Let’s continue with some basic tips on how to improve a driver/student’s Defensive Driving. Consider highway driving this week. It is apparent that many drivers are now using the middle lane in a 3-lane highway, and some are even in the ‘fast’ lane, not the curb or right-hand lane. Patience and discipline is required to…

Let’s get back to basic tips on how to improve a driver/student’s Defensive Driving. This week we will discuss a tip for making Left Hand Turns. First, we will look at making a left hand turn on a 4 lane, urban roadway. There is no separate left-hand lane, so the turn must be made from…

TTSAO is pleased welcome our newest Carrier Member. The Woodcock Transportation Group is a private, family owned and operated company established in 1983 with over 40 years in the trucking industry. The company is well positioned to serve customers in Canada and the United States. They are located in the hamlet of Sebringville, Ontario –…

We are going back to some small but important safety tips that will improve your Defensive Driving. Keep this one in mind when driving in urban settings, like Lakeshore Rd in the GTA, or any other similar busy roads. When driving your commercial vehicle others around you are not aware of your dimensions and ability…

Please join us in welcoming Joe Webster and his team at A-1 Auto transport Inc.: our newest TTSAO Associate Group member. A-1 Auto Transport is one of the largest USA-based worldwide auto shippers in the industry. We have offices and storage facilities located in major cities and metro areas throughout the U.S. and overseas, as…

Many people think student truck drivers are always safe in their cabs; therefore, comfort is the only important aspect of their clothing. The reality is that student truck drivers and instructors often work in low light conditions and in poorly lit yards, putting their safety at risk. Wearing fluorescent or reflective clothing ensures student truck drivers and their…

In recent years, there has been a significant increase in the number of vehicles involved in last-mile delivery, farm and agricultural work, landscaping, snow removal, and inner-city box truck operations. Surprisingly, these vehicles, despite their size and potential risks, can be operated with a standard G license. This means that they are not typically classified…

TTSAO partnership offers discounted, customized safety and work apparel for you and your team The TTSAO has partnered with Mark’s Commercial to provide TTSAO schools and carriers custom branded work and safety apparel at discounted prices. This discount program offers work wear, footwear and Fire Retardant wear from top brands, including Blundstone, CAT, Timberland and…

Northern Academy of Transportation Training In the beautiful expanse of Northern Ontario lies a cornerstone of transportation education, the Northern Academy of Transportation Training (NATT). Renowned for its rigorous curriculum and strong emphasis on safety, NATT provides an excellent training ground for future commercial vehicle operators. As a member of the esteemed Truck Training Schools…

This week’s tip is about the physical checks to the Exterior of the Trailer. Let’s start with the front of the trailer. First things first. Check the left front to see that the yellow safety sticker is up to date. You’re not going anywhere if it isn’t. Next look for the document holder to verify…

The 2024 TTSAO Conference dates have been announced! February 28 and 29 at Lionhead Golf and Conference Centre in Brampton. Tickets go on sale soon.  Interested in sponsoring contact ttsao@ttsao.com for information.

Steady progress on several fronts continued throughout the month. We continue to wade into the process of putting into place programs to assist the membership with more access to business and to help the overall industry for safety and training. Government Interaction at MTO/MCU Not much activity from the government over this past month. We…

A slight departure from the rotation here, as Russ did emphasize the need for Defensive Driving! There are many, many characteristics of a good defensive driver. Perhaps the 1 st one is the most important. Don’t take the other drivers’ abilities for granted. Prepare for them to do the unexpected. Every day that you will…

Your next inspection priority is to assess the vehicle from outside.After examining the vehicle from Approach, and conducting the Under the Hood inspection, now its time to inspect the exteriorcomponents. Let’s start with checking your lights. Place the keys in the ignition and turn half way to illuminate your lights. Put the lights on, and…

The TTSAO continues its mandate to help bring the best trained truck drivers to the trucking industry. Today we are announcing a joint initiative that will take another step down that road.  The TTSAO and Impirica are teaming up to launch ExceleRATE, the industry best in class “Road Test”. ExceleRATE is a proactive driver risk…

