Benchmarking yourself against other like minded and similar business operations is a key way to see how you stack up against others. It allows you to validate your performance based on comparative peer data, identify areas of improvement and opportunity, and to highlight significant trends affecting your operations. There are many benchmarking products and services out there in the Transportation Industry, and many
of them provide great information. One thing is missing from the Canadian Marketplace however, and that is a Benchmarking Tool that is specifically designed with the Private and Dedicated fleet operator in mind. The majority of the surveys out there, and any that I have seen recently, are designed with the for-hire segment of the industry in mind. That is about to change! Starting in 2017, in conjunction with the National Private Truck Council (NPTC), the PMTC will be introducing the “PMTC Canadian Benchmarking Survey Report”. This will be the first specific Canadian Private Fleet Benchmarking Report issued since 2011. As readers of this column will know, Private Fleets are a vastly different operation than a for hire-fleet. A for-hire fleets main business, and in most cases only business, is to be a transportation service provider. They haul other peoples freight for compensation. The Private Fleet is a piece of a larger corporation. The main purpose of the private fleet is to ensure the product and or service that their corporation provides, is delivered to it’s customers efficiently, on time, and undamaged. Private Fleets generally exist, in part, so the corporation they are a part of has more control over its product, and can ensure their customers are always the number one priority. A private fleet, it is said by some, is in the trucking business by default. Although some of the issues faced by the for-hire and private sector are similar, such as fuel costs, driver health and wellness, driver shortage (not near as dire an issue in the Private Fleets as the for-hire segment) complying with regulations, among others, the reasons the fleet is in business, and how they judge their performance thus, are vastly different. For Private Fleets to truly judge how they are doing in comparison to those who operate in a like minded environment, a Benchmarking Survey that concentrates on their sector, is vital.
The PMTC has engaged with a great partner to ensure the Benchmarking tool that will be provided to it’s members will be of top quality, right out of the gate. Our partner, the NPTC, the private fleet representatives south of the border, have been producing a Private Fleet benchmarking survey annually since 2005. This survey is an invaluable tool to their members, and is a highly-respected product. The PMTC formed a Benchmarking Survey Committee to review the current NPTC survey and make amendments to it to ensure it had a truly Canadian flavour, and was representative of what our member fleets wanted to compare. With the guidance and expertise of the NPTC on producing a high-quality Benchmarking tool, and the PMTC’s benchmarking committee experience on operating in the Canadian market, you can be assured the first edition of this survey will be a must read for PMTC member fleets. The survey is being vetted as we speak, and will be distributed to PMTC member fleets in early 2017. The Benchmarking Report will then be completed in time for our AGM and Conference in June. A high-level summary of the report will be presented at our conference, and the final report will be distributed to all PMTC members at no cost. This is simply another value-added product, a benefit of your membership. Through our strong partnership with the NPTC, PMTC members will also have the added value of receiving the NPTC Benchmarking Survey for US Operations, which will allow them to compare Canadian and US operations. A win-win for both of our organizations members! If you are interested in sponsoring this survey, please contact our members services coordinator Vanessa Cox at info@pmtc.ca, or by calling the office at 905-827-0587.
About the Author
“Mike has 25 years’ of wide ranging experience in the trucking industry, performing such duties as a livestock and grain hauler for 3 years, followed by 5 years of long haul across North America hauling refrigerated and general freight. Mike was also a full time certified driver trainer for 2 years, and then transitioned into Safety and Compliance for 2 years, and then spent over 12 years as a Fleet manager for a Private Fleet. Mike is now the President of the Private Motor Truck Council of Canada, Canada’s only National Association that represents the views and interest of today’s Private Fleets.” Mike can be reached at trucks@pmtc.ca
