Steering Change

In this episode, host Kelsey Hipkin takes us off course on to the course with our inaugural edition of Fairway Forecast.This episode was recorded live, with the help of AMTA’s Director of Member Services, Michelle Spacil, during AMTA’s Annual Calgary Golf Tournament at the Blue Devil Golf Club on June 16th. We took the opportunity of having 144 commercial transportation professionals in one place to posit some questions about industry.If you have any questions or concerns about topics related to what was discussed in this episode, or commercial transportation and driver safety, please do not hesitate to contact our Member Services team at memberservices@amta.ca.AMTA’s Q2 Compliance and Regulatory Affairs meeting takes place on June 23 at the Chateau Nova Yellowhead in Edmonton. This meeting is open to AMTA Full Carrier, Subsidiary Carrier, and Elite Members. You don’t want to miss this one because, as well as a packed agenda, AMTA will be making a special announcement. Register now: https://amta.ca/event/q2-compliance-regulatory-affairs-meeting-edmonton/Mark your calendars! AMTA’s Drawdown Dinner is returning this year to the River Cree Resort and Casino on October 15. More details to come.Save the date for AMTA’s 89th Annual Conference, also taking place at the River Cree Resort and Casino on April 7-8, 2027. More details coming soon.AMTA’s Driver Appreciation Days return this September! Dates and volunteer opportunities will come in the near future. In the meantime, do you have swag that you want to donate? This is the official callout! Email events@amta.ca to learn how you can get involved.Are you interested in getting involved with the AMTA? Please contact membership@amta.ca for Membership opportunities and learn the value that AMTA can bring to you and your organization.AMTA seeks to represent our Members in all facets of the industry, but that only works if we hear from you on the issues affecting your day-to-day. We encourage everyone to reach out and share their thoughts and ideas. Please don’t hesitate to contact us at memberservices@amta.ca. Do you have any questions or an idea for a future Steering Change series? Message us at marcom@amta.ca. Thank you for taking the time to listen. We encourage you to share this episode with those in your network who would receive value from our conversation. Make sure to hit that subscribe button and have a safe day!

In this episode, we review fatigue management and the necessities that every driver needs for longevity and wellness in the commercial transportation industry.Host Kelsey Hipkin chats with returning guest, Rodolfo Giacoman, Fatigue Management Specialist at the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA), to discuss sleep strategies and architecture, ways to reduce stress on the mind and body, why you need to ditch the tiger chasing you, and how sleep is a profitable investment for drivers and carriers alike.If you are interested in taking the free training provided by the NAFMP on their website, including Module 3 mentioned in the episode, take the training here: https://nafmp.org/training/commercial-vehicle-drivers/ The results and reports from the study on the sleep program can be found on the NAFMP website here: https://nafmp.org/aboutIf you would like to learn more about the North American Fatigue Management Program (NAFMP), please visit https://nafmp.org/. To learn more about the CVSA, please visit www.cvsa.org/ or contact Rodolfo at rodolfo.giacoman@cvsa.org.Registration is open for AMTA’s 88th Annual Conference! Join us at the Grey Eagle Event Centre on April 22-23, 2026. AMTA’s Annual Conference is Alberta’s premier gathering of those who challenge, drive, and shape – as well as supply and support – the commercial transportation industry in Alberta. Register for the event now and browse our sponsorship opportunities on our website: https://www.amtaconference.ca/. AMTA’s Award Nominations are also open. Do you know someone who goes above and beyond in the fields of safety? Was a trailblazer of industry? A supplier who turned your business around? A friend to industry? Or an AMTA staff member who goes above and beyond? They deserve to be recognized, and this is your opportunity to do so! Award-winner prizes include tickets for two to our Awards Celebration, a night at the Grey Eagle, and a cash prize. Nominate someone today: https://amta.ca/amta-2025-award-nominations-now-open/. AMTA’s special edition Holiday Networking Regional Meetings are coming up in Calgary on December 3, in Edmonton on December 9, and in Grande Prairie on December 11. Stay tuned for full details and registration coming soon.Important!! AMTA launched a new events platform directly on our website. To register for AMTA events, you must have an AMTA Portal account. Please create an account or log in before registering. We understand setting up a new account may be a small inconvenience, but this change is part of our efforts to provide a more streamlined, secure, and cohesive online experience for our members. If you have any questions, or need assistance, please reach out to us at marcom@amta.ca.Is there a way AMTA can be more engaging with you, our Membership, and our listeners? Let us know your ideas and email marcom@amta.ca with “Steering Change” in the subject line, and share your thoughts.Do you have an idea for a future Steering Change series? Message us at marcom@amta.ca. If you have any questions or concerns about topics related to what was discussed in this episode, or commercial transportation and driver safety, please do not hesitate to contact our Member Services team at memberservices@amta.ca.Listeners, don’t forget about the AMTA Mailbag! We want to hear from you with your industry queries. DM us with your questions, and we will answer via the AMTA Mailbag segment in future episodes or directly via our team of advisors. Join the conversation at: Web: amta.ca Instagram: amta_ca/ Facebook: AlbertaMotorTransportAssociationLinkedIn: alberta-motor-transport-association Thank you for taking the time to listen. We encourage you to share this episode with those in your network who would receive value from our conversation. Make sure to hit that subscribe button and have a safe day!

