Robison named CTA chairman

OTTAWA, ON, April 25-The Canadian Trucking Alliance ended its annual general meeting yesterday by electing Reimer Express president and CEO Allan Robison to CTA chairman. Robison will serve a two-year term.

Robison, who replaces former TST Solutions president John Stollery, said the CTA will continue to push for a national transportation policy that recognizes the role each mode plays in the market. Robison added however, that tactics used by the railways-such as funding the anti-truck lobby group Canadians for Responsible and Safe Highways (CRASH)-are impeding further relations between the two transportation modes.

“Frankly I find some of the tactics used by the railway companies such as funding an anti-truck group quite silly and counterproductive,” he said in a press release.
“There are so many issues, particularly when it comes to Canada/US taxation,where we could work together to improve the competitive position of both modes, that I find squandering such opportunities truly unfortunate.”

Robison said he intends to meet with the heads of Canadian National and Canadian Pacific Railway to try to find common ground. But the new chairman added that CTA is prepared to respond if the railways continue these tactics.

“I believe you can be pro-truck without being anti-rail, that you can praise your company without disparaging your competitor,” said Robison. “I hope we can take that approach in relations between rail and trucks in this country.”