Director's ChairCheck out our archive of articles, previously published in various trade and mainstream media outlets. Authors include OBAC executive director, Joanne Ritchie, and guest Directors.
2010 — 2009 — 2008 — 2007 — 2006 — 2005 — 2004 — 2003 — 2002
2010
September 1, 2010
CSA 2010 - Shape Up or Ship Out
by Joanne Ritchie
Once a safety profile starts to sour, it'll be like having a target painted on the truck, so check out potential carriers before signing on.
August 1, 2010
Change is Good...in the Right Direction
by Joanne Ritchie
Historically, drivers have taken what's handed to them - but now it's time to kiss that old paradigm good-bye.
July 1, 2010
Clause for Concern
by Joanne Ritchie
Fundamental to negotiating a good contract is arming yourself with the business savvy to know what your best interests are.
June 1, 2010
Gauging Fuel Efficiency
by Joanne Ritchie
Simple fuel economy standards aren't the way to go - especially if the measurement tools aren't even our own.
April 1, 2010
EOBRs? Let’s Fix What’s Really Broken
By Joanne Ritchie
If we’re looking at an EOBR mandate, let’s at least be up-front about the motives.
March 1, 2010
Well Enough to Face the Future?
By Joanne Ritchie
Wellness should top the list of concerns in any discussion on the future of trucking.
February 1, 2010
CSA 2010: Learn the Rules
By Joanne Ritchie
It's a sea-change in the way US DOT rates and measures driver performance.
January 1, 2010
If You Aren't at the Table, You're on the Menu
By Joanne Ritchie
Others will be there protecting their interests – perhaps at your expense.
2009
December 1, 2009
Fifteen Years and Counting
By Joanne Ritchie
Will another two years give us HoS everyone’s happy with?
October 1, 2009
Depressed and Drowsy
By Joanne Ritchie
Is it the driver’s fault, or is the job to blame?
September 1, 2009
Big Brother is Already Watching
By Joanne Ritchie
We need to be mindful of the footprint we leave after we log off.
August 1, 2009
Civil Libertarian?
By Joanne Ritchie
Why governments are mandating speed-limiters is a question they won't -
or can't - answer.
July 1, 2009
What Keeps me Awake at Night?
By Joanne Ritchie
How well will we adapt to the new paradigm when the economy get rolling again?
June 1, 2009
Membership Has Its Privileges
By Joanne Ritchie
LCVs are coming to Ontario, but you'll only get the chance to haul 'em if you belong to the right club.
May 1, 2009
Roadside Blitzes
By Joanne Ritchie
Since when did truck inspections become a spectator sport?
April 1, 2009
Shock Value?
By Joanne Ritchie
When a headline sacrifices truth for punch, it’s time to fight back.
February 1, 2009
One Badly Skewed View of the World
By Joanne Ritchie
MTO needs to get its house in order before focusing on speed-limiters.
January 1, 2009
Green is Pricey and Heavy Too
By Joanne Ritchie
It's about time governments came to the table with some help.
2008
December 1, 2008
Preventive Maintenance
By Joanne Ritchie
Many drivers take better care of their trucks than their own bodies.
November 1, 2008
Take it to the Bank – Green is the New Gold
By Joanne Ritchie
There are serious gains to be made in adopting an aggressive fuel conservation strategy.
October 1, 2008
Vote For, Vote Against...But Vote
By Joanne Ritchie
Don't give up your power by thinking you don't have any.
September 1, 2008
Turning the Tide
By Joanne Ritchie
Public opinion is a fickle thing, and it will sway faster in our favour if we take advantage of the best tools we have.
August 1, 2008
Told You So
By Joanne Ritchie
There's little in TC studies to suggest risks of mandating speed-limiters outweigh the benefits.
July 1, 2008
Welcome to Democracy
By Joanne Ritchie
It's a great system, if you happen to be in the right place at the right time.
June 1, 2008
Stormy Seas, Uncharted Waters
We should have seen it coming, but the perfect storm hit harder and faster than anyone expected.
May 1, 2008
My Muffins and the Missing Millions
By Joanne Ritchie
What's happening to all the surcharge money paid out by shippers?
March 1, 2008
Grey Matters
By Joanne Ritchie
When will trucking recognize the value older workers bring to the labour force?
January 1, 2008
Gimme Empty Acres
By Joanne Ritchie
Truck parking in Canada is pathetic: the message might finally be getting through.
2007
November 15, 2007
The Need to Know
By Joanne Ritchie
Nothing's going to replace good old-fashioned know-how.
November 1, 2007
The Tipping Point
By Joanne Ritchie
It took a lot of deaths to get some action on high-speed car crashes in Ontario. But will it last?
