When it comes to building a rewarding career in transportation operations, it can pay to know the organizations and industry associations that wield a huge influence on the trucking industry. The Ontario Trucking Association (OTA) was founded in 1926, when trucks began to play a more vital role in commercial distribution around Canada. It now represents a huge range of companies and businesses that transport goods by truck within Ontario, working hard to advocate for the industry and the many professionals who work within it.
Want to learn a little more about this important industry player? Read on to find out!
1. OTA Represents a Major Employment Segment in Ontario
The circulation of essential goods within the province is largely accomplished via truck, with thousands of trucks of all types in operation on Ontario roads on an average work day. OTA represents this vital industry, making it a big player within the province and the country. In fact, the trucking and transport sector employs around 200,000 workers in Ontario, with dispatchers playing a vital role in this province-spanning network. The statistics on a provincial scale point to almost 7 per cent of Ontario’s workers working in the transportation and warehousing industry grouping. OTA’s collective efforts and actions can therefore have a massive impact on this crucial aspect of Ontario’s economy.
2. OTA Includes Members From All Over North America
Those with careers in dispatching know that the central geographic and economic role that Ontario plays in Canada means that it is in the interest of all companies that deploy trucks on Ontario roads to have a seat at the OTA table. This means that OTA’s membership is comprised of trucking companies not just from Ontario, but also from almost every Canadian province, US state, as well as from Mexico. Ensuring a smooth operating environment and representing the interests of these diverse members is OTA’s priority.
3. OTA Represents Small and Medium Sized Trucking Enterprises
While OTA counts numerous large corporate entities among its members, its membership is primarily comprised of far more diverse types of businesses. These include a range of medium sized enterprises—which Statistics Canada defines as employing less than 500 employees—to small family businesses with just a handful of trucks on the road. This reflects the actual businesses behind the trucks on Ontario’s roads, and gives an indication of the employment environment that those currently in transportation operations training can expect.
4. Those with Careers in Dispatching Need to Know OTA Is Pushing Safety as a Priority in 2018
OTA has publically recognized that it represents a special industry, in that it “shares its workplace with the public,” since truck drivers on the job always share the road with other drivers.
The association has highlighted the reduction in large truck fatalities achieved in recent years, with these accidents down by approximately a third since 1990. Despite that, any accident involving a truck in Ontario is one too many, and the association will continue to prioritize improved statistics and public perception of the industry. Dispatchers will need to bear this in mind as they begin their careers. In an industry concerned with fatigue, speed, and distracted driving, helping drivers stay safe and alert can make all the difference during your career.
Have you considered entering the transportation industry?
Contact us at Automotive Training Centres to enroll in dispatching courses in Toronto today.
