Laval, QC, July 10, 2019 – Conservative Party Leader Andrew Scheer’s promise to review cabotage rules between Canada and the United States has prompted North America’s largest trucking union, the Teamsters, to raise important questions.
In trucking, cabotage refers to the transport of goods between two places in one country by a transportation company from another country. Given current regulations in Canada and the United States, trucks have to run bobtail (when they have no trailer to pull) after making a delivery to go to their next destination.
“The spirit of these rules is to protect the jobs of thousands of truck drivers. I doubt the United States will give in to Mr. Scheer,” explained the president of Teamsters Canada, François Laporte. “I’m also told that truck drivers from Canada are regularly fined in the United States for violating these rules.”
However, the Teamsters have observed that in Canada, the situation is different. The number of American truck drivers caught violating cabotage rules is minimal.
“Mr. Scheer, and all other federal party leaders, should instead be focused on applying Canadian rules on cabotage because it’s not fair that workers are punished in the United States, but not here,” added Laporte. “It’s a matter of fairness.”
Teamsters represent 125,000 members in Canada in all industries, including 15,000 long-haul truck drivers. The International Brotherhood of Teamsters, with which Teamsters Canada is affiliated, represents 1.4 million workers in North America.
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Media requests:
Christopher Monette
Director of Public Affairs
Teamsters Canada
Cell: 514-226-6002
[email protected]