Your first inspection priority is to assess the vehicle from outside. When walking toward your vehicle, look to see if it is balanced, or leaning to one side. If there is a noticeable lean, there maybe a problem with a broken strut, shifted load, or spring damage. Check those items. When you are close to…

Your next inspection priority is to assess the vehicle from outside. After examining the vehicle from approach and conducting the ‘under the hood’ inspection, it’s time to inspect the exterior components – starting with your lights. Place the keys in the ignition and turn halfway to illuminate your lights. Put the lights on, activate the…

Ontario investing $1.3 million in Truck driver training for women, other underrepresented groups On June 27th, the Ontario government announced that it is investing $1.3 million to prepare 54 women, newcomers and others from underrepresented groups for in-demand careers in the trucking industry. See the whole article by Rita Smith on roadwarrior news

Government Interaction at MTO/MCU The key piece of interaction with MTO this month was to insist on presenting a solution to virtual renewals of the Z endorsement by putting in facial recognition software (available through proctoring software available at MCU) and asking for a Recap of information to finish. Both suggestions were taken into account,…

TTSAO Truck Driver Training Tip #1 – Pre-trip routine Under the Hood – the most important place to start. Remove the key from the ignition, unlatch the hood and check the fluids – starting in an area that’s closest to the driver’s door, then working your way around. As soon as all fluids are checked,…

TTSAO President, Phil Fletcher, attended the Second Annual Symposium for City Logistics for the Urban Economy at the University of Toronto this month. The City Logistics for the Urban Economy (CLUE) symposium serves as a platform for showcasing the latest research in the field of urban freight logistics. This research is crucial in addressing the…

For Immediate Release From the Office of the TTSAO PresidentApril 14, 2023 Trucking Schools Masquerading as TTSAO Certified Schools Beware of truck training schools suggesting they are a member in good standing of the TTSAO! It has been brought to our attention that there are school operators in Ontario who falsely claim to be members…

Thank You to All of our Sponsors! We’d like to thank all of our sponsors of the 7th annual TTSAO conference. Your contributions are both appreciated and essential to the success of our conference. This year was a fantastic opportunity for our industry partners to gather and see new technology, meet new friends and help…

Welcome to 2023 and welcome to our 30th year as an organization. The TTSAO (Truck Training School Association of Ontario) includes a number of Accredited Schools that all perform at a premium level and meet certain criteria to ensure students are getting quality instruction and receiving the proper information to be successful in today’s transportation…

If 2020-2021 was known as the Pandemic Years, 2022 for the TTSAO (Truck Training School Association of Ontario) has to be known as the Year of Change. Everything changed from conferences to Presidents and new members joined the team. The pandemic brought uncertainty to everything and that included in-person events. The TTSAO normally holds their…

Here we are at the end of another year. It’s been a good year for the TTSAO and we will give you a complete rundown of the year in the next article. For now we at the TTSAO want to wish you a wonderful Holiday Season. Happy Hanukah to those that celebrate that special occasion….

This topic is taught in every defensive driving class. Instructors go over it again and again and for the most part people understand and take note. We have all had some type of road rage happen to us some more serious than others. You’ve made a gesture, honked the horn, or even gave them the…

We would like to welcome National Truck Driving School to the list of Accredited Schools under the Truck Training school Association of Ontario. National Truck Driving School Limited is a company that provides classes and training you need to pass various classes of licenses. We have a team of experienced instructors who are aware of…

Amrit Aujla one of the team members of the TTSAO Conference Organizers has now become a Board Member with the Delta Nu Alpha Network. Good Afternoon Members & Friends, Please see attached.  We welcome Amrit to the Board and look forwardto working with him in 2023. Have a wonderful weekend and may it be a…

Please welcome new Associate Member Compliancy Plus to the TTSAO family. You can learn more about the company through the information below: Compliancy Plus Contact: Grant Conrad Email: sales@compliancyplus.ca Address: 166 Seeley Ave. Dundalk, ON N0C 1B0 Phone: 613-922-9401  Website www.compliancyplus.ca The Management Cycle for CompliancyPlus was conceived by Grant Conrad in October 2016, who with 18…

Social media has become part of our lives whether for business or personal to stay in touch with family. It’s very hard to get through a day without checking your favourite social media platform. The problem with social media is that it becomes so much part of your day to day you forget you are…

