Stop letting insurance rates and safety risks stall your fleet. Join the TRUCKING Risk and Insurance Podcast for the straight goods on staying safe and profitable.
Hosted by industry veterans Chris Harris and John Farquhar, this is the #1 ranked trucking podcast in Canada. With over 60 years of combined experience, "The Safety Dawgs" provide an irreverent, unfiltered look at the pitfalls, risks, and complexities of trucking insurance.
Every week, we sit down with the industry elite to help you:
Lower Insurance Premiums: Learn what underwriters actually look for.
Master Safety Compliance: Navigate CVOR audits and FMCSA regulations without the headache.
Manage Risk: Real-world "you ain't seen nothin' yet" stories and how to avoid them.
Whether you are a small fleet owner or a safety manager, grab a coffee and join us as we navigate the trucking terrain with veteran wisdom and a bit of humor.
Stay safe, stay compliant, and keep your rigs rolling.
You can contact us at
John Farquhar, John@summitrisksolutions.ca 1 226 802 2762;
ohsGood day and welcome to another episode of the Dawg On-It Trucking Pawedcast, who is on the show this week, Matt Richardson and also introducing my new cohost. Mr. John Farquhar will be joining us as well. Johnny, he's going to be moving forward, our cohost, but Matt is on the show this week. And we're talking about truck driver, virtual training. <inaudible> Matt Richardson's in the dawg house, along with my co-host Mr. John fire choir. Matt. Welcome. How are you? Morning guys. I'm doing well. How are you? I'm well, Johnny, how are you? I'm good. Matt Looks good. So, you know, when he sounds good. So I'm thinking he must be good. Yeah. Very good. Thanks for, thanks for having me. Hey, not a problem that we're here talking about truck driver, virtual meetings, and I know that care Ts and safety dawg has one coming up and somebody from summit solutions is also presenting Johnny w who is summit solutions. Summit risk solutions is some crazy white haired guy that thought it would be a great idea to start a new company during the pandemic. What a great idea, but nominal phenomenal idea. So anyway, but we specialize in risk evaluations and working with transportation companies, their insurance brokers and their insurance companies. So, yeah, and I get to join you guys, this, this next virtual meeting with doing a presentation on a, oh, I think we better keep it a secret. Well, we'll let Matt divulge, but Matt, what the heck would somebody, a trucking company want to train their drivers virtually? Yeah. So John brought up the, you know, starting his company during the pandemic. And that's what basically got us into these virtual driver's safety meetings and partnership with you. Chris is we realized that companies still needed to train their drivers while this pandemic was going on. And while we were in the heart of the pandemic, but couldn't bring them in, in groups like they normally did for regular driver meetings. So we came up with the idea along with yourself about going virtual, being able to provide it to multiple companies at the same time. And it's been a big hit. This'll be, I think our third meeting, the first two have had awesome reviews and you know, the reason we're continuing with it virtually is like a, we're still in the pandemic, but B we've realized that this allows companies, the opportunity to get it to their drivers, no matter where their drivers are now, they don't have to bring them in on the same day. They don't have to bring them into the same location. This is available live obviously, but the drivers can be wherever they are in their regular routine and still be able to participate in the safety meeting. Yeah. And what are the advantages Matt of attending live? Because one of the things I do want to mention is that drivers who can't attend live do get the opportunity for 30 days to watch the same video. However, it is a recording, what would the advantages be to attending live? So The biggest advantage is that when they attend live, our presenters are there to answer their questions. They can ask questions as at the end of each presentation, as well as at the end of the meeting. So they have that opportunity for the direct interaction with the speakers. Yeah. Perfect. Johnny. Good. Well, I was kind of curious, Matt, how has the uptake been with the last number of virtual meetings that you've had now? How attendance wise and whatnot, how was it? What kind of numbers are you seeing? We can, we've had great turnouts for, for the two previous ones we put on our, our biggest turnout was the first one we did because that was on the American Thanksgiving weekend last year. So that, that generally was a big weekend for us, as far as driver meetings go when we were delivering them in person. And I think we had, if I'm remembering correctly around 200 for that first virtual one, and then we were, we were about one 40 or one 50 for the second One. Geez, that's not bad. That's a good number of drivers considering you can't even, even without the pandemic, you're not going to get that many drivers together at one time. No, For sure. And like Chris mentioned, the big benefit of this is for those drivers who can attend live on the day of the meeting, they have the opportunity for 30 days to be able to watch them, watch the video, the recordings, and still get that content and the great educational material. Excellent. And of course, let's not forget the cool Is all The drivers who participate have to complete the quiz and it's not a difficult quiz, but that's part of the documentation process that we've implemented because obviously John, with your insurance background, you know, everything's gotta be documented. Yeah. But they documented it didn't happen. So that's right. And that's part of the, part of the troubles that some of these, these carriers and fleets got into when, when we were, you know, in, in the midst of the pandemic, as they thought, oh, COVID, we don't have to continue with our driver training. And then they're there in broke their broker, their insurance company, or their, their consultant would show up and go show me the training for this past year. And they went, what I had to do training. Yeah. It's unfortunate. You need to realize you, you have to have constant education and coaching, you know, and just because you can't get them together, doesn't mean you can't come up with a different idea, like a virtual meeting like this, this makes perfect sense. This alleviates that get them together and con and worry about other concerns. We can, we can do this on a remote basis. Absolutely. And I Really believe all businesses have been affected by COVID and all businesses have changed to at least some degree the way that they interact with their employees and training is one. And I, I think in the trucking industry, virtual training is here to stay. Cause I think a lot more companies have realized, Hey, I don't have to rent a hotel room. I don't have to buy breakfast for everyone and shut my company down virtually for, for a day to try to do a training meeting now. Yeah. Yeah. Well, it was going to say the corporate world for the law for a very long time has had virtual training. You know, you still have your meetings, different training meetings, but they've always had a mix of virtual and face-to-face so what's the different trucking companies are incorporated corporate world as well. Let's bring these guys let's help these drivers be better educated. Yeah. I think, I think there's definitely still going to be the value moving forward in that, you know, that comradery that comes with being able to have these types of things, a young person, but just the adaptability and flexibility that comes with being able to do some of them, them virtually. And like Chris said, not, not basically shut your operations down to get some of the education that's required done. And you can't forget that. Usually when you have an in-person driver meeting, there's usually food truck drivers. I was one drunk drivers love food. Well, the other negative do in-person driver meetings. And I know this isn't kosher. Exactly, but it's common that drivers often were not paid to attend, which Is so unfortunate. And that's when you talk about the respect and professionalism, that should go to the majority of the drivers that are in this awesome industry to think that you would expect someone to show up without compensating them for their, their time is just ridiculous. Well, and one of the reasons for the lack of compensation was, oh, you're interrupting my reset. Well, and the fact is by law, you're supposed to record this as on duty, not driving. So therefore I shouldn't be compensated. Yeah. Well, and by doing it virtually, the driver literally could be in a loading dock watching this from the CA I mean, I know, right? Because often using zoom as we do, you can see where the person is in there have been people attending from the cab of their trucks, Not driving, not driving. Hey Matt, tell us what the agenda is for first of all, what is the date for the next virtual driver meeting? September 18th is the next date. And we'll be on
from 10:
00 AM to noon. Perfect. And what's the agenda. So Mr. John Farr, quar, we'll be talking, we are doing a presentation on distracted driving, which is always a hot topic and a, an ever-changing topic too. Right? Some people think, oh, distracted driving. I heard about that two years ago or three years ago, but it's a, it's an ever-changing topic. There's lots that goes into that. And it's very important to, to discuss. And then Chris, yourself, you'll be talking about lane safety lane, everything that has to do with lane safety lane changes and which lane is the safest to live in. And why? Because that, that's a pretty hot topic amongst drivers as well. Well, and I think it's controversial as well. However, yes. So it's September the 18th. Let's do an advertisement. Matt, how does somebody register? So they can contact our offices here and speak to Kim sites in the hill, 9 0 5 7 6 5 3 4 4 5. And again, that's, she's got extension 2, 0 5, and that's Kim sites in the hill. She can get you get, you signed up the, you know, just to continue with the advertisement, this you're getting a, an opportunity for amazing educational information for your drivers. And the price point is really something that can't be matched. You know, if you're a fleet of 20 and above, you can get all your drivers train for basically 900 bucks. You can't beat that. And that's fails to our awesome sponsors. So I'll give them a plug right now. Economical insurance has been on board with us with these virtual driver's safety meetings since day one, we got TK to the fleet technologies and John's company as well, summit risk solutions. So a big, thank you needs to go out to those three companies, which is, they're the main reason why we're able to make this a as affordable as it is. Yeah. That's awesome. Now, any other comments about virtual truck driver training F for me, it just be for, you know, companies who maybe haven't explored it yet, or haven't thought about it is just to have an open mind, try it out and you can bring great value to, to your drivers and, and ROI to your company. Drawn comment. It's, it's ridiculously inexpensive. It's it's if you don't do it, you're a fool. It's easy. All the young drivers today. Now let me, let me see. I can watch it from my phone, you know, so why wouldn't I, this is easy stuff and, and the value of education you're going to get from it. No matter what the topic phenomenon cam, get it done, get them hooked up, pay the money. Let's go. Okay. Yeah. I think the old way used to be, or one of the headaches of doing it virtually was that people didn't understand how to do it. And it's amazing how quickly the truck driving community figured out zoom and they are able to do it right from their smartphone. So, yeah. Matt, can we change topics? Sorry, go ahead, Matt. Yeah, No, I was just echoing, echoing your thoughts, Chris St absolutely. Yeah. Let's change topics a little bit to something that you didn't know. I was going to ask you about, well, it's a hot topic right now and I'll give a shout out to PMTC because I think they were one of the ones that drove the delay, not the delay, the soft enforcement of ELD, but Matt, what's your opinion of the ELD world as it is today in Canada? I think it's about time that we're finally getting some enforcement in on it. You know, I feel like started going to seminars or information on ELD or being included in seminars like three or four years ago that it was coming down the pipe. And now, now it's here. It's nice that there's finally a, I'm drawing a blank on the wording now, but basically we would, the ELD provider has been recognized now finally, or certified whatever the wording is you wanna use. So I, I think it's a step in the, in the very positive direction. And like I said, it's about time. Yes, Johnny, what's your thoughts regulated ELD for Canada, Way long, long overdue. It's it's unfortunate. The U S didn't get on board thinking they're as big as they are. They'd be the ones doing it. So, but kudos to Canada for doing what they're doing and everybody's supporting transport Canada to make it happen. Probably the one thing that surprises me the most is the first ELD provider out of the gate is a, a little guy, you know, really amazing and kudos for the little guy, The ones after that, Johnny you're frozen a little bit, but just to give a Hutch solutions, no Hutch systems is the name of that little guy. And I got a whisper in my ear yesterday that there was going to be a second ELD provider certified today. And today being August the 27th when we recorded this and I checked this morning and there's still only Hutch, I was told it was another Canadian small provider. So, wow. And just to give a shout out to a few others, I am confident. And who in the heck am I to be confident that Geotab will be certified Geotab being a, you know, a significant Canadian player as well in the ELD field and as well as our Montreal based, oh God, oh, Isaac systems. I'm sure they will also be certified, but I wanted to mention Geotab for sure. Since our sponsor for the virtual truck driver meeting is TK TK T and they sell the Geotab product. So I had to give a shout out to Geotab there. Anything else, Matt, anything else that you wanted to bring up today? No, that I think that covers quite a bit guys. Like I said, I, I appreciate you. You have an Assan and just again, reiterate the value that companies can get from these virtual driver's safety meetings for a, for a very affordable cost. All right, Matt and Andy, I neglected to ask you to introduce yourself when we started this thing, give a shout. Everybody knows Matt. That's what I think, but I forgot who the heck is. Care. T S all right. So Matt, do you want to tell us a little bit about K or T S? Yeah. So care Ts is a we're at a training facility. There we there's a wide range of services that we provide. On one side, we are a private career college that has a number of registered programs with the ministry of training colleges and universities for a truck drive, multiple different truck driving programs.<inaudible> as well as heavy equipment operation and dispatch. And then on the other side of, of what we do as our corporate training side, we have close to 450 companies that we deliver safety training and consulting services for and Canada, the U S and even some of the Caribbean islands. That's so cool. That's cool. And guys with that, I would say, thank you for joining me in the dawghouse this week. Thanks guys. Hope you both enjoy your weekends. <inaudible> Thanks, Matt. That was awesome. And thanks to my new co-host John afar acquire of summit risk solutions. All right. Join us next week for another new podcast hick hit like, and subscribe. If you're getting value from this content, it helps us so much. Thanks. Very much safety dawgs.
