Newsletter - Keltic Transportation

Buzzz
Newsletter
Volume 25
December 2014
Dear Valued Customers and Suppliers
On behalf of Noel, Sandra, and all the Keltic staff, I would like to take this opportunity to extend a very happy holiday wish to all during this special time of year and
to thank you for your business and continued support throughout this past year.
In 2014, Keltic celebrated it’s 17th year in business. We are especially proud of our
team of professional drivers and operators, as well as the staff behind the scenes
in operations and administration. Having a dynamic and diversified range of support on all fronts, has contributed to and has been the reason for the success we
enjoy today. Right along side of our Keltic people stand our most valued customers
and suppliers. We build with the best - both within the walls of our corporation
and indeed, around the world. We look forward to a bright and prosperous 2015
and will continue to develop our business relationships both near and afar.
From our family to yours….”Happy Holidays!”
Chris
….it is time for a very SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT from “Operation Keltic” …..
As winter approaches, I am very excited to announce an upcoming change in our operations effective January 1,2015. We are continuously looking to improve the effectiveness of our internal operations which in turn will result in even better service to our
customers. After much conversation and review, it was decided to amend our “Fleet
Supervisor” module currently being utilized by dispatch. With specific goals in mind,
we will soon be implementing the new “Regional Dispatch” module - which will immediately improve all facets of traffic control, especially highlighting communication with
our professional drivers on the road. I would like to thank all dispatch personnel, our
drivers and operators who offered input and suggestions for our new dispatch system.
Your feedback proved to be highly valuable and much appreciated. As a result of your
efforts the changes will be made and a more finely tuned result will be in place.
For specific details you can contact Marc Gallant in operations, or myself, using any
mode of communication you choose— or pop in to visit any of your friends here at the
office.
A Helping Hand
Drive safely and Happy Holidays!!!!
Chris
Passengers in Commercial Motor Vehicles
It has recently been brought to our attention that a US Law pertaining to the presence of passengers in
commercial vehicles has been updated, and that enforcement will be activated shortly. The law,
FMCSA Regulation – 392.60, was enacted in 1995, and updated in October 2013. Although similar
legislation does not appear to exist in Canada, Keltic has decided that the US regulation will be applied
to avoid conflict and confusion.
This law stipulates that “written authorization” must be obtained, and that the document identify the
passenger, the destination of travel, the date of return, and an expiry date. This document is in addition
to US Customs requirements regarding Passports for entry into the US.
Keltic’s Employment Contract and Driver Manual will be upgraded to reflect this requirement. An
“Authorization Form” is now available, and samples will be distributed to all affected personnel
shortly.
Keltic’s approach that immediate family members, spouses or dependent children, be authorized to accompany drivers will continue. All other potential passengers present issues that should be reviewed by
Human Resources Department prior to departure. Authority will not be automatic in such circumstances.
Travel to the US creates an issue regarding Travel Insurance coverage for medical treatment. Any potential passenger that is not covered under the Keltic Medical Plan for travel insurance (family members), will be asked to produce valid Travel Insurance information to cover the duration of the trip.
Roger
What Does the Holiday Season mean to you?
Answers to that question are as varied as each snowflake which falls to the earth. For some, this time of year
is passed in much the same way as any other time of year; it does not hold any special meaning or significance. For others, this time brings with it buckets of joy and happiness - and still others experience December,
especially those days leading up to and including December 25th, as a time of pain and loneliness. Yes, we
all experience the holiday season in a unique way – very much depending on our own history I suppose, and
what we have been exposed to along the way.
For myself, Christmas has become very much a time for reflection – (with a smattering of stress, combined
with joy, laughter and delight, plus a melt down or two just for good measure). But wait, one minute — in
my haste to get this little blurb to print, I have forgotten the most important part of the meaning of the season for me.. that is.. thankfulness. You know, no matter where we find ourselves as we travel through this
life ,there is always room to be thankful – not just at this time of the year, but everyday. And with this in
mind, I would like to take another few minutes to send my thanks to Noel and Sandra Mullins, and their
children, Melanie, Jaime and Brandon, for their Irish passion and love they have for the Keltic company and
it’s people, -—everyday demonstrating to all what it means to care, and what it means to be bold and strong
in the face of whatever knocks at the door. I know their spirit will never fade as Keltic once again rolls
through another Holiday Season ,and on to the very exciting New Year ahead.
In closing, I would like to wish everyone their own time of gentle reflection, peace and thankfulness. Take
time to smell the poinsettias this Holiday Season .
Blessings to all!!
