Erb Transport Truck Driver Named to Prestigious 2007-2008 OTA Road Knights Team

(March 12, 2007) – John Lougheed, a truck driver with Erb Transport of New Hamburg has been named a member of the 2007-2008 Ontario Trucking Association Road Knights team – a select group of professional drivers who are dedicated to educating the general public about sharing the road. Lougheed competed with truck drivers from all across the province for a coveted spot on the team.

Recognized for driving excellence, Lougheed has logged over 3 million miles in his 42 years on the road, working more than 10 of those years with his current employer. He has been recognized for collision free driving by the Transportation Health and Safety Association of Ontario (THSAO) with a safe driving award.

The 10 members of the Road Knights Team are professional truck drivers, who competed against applicants from across the province for the right to wear the coveted Road Knights coat of arms. Team members are all employed as full-time transport drivers and step out of the cab several days each month to meet with community groups.

During their two-year terms, Road Knights meet with community groups, business associations, driving schools, seniors organizations and service clubs to help improve highway safety and increase awareness of the trucking industry’s contribution to the provincial economy. The free community outreach service is offered by the Ontario Trucking Association.

“The Road Knights are first-class drivers who represent their peers – Ontario transport drivers who are dedicated to safety and professionalism in the industry,” says David Bradley, president of the Ontario Trucking Association. “They are highly qualified to spread the message of road safety because they travel our roadways everyday, and have faced every type of traffic and weather condition imaginable.”

This award winning driver has devoted his life to the truck driving profession having driven both long and short haul. After decades behind the wheel an industry merger between a much loved employer for whom he had worked for 28 years and a large transportation conglomerate, prompted Lougheed to accept an early-retirement package.

“It was the perfect opportunity to think about a change, so I decided to become an instructor at a community college with a highly regarded commercial truck driving school,” said Lougheed.

The lure of the open road eventually compelled Lougheed back behind the wheel. This time Lougheed found a job that would compliment his love of

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teaching with freedom of the open road. He joined Erb Transport, a highly regarded company with an operation close to home where his skills as an in-cab instructor of new drivers could be combined with his driving expertise. Today the job at Erb sees him hauling freight up and down Canada’s busiest artery, Highway 401, and sharing skills fine-tuned after decades of professional driving.

“You need a lot of patience when you are driving,” says Lougheed. That’s something I always stress with the drivers I work with. Having the right attitude is all important to being a safe driver.” Patience seems to be something Lougheed has plenty of -- his colleagues at Erb say his calm manner is his trademark.

John and his wife, Diane, reside in Havelock (near Trenton). The couple has three adult children, Glenn, Donna and Wendy. Two of their children also have a commercial drivers licence.

The Lougheed’s also have four grandchildren -- the oldest grandson Alex enjoys travelling on the road with his grandpa.

According to the Ontario Ministry of Transportation, tractor-trailers are involved in less than three per cent of all road collisions, making professional truck drivers the safest users of the province’s roads.

The Ontario Trucking Association’s Road Knights Team is selected by a panel of judges including representatives from the Ontario Provincial Police, Ontario Ministry of Transportation, 680News radio, the Transportation Health and Safety Association of Ontario, Today’s Trucking magazine (an industry journal), a truck driver from the previous Road Knights team, and OTA staff.

More than 70 drivers applied to participate in the program, while a short list of candidates prepared a speech and essay for the panel of judges. Each candidate on the short list was also subjected to a personal interview.

Prospective Road Knights must possess first-class driving records. To participate in the program, candidates must also be nominated by an Ontario Trucking Association member company in good standing.

In addition to educating community organizations about road safety, Road Knights take their trucks to local schools to introduce young people to career opportunities in the trucking industry. Recognized as leaders within their industry, the Road Knights also meet with students at truck driving schools to emphasize the importance of safety, professionalism and courtesy.

This is the seventh team that has been assembled since the program was formed in 1995. Over 75 drivers have participated in the program.

The Road Knights program earned a National Transportation Week Award of Excellence in 1996. In 1995 the program earned the coveted ‘Trailmobile Service to Industry’ award which is presented for vision, leadership and making an outstanding contribution to the truck transportation industry

Free presentations by a member of the team include an oral presentation, a video and pamphlets promoting road safety. Trucks can also be provided for road safety demonstrations.

For more information about the Road Knights, or to arrange for a presentation, contact the OTA’s communications department at 416-249-7401, ext. 224 or www.ontruck.org.

The Ontario Trucking Association (OTA) is a business association representing motor carriers operating into, out of and within Ontario. The trucking industry is one of Ontario’s largest employers. Trucks haul 90% of all consumer products and foodstuffs produced and consumed in the province and 80% of Ontario’s trade with the United States. Founded in 1926, the association’s membership comprises trucking companies of all sizes, shipping all types of commodities, from all regions of North America. OTA is a member of the Canadian Trucking Alliance.

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