In this episode, we are asking one of AMTA’s SMEs (Subject Matter Expert) the most highly requested commercial transportation question from our Membership and podcast audience.Host Kelsey Hipkin is joined by our very own Dave Elniski, Industry Advisor, Safety and Compliance, and author of AMTA’s Pro-Tech & Pro-Active: Understanding and Leveraging the World of Safety Technology to Move Beyond Compliance-Focused Safety Management, to dive deeper into what our industry wants to know. Dave answers your questions on road transportation, health and safety, operations, logistics, terminology, new technology, and more.Visit our library of Member Services Resources to find the bulletins mentioned by Dave here: https://amta.ca/member-services-resources/. Contact the Canada Labour Program: https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/services/labour-contact.html Learn more about the North American Fatigue Management Program (NAFMP): https://nafmp.org/ Watch the three-part Driver Inc. videos on our YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLke1O9iX-g&list=PLmicsdS-lHRq-4QW_m2sfu1rhylz87mbg. Do you have any more questions for Dave that we didn’t answer today? Reach out to them at dave.elniski@amta.ca.And, reach out to the rest of our Member Services team for any and all safety and commercial transportation-related questions by emailing memberservices@amta.ca.Interested in reading Dave’s book? Download it for free here: https://amta.ca/amta-announces-book-release-pro-tech-pro-active/ Save the date! AMTA’s 88th Annual Conference registration will open in early November. This year’s conference returns to the Grey Eagle Event Centre on April 22-23, 2026. Stay tuned to our socials, eNews, and website for the official announcement.In tandem with Conference registration, keep an eye out for the opening of AMTA’s Award Nominations. Do you know someone who goes above and beyond in the fields of safety? Was a trailblazer of industry? A supplier who turned your business around? A friend to industry? Or an AMTA staff member who goes above and beyond? They deserve to be recognized, and this is your opportunity to do so! Award-winner prizes include tickets for two to our Awards Celebration, a night at the Grey Eagle, and a cash prize. Start thinking about who you could nominate today!Important!! AMTA has launched a new events platform directly on our website. To register for AMTA events, you must have an AMTA Portal account. Please create an account or log in before registering. We understand setting up a new account may be a small inconvenience, but this change is part of our efforts to provide a more streamlined, secure, and cohesive online experience for our members. If you have any questions, or need assistance, please reach out to us at marcom@amta.ca.Commercial drivers play a crucial, yet often overlooked, role in maintaining safety on Alberta’s roads. Each day, they navigate challenging conditions, weather, and traffic to deliver goods safely, while also taking extraordinary measures to ensure the safety of everyone around them. AMTA’s "Angels of the Highway" program is designed to celebrate and acknowledge these selfless efforts. This initiative not only recognizes the commitment truck drivers make to road safety but also empowers them with the tools and resources to continue their vital work while staying healthy, safe, and supported on the road. Nominate your driver today! Is there a driver in your fleet with an exemplary record? Do they go above and beyond not only for industry but for the motoring public? Nominate them for AMTA’s Driver of the Month program: https://amta.ca/driver-of-the-month/Do you have an idea for a future Steering Change series? Message us at marcom@amta.ca. If you have any questions or concerns about topics related to what was discussed in this episode, or commercial transportation and driver safety, please do not hesitate to contact our Member Services team at memberservices@amta.ca.Listeners, don’t forget about the AMTA Mailbag! We want to hear from you with your industry queries. DM us with your questions, and we will answer via the AMTA Mailbag segment in future episodes or directly via our team of advisors. Join the conversation at: Web: amta.ca Instagram: amta_ca/ Facebook: AlbertaMotorTransportAssociationLinkedIn: alberta-motor-transport-association Thank you for taking the time to listen. We encourage you to share this episode with those in your network who would receive value from our conversation. Make sure to hit that subscribe button and have a safe day!

