The Ontario Trucking Association is in the midst of expanding its membership list of A-list private carriers.
About 50 private fleets (including companies like Canadian Tire, Domino’s Pizza, Frito Lay, Gordon Food Service, HBC, Labatt Breweries, Loblaw, Mill Street Brewery, Pioneer Petroleums, the Beer Store, and Tim Horton’s) are current OTA members and the association is now looking to add to that number with the creation of a distinctive OTA Private Carrier Council (PCC). 
“We have always had private carrier members but in recent years interest in joining the association has grown significantly,” says OTA president David Bradley, who points out private and for-hire carriers have a common interest in most major policy and compliance issues, including areas of safety, environmental regulation, vehicle weights and dimensions like LCVs, taxes and fees, as well as the driver shortage. “But we also recognize the unique nature of the private carrier role, so we wanted to create a forum where they can come together to discuss the issues that matter most to them and share best practices.”
The idea for the OTAPCC arose out of a long-term strategic planning session the OTA Executive Committee held earlier this year. The meeting called for the association to renew efforts to represent all the various carrier sectors in the industry.
The new council will have its own chair and vice-chair. An as-yet-to-be-determined number of seats will also be reserved on the OTA Board of Directors specifically for private carriers. (OTA’s next board elections are in 2016). Private carriers will also continue to enjoy a cap on their OTA membership dues that is significantly lower than the limit in place for for-hire carriers.
Current plans are for the council to meet twice a year – once in late spring and the other in November at the OTA Convention & Executive Conference. The first meeting of the OTAPCC will be held on June 26 at the association’s offices in Toronto. The inaugural meeting will be open to OTA member private carriers as well as any non-member private carriers who may be interested in learning more about OTA and its services. Registration information will be forthcoming shortly.
The second meeting of the council will occur on Nov. 4in conjunction with the kick-off of the 2015 OTA Convention & Executive Conference.
In the meantime, please contact OTA’s Lak Shoan at lak.shoan@184.107.41.74 or 416-249-7401, ext. 235 for further information.
