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Wednesday, June 30, 2004
Exeter Times Advocate
Hensall Co-op wins trucking safety award
By Scott Nixon
TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF
HENSALL — The
Hensall District Co-opera-
tive now has bragging
rights over the safety of
its trucking fleet.
The Co-op was recently
named the safest large
private trucking fleet in
Canada by the Private
Motor Carriers Truck
Council and Zurich
Insurance North
America. Co-op
driver/vehicle safety audi-
tor Mike Millian attended
the awards June 18 in
Niagara -on -the -Lake.
Millian calls the award
"a very high honour" that
all Hensall Co-op employ-
ees should be proud of.
The Co-op's fleet
includes 82 power units
(including tractor trailers,
trucks, and one -tonnes)
licensed to up to 4,500
kg. The company has
about 90 drivers who
travel as far as Windsor
in the west and Toronto
in the east. As a fleet, last
year the company drove
over 3.7 million kilome-
tres.
This was the first year
Hensall Co-op entered the
safety contest, which has
been awarded since
1998, and Millian said it's
Hensall District Co-op driver/vehicle safety auditor Mike Millian, left, accepted the
company's award for safest large private trucking fleet in Canada June 18 in
Niagara -on -the -Lake. Pictured with Millian is Zurich Canada's commercial auto
insurance director Colleen McKenzie. Pictured below are trucks from the compa-
ny's five divisions. (photos/submitted)
the first time a trucking
fleet has won the award
in its first year entering.
The Co-op, in existence
since 1938, has operated
its trucking fleet for 22
years.
To enter, the company
had to fill out a four-page
application explaining its
hiring practices, safety
policies, accident report-
ing and reviewing, acci-
dent rate and training. A
two-page record of the
company's Commercial
Vehicle Operator's
Registration Certificate
(CVOR) also had to be
included.
An independent panel
then went through the
applications and decided
on winners in the large
fleet and medium fleet
category.
Millian said, "This
award is possible through
the support of policies
and procedures by the
board of directors and
management, right down
through to department
managers and dispatch-
ers . . . Of course the
award would not be pos-
sible if it was not for
(Hensall Co-op) having
some of the most skilled,
dedicated and
proud profes-
sional opera-
tors in the
industry. It
doesn't mat-
ter what poli-
cies you have
in place —
the drivers
have to be
willing to fol-
low them and
take pride in their job."
Millian said he thought
Hensall Co-op had a good
chance of winning
because its CVOR was
strong.
The CVOR — a point
system that indicates the
incidents, charges and
accidents a trucking fleet
receives — is governed by
the province.
With each charge a
company receives, it
counts as a percentage
against its CVOR thresh-
old — Millian said
Hensall Co-op's CVOR
was at only 6.5 per cent
of its threshold.
"Anything under 10 per
cent is considered excel-
lent by the Ministry,"
Milian added.
Hensall Co-op has a
fleet safety committee
that meets four times a
year, which includes dri-
vers and managers. The
company also
has strict hir-
ing practices
and two years
ago intro-
duced an
Accident
Cause Code
system, which
sees all acci-
dents and
incidents
reported and
filled out on paper.
All accidents are
reviewed by a committee
and, if deemed pre-
ventable, the driver
receives points against
him/her.
"(The system) ensures
accountability and fair
treatment," Millian said.
"If a driver disagrees
with our decision, they're
allowed to appeal it."
"I think we're success-
ful because we have a lot
of drivers who care about
their job," he added.
"It's a pretty big accom-
plishment," Millian said
of the award, adding the
company will enter again
next year.
"I think everybody gets
a sense of pride out of it .
.. The drivers are pretty
happy about it."
"I think we're
successful because
we have a lot of
drivers who care
about their job:'
- MIKE MILLIAN
HENSALL DISTRICT CO-
OP DRIVER/VEHICLE
SAFETY AUDITOR
Bless you, riders
Dashwood United Church held a special `blessing of the motorbikes' on Sunday, which included more than a
dozen members of Ontario's West Coast Riders and other motorcyclists.This was the second year of the
blessing. Rev.Alex McGilvery said the idea started as a joke when he realized many members of his congrega-
tions rode motorbikes. He said they decided to do it last year because ft's fun and the riders appreciate having
God's blessing on the road. (photo/Scott Nixon)
cooking with memories
BY DEBBY WAGLER
THIS RECIPE IS A WONDERFUL HERB INFUSION FOR A
PASTA SALAD. IT IS SUCH A NICE CHANGE FROM THE
USUAL. I HAVE MADE IT NUMEROUS TIMES AND REALLY
ENJOY IT.
PASTA SALAD WITH
HERB INFUSION!
1 to 1 1/2 cups of raw pasta cooked and rinsed in cold
water (bows, spirals, penne or shell)
1/2 cup olive oil or canola
1/3 cup vinegar
2 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1 minced garlic clove
1/2 cup chopped green onion or
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 tsp parsley flakes
I /2 tsp salt
I /4 tsp pepper
1/4 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup cubed cheddar cheese
Mix dressing ingredients. Add to pasta. Toss well. Mix in
peas and cheese and chill for a good four hours if possible.
Serve cold and enjoy!
FOR
VtlifV I t/Y'l/l C
red onion