Vickey
New Radar Detects Texting While Driving?
Police radar devices could soon be able to detect more than just drivers’ speed. A Virginiabased company says it is developing a radar gun-type device that would help roadside enforcement catch drivers as they text. According to the company , the system works by detecting and differentiating the types of radio frequencies that emit from a vehicle when someone
inside is using a cell phone.
As the newspaper explains:
Cable repairmen use similar means to find where a cable is damaged – from a rodent, for instance – by looking for frequencies leaking in a transmission. A text message, phone call and
data transfer emit different frequencies that can be distinguished by the device the company
is working on. The radar gun would prove useful in jurisdictions where texting behind the
wheel is banned, but talking hands-free on the phone is legal. According to the report, the device is “close to production,” but the company admits there are several legislative hurdles and
approvals to clear. There are also privacy concerns – some critics are worried the devices
could eventually be able to decrypt the content of texts transmitted by drivers – and questions
about law enforcement could determine who is texting between drivers and another passenger in the vehicle.
Keltic Delivers Supplies To The National Geographic Explorer
On the September 19-2014 the National Geographic Explorer sailed into the St John's, Newfoundland waterfront to load up supplies and passengers for an Arctic Expedition. Keltic
Transportation was contracted to pick up 2 loads of ship supplies originating in the Bronx, NY
on September 12th. These supplies had to absolutely deliver on September 19th in St John's,
as the ship was only in port for 6 hours.
This was Keltic's first shot at cruise ship business which is extremely stressful and very chaotic most of the time, especially when you are dealing with a 6 hour delivery window and
when the Marine Atlantic Ferry is involved, if you are late the ship sails without the provisions.
The cargo consisted of 1 dry trailer and 1 reefer trailer which had a bulkhead built to separate
the frozen from the fresh. The supplies range from meat and fish products to wine and spirits,
uniforms, vegetables cheese, soap etc.
We had super Jerry Involved in the reefer load and we brokered the dry load.
After the delivery the people from National Geographic and both of the shippers raved about
how polite and helpful and most of all how professional both drivers were.
I am positive that these 2 drivers were instrumental in us being awarded 2 more truck loads of
freight not 2 weeks later for the Sea Adventurer, which is a sister ship of the National Geographic Explorer.
Keltic successfully picked up both loads in Miami and delivered on time.
We are expecting to get a bigger piece of the Newfoundland Cruise ship business next year
as we have a few vessels under our belts now.
Randy / Moncton 11
Keltic Transportation delivers drilling rods to the Bingham Canyon mine in
Utah.
Bingham Canyon is the largest single pit copper Mine in the world, measuring
3/4 of a Mile deep and 2 3/4 Miles wide. This mine has produced over 19 Million tons of Copper since its opening. Keltic Transport delivered a full flatbed load of Drill rod from New Brunswick to Utah, all drivers delivering to the mine site are required to take a safety course and
review a video before being allowed to enter the mine site.
Delivery courtesy of Pierre in our Flatbed division.
Winter Driving and Wet Weather Driving
As “Professional” drivers, you must recognize that your responsibilities increase during inclement weather. You need to prepare yourself and the equipment for each trip. By this, we
mean that:
1) You take the time to review existing weather conditions so you can be prepared to
make adjustments in your driving.
2) You consider your dispatch and prepare for changes due to road conditions and
weather changes associated with certain areas in our system.
3) You be certain that you have adequate rest.
4) Your flashlight is in working order so as to be able to check fifth wheel, suspension,
tires, etc.
5) You take extra care in testing your brakes to be certain that they are adequate
6) You make it a practice to be extra thorough in your per-trip inspections, especially on
lights and safety equipment.
7) You take the time to complete your daily inspections at the conclusion of your tour of
duty so that you can provide us with any maintenance work that may be needed.
8) You remain alert for changes in temperature, the weather, the affects of these changes
on various road surfaces, and be prepared to make the necessary changes in your
driving to allow for these conditions.
9) You INCREASE FOLLOWING DISTANCE. It takes three times longer to stop on wet
pavement and twelve times longer to stop on icy pavement than it does on a dry surface.
10) You watch conditions ahead and avoid getting into situations where a sudden stop or
turn might become necessary.
11) Our confidence in your ability and experience as a professional driver, will always dictate that you tell us when it is safe to drive in snow or icy conditions. There is nothing
more important to us than your safety and the safety of others.
