Salutation!

Ms Lisa Raitt and Mr Leitch
Transport Minister and Labor Minister
Government Of Canada.

I want to bring your attention to this important issue, i am not sure if anyone has ever paid any attention to it so far and if someone is already paying attention to it on a federal or provincial level then either it is almost non-existent or yet to be seen or implemented, and it is destroying Canada's economy. A prompt attention is required from the federal and provincial governments!

Salient features of this petition.

Transportation as you know is the heart and soul of north American economy. Please consider some latest statistics;
Source US DOT.

-Trucks carry three-fifths of U.S.-NAFTA trade and are the most heavily utilized mode for moving goods to and from both U.S.-NAFTA partners.

-Trucks carried 59.9 percent of U.S.-NAFTA trade in May 2014, accounting for $31.8 billion of exports and $30.4 billion of imports.

Read more here http://www.rita.dot.gov/bts/press_releases/bts035_14.

Looking at Table 3. Percent Change in Value of U.S.-NAFTA Freight Flows by Mode Overall trucking is on the decline if you look at the figures year on year basis, back in 2004 compared to today 2014, a 49% increase in trucking freight in 2005, compared with 31% and 27% change in 2007 till 2014 where the change from the last year is a mere 3.8%!! obviously shows some signs of slowing down and a drastic decline in trucking industry.


Report comipled by CTV Ottawa says, Transport drivers move 90 per cent of consumer goods and foods in Canada. A report commissioned by the Canadian Trucking Alliance says that there will be a shortage of more than 30-thousand drivers by 2020.

“It doesn’t matter how many adds you put in the paper, the people just aren’t answering them,” says Hanlon.

Independent transport owners say it’s harder than ever to make a living with the rising costs of fuel and repairs as well as growing industry regulations.

“There's a lot easier ways to make a living. Plain and simple. Your whole life is out there,” says Transport Truck driver Daryl Baynton. Baynton is just returning from a three-week trip to British Columbia. It’s a hard journey he says future generations are not willing to make.

Read more: http://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/canada-facing-truck-driver-shortage-1.1166476#ixzz38yYhOqxS

Some major contributing factors responsible for declining trucking industry of North America are (but not limited to) these;

-Declining margins

-Government regulations

-Stagnant Hourly Wages, (Shamefully some big trucking companies in GTA Toronto area paying as little as $30 or even $25/Hr to poor owner operators!!), I will never work for $30/Hr!!

-Low per mile rate for highway truckers, varies between ($1.00-$1.43 per mile)!, now my question is how can a small trucking company survive and thrive when the cost of doing business is over a $1.20 per mile?? (NOT including maintenance).

-Underpayment and Bullying by Big Trucking companies

-High cost of diesel fuel (Special tax rebates must for small O/Os), is killing the owner operators margins and forcing them to run over their legal logs and thus cut back on their preventive maintenance thus becoming unsafe and dangerous for motorists on the road because we see rollovers every now and then on the major highways.

The big trucking companies under pay owner operators and either force them to run their logbooks illegally, and or force them to work under un-safe conditions!!! Such as forcing dispatch, forcing drivers to deliver goods when it is not a safe passage for the truck, just to name a few examples!

Mr Minister for labor and Ms Minister for Transport, I believe it is the Government's prime responsibility to prevent such things by protecting truck drivers wages and strictly enforcing federal labor laws in terms of setting minimum wage for the truckers and guaranteed fuel subsidy and job security.

Job security, ( There is no job security because Most bigger trucking companies who subcontract work to small scale Owner operators have the attitude of ' My way or Highway', and they force drivers to sign unfavorable contracts, beneficial ONLY for the companies and not the truckers). Truckers are forced to sign these contracts since they don't want to sit at home and starve their families!

The MTO 's job is to prevent such accidents before they even occur, rather they are targeting innocent truckers and slapping them with hefty fines they have a job to do but also one has to look at the ground reality, now my question is who is really to blame under such circumstances?

I believe if there are proper measures in place to protect the truckers and trucking industry I'm sure these undesirable incidents will be on the decline.

Our government MUST on its Agenda protect Truckers at ALL costs since trucking contributes towards the valuable GNP. (Owner Operators/Truck Owners). What have you done so far about this Ms Raitt? Were or are you aware of this looming collapse of Trucking industry in North America.


Some recommendations;

-Minimum Hourly contract rate for truckers MUST be AT LEAST $60.00 /Hr for local AZ operators and $2.00 per mile for Highway O/O.
It is ironical that Mechanics DO NOT have large overheads as truckers then why they charge $60 /Hr minimum and force people to pay, why cant companies be forced by law to pay truckers $60.00/Hr minimum??

Truck drivers have more on stake!

-Guaranteed contracts- Federal Government should strictly ENFORCE job security and protection to Owner operators and drivers and NOT these big companies who are the culprits destroying our trucking industry by forcing small owner operators out of business by bullying them and forcing unsafe and unfavorable contracts, and underpaying them. These big companies should be fined heavily if found in violation of these laws!


We appreciate you taking your time and reading this petition, my trucker friends please sign the petition and make OUR voice heard. Remember friends ONE signature at a time is ONE TOO MANY! Your one signature will bring the change.