In this episode, we talk winter driving! Although it may still be early fall, the bitter cold, icy conditions, and snow are headed our way once again, and we will need to adjust our driving habits accordingly.AMTA's Kelsey Hipkin chats with a familiar voice you may recognize from the beginning of each episode, AMTA’s Rob Destree, Senior Instructor, Driver Development, to dive deeper into the approaching winter driving season.Watch our videos in partnership with Volker Stevin on sharing the road with snowplows: Part One and Part TwoWatch our episode with Warren Stasiuk from Volker Stevin on snow plow safety: https://www.steeringchange.ca/episodes/episode-31 Resources for road conditions across Western CanadaAlberta: 511 - 511.alberta.caBritish Columbia: Drive BC - www.drivebc.caSaskatchewan: Highway Hotline - hotline.gov.sk.caManitoba: 511 - www.manitoba511.caAccording to statistics from the Highway Maintenance Safety Committee, between 2020 and 2021, there were 14 rear-end, 11 side-swipe, and five left-hand wing plow incidents in Alberta.Be prepared. Be patient. And be safe out there! Winter is coming.Are you interested in learning more about AMTA’s Truck Driving Simulator Training? Visit our website: amta.ca/simulator-training. Are you interested in learning more about industry…literally? Consider training with AMTA. We offer hundreds of courses and resources on our website (https://amta.ca/courses/) that will set you up for success, including our Certified Transportation Safety Coordinator program (https://amta.ca/ctsc-program/).It’s BACK! AMTA’s Drawdown Dinner returns October 16 at the River Cree Entertainment Centre. Tickets are available on our website: https://amta.ca/event/2025-amta-drawdown-dinner/. Join us on Wednesday, October 22, at the Sherwood Park Safety Summit for a full day of content, including a keynote presentation and sessions with information and tangible takeaways relevant to commercial transportation. Network with like-minded transportation professionals and explore our event tradeshow. Tickets start at only $30, and booths start at only $149. Both are on sale now! https://amta.ca/event/amta-safety-summit-sherwood-park/Important!! AMTA has launched a new events platform directly on our website. To register for AMTA events, you must have an AMTA Portal account. Please create an account or log in before registering. We understand setting up a new account may be a small inconvenience, but this change is part of our efforts to provide a more streamlined, secure, and cohesive online experience for our members. If you have any questions, or need assistance, please reach out to us at marcom@amta.ca.Do you have an idea for a future Steering Change series? Message us at marcom@amta.ca. If you have any questions or concerns about topics related to what was discussed in this episode, or commercial transportation and driver safety, please do not hesitate to contact our Member Services team at memberservices@amta.ca.Listeners, don’t forget about the AMTA Mailbag! We want to hear from you with your industry queries. DM us with your questions, and we will answer via the AMTA Mailbag segment in future episodes or directly via our team of advisors. Join the conversation at: Web: amta.ca Instagram: amta_ca/ Facebook: AlbertaMotorTransportAssociationLinkedIn: alberta-motor-transport-association Thank you for taking the time to listen. We encourage you to share this episode with those in your network who would receive value from our conversation. Make sure to hit that subscribe button and have a safe day!