October 1, 2007
Every Call, Every Vote Counts
By Joanne Ritchie
Ignore them, and they'll ignore you.
August 15, 2007
The Six Point Plan
By Joanne Ritchie
Success doesn't happen by accident: plan your work and work your plan.
August 1, 2007
Get up to Speed, Ministers
By Joanne Ritchie
There's a lot of smoke blowing around the speed-limiter issue, and it's not coming from speeding trucks.
July 1, 2007
Good for the Goose, But Not the Gander
By Joanne Ritchie
We agree. It's hard to accept any policy that's not supported by numbers and hard evidence.
June 1, 2007
You Gotta Go, But Customs Says No
By Joanne Ritchie
Denial of the most basic of human necessities under the guise of protecting our national interests might work with suspected terrorists . . . but with law-abiding truckers?
April 1, 2007
The Power of the Pen
By Joanne Ritchie
A brief, well written letter – on good old fashioned paper – is the most effective way to communicate with an elected official.
March 1, 2007
What's Another Twenty-One Inches?
By Joanne Ritchie
Canada's 244-inch wheelbase restriction may have to be re-evaluated in 2010.
February 1, 2007
A Cure for the Symptom, Not the Disease
By Joanne Ritchie
Black Boxes for bad guys don't get to the root of the HOS compliance issue.
January 1, 2007
No Parking? No Kidding!
By Joanne Ritchie
When sleeping drivers are rousted by police and sent packing in a snowstorm, it's time to deal with our parking shortage.
2006
December 1, 2006
The Need to Know
By Joanne Ritchie
The onslaught of technology vs. the need for good old-fashioned knowledge and understanding.
November 1, 2006
Still Wondering What You’ll Get?
By Joanne Ritchie
There is no substitute for strength in numbers, and no excuse for the lack of it.
November 15, 2006
Made-in-Canada Truth in Leasing
By Joanne Ritchie
Full disclosure of terms and conditions of the carrier/owner-operator contract is one way of leveling the playing field between the good and bad carriers.
October 1, 2006
Two in a Tango – Part II
By Joanne Ritchie
It all depends how carefully you choose your partner.
September 1, 2006
Two in a Tango – Part I
By Joanne Ritchie
It all depends how carefully you choose your partner.
August 1, 2006
Seven Habits of Successful Owner-Operators
By Joanne Ritchie
Success doesn't happen by accident: plan your work and work your plan.
July 1, 2006
To Tell The Truth
By Joanne Ritchie
Full disclosure of terms and conditions of the carrier/owner-operator contract is one way of leveling the playing field between the good and bad carriers.
June 1, 2006
A Culture of Compliance
By Joanne Ritchie
Run legal, make a decent living; what's wrong with that?
May 1, 2006
Money for the Picking?
By Joanne Ritchie
Industry leaders are saying these are boom times for trucking.
April 1, 2006
Closing the Gap
By Joanne Ritchie
It's a long and pricey road from Class A license holder to professional truck driver.
March 15, 2006
How Do We Close the Gap?
By Joanne Ritchie
Carriers need to invest more in the development of their future workforce.
March 1, 2006
The Cost of Speed
By Joanne Ritchie
More fuel-efficient driving is money in your pocket – no money down, no monthly payments, and nothing to install.
February 1, 2006
Priced Out of Existence?
By Joanne Ritchie
Costs aren't coming down, so something else has to change.
January 1, 2006
Wasted Days and Wasted Nights
By Joanne Ritchie
Thirty hours a week. Fifty working-weeks a year. Do the math; what are you waiting for?
2005
December 15, 2005
Same Old, Same Old
By Joanne Ritchie
Of all our problems, the one that confounds us most is short-term thinking.
December 1, 2005
Mileage or Percentage?
By Joanne Ritchie
Either way, make sure you're getting your fair share of what the customer is paying.
November 1, 2005
Leveling the Playing Field?
By Joanne Ritchie
If a level playing field is what OTA is after with speed limiters, let's go all the way.
October 1, 2005
The $21,000 Question
By Joanne Ritchie
Fatten the margin between what you make and what it costs to make it: that's what you take to the bank.
September 1, 2005
Daycare for Truckers
By Joanne Ritchie
Is spoon-feeding owner-operators the best approach to a successful partnership?
September 1, 2005
Spoon-feeding Owner-Ops: Hardly a Favour
By Joanne Ritchie
Getting in should be a lot harder than staying in.
July 1, 2005
Get a Real Job
By Jon Summers
With so many experts telling us what to do, how can we go wrong?
June 1, 2005
Say 'No' to Cheap Freight
By Joanne Ritchie
Rates that don't cover costs are the problem, not high fuel prices.
May 15, 2005
What Are We Waiting For?
