OTA-Trailmobile Service to
Industry Award Goes to Manitoulin Transport’s Doug
Smith
(Toronto: November 16, 2007) - Doug Smith, founder and chairman of the Manitoulin Group of Companies, Gore Bay, ON was presented the 2007 OTA-Trailmobile Service to Industry Award today during a special ceremony held at the Ontario Trucking Association’s 81st annual convention at the Toronto Congress Centre. The award is the highest honour bestowed on an executive in the Ontario trucking industry and honours an individual who, by their commitment, vision, leadership and unstinting service, has made an outstanding contribution to the development and success of the truck transportation industry in Ontario.
The selection was made by a panel of Mr. Smith’s
peers, most of whom are previous winners themselves, and recognizes of
Smith’s role as one of the industry’s major innovators, particularly
in developing special truck configurations which maximized the productivity of
shipments of various products to and from Northern Ontario. The award is
an attractive charcoal portrait of the recipient.
The Manitoulin Group of Companies is a single source transportation provider with services ranging from less-than-truckload and truckload to customs brokerages, warehousing, air and ocean freight forwarding, a truck driving school, fuel distribution and logistics services. Over 50 years, Doug Smith grew the business through strategic acquisitions, expansion of lanes. With support from many customers, the company now has a terminal network of over 60 terminals throughout Canada.
The Manitoulin Group of Companies is a single source transportation provider with services ranging from less-than-truckload and truckload to customs brokerages, warehousing, air and ocean freight forwarding, a truck driving school, fuel distribution and logistics services. Over 50 years, Doug Smith grew the business through strategic acquisitions, expansion of lanes. With support from many customers, the company now has a terminal network of over 60 terminals throughout Canada.
However, Doug Smith has never forgotten his roots.
Since the beginning, the head office has always been and continues to be located
in the small town of Gore Bay on Manitoulin Island. He began his career in
trucking in 1957 when the family business, Smith’s Wholesale purchased its first
truck and trailer to service produce moving from the Ontario Food Terminal to
Manitoulin Island for distribution. By 1960, with the sale of Smith’s
Wholesale to National Grocers, Doug acquired Hill’s Transport and renamed the
company Manitoulin Transport.
In the early days, Doug loaded furniture, drove, and worked on the trucks. He was anywhere and everywhere. He was determined to make the business work and he did. He knew the business inside out. That strong work ethic and in-depth knowledge of all facets of the business has carried the company forward. It also allowed Doug to serve as a role model for his own company’s employees, but for the industry as a whole.
Doug Smith’s quiet and unassuming demeanor belies a creativity and inventiveness that is at the root of his success. Nowhere is this more evident in the “Supertrucks” for which Mr. Smith has become famous. In 1980, the first eight Supertrucks were put into service and consisted of a cab over tractor with a 13 foot dromedary box.
In the early days, Doug loaded furniture, drove, and worked on the trucks. He was anywhere and everywhere. He was determined to make the business work and he did. He knew the business inside out. That strong work ethic and in-depth knowledge of all facets of the business has carried the company forward. It also allowed Doug to serve as a role model for his own company’s employees, but for the industry as a whole.
Doug Smith’s quiet and unassuming demeanor belies a creativity and inventiveness that is at the root of his success. Nowhere is this more evident in the “Supertrucks” for which Mr. Smith has become famous. In 1980, the first eight Supertrucks were put into service and consisted of a cab over tractor with a 13 foot dromedary box.
This box allowed temperature controlled freight to be
moved to Northern Ontario while pulling a stake and rack trailer and, heavier
product such as lumber or steel to be pulled south while putting general freight
into the Supertruck box. This combination was a perfect fit for Northern
Ontario’s customers.
Doug also initiated a 90 kilometre per hour speed limit for all his trucks in the early 1980’s as a way to save fuel and enhance road safety. At the time, this seemed like a very dramatic step to take and it wasn’t always popular with all of the drivers. However, Doug says it was simply the right thing to do.
Doug Smith lives and works in Gore Bay on Manitoulin Island with his wife, Phyllis. Their two sons, Gordon and Jeffrey, have both been working at Manitoulin Transport for over 20 years. Doug and Phyllis have five granddaughters and a boat to enjoy in their leisure time. Doug has also played clarinet in a local band for many years.
Doug also initiated a 90 kilometre per hour speed limit for all his trucks in the early 1980’s as a way to save fuel and enhance road safety. At the time, this seemed like a very dramatic step to take and it wasn’t always popular with all of the drivers. However, Doug says it was simply the right thing to do.
Doug Smith lives and works in Gore Bay on Manitoulin Island with his wife, Phyllis. Their two sons, Gordon and Jeffrey, have both been working at Manitoulin Transport for over 20 years. Doug and Phyllis have five granddaughters and a boat to enjoy in their leisure time. Doug has also played clarinet in a local band for many years.
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Note to Editors: Photos available upon request.
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