TruckingWINNIPEG, MB ‘“ Wednesday September 11, 2013 ‘“ The Manitoba Trucking Association is frustrated and disappointed with recent comments made by City of Winnipeg Councillor Dan Vandal regarding truck routes in the city.
Winnipeg media sources reported that Councillor Dan Vandal states ‘œWe have to progress as a city, does anyone other than the trucking association like semi-trailers at Portage and Main?” It was reported Vandal then went on to state “It’s a no-brainer. We have semi-trailers that go down Provencher over the bridge… and then meander onto Portage Avenue. It’s time to get rid of the tractor trailers from Portage and Main and Provencher Boulevard.”
Terry Shaw, General Manager, Manitoba Trucking Association states, ‘œWe were very surprised to again be hearing a call for a truck ban on Provencher. To hear that Councillor Vandal is making comment on an increased ban is even more surprising and, frankly, very disappointing. The Manitoba Trucking Association is a solutions-based organization. Our preference is to work in harmony with our elected leaders and other stakeholders towards a mutually agreeable result. We have heard loudly, clearly and regularly that Councillor Vandal doesn’t want trucks on certain vital traffic corridors in Winnipeg, such as Provencher, and now possibly Portage Avenue. Unfortunately, what is noticeably lacking from those statements are any suggestions on reasonable alternative routes.”
Norm Blagden, President of the Manitoba Trucking Association confirms: ‘œTruck traffic naturally gravitates towards the most efficient routes. The questions trucking companies, and the customers they serve, concern themselves with are: Is the route direct? Is it cost effective? And is it safe? If trucking companies were provided with alternative routes to Provencher and/or Portage that better address those basic business needs, then Winnipeg industry wouldn’t be as reliant on them. Unfortunately, that isn’t the case currently.”
Shaw concluded by pointing out that this proposed ban would impact more than just ‘œthe trucking association”, as Councillor Vandal stated: ‘œThe trucking industry employs about twenty thousand Manitobans, and is a critical service provider to other key Winnipeg industries such as construction, manufacturing and retail trade. We question how a key to Winnipeg seeing ‘˜progress as a city’ includes the arbitrary discrimination of such a large segment of Winnipeg’s population and industry”.
The Manitoba Trucking Association estimates the financial burden to Winnipeg industries of banning trucks from Provencher to be almost $600,000 annually.
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For more information, please contact:
Terry Shaw
General Manager
Manitoba Trucking Association
204-632-6600