By Joanne Ritchie
We've the got the influence, let's put it to good use.
May 1, 2005
City By-Laws, Part II
By Don Robertson
There's a general willingness to better understand the issues.
April 1, 2005
Time is Money
By Don Robertson
Listen up! Drivers need to be compensated for all their time!
March 15, 2005
Show ‘em the Money
By Joanne Ritchie
Owner-operators don't work for goodwill alone. They too need to make a profit to stay in business.
March 1, 2005
City By-Laws, Part I
By Don Robertson
Organized commercial vehicle control, or discriminatory cash grab?
February 1, 2005
Have a Look in the Mirror
By Don Robertson
The benefits of a professional attitude are far-reaching.
January 1, 2005
Loud and Clear
By Don Robertson
The entire world listens, as our radio systems become highjacked and misused by many.
2004
December 15, 2004
It’s a Cryin’ Shame
By Joanne Ritchie
Tony Leckie may be small potatoes in the Martha Stewart world of corporate crime, but his clean sweep of OBAC's bank account was not a good thing.
December 1, 2004
Guilt by Association
By Don Robertson
"Association" is not a dirty word – without a strong advocacy group, our industry is like a business plan with the plan removed.
October 15, 2004
Just Who is this OBAC Crowd?
By Joanne Ritchie
With all the confusion surrounding various owner-operator associations – past and present – it's time we shed some light on OBAC's agenda.
October 1, 2004
No Rest for the Weary Trucker
By Joanne Ritchie
Canada's national highway system doesn't seem to include rest areas. Why not?
September 1, 2004
From Apprentice to Award Winner
By Mike Smith
Even a journey of 1000 miles begins with a single step: apprenticeships are that first step.
August 1, 2004
National Owner-Operator Month – August 2004
By Mike Smith
Maybe it's time we applauded Canada's hardest working men and women.
July 1, 2004
OBAC Meets, Joins with NL Group
By Mike Smith
Partnership forms the cornerstone of OBAC's strategic alliance plan.
June 1, 2004
It Takes Respect & Resolve
By Mike Smith
Partnering with a carrier can produce better results than banging heads with one.
May 1, 2004
It’s All About Rates
By Mike Smith
Owner-operator rates won't go up by themselves: you need to give them a little push.
April 1, 2004
Getting Started as an Owner-Operator
By Mike Smith
No judgments here, just an interesting new way of developing future owner-operators.
March 1, 2004
Establishing the Real Value of Drivers
By Mike Smith
By hiding much of our on-duty time on Line 1 of the logbook, we're really diminishing the value of what we do.
February 1, 2004
Knowing When to Cut Your Losses
By Mike Smith
The hardest decision that an owner-operator may have to make is knowing when to say, 'enough is enough'!
January 1, 2004
Now That’s a Full Day’s Work
By Mike Smith
There are only so many hours in a day: something has to give.
2003
December 1, 2003
Hours of Servitude
By Mike Smith
Getting the job at all costs is a heck of a price to pay.
November 1, 2003
Covering Your Assets
By Mike Smith
This article first appeared in the November 2003 edition of Truck News and Truck West magazines.
October 1, 2003
Retirement Planning 101
>By Mike Smith
This article first appeared in the October 2003 edition of Truck News and Truck West magazines.
July 1, 2003
OBAC Summer Survey
By Mike Smith
Please take a moment to complete our survey. We'd love to know what's on your mind.
May 1, 2003
Running Legally
By Mike Smith
This article first appeared in the May 2003 edition of Truck News and Truck West magazines.
April 1, 2003
Fool’s Gold
By Mike Smith
This article first appeared in the April 2003 edition of Truck News and Truck West magazines.
March 1, 2003
Owner-Operator or Company Driver: Where’s the Advantage?
By Mike Smith
This article first appeared in the March 2003 edition of Truck News and Truck West magazines.
February 1, 2003
FAST Times Ahead
By Mike Smith
This article first appeared in the February 2003 edition of Truck News and Truck West magazines.
January 1, 2003
OBAC's Contract Advisory Service
By Mike Smith
This article first appeared in the January 2003 edition of Truck News and Truck West magazines.
2002
December 1, 2002
Clearing the Air: OBAC's Position Regarding the Missing Accountant
By Mike Smith
This article first appeared in the December 2002 issue of Truck News and Truck West magazines.
November 1, 2002
Doing Time; Waiting Time, That Is
By Mike Smith
This article first appeared in the November 2002 issue of Truck News and Truck West magazines.
October 1, 2002
Introducing the Owner-Operator's Business Association of Canada (OBAC)
By Mike Smith
This article first appeared in the October 2002 issue of Truck News and Truck West magazines.
