Credit Canada Podcasts

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Wed August 20 2008

It took a tragic accident in Glen Rock, PA to bring the problem with manually adjusting automatic brake adjusters to the industry's attention. A loade... read more

It took a tragic accident in Glen Rock, PA to bring the problem with manually adjusting automatic brake adjusters to the industry's attention. A loaded dump truck careened down a hill, striking several cars at the bottom, killing one person. The truck had less than 20 percent of it's normal braking capacity, experts say, because its automatic brake adjusters had all back right off. The adjusting m... read more

It took a tragic accident in Glen Rock, PA to bring the problem with manually adjusting automatic brake adjusters to the industry's attention. A loaded dump truck careened down a hill, striking several cars at the bottom, killing one person. The truck had less than 20 percent of it's normal braking capacity, experts say, because its automatic brake adjusters had all back right off. The adjusting mechanisms were all badly worn due to repeated manual adjustments, and would not hold their settings. Repeated brake applications caused the adjuster to back off rather than tighten up. It's no secret that automatic slack adjusters are not to be manually adjusted except during installation and during a reline. Still, drivers and mechanics continue this dangerous practice. Here, two experts from Bendix explain the hazards of making manual adjustments to automatic brake adjusters. read less

Should Truck Drivers be Paid a Salary?

Thu July 31 2008

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How to Buy Fuel; Don't Overlook the Fuel Tax

Sun July 13 2008

Fuel, at today's prices, demands a cost-management strategy. We're talking something beyond freezing half to death on a winter's night or baking in th... read more

Fuel, at today's prices, demands a cost-management strategy. We're talking something beyond freezing half to death on a winter's night or baking in the cab during the summer. The best answer may lie in how and where you buy the stuff. The price you see posted on the sign outside the truckstop always includes the various taxes you're required to pay, but some jurisdictions charge a higher rate than... read more

Fuel, at today's prices, demands a cost-management strategy. We're talking something beyond freezing half to death on a winter's night or baking in the cab during the summer. The best answer may lie in how and where you buy the stuff. The price you see posted on the sign outside the truckstop always includes the various taxes you're required to pay, but some jurisdictions charge a higher rate than others. Knowing where to buy fuel based on the tax rates can save you a pile of money. Sandy Johnson of Calgary's Total Trucking Management Limited, explains how road and fuel taxes impact the pump price, and how you can save money by buying fuel in the right jurisdictions, and avoiding buying in others. read less

Where Are We Going to Find Drivers When the Economy Picks Up?

Fri June 20 2008

There's a shortage of skilled labor in Canada, and it's going to get worse -- particularly if you're a trucking company. To make matters worse, the ec... read more

There's a shortage of skilled labor in Canada, and it's going to get worse -- particularly if you're a trucking company. To make matters worse, the economic downturn we're experiencing has sent a lot of drivers hunting for greener pastures. Many of them will find satisfying work outside trucking, and they probably won't come back when things pick up again. That will pose difficulties for fleets, p... read more

There's a shortage of skilled labor in Canada, and it's going to get worse -- particularly if you're a trucking company. To make matters worse, the economic downturn we're experiencing has sent a lot of drivers hunting for greener pastures. Many of them will find satisfying work outside trucking, and they probably won't come back when things pick up again. That will pose difficulties for fleets, particularly small ones. On this week's Truck Talk, we're talking, once again, to Rick Way, owner of Wayfreight in Guelph Ontario. He's one small fleet owner who probably won't have much difficulty at all retaining drivers, or attracting new ones. Find out how Rick's business partnership philosophy might be a good model for more fleets to follow. read less

Closing the Fuel Economy Gap

Thu May 29 2008

A one-mile-per-gallon improvement in fuel economy could cut operating costs by more than a dime a mile. That's a savings of at least $12,000 a year. W... read more

A one-mile-per-gallon improvement in fuel economy could cut operating costs by more than a dime a mile. That's a savings of at least $12,000 a year. With fuel now close to five dollars a gallon, or a buck and a half a litre, fuel economy is just too expensive a problem to ignore. We've got three experts with us this week to help you cut your fuel costs; Chuck Blake, an application engineer with De... read more

A one-mile-per-gallon improvement in fuel economy could cut operating costs by more than a dime a mile. That's a savings of at least $12,000 a year. With fuel now close to five dollars a gallon, or a buck and a half a litre, fuel economy is just too expensive a problem to ignore. We've got three experts with us this week to help you cut your fuel costs; Chuck Blake, an application engineer with Detroit Diesel in Redford Michigan, Dave McKenna, the power train marketing manager for Mack Trucks in Allentown Pennsylvania, and Ed Saxman, the drive train product marketing manager, with Volvo Trucks in Greensboro North Carolina. There can be a difference of up to thirty percent in fuel mileage between a fleet's best and worst drivers. Here's how the worst drivers can close the gap. read less