Trucking news and briefs for Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2022:
Canadian cross-border vaccine mandate goes into effect Saturday
Beginning Saturday, Jan. 15, truck drivers crossing the northern U.S. border into Canada will have to provide proof they have received the COVID-19 vaccine.
To enter Canada, drivers must be fully vaccinated and must have received their last dose at least 14 days before entering. The Canadian government has set up the ArriveCAN website and app in which travelers into the country are required to enter their contact information, vaccination information and more at least 72 hours before entering the country.
To meet the requirements of being “fully vaccinated” to enter Canada, travelers must have received either two doses of the Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Covaxin, Sinopharm and Sinovac vaccines; or one dose of the Janssen/Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
Non-Canadian citizens who try to enter the country unvaccinated will be turned around, while unvaccinated Canadian citizens will be quarantined for 14 days before being allowed to reenter the country.
The Canadian Trucking Alliance and the Private Motor Truck Council of Canada have been lobbying against the mandate for truck drivers, claiming the mandate will have a severe negative impact on an already strained supply chain.
“While there’s reportedly a modest uptick of drivers getting vaccinated at some companies, there are substantial reports of higher-than-normal turnover and others declaring their intention to leave the industry or seek employment in the provincially regulated sector over the impending mandate at the border and the recently announced domestic mandate impacting the federally regulated trucking sector,” said CTA president Stephen Laskowski.
CTA estimates that the Canadian trucking industry is expecting a loss of 12,000-16,000 (10-15%) cross-border truck drivers due to the mandate.
“The PMTC and many other industry associations and representative have been speaking out against this policy loudly, and are extremely concerned about the further damage this will cause to our supply chain,” PMTC said in a press release Monday. “Despite these concerns being raised by all, on the weekend the federal government confirmed their intention to move forward with this effective this Saturday.”
The United States is expected to institute a similar mandate on Jan. 22.
Goodyear integrates location services into fleet management service
Goodyear has integrated Here Technologies’ location data and technology platform into its Goodyear Total Mobility fleet management service, which will combine data with Goodyear’s Tire Pressure Monitoring System with Here’s location services.
With the integration, fleet operators and Goodyear service providers can localize a vehicle in need of a service or roadside assistance within a few meters, the companies said.
“Here location technology is bringing clear added value to our Goodyear Total Mobility offer and customers,” said Alberto Villarreal, managing director Proactive Solutions and Fleet Europe at Goodyear. “In the daily fleet operations, every minute counts, and being able to locate a vehicle in a timely and precise manner is key to minimizing downtime. In case of a service need, this can be managed in a user-friendly manner – via a mobile application for both drivers and dispatchers. Working with Here allows us to offer state-of-the art data solutions that drive efficient and sustainable results.”
