included in this number are the drivers, dispatchers, customer service representatives and the mechanics who all play a role in ensuring goods are delivered.
In Canada, the top commodity that travels by trucks across provincial boundaries is construction material. The local growth in the housing industry in the southeast could not happen without the trucking industry ensuring that the needed material made it to our market. The second most shipped freight is agricultural products followed by primary metals, mineral and energy products.
Everything from our homes, to our food to our fuel relies on the efficiency of our truck transportation system. In fact, we are becoming more reliant on the trucking industry and it has come with a significant demand for professional drivers. While it is a high demand occupation, it is also one that has changed greatly over the years. Drivers are now subject to increased regulations related to their driving hours and their loads as well as border crossing standards. The skills and training needed for drivers if they are going to stay in the industry are greater than ever before.
With this in an increased responsibility for government to ensure that the trucking industry and the drivers it relies upon are able to move goods effectively. It is incumbent on the government’s of Canada and the United States to ensure that the flow of truck traffic can happen efficiently across our shared border. Trucks and freight that are unnecessarily delayed at the border represent a cost to our economy.
As well, roads that are poorly maintained or that are closed due to flooding represent a real cost to the trucking industry. For example, the Manitoba Trucking Industry estimates that when Highway 75 is closed due to flooding in our province, which has happened during spring flood events, it costs the industry approximately $1.5 million per week. Poor road conditions also cost the industry in terms of damaged vehicles and damaged freight.
There is also a responsibility on each of us, as leisure drivers who share the road with those who drive for a living, to ensure that we are driving safely and are mindful of the challenges that larger transport vehicles face on our roads.
The trucking industry continues to grow in importance for Manitoba. We have a collective responsibility to ensure that it thrives. I wish all of those involved in the trucking industry success and many safe miles ahead.
