New owner-operator group promises education, activism

TORONTO (Sept. 30, 2002) — The Owner-Operators Business Association of Canada unveiled an agenda of advocacy and education at a Sept. 26 press conference at Truck World 2002 in Toronto as it tries to establish itself as a voice for independent truckers.

“At a time when owner-operators in Canada are facing soaring operating costs and stagnant rates, we believe OBAC can help owner-operators achieve their financial goals by standing as an advocate for the advancement of the owner-operator’s business and operating skills,” says OBAC president and chairman Dave Marson. “And [we can be] an ally in helping to open more doors to the owner-operator at the regulatory level.”

They’re ambitious goals. Another is to set up OBAC chapters in all provinces. Provincial chapters will be better positioned to deal with local and/or regional issues, says Marson, a lease operator with the general freight division of Economy Carriers based in Edmonton.
OBAC will also look for partners to develop products and services for smaller trucking businesses, including carrier and financing contract advisory services, where members could have contracts reviewed by in-house legal experts.

Industry Canada has pledged $250,000 to fund the start-up, with another $100,000 expected from the Ontario Ministry of Economic Development and Trade, now known as the Ministry of Enterprise, Opportunity, and Innovation, to launch an Ontario branch of OBAC.

The funding enabled the group to establish a web site, pay for the launch effort, bring the board of directors together from across Canada, and pay for the expertise to make it all happen before the first dime of membership dues — $120 a year — had been paid. Neither government has committed any financial support of an on-going nature.

Marson says OBAC will stress the importance of proper business management and better representation before governments as two keys to the successful operation of a small trucking business in Canada.

“I think we need to be a clearinghouse for contracts, for education, and lobbying,” he says. “As far as getting rates up, that’s not our job. What we have to do is educate the owner-operator as to which contract to sign, who to sign on with, and what their operational costs really are so they don’t get into those situations where they have more payables than receivables.”

It will be up to the 15-member board of directors to craft OBAC’s priorities as a lobby group, he says.

“We’ll be thinking about carrier safety ratings and how they apply to owner-operators, for example, and how to best deal with load brokers,” Marson explains. “Cabotage on both sides of the border still seems to be an issue, as well as clarifying insurance regulations and how they apply to owner-operators.”

For more information about OBAC, visit www.obac.ca or call 1-888/794-9990.