Moncton Turkey Drive
For the last 17 years, Sue Stultz along with the local 999 Moncton Firefighters have
organized a local Turkey Drive to help those less fortunate families in our area enjoy a
turkey dinner at Christmas time. For the last several years, it has been a tradition at
Keltic to support this worthy cause by purchasing turkeys with dollars we collect each
week through our casual Monday and Friday “Jean Day” funds. Each year, Sue
greets us at the door with a smile and expresses her sincere gratitude to everyone at
Keltic for their annual contributions. This year we delivered 80 turkeys to Sue and her
staff, and left the station with a warm feeling in our hearts knowing
once again that Keltic has played a very small role in helping a local
family in need enjoy a traditional holiday meal.
Merry Christmas!
A Note from the ROCK….
With the holiday season among us, brings a time for us to celebrate the
year and thank those who made it all possible. First of all, to all the customers we are
so fortunate and grateful to work with I would like to wish you all Happy Holidays and
a fun filled safe New Year. I would like to thank you for giving me the opportunity to
work with you this year, is has been an honor and a valuable experience for me.
Without the support of family, fellow Keltic employees, drivers and associated
carriers who make things happen on a daily basis, this would not be possible. The NL
branch has seen a steady and consistent growth since opening in March and is excited about the future and what is has to bring for Keltic. With new projects underway,
the oil and gas sector busiest as is ever been, the future looks bright for the province,
and I am excited that I, and Keltic Transportation is here to support and grow here in
Newfoundland and Labrador.
I will leave you with a safety note; as the temperatures get colder this of course
brings snow and ice into our daily driving conditions, a reminder to all to take things
slow, and adjust driving habits to the weather conditions.
A big thank you and well wishes
for the holiday season.
Jeff
kELTIC DRIVER’S SPOTLIGHT
On June 18th, Peggy Hoar received an iPad from Keltic, it was given to her to show our appreciation for her exemplary work, and for her dedication to making sure she gets all the
proper information before leaving with a Hazmat shipment.
On June 4th, we received a wonderful letter from TransPro Freight Systems Ltd. concerning
one of our drivers, Peggy Hoar. Earlier that week, on May 30th, Peggy arrived at TransPro to
pick up a shipment that was headed east. When she received the paperwork, she was confused as to whether the load was Hazmat or not, so she asked the dispatcher to clarify. After getting an explanation from the Safety & Compliance Manager, Michael Frolick, he came
back and explained to Peggy that it was not technically Hazmat. After hearing this information, still feeling a little confused as to whether the shipment truly was Hazmat or not, she
asked to speak directly to Michael. He explained to her that it was indeed a WHMIS controlled substance, and pointed out that there was a section where it was marked “nonregulated for transportation of dangerous goods”. Peggy was very relieved and was thankful
for the extra information. It was at this point that Michael appreciated how thorough Peggy
was in picking up this load. She wouldn’t just accept a simple answer, but wanted to know
the “why and how”, and wanted to be sure that the load would be transported safely.
Michael was very impressed with Peggy’s professionalism and dedication to make sure the accuracy of such a shipment was spot on. To quote
Michael: “Her work ethic is not only admired, but truly appreciated. From
what I saw in those few moments were that of a true ambassador and
the traits of what a professional driver exemplifies.”
Isabelle C
On October 16th, 2014 Kevin Meade, a Keltic employee since 2005 was delivering
rush product from Montreal, QC to Bathurst, NB, came across a backlog of trucks. He
soon discovered he had come upon an accident, involving a car and moose, but still
had not realized the severity of the situation.
There were two occupants of the car, one of which required medical attention. There
was no RCMP or Medics at this point. Luckily, Kevin is a trained EMR and was able
to aid the injured party. Due to the remote location RCMP still were not aware of the
situation. While Kevin assisted the injured party, the other truck drivers travelled
ahead until they were able to reach reception and contacted 911.
Thanks to Kevin’s quick action, he was able to use his abilities and provided proper
help to the injured person. He even provided his own personal clothing.
Now that is what I call going the extra mile!!!
Darren Melanson
Hi all,
I just wanted to say to all involved with this pickup, the Ice Caps team manager is very impressed with the guys that went to recover their equipment and I would like to thank you for
this.
He felt like he's brothers where picking up the equipment and that means a lot to them to have
the good ole boys take care of them.
My sales rep for the Ice Caps, has been doing AHL moves for 5 years and has never been
able to get a direct off the island and knows how the winds can play a major factor in getting
goods moving. She also is extremely impressed.
In this industry we always here about the bad news when things have gone wrong, or when
something beyond our control has gone astray. So I just wanted to say thank you for all your
support and the updates along the way.
Even if the moose got in the way!
