National Trucking Week Rolls Out Next Week

September 19, 2002

National Trucking Week 2002 will be celebrated September 22 – September 29. The annual national event is held to spotlight the important contributions made by the over 400,000 Canadian men and women who keep the country’s freight moving. In Ontario, over 200,000 people have chosen to build a career in the industry. National Trucking Week is also an opportunity for the industry to encourage safe road sharing.

“We want to recognize the vital role truck drivers and other industry members play in keeping supplies on store shelves and our economy moving,” says OTA President David Bradley. “Just about everything we need in our daily lives is moved by truck. Without truck drivers moving freight — safely, reliably and on-time — the country would literally be at a stand still.”

Truck drivers share their workplace with the community and as a result an important message of this week will also be that highway safety is a shared responsibility -- all drivers of all types of vehicles have a role to play in ensuring safe highways.

To help increase awareness of National Trucking Week and how to safely share the road, OTA will be undertaking these activities:

• Newspaper Supplement: Toronto, London, Kitchener-Waterloo and Ottawa residents will receive a full-colour newspaper supplement showcasing Ontario’s trucking industry. The supplement spotlights some of the province’s truck heroes and others who have been singled out for special recognition. The paper will also feature tips on how to share the road with transport trucks. Watch for the supplement on September 23 in the Ottawa Sun, Toronto Sun, London Free Press and Kitchener-Waterloo Record.
• Sharing the Road with Trucks Video Giveaway: To make Ontario roads safer by increasing awareness of how all road users can safely share the roads, OTA will giveaway free videos* to the first 1,000 people who contact the Association at #416-249-7401. (* One video per Ontario household).
• Celebrations at Truck World Show: On Saturday, September 28, truckers can enjoy entertainment, giveaways and great contests at Canada’s National Truck Show, Truck World (Sept. 26 – 28, National Trade Centre, CNE Grounds, Toronto). In addition to fun entertainment for adults and kids (Saturday), show visitors can enter to win a “Chevy Avalanche” (sponsored by General Motors of Canada); a “Trip for Two Anywhere Air Canada Flies”; and a “Customized Seat for the Truck Cab” (courtesy of Gra-mag Truck Interior Systems) and a fabulous “Trucker Prize Pack”. Trucker Prize Packs are special gift box filled with items truckers love to receive – 25 will be given away on Saturday.
• Truck Stop Tour –Truckers at select high-volume Ontario truck stops have received free passes to Canada’s national truck show, Truck World 2002. Since early September, show representatives have been distributing passes to truckers from the show’s portable promotions booth set up at truck stops.
• Industry Getting in on the Action – Trucking companies and industry suppliers are marking the week with a wide variety of special events including: presenting gifts of appreciation to employees, hosting BBQs, offering free truck washes, discounted truck stop meals – even baking homemade cookies for drivers’ lunches.

How Are You Celebrating National Trucking Week?

OTA has heard from some members about their plans for celebrating National Trucking Week. Please let us know if you are planning any events so that we can include them in a follow up issue of OTA News. You can fax this information to our communications department at 416-245-6152 or email info@ontruck.org