Please welcome Wisecap Equipment Financing to the TTSAO Family. Wisecap Contact: Vishaw Chahal Email: vishaw@wisecap.ca Address: 6787 Invader Cres.  Mississauga ON L5T 2B7 Phone: 905-606-0024 Website: www.wisecap.ca About the TTSAO  Founded in 1993, the Truck Training Schools Association of Ontario (TTSAO) is the largest association representing commercial truck driver training programs in Ontario. TTSAO members represent approximately…

What is the real cost of truck driver training? Is it really FREE! Social media is a funny thing, people include you in conversations that you didn’t start or reply to and drag you into the conversation. They do this so they can be noticed on your social pages and I often ignore commenting as…

When you are brand new in the industry you have a lot to prove to potential employers. You have to prove to the employer that you have the skills to drive the truck. You have to prove to the company’s insurance company that you are a safe individual. You also have to prove to your…

TTSAO will be celebrating 30 years in the truck driver training business in 2023 and with that they are working on projects to keep up with the times and add more value to the membership. A number of initiatives have been announced in recent weeks and already acted upon such as a partnership with Sirius…

The Truck Training Association of Ontario (TTSAO) is working to build a strong foundation for students graduating from their member schools. They already believe in a strong foundation of training with many promoting at least 200 hours of training as the norm. With new President Philip Fletcher looking to improve on past initiatives he has…

The TTSAO is moving on many new initiatives for 2023 and new President Philip Fletcher has been busy getting to work on the new initiatives. One initiative is to help new students connect with the radio world of Sirius XM. As many know Sirius XM is a subscription based platform that is satellite based perfect…

When I mentioned to friend that I was going to write an article on trucking and Halloween he said he would be interested to see how I tied the two topics together. You are probably thinking that I am going to talk about the time I saw a driver dressed like a goblin going down…

I had an interesting conversation with a business colleague the other day. The conversation originally started as he is trying to be elected to the School Board in an upcoming election. When I asked him why he was running as he was already successful and way past college age he said it was because over…

For some drivers choosing a carrier to work with is a light decision. They may live close or know someone at the company, happy with the pay and they go there. For other drivers the decision on where to go is much more in depth to the point they may even be paralyzed about it….

It takes a certain type of person to climb the ladder in the transportation industry. Not everyone is ambitious and while many complain about the industry few do anything about it. I have known Philip Fletcher for a decade or more and always found him to be fair and upstanding in all the interactions over…

If you work in a role that requires you to drive for a living, it’s vital that you prioritise your sleep. Every year, accidents occur because drivers were tired at the wheel. Tiredness can impair driving performance as badly as alcohol and drugs. Here are some tips to ensure you are always bright and alert…

Passion Truck Training Academy is the latest training facility to join the TTSAO family as an Accredited School. They are located in Mississauga Ontario. To learn more reach out to Jack Dhillon Passion Truck Training Academy Address: 2960 Drew Rd, Unit 157B Mississauga, ON L4T0A5 Email: passionacad@gmail.com Contact: Jack Dhillon Phone:  (416) 732-1253

It was a busy job fair not long ago in the Brampton Ontario area. The busiest I have seen since pre-pandemic days. Normally you go to the job fair around 10 am to crickets until the noon hour. Not this time I arrived at 10 am and the house was full. Record recruiters in the…

Fatigue and driving unfortunately go hand in hand. Driving for long miles can get the best of us. Being tired on the road and driving trucks have been a problem for a long time. Some turn to drugs, caffeine, and more. Some good information was found by our TTSAO President from United Kingdom website that…

National Trucking Week is happening in the United States from September 12th-17th and happened in Canada from September 5th-11th. Many of us in the industry feel that two weeks isn’t long enough to celebrate the hard work done by the men and women in the trucking industry and tend to celebrate it all month long…

National Trucking Week happens every year in Canada from September 5th-11th and in the United States from September 12th through the 17th. We often look at the truckers of a fleet which are the lifeblood of our industry. While that’s true of the drivers the truth is that any successful carrier will tell you that…

Human trafficking has been a growing problem for many years and is prevalent all across North America and around the World. Truckers Against Trafficking (TAT) has saved hundreds of people from traffickers and is a leader in bringing awareness about trafficking to the trucking industry. Their goal is to train as many industries as possible…

It was a lively discussion on one of the hottest topics in transportation for 2022. Mike McCarron addressed the audience at the recent TTSAO Conference with a presentation that really had no decisive action at the end. How-do we fix our industry? This is the question many are asking and hoped that McCarron could answer….