Thank you again and have a great week, I will follow up further closer to the delivery date :)
Email received from:
Jessica Willson| International Operations |Mainfreight Inc.
Keltic vs Slowpokes
HOCKEY NIGHT IN MONCTON!!
On Tuesday, October 28, Moncton hockey fans were treated to a highly entertaining
hockey game between our own Keltic All-stars and the Moncton Slowpokes hockey
club. This historic match took place at the Moncton coliseum in front of at least a
dozen fans. The Keltic faithful were treated to flashes of brilliance as the Keltic squad
battled the storied Slowpokes from the opening puck drop to the final whistle. Melanie
Thomas scored the winning goal in dramatic fashion as the Keltic All-stars scratched
and clawed ( and bulldozed ) their way to a one goal victory. A special " Thank you"
goes out to all our fans in attendance and to Noel Mullins who guest refereed and didn't fall once.
Go Keltic!!!!
Keltic's Oakville ON Branch led by the Director &
GM Orlando Mazzuca is one proud Dad!
His teenage son, now 14 years old, Philip, not only excels academically but is also
athletically blessed. For many years he has played both Lacrosse and Hockey for
Oakville, at the AAA competitive level. He leads his hockey team as Assistant Captain, and is a formidable force on his Lacrosse team as well. While excelling in two
sports, Philip continues to maintain a straight A average at Fern Hill and now Appleby
College.
This past summer, Philip was selected to represent his province , Ontario, at the Lacrosse National competitions in Vancouver. During this high level tournament, he
was selected as MVP at one of the six games played, where the Ontario provincial
lacrosse team eventually took home the gold and were crowned National Champions. While representing team Ontario , he was still expected to perform at the highest
level possible during the Provincials of his own Club Team, and Philip did not disappoint. Although Oakville lost in double overtime to Clarington 65, Philip was nominated to the All Ontario All Star Team. During the
Provincials, Philip began to get the attention of a number of NCAA
Schools.
To say that Orlando beams with pride at the mention of his son Philip
would be an understatement. If you have spent any time at all with Orlando you know this. When asked what are the characteristics that best
describe Philips success, the words, persistent, competitive, and tenacious come to mind. A chip off the old block one can say.
Congratulations Orlando to you and Philip!
Dress For The Cause
Holiday Pay Request
As that busy time of the year is fast
approaching us, anyone wishing to
have their holiday pay paid out in
the month of December I must
have no less than two weeks notice.
Thanks Katrina
KELTIC TRANSPORTATION
ONE MILLION & TWO MILLION
MILERS
David Earle (Two Million)
Eddie McCarville
Kevin Clarke (Two Million)
Hal McNeil
Paul Arsenault
Jerry White
Fred Eagles
Greg Warren
Charles Pellerin
Roger LeBlanc
Murray Lewis
Rheal Goguen
Joel Adams
Fred Belliveau
Paul Birch
Tyrone James
Thayne Roberts
Kevin Meade
Denis Robichaud
Terry Bourque
Jeff Munn
Luc Daigle
David Hartwick
Congratulations
Congratulations !!!
Level 1 Inspections
Michael Heffernan
Vitaly Sapoznikov
Anthony O’Brien
Paul Arseneault
Andrey Vedin
David Kelly
Adrian Popovici
Brad Ogden
Laurie Bourgeois
David Hartwick (2)
David LeGresley
Joel Adams
Thayne Roberts
Wayne White
Bruce Hall
Matt Taylor (2)
Wieland Promp
Philip Hennessy (2)
Paolo Bertolotti
Andrew Marr
John Hallihan
Murray Lewis
Brian Van Buskirk
Richard Carroll
Mary Lou Sherwood
Jacqueline Quellet
David Earle
Frank Kelly
Congratulations & keep up the
great work!
Congratulations to Elaine
Sode on the birth of her
first granddaughter Rya
Piper Sherrard. Born September 22, 2014 7lb 4oz,
20 inches.
Oakville News:
Keltic’s own, Sean O’Callaghan, ran for City Councilor
in the recent Toronto Election. Sean ran in the Ward 6:
Etobicoke – Lakeshore riding. It was a very hard
fought battle, with the Incumbent winning in the end.
His popularity was gaining momentum in the days
leading up to Election day, as evidence of the strong
5th Place showing. This process took its toll on Sean,
as he is tired and worn out from all the hand shaking
and Baby kissing during the campaign. Sean has his
1st campaign under his belt, and is looking forward to 4
years from now to take another
run at it.
Bob Sykes
Operations Manager
A Little Halloween Fun