North American Truckers Guild president Larry Hall explains to his members that if anything is ever going to change for drivers and owner-operators, they're going to have to set the bar higher than it's been in the past. "we can no longer settle for second best," he says. "We're pros and we will be treated as such."

While at the first general meeting of the North American Truckers Guild in October, Jim Park delivered his popular 2010 and Beyond presentation, outline what he believes lies ahead for drivers and owner-operators as the industry emerges from a devastating recession.

OBAC was invited to attend the first general meeting of the the BC-based North American Truckers Guild, and to lend a hand in the fight against speed limiters in that province. Joanne Ritchie is seen here explaining the speed limiter protest post card to NATG members.

OBAC member Monique Menard of Pointe-Fortune, Que. gets  ready to run the 40 km Convoy for a Cure from Cornwall to Cardinal, Ont. on Oct. 3, 2009.

OBAC member Joanne Millen of Brockville, Ont. poses with her truck in full Convoy dress just before heading down Highway 401 to Cardinal, Ont. 

October 3, 2009, Fifth Wheel Truckstop, Cornwall, Ont. The cast and crew of the 2nd annual Ontario Convoy for a Cure pose for a group shot before hitting the road to Cardinal, Ont. This year's tally was $19,000. 

This year's Special Olympics Convoy in Paris, Ontario raised over $50,000 for the cause. The folks pictured below all managed to collect $1,000 or more  in Convoy sponsorships, thus earning themselves a spot on the baseball team. The "Convoy Refugees" managed a respectable on-field performance against the special olympics athletes' Stratford State Farm Insurance C Team, who won the provincial C-division championships at Windsor earlier in the summer.

Front row:
Louis Alves, Linamar Transport; Alvin Wagler, Home Hardware; Joanne Ritchie, OBAC (umpire); Howard Brouwer, Schnieder National; Shawn Toman, Schnieder National; Jennifer Coit, MTO (base coach). 

Back row:
Edith Hooper, Heritage Truck Lines; Stephane Gauthier, Gautier Detailing & Polishing; Donna Vermac (for Stephen Funk), GMF Transport; Dave Kozlowski, SLH Transport; Dwight Snider, Drumbo Transport; Brian Hilton, Mackinnon Transport; Andy Brown, MTO (base coach). 

With all the recent interest in the Convoy for a Cure events across North America, OBAC's Joanne Ritchie was pleased to  meet up with co-organizers of the Alberta event, Kristin McCallum (right) and Tara Sherman (centre). The trio shared a booth at the Calgary Big Rig Weekend, sponsored by Pro-Trucker Magazine, in late August.