XTL shakes up senior management, updates logo, brand

TORONTO, Ont. -- XTL Transport has announced changes to its senior management team, in conjunction with an updated logo and brand.

Serge Gagnon will now act as XTL’s CEO, with Marcel Francoeur becoming CFO. Genevieve Gagnon’s role will now take on the role as president with Luc Francoeur serving as executive vice-president.

“Genevieve and Luc have been part of the XTL family for 13 and 18 years, respectively, and have been instrumental at supporting its growth through hands-on learning and identifying strengths and opportunities,” the company said in an internal letter to employees. “The change in their role to become even more involved in overseeing and managing the organization is a natural evolution to ensure the business continues to thrive.”

The company has also modernized its logo, including the words “Transport,” “Logistics,” and “Distribution” to the right of “XTL.”

“We realized that XTL Group of Companies didn’t clearly identify the business we are in and ran the risk of limiting our growth potential. Not wanting to lose the brand recognition of XTL – you will see we did not rebrand but modernized our logo to demonstrate our focus on innovation and forward-thinking solutions,” the company said in its letter to employees. “A brand standards manual has been developed to ensure that all people who touch our brand – employees, suppliers, or partners – can ensure our brand is used consistently to build awareness.”

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Fairness at last, for senior drivers in Ontario?

TORONTO, Ont. -- The Ontario Trucking Association (OTA) says it's encouraged by comments from Ontario Transport Minister Bob Chiarelli that acknowledge the licence renewal process for senior drivers in Ontario could be less onerous.

Chiarelli said that "commercial driver licence renewal can be made less onerous for senior drivers (drivers 65 years of age and older) without compromising safety" and has asked his parliamentary assistant Vic Dhillon to determine what amendments to the renewal requirements are needed and to develop a plan to implement them, according to the OTA.

"The minister is sending the signal that the government is willing to make some changes and given the discussions we have had with the ministry to date, we don't think we are very far apart in terms of what should and can be done," said OTA president David Bradley. "We are eager to work with Mr. Dhillon early in the New Year to help establish the policy. We recognize there will be a regulatory process that has to be followed and that implementation will require system changes and the like, but we hope that by this time next year senior truck drivers in Ontario will be subject to a much fairer and less burdensome licence renewal process."

Ontario is the only jurisdiction in North America that requires commercial drivers aged 65 years and older to take an annual road test to retain their A/Z licence. Over the years, the policy has caused many experienced professional drivers to leave the industry in frustration. It is also a major cost for owner/operators who must take their truck off the road to undergo the road test or for company drivers who in some cases have to rent a truck in which to take their test.

Industry associations including the OTA, Private Motor Truck Council of Canada and Owner-Operators Business Association of Canada have been unanimous in their criticism of the current requirements.

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OBAC calls for moratorium on yearly road tests for senior A/Z drivers

OTTAWA, Ont. -- The Owner-Operator's Business Association of Canada (OBAC) says it is pleased Ontario Transport Minister Bob Chiarelli is seemingly willing to put an end to the discriminatory licensing requirements for senior commercial drivers.

OBAC also lauded the MTO for taking immediate steps to make the annual licensing requirements for drivers aged 65 and over less onerous. OBAC, along with other trucking organizations, has been appealing for change to the requirements for several years. Ontario is the only jurisdiction in North America that requires senior drivers to take a road test every year after the age of 65 in order to retain their A/Z licence.

"Through a succession of ministers, OBAC has gone to MTO recommending it does away with the road test for senior drivers, replacing it with a more suitable means of evaluating driver skills, cognitive ability, and regulatory knowledge," says OBAC executive director, Joanne Ritchie. "Forcing a driver with perhaps 30 or 40 years of experience to complete the entry-level driver's exam does nothing to test for conditions that could be associated with aging."

Chiarelli has directed his deputy minister to examine the issue and determine how to proceed with changing the licensing requirements. In the meantime, the MTO has made some small changes to the licensing procedure, which will be welcomed by commercial drivers.

Road test fees for senior drivers have been reduced to $14 from $75. Senior drivers will be able to use an automated transmission for their road tests. And the air brake portion of the practical test has been amended so that senior drivers can use diagrams to describe the process and demonstrate their comprehension of the air brake test.

OBAC has called for an immediate moratorium on the road test requirement until new legislation comes into effect.

"This would be a step toward righting the blatant double standard of age-based testing, and it can be done quickly, as was done with extending the expiry date for licenses that expired during the 2009 labour dispute with SERCO drive test examiners," Ritchie says. "The road test is the most costly and inconvenient element of retesting for senior drivers, and does nothing to test for conditions that could be associated with the effects of aging."

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