The recent TTSAO 6th Annual Conference had a number of great guests and panels at the conference and one of them that got a lot of notice was what non-traditional fleets are doing to hire drivers to their fleet. Greta information for all, below is a segment from the panel discussion featuring Andrea Boddy of…

Mike Millian was the latest winner of the Presidents Award from the TTSAO. Millian has been a veteran of the industry and President of the Private Motor Truck Council of Canada which have always been big supporters of the TTSAO over the years. You can learn more about the PMTC at www.pmtc.ca https://youtu.be/bA8rFLU7ecQ Watch Mile…

Industry veteran Caroline Blais of Kriska Transportation was the recent recipient of the TTSAO Industry Award for all the work she has done in the industry. Blais has been supporting the TTSAO for over a decade. Congrats Caroline. https://youtu.be/tA2nQ4vI67o Caroline Blais Accepting the Award About the TTSAO Founded in 1993, the Truck Training Schools Association…

Awards were given out at the recent TTSAO Conference and one of those was a special award for Kim Richardson. The award was kept a secret from Kim and his wife Lisa drove into present the award to him. His son Matt presented the award and the whole stage was crying by the end. Richardson…

TAG Logistics Group recently joined the TTSAO as an Associate Member. TAG Logistics Corporation continues to be the first choice service provider in the transportation and warehousing industry across Canada for over 30 years. We demonstrate our commitment by achieving, complying and exceeding quality standards while providing professional, Recruitment, Employment Screening, Training & Staffing services…

HAMILTON, ON – August 3, 2022 – The Truck Training Schools Association of Ontario (TTSAO) is pleased toannounce that Philip Fletcher has been named President of the Association. The announcement was officially made at the TTSAO’s 6th Annual Conference that recently took place on July 26-27, 2022. Philip officially stepped into the role on August…

Another year, another instructor, another successful conference. The Truck Training Schools Association of Ontario (TTSAO) recently completed a late but successful 6th Annual Conference with awards and presentations that were top notch. One award which is a big honour for the recipient is the Instructor of the Year Award. The award has been in existence…

After years of postponing and even cancelling the annual TTSAO Conference due to the pandemic it finally got off the ground this past week to raving reviews. It has gone through so many changes and twists it was a leap of faith and a lot of hard work to get it on for July. It…

We are happy to welcome Axis Transportation Training Centre to the TTSAO Accredited Schools membership. Axis Transportation Training Centre offers training in a diverse and encouraging environment.  We closely monitors student progress to achieve success. Think of us as your personal gateway to a new career, a career in one of the largest industries in…

There are many course options for a new person to the industry. In fact there are as many course options as training facilities. So which is the best course for you? Do you take M.E.L.T. (Mandatory Entry Level Training) , do you take the certified 200 hour course? Do you take a bus course or…

Today’s trucking industry is very different from where it was ears ago. Regulations have changed, technology has changed, and the mentality of the driver has also changed. In addition you have more cars on the road and people more distracted than ever hurrying in their busy lives. We have parking problems, loading delays, and an…

The 6th Annual TTSAO Conference is just around the corner and you may still be wondering if you should attend? There are many reasons to attend any conference from networking with industry colleagues to learning new tools for your business, but keeping up to date on topics and changes with the industry I think are…

As we move closer to the annual conference for the TTSAO (Truck Training Schools Association of Ontario) the search for the Instructor of the Year continues and we patiently await who will be the next instructor to win the famous standing. There have been two instructors before that have won the award and both are…

In the past two years it has been reported that 200 schools have opened their doors due to funding options available and a demand for truck drivers in the industry. Some of those same schools have been charged with fraudulent activity which wastes time and money but also hurts the training industry at large. With…

