TORONTO- How do shippers and consignees routinely treat truck drivers on pickups and deliveries? The Ontario Trucking Association (OTA) wants to hear from you on the matter.

The OTA has launched the first-ever Operation UpGRADE survey, a five-minute survey that asks drivers to rate the best and worst facilities based on their performance and treatment of drivers.  The survey’s aim is to raise awareness of truck driver treatment among supply chain participants while recognizing preferred shippers and also educating those who need to improve their behaviour.

Here’s your chance to help identify who are the strongest and weakest links in the supply chain. 

“The treatment of professional truck drivers at shipper and consignee facilities has been an issue for a long time,” the OTA claims. “Waste in the system such as loading and unloading delays at yards, detaining drivers who have limited hours available and general maltreatment of drivers (such as denying them access to washrooms or not permitting them to run their engine systems in the winter while they wait) chases drivers out of the industry.”

And according to the OTA, that’s part of what is causing the driver shortage, which is estimated to reach a gap of 33,000 drivers by 2020.

The OTA will publicly recognize ‘Honour Roll’ shippers and consignees who treat drivers well and will privately communicate with ‘Detention Hall’ companies what drivers are saying about their practices.

The OTA will also make shipper appreciation “business cards” available for truck drivers to hand out to customers who treat truck drivers as professionals. You can email survey@ontruck.org to order the cards.