AMTA's Kelsey Hipkin chats with Geoff Wiebe, National Account Manager at Kal Tire, AMTA's Doug Walton is live on location at Answer Trailer Rentals and Sales with Shawn Rushton, Fleet and Repair Manager, and we wrap our three segments with Evan Schielke, Regional Sales Manager at STEMCO. In our conversation, we're talking wheels, or wheel-offs to be precise, in one of our biggest episodes yet! We discuss tire safety, common factors for tire blow-outs on the highway, industry policies and procedures done to prevent wheel-offs and over-torquing, safety around wheels and installation, as well as new technologies enhancing safety for wheels on the road.A special thank you to the team at Kal Tire for supplying the video footage, Answer Trailer for allowing us to come on-site for a demonstration, and to STEMCO for providing pictures and video footage of the wheel-end safety products discussed in this episode. See this footage by watching this episode on our YouTube channel.Learn more about Kal Tire on their website: https://commercial.kaltire.com/en/ or contact Geoff at geoff_wiebe@kaltire.com.Learn more about Answer Trailer Rentals and Sales on their website: https://www.atrl.ca/, or contact Shawn at info@atrl.ca.Learn more about STEMCO and their products, including the Auto-Torq Axel Fastener, on their website: https://www.stemco.com/, or contact Evan Schielke at evan.schielke@stemco.com.Watch the full installation video of the Auto-Torq Axel Fastener, included in this episode, on the STEMCO website: https://www.stemco.com/resource/auto-torq-video/ Read more about the PACE award won by STEMCO for their wheel end products: https://www.stemco.com/article/stemco-wins-automotive-news-pace-award-for-streamlining-wheel-end-installation/ STEMCO is running a program that includes a Safety Pledge, one more step to keep our roads safer. Those who review and sign our safety pledge will receive a free STEMCO hat. Take the pledge here: https://www.stemco.com/mtrs/ It’s BACK! AMTA’s Drawdown Dinner returns October 16 at the River Cree Entertainment Centre. Tickets are available on our website: https://amta.ca/event/2025-amta-drawdown-dinner/. Do you have an idea for a future Steering Change series? Message us at marcom@amta.ca. If you have any questions or concerns about topics related to what was discussed in this episode, or commercial transportation and driver safety, please do not hesitate to contact our Member Services team at memberservices@amta.ca. If you would like to sign up for our bi-weekly eNews and stay on top of all things AMTA, register here: https://www.amta.ca/#enews. Listeners, don’t forget about the AMTA Mailbag! We want to hear from you with your industry queries. DM us with your questions, and we will answer via the AMTA Mailbag segment in future episodes or directly via our team of advisors. Join the conversation at: Web: amta.ca Instagram: amta_ca/ Facebook: AlbertaMotorTransportAssociationLinkedIn: alberta-motor-transport-association Thank you for taking the time to listen. We encourage you to share this episode with those in your network who would receive value from our conversation. Make sure to hit that subscribe button and have a safe day!

AMTA’s Kelsey Hipkin welcomes us back for the second episode of our special three-part series - Trucking: Past, Present, and Future.In our last episode, we took you back to when trucking emerged in Alberta, and you heard from some of the voices of the province’s commercial transportation past. In this episode, we look at what is going on in Alberta today that impacts commercial transportation. You'll hear from Alexandra Bennet, Director, Strategic Initiatives, Transportation and Economic Corridors (TEC), with an update on the Class 1 Learning Pathway program, and we'll check in with AMTA’s Dave Elniski, Industry Advisor, Safety & Compliance, who has recently published a book on safety technology and compliance-focused safety management.Learn more about the Alberta Carrier Excellent Safety (ACES) Program here: https://amta.ca/aces-program-highlights-alberta-carrier-on-road-safety-performance/.Listen to the Steering Change episode on the launch of the Class 1 Learning Pathway here: https://www.steeringchange.ca/episodes/episode-35.Learn more about the Class 1 Learning Pathway program and how it works on the Alberta Government website: https://www.alberta.ca/class-1-learning-pathway. Here you can watch the ‘Day in the Life’ video series, as mentioned in this episode (scroll to the bottom of the webpage).For details on Alberta Driving Schools, please contact memberservices@amta.ca. If you are interested in learning more about the Employment Pathway Grant, visit the Alberta Government