We would like to welcome Cam-Scott Commercial Driving School to the TTSAO Family. Cam-Scott Transport Ltd., Cam-Scott International Ltd. and Cam-Scott Truck & Trailer have been in business since 1985, 2002 and 2001 respectively. In addition to the above, we are honored to announce the creation of our newest division, Cam-Scott Commercial Driving School. We…

Megan Funnell of MK Communications has joined the team for the TTSAO Conference Committee to help promote the upcoming TTSAO Conference in July 2022. You can learn more about Megan on her website at www.mkc.media and the TTSAO Conference at www.ttsao.com Meet Megan https://youtu.be/lRbaE2eB9gQ Megan Funnell About the TTSAO Founded in 1993, the Truck Training…

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE HAMILTON, ON – June 13, 2022 – The Truck Training Schools Association of Ontario (TTSAO) is pleasedto present its 6th Annual Conference at the Lionhead Golf Club & Conference Centre, located on 8525Mississauga Road, on July 26-27, 2022. The TTSAO Annual Conference is a signature event that hosts industry professionals from across…

We are happy to announce that Seaport Intermodal joined the TTSAO Family. SEAPORT INTERMODAL Proud of our reputation for complete customer satisfaction, Seaport Intermodal is one of the top Intermodal service providers in Canada. With terminals and container yards in Toronto, Ontario and Montreal, Quebec to serve your needs, Seaport Intermodal provides on-time, terminal-to-door service…

The TTSAO (Truck Training Schools Association of Ontario) and the PMTC (Private Motor Truck Council of Canada) have always had a great relationship because both organizations believe in investing in the future and the ambition of young people. The PMTC has put together a Young Leaders Group to do just that and get the next…

We’ve come through the pandemic to a point and many things have changed in our industry and many others. The driver shortage seems worse and opportunity has risen for many schools due to funding openings to get into the training industry as drivers try to find other sources of income from driving over the road….

Training is there for a reason to ensure that the people driving beside us on the highway have the skills to handle their vehicle in a safe manner. When training is cut to push someone through faster it can damage the future for that person but go even further and make the roadway unsafe for…

Canada made Marijuana legal a few years ago after many States had gone the same route. It seemed like a logical choice to many Canadians however in the trucking industry it created some very grey areas for individuals that like to use the drug, but have a job that requires that they be drug free….

Have you ever been with a bunch of friends talking about your job and find that one person isn’t as excited as you are, they can quickly take the conversation from a fairly positive one to a negative one in a hurry. Before you know it everyone hates their job even if they work for…

We are talking mentorship this month at the TTSAO and our last article we introduced that mentorship is a program that should happen fairly naturally to be effective. The right mentorship can be a game changer in your career and although it can be hard to put together it can stay with you for a…

Before the pandemic mentorship was a hot topic in transportation. Carriers were creating mentorship programs and drivers were being paired up like a team sport. Then the pandemic hit and no one was allowed within six feet of another person and mentor programs seemed to fizzle out into nothing. As we ease out of the…

As I was teaching a class the other day the topic switched to training and finding jobs. One student said, “It’s crazy how much money they give you for training!” His program allotted him $24,000 for his heavy equipment course and said they allow up to $28,000 within The Second Careers Program. “I was amazed…

One of my favourite Johnny Cash Songs is One Piece at a Time. If you know the song you know that the character in the song steals parts from his employer to build a custom Cadillac. Now I am not suggesting you steal anything but this could be a great way learning how to do…

I was amazed as I attended another job fair in our local area. Working and talking with vendors it was apparent that many drivers in the room were as we say, “Kicking tires” as they walked around looking at tables asking if they had jobs available. It is very easy to find a job in…

Please welcome the Clarkridge career Institute as an Accredited School Member with the TTSAO. You can learn more about Clarkridge at www.clarkridge.com About the TTSAO Founded in 1993, the Truck Training Schools Association of Ontario (TTSAO) is the largest associationrepresenting commercial truck driver training programs in Ontario. TTSAO members represent approximately50 training campuses and collectively…

The TTSAO Membership is happy to announce the addition of Lead Her Trucking as a new associate membership of the TTSAO. You can learn more about them at www.leadheralliance.com About the TTSAO Founded in 1993, the Truck Training Schools Association of Ontario (TTSAO) is the largest associationrepresenting commercial truck driver training programs in Ontario. TTSAO…

