‘The largest problem was conserving our drivers heat, conserving our gear working and heat to keep away from any delays’
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The trucking trade is again on monitor after extreme chilly and snow storms wreaked havoc in Western Canada final week.
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In some circumstances, it could have meant Santa did not arrive on time.
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Based mostly out of Calgary, New Means Trucking has a community of 380 vehicles nationwide and is contracted by Canada Put up and Purolator to help with deliveries amongst different contracts and jobs. The heavy snowfall within the days main as much as Christmas made situations unsafe for drivers in some circumstances.
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“We have been conserving our drivers knowledgeable to be proactive and cease till situations enhance,” mentioned Victor Ghumman, security and compliance supervisor for New Means Trucking Ltd. “It positively hit the on-time efficiency in on-time deliveries.”
New Means’s enterprise elevated by about 15 p.c over the vacation season resulting from demand for Christmas deliveries. In BC this meant delays of 4 to 6 hours within the Decrease Mainland to a number of days for longer journeys.
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Street situations inflicting issues
One of many main challenges for drivers driving via the mountain passes is an absence of locations to tug over and cease for a break when the climate turns significantly unhealthy.
Ron Chand, a truck driver from BC, mentioned the roads weren’t in good situation final week.
“Vans transfer properly each day,” he mentioned as he drove via Calgary. “They need to take time to clear the roads. However the highway was not clear sufficient.”
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He mentioned it wasn’t only a BC difficulty — unhealthy roads have been an issue throughout the nation — however on the Revelstoke aspect of the Rockies, situations nonetheless weren’t nice Wednesday.
“It makes it harmful for everyone, not simply me,” he mentioned. “In addition to, the highway is slippery on a regular basis presently of the 12 months. So they need to at the very least work on it. Plus at evening it is low visibility, you will see a lot better.”
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Whereas BC was hammered with snow, Alberta became an icebox with temperatures dropping under -35 C and wind chills all the way down to -45. This added issues to gear demand, whereas idle enter prices rose about 5 to seven p.c for New Means with the necessity to hold vehicles working 24 hours a day.
“The largest problem was conserving our drivers heat, conserving our gear working and heat to stop any delays,” he mentioned. “There have been extra prices for gasoline to maintain the gear heat. And it takes extra time for drivers to carry out their pre-trips, post-trips, coupling and uncoupling.”
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Calgary space roads tough to navigate
Amandeep Singh, who has been driving vehicles within the Calgary space for a 12 months, mentioned the roads in and round Calgary have been tough to navigate with ice and snow. He usually runs lighter masses for Canada Put up or Amazon and if it is windy or the roads are slippery, he has to cease.
“If it is freezing, they do not do something, they simply shut the highway, they do not care concerning the drivers and the way we wait,” he mentioned. “We now have to drive the truck to earn cash and in the event that they cease the highway, we will not earn something.”
Climate situations have created issues throughout the nation and whereas they’re bettering in Alberta, there are nonetheless treacherous pockets on the Prairies, akin to in elements of Saskatchewan, northern Manitoba and round Winnipeg. In the meantime, Freeway 11 in Ontario has been plagued with closures and delays because of the climate.
New Means has caught up on backlogs created by the climate final week and is now attempting to place itself to raised deal with the subsequent main climate occasion.
“Everyone knows winter will not be over. Roads are so clean,” Ghumman mentioned. “Because the saying goes, put together for the worst, hope for the perfect. So that is what’s taking place now.”
jaldrich@postmedia.com
Twitter: @JoshAldrich03