website: https://www.alberta.ca/employment-pathway-grant. If you would like to learn more about what AMTA President, Robert Harper, calls the scourge of Industry, Driver Inc., watch our three-part video series on unscrupulous carriers on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLmicsdS-lHRq-4QW_m2sfu1rhylz87mbg.If you are interested in learning more or have any questions for Dave Elniski, please reach out to them at dave.elniski@amta.ca.Interested in reading Dave Elniski’s book “Pro-Tech & Pro-Active: Understanding and Leveraging the World of Safety Technology to Move Beyond Compliance-Focused Safety Management”? Read it freely here: https://amta.ca/amta-announces-book-release-pro-tech-pro-active/ Dave also mentions his other work, 'Psychosocial Hazard Control in Alberta's Trucking Industry'. Read that here.If you have any questions or concerns about topics related to what was discussed in this episode, or commercial transportation and driver safety, please do not hesitate to contact our Member Services team at memberservices@amta.ca. If you would like to sign up for our bi-weekly eNews and stay on top of all things AMTA, register here: https://www.amta.ca/#enews. Listeners, don’t forget about the AMTA Mailbag! We want to hear from you with your industry queries. DM us with your questions, and we will answer via the AMTA Mailbag segment in future episodes or directly via our team of advisors. Join the conversation at: Web: amta.ca Instagram: amta_ca/ Facebook: AlbertaMotorTransportAssociationLinkedIn: alberta-motor-transport-association Thank you for taking the time to listen. We encourage you to share this episode with those in your network who would receive value from our conversation. Make sure to hit that subscribe button and have a safe day!

AMTA's Kelsey Hipkin chats with Andrew Barnes, Sr. Advisor, Compliance and Regulatory Affairs, AMTA.In our conversation, we discuss the biggest commercial transportation issues we’re seeing when it comes to interprovincial trade barriers, takeaways from this year’s Canadian Council of Motor Transportation Administrators conference, collaboration with other provinces, and what it will take to move forward on infrastructure disparities, and more!If you would like to contact Andy to learn more about what is discussed in this episode or to discuss any issues you are having, please reach out to him at andrew.barnes@amta.ca. The voices of our Carrier Members are critical to informing us of issues that need to change in our industry. As Andy mentions, our Member Services team at AMTA is ready to be a resource for you and your company and help in any way we can. Please contact us at memberservices@amta.ca, or visit amta.ca for more information and resources.Visit the Government of British Columbia website to view the Road Transport Manual: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/transportation/vehicle-safety-enforcement/information-education/commercial-transport-procedures If you would like to sign up for our bi-weekly eNews and stay on top of all things AMTA, register here: https://www.amta.ca/#enews. AMTA’s Draw Down Dinner is returning. We look forward to seeing you on October 16 at the River Cree Resort and Casino for networking, dinner, entertainment, and prizes. Registration opens in mid-July, so keep an eye on amta.ca and our social media.Keep an eye out for details coming soon for AMTA’s Driver Appreciation Days taking place September 8-17, 2025. Learn more: https://www.amta.ca/events/amta-driver-appreciation-days-2025 Coming up next on Steering Change, we will be presenting a three-part series - Trucking: Past, Present, and Future. Join us as we hear from the voices of Alberta’s Commercial Transportation past, what AMTA and industry are up to today, and what industry can expect when it comes to the future of transportation in Alberta, and beyond. If you have any questions or concerns about topics related to what was discussed in this episode, or commercial transportation and driver safety, please do not hesitate to contact our Member Services team at memberservices@amta.ca.Listeners, don’t forget about the AMTA Mailbag! We want to hear from you with your industry queries. DM us with your questions, and we will answer via the AMTA Mailbag segment in future episodes or directly via our team of advisors. Join the conversation at: Web: amta.ca Instagram: amta_ca/ Facebook: AlbertaMotorTransportAssociationLinkedIn: alberta-motor-transport-association Thank you for taking the time to listen. We encourage you to share this episode with those in your network who would receive value from our conversation. Make sure to hit that subscribe button and have a safe day!