CTHRC initiatives move forward while feds' funding refocused

OTTAWA, Ont. -- Federal grants and contribution programs that support the work of the Canadian Trucking Human Resources Council (CTHRC) are in the midst of a comprehensive change, but according to CTHRC officials, several existing initiatives will continue as planned while the new funding model is established.

"Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC) recently unveiled plans to refocus the Sector Council Program, phasing out core funding and some elements of project funding by March 31, 2013," says CTHRC executive director Angela Splinter. "This funding will be replaced by a refocused grants and contribution program to support many vital human resources priorities."

The new approach will use calls for proposals to focus on labour market intelligence, National Occupational Standards, and certification/accreditation regimes. Sector councils like CTHRC will also be able to submit funding proposals through HRSDC initiatives such as the Foreign Credential Recognition Program and the Office of Literacy and Essential Skills.

"The CTHRC is already actively involved in each of these areas of interest," Splinter says. "And we will be exploring every emerging funding avenue or partnership opportunity to support the Council's future work."

Meanwhile, the task of developing effective HR tools for the trucking industry will continue. Ongoing projects for 2011-12 include tools for hiring new Canadians (The Foreign Credential Recognition Project), updated labour market information (via surveys and other data), the latest volume in CTHRC's HR series (Your Guide to Human Resources: Volume 3), and research into the link between licensing standards and safety.

"Projects like these are more important to the trucking industry than ever before," says Gord Peddle, chair of the CTHRC's board of directors. "We know the shortage of skilled workers will continue to intensify, particularly as a growing number of employees approach their retirement years. Tools like those offered by CTHRC will help us to identify emerging trends, welcome new Canadians who are vital to our industry's future, and enhance skills development for key occupations in need."

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Ray LaHood: ‘No Texting’ while Driving – Big Brother says Otherwise

New Yorkers will be the first to use a new alert system. They will be rapidly alerted to potentially dangerous situations – ranging from terrorist threats to impending hazardous weather – under a new text notification program. Mayor Bloomberg unveiled the program, which will be the first of its kind in the nation, Tuesday morning near the World Trade Center site.

The program is called “PLAN,” which stands for the “Personal Localized Alerting Network.” And the goal is to give New Yorkers instant, potentially life-saving messages and updates on emergencies. New Yorkers can expect several kinds of alerts: warnings directly from President Obama, messages about immediate safety threats and Amber Alerts about missing kids. Cell phone companies may allow customers to block some of the messages, but certain alerts must go through. Cell phone users can opt out of some messages, but certain alerts will be mandatory.

So is New York going to lift the ban on text messaging they have in place now? Text messaging and related uses of handheld electronic devices are banned in New York (secondary enforcement).

What about the local truck drivers in NYC? The Secretary of Transportation, Ray LaHood, has been “obsessed” with distracted driving – mainly texting and driving especially in the trucking industry. The federal government (Ray LaHood) has enacted a ban on text messaging for drivers of all large commercial trucks and buses. The ban goes into effect immediately, and drivers who violate the ban could find themselves hit with fines of up to $2,750 and the carrier could face up to $11,000.00 in fines. This law follows a similar prohibition against “texting” by all drivers of federal vehicles that went into effect in December.

Oh but this gets better, trust me. What proof did Ray LaHood have in order to just up and place a ban on texting and driving for commercial drivers?

The most recent study Ray LaHood has was conducted by Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI). They concluded that a truck driver was 23 times more likely to cause an accident while driving a tractor trailer and texting. But the study was ONLY done on 203 CMV drivers and 55 trucks from seven trucking fleets. Out of the 3.5 to 5 million truck drivers on the road today only 203 were studied. And they also included in their findings “near misses” as accidents in fact it was 46 percent near misses. How in the world can you include a “near miss” as an accident?

The dictionary defines a Near Miss is: an instance of two vehicles, aircraft, etc., narrowly avoiding a collision. The dictionary also defines an accident as: an undesirable or unfortunate happening that occurs unintentionally and usually results in harm, injury, damage, or loss; casualty; mishap: automobile accidents. Again, how can you use a “near miss” as an accident when in order to have an accident there must be a collision.

The “Personal Localized Alerting Network” is scheduled to be up and running by the end of the year in New York and in Washington, D.C. It will expand nationwide by mid-2012. Nationwide? Well, Ray now what are you going to do?

Sources:
LaHood: ‘Obsessed’ with Texting in Trucking – But What Proof
NYC Unveils First-in-Nation Emergency Text Alert System

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