There’s a question for you, what will transportation industry look like 5 years down the road? The person that can answer that question will be the person of the decade. The TTSAO (Truck Training School Association of Ontario) is attempting to answer that very question at their 3rd Annual Conference happening next week on February 28th. You can register for the conference through the link below.
2018 Conference Registration Form (fillable)
If we had a crystal ball showing the changes that will happen in the trucking industry I think it would be very confusing. Would it show trucks driving down the road with no drivers behind the wheel? Would it show an industry with a whole new set of regulations to combat the growing number of incidents on our roadways? Maybe it will be like a science fiction movie and show a desolate landscape with no drivers at all? At this point it is anybody’s guess as to what will happen so trying to answer that question will be a steep climb for anyone.
One thing we can tell you for sure is that the transportation industry is in a state of drastic change. Drivers are getting harder to find, industry regulations are causing people to question the future of the industry, and technology is far ahead of infrastructure. We are seeing it all right now. We have tests being done on self driving trucks. We have manufacturers taking orders and building technology driven trucks in the very near future speeding up the change in the industry. Yet on the other hand we are still falling behind in many important areas. The changes in regulations and Electronic Logging Devices have caused havoc with parking issues on the roads for drivers. We are still extending regulations on things like Citizen Band Radios (C.B) because no one is able to come up with technology to replace them or justify if having a C.B is even required. We seem to be in this middle of muddy waters and trying to find out which direction we should go.
So the TTSAO will try to answer some of these questions next week at the annual conference and has brought in a top industry expert to help give us direction. Lou Smyrlis who has been reporting in the industry for many years will offer his insights into what the industry may look like in the next five years and where members of the industry should work on for the future. Should you focus on technology upgrades, recruiting more personnel, or get a better handle on regulations?
This is important information for any company involved in the transportation industry. If you would like to be part of the TTSAO’s 3rd Annual Conference on February 28th-March 1st the best place to start is on the TTSAO website on their conference page. https://uke.yyg.mybluehost.me/website_bf2bfdb2/ttsao-conference/ , there are still a few seats left for this conference in Mississauga Ontario. Other topics included in the conference agenda are presentations on diversity in the workplace, bringing young people into the industry, and how insurance will affect the industry in the future. You can learn more at www.ttsao.com
About the Author
Bruce Outridge has been in the transportation industry for over 30 years. He is an author of the books Driven to Drive and Running By The Mile, and host of The Lead Pedal Podcast. TTSAO also known as the Truck Training Schools Association of Ontario has certified member schools in the truck training vocation ensuring quality entry level drivers enter the transportation industry. To learn more about the TTSAO or to find a certified school in your area visit www.ttsao.com
Check out the agenda for the conference below:
