Truckers Need Input Before Any Changes

By 250 News

   “If they want to change the manner in which truck drivers operate in the central and northern part of this province, then they had better talk to the stake holders, the guys who do the driving”, those comments from Frank Everitt, President of Local 1-424 of the United Steel Workers, Northern Interior of the Province, in response to the Forest Council Ombudsman Roger Harris.

Yesterday,Harris released his first report since taking over the position as Forest Safety Ombudsman.  His report, "Not Out of the Woods" says that a labour shortage is impacting safety in the forest industry. (Click here for previous story.)

Among Harris’s 15 recommendations is a call for the development of a province wide competency certification for drivers employed in the forest industry.

Everitt says, northern roads, winter driving and snow mean there must be a certification for the north; this is not the same as the lower mainland he said.

The number of hours worked is the major problem that must be addressed says the President of the Steel workers Local  "When you drive 17 hours straight you become impaired from driving that length of time. The government says at present and we need to change that demand on our drivers.

As for a shortage of qualified drivers because they are heading to Alberta, Everitt says the exodus is  aimply economics "Its no secret as to why the drivers are heading to Alberta, they are paying more, a lot more over there."

Everitt says there’s only one way to bring about changes "If you want to fix the problem we had better get the people involved in the decision making, the drivers,  who make their living on the roads". Everitt said.

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