In our growing community, the trucking sector is an important service that is often unnoticed. This sector is an integral part of the growth and prosperity of our province. While we are served well with CP and CN rail, the trucking industry serves our province and city consistently in a wide variety of ways; from produce to our grocery stores and topsoil for our front lawn to delivering Saskatchewan grown products, manufactured goods, agriculture fertilizer and livestock; throughout Canada, the United States and into Mexico.
Locally, we have some outstanding trucking industries making a positive impact in our community. These locally-owned and operated companies employ hundreds of people who drive, dispatch, service and repair trucks that travel across our province and beyond, helping to enrich our lives with the service they provide and the products they deliver.
The importance of our trucking industry was highlighted recently during National Trucking Week. The week-long celebration was important to remind all of us how significant the trucking industry is to our everyday lives, and to recognize the important contributions those involved in trucking make every day.
You may have heard the saying, “If you got it, a truck brought it.” It applies to the goods that people in our province and country use every day. From the food we eat to the clothes we wear; it was on a truck at least once before it reached our house.
Our economy is directly tied to the trucking industry. Saskatchewan is a trading province; while only accounting for three per cent of the population, Saskatchewan contributes six per cent of total Canadian exports. Saskatchewan exports more per capita than any other province in Canada. The movement of these goods relies heavily on truck transport, with 80 per cent of merchandise trade being moved on a truck. It is estimated that over 90 per cent of all consumer products are shipped via truck.
Fifteen per cent of Saskatchewan residents are directly employed by the trucking and warehousing industries. Without taking a driver’s income tax into account, it is estimated that each truck on the road pays over $60,000 per year in taxes.
Needless to say, good roads and highways are essential for the truckers to do their job. The Saskatchewan government understands that to improve our economy we need to improve our roads and highways. Our province has invested $9 billion in highways infrastructure since 2008, improving more than 14,000 kilometres of Saskatchewan highways.
The Saskatchewan Trucking Association works with our provincial government to make transporting necessary goods as safe as possible. Contrary to some public perception, transport trucks are statistically the safest vehicles on the road. The Mandatory Entry Level Training for Class 1 licenses introduced in Saskatchewan in 2018 has increased that safety even more.
The next time we slow down to let a trucker do their job, let’s show appreciation and respect; give them a smile and a wave and be thankful for all they do to enhance our lives and strengthen our provincial economy.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the position of this publication.
