Opinions on the Blue Ribbon Task Force initiative

Deregulation took effect on January 1, 1990.

 

Yep - remember all the quality conversation leading up to it ? I've had a headache since late '88 !

 

Maybe just semantics, but the Motor Carrier Act of 1980 deregulated the industry in the USA and I don't think Canadian carriers were impervious to such massive changes in rate structure in our closest trading partner. Especially considering we followed suit in 1990. Father-in-law and brother-in-law came home off the road in the first 3 years of American deregulation because of it and drove in Canada for a few years before giving up driving totally. One enrolled in the forces as heavy vehicle tech, the other has dispatched local dumps ever since.


I don't think it's a coincidence that we are more regulated under de-regulation, but I think the shift in onus to regulating the driver instead of the companies is a turn off for many current and prospective drivers.

I also don't expect any level of our government will be able to fix a problem they largely created. If truckers are in higher demand, freight rates will inch up as will the price of goods moved by truck. If drivers can earn a better living than average Canadians, I believe more Canadians will consider it a viable alternative. Let the carriers figure out how to attract drivers and let the producers/shippers/receivers figure out how to price their items and services competitively and leave out bureaucrats who know nothing about ANY of it.

Best case scenario, I'd like to see the truckibg industry re-focus on an O/O and small fleet to move goods. Those companies that allow entrepreneurial minded Canadians with good financial habits an opportunity to band together with other like-minded individuals and less focus on mega-fleets that do not improve the "flock" of carriers and help suppress rates by chronically underperforming.