We see it time and time again, students asking who should I go drive for once I pass my license test? Many instructors could rattle off names of trucking companies and what they do and just give it to them to choose from. Instructors are smarter than that however and know that choosing a company…

There are many choices in the trucking industry for jobs. I was recently at the largest truck show in North America called the Mid America Truck Show. During the show I had the opportunity to interview many carriers that all had amazing options available to those seriously looking for new opportunities. So why are people…

A few months ago I had written an article about upgrading your training business. Time are continually changing and keeping up with d times and technology can be a daunting experience. It can be expensive and without the right technology money can be wasted and the benefit not achieved. I have always been leery of…

I had an interesting conversation with a driver who has been on the road for ten years driving from Ontario to British Columbia on my radio show the other day. He echoed sentiments about the trucking industry that I have been hearing for a few years now regarding safety on the road that veteran drivers…

As we pass through International Women’s Day it is important go take a look at the changes women have brought to the forefront in transportation. We all know how well women do as drivers in the industry and many of them have become life long veterans and well respected in the industry. I find the…

They’re big, they roll fast, and they can kill people and cause destruction as they move along their path. They are called Wheels! Wheels separated from a vehicle gain the same speed as the vehicle they were on but there is no way of steering or stopping them until they hit something bigger than they…

The Fleet Safety Council and TTSAO have partnered to present an upcoming webinar on Wheel Offs with a special presentation from Bridgestone Tires. You can register for the webinar on March 30th through the link below. REGISTER HERE Join us for the Webinar-It’s FREE REGISTER HERE About the TTSAO Founded in 1993, the Truck Training…

As an instructor you often will stand in the front of the room and ask students if they have any questions only to be told, “No, everything is good.” Later on a coffee break all kinds of questions will come from the students. The same thing happens on the other side of the equation where…

You’re never too old to learn and that is very true. Things I know now if I had known those same things back when I was young I may have been able to help many more people than I did. You see us older drivers possibly may have seen human trafficking happening right under our…

You’ve made the plunge and started a training facility. You have your courses registered and ready to go. You have your instructor, truck with your logo on it, and a flashy new business card. Now what? If you’re like most of us you expect the phone to ring off the hook, but nothing, crickets! If…

A friend wrote to me the other day about whether women can be truck drivers. She had a friend that asked her and even though she had some experience around trucks in her own life it was not something she really knew about so she asked another person she knew that was a driver. In…

We are happy to announce that  Esther Goetsch from Truckers Against Trafficking will be part of our February 23rd webinar offering an update on programs with the organization. Trucker Against Trafficking better known as TAT has been fundamental in helping in the fight against human trafficking by educating truckers and other road users on the signs…

Covid has changed the way many of us do business. The days of showing up at meetings and hoping to give out a business card are in the past. In fact when I hand a business card to young people now they usually just laugh and say, “Do you still use those things?” The other…

The trucking industry is very much about decisions and your truck training is part of that decision making process. Good training, a good carrier, and strong supportive culture are all important to ensure you make the right decisions going down the road. Too many times we have seen the wrong decision turn into horrific crashes…

As we roll into one of the most important deadlines of trucking for 2022 this weekend with a deadline as truck drivers need to be vaccinated or will be forced to quarantine when returning to Canada. A similar mandate is expected for the U.S. a week later. With all of the issues already complicating the…

We would like to welcome new TTSAO School member Smart Truck Training Academy to the TTSAO Family. Smart Truck Training Academy is based in Mississauga Ontario and you can learn more about them at https://sttaweb.com/#!/about There motto is Be Professional, Be Smart! In the modern-day Trucking Industry new Technology is introduced day by day and…

I know with the pandemic you possibly forgot that you employ some great people, after all they have possibly been working from home for the last two years. Hopefully you remember their names? When we are around our teams all the time and things are operating in full gear it is easy to see the…

Here we are at the end of 2021 and a lot has happened and is happening in the World. Covid is still impacting our lifestyles and how we do things. The supply chain is causing huge delays around the World and trucking is still struggling to fill the seats. Are we getting any better? New…