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Author: Sean Leblanc

Kriska Transportation Group Acquires Service Freight Systems.

Prescott, Ontario and Burlington Ontario, September 1, 2017 ? Kriska Transportation Group (KTG) is pleased to announce the acquisition of Service Freight Systems (SFS) based in Burlington, Ontario. Service Freight Systems will continue to be led by the current management team, including Rob Ten Brinke as General Manager.

?We are thrilled to welcome the team of logistics professionals at Service Freight Systems to the KTG family.? says Mark Seymour, President and Chief Executive Officer of KTG. ?SFS has been providing engineered solutions to its loyal customers for over 20 years. The KTG family of companies, with its asset based core, compliments well with SFS. They will add depth to our growing investment in logistics services. Our goal as a group is to bring solutions to customers and grow through trust and confidence?.

?Working with KTG will have so many positives economies of scale with their size and capacity; industry knowledge and their in-house expertise,? commented Rob Ten Brinke, General Manager of Service Freight Systems. ?A real plus is that KTG has an extremely similar culture to Service Freight in terms of people and a desire to always improve and grow.?

Started in 1995 Service Freight Systems is a customer focused logistics company with expertise in temperature-controlled cross border, truckload freight. Its client-centric approach and culture of care has grown and maintained decade?s long relationships with both shippers and carriers.

KTG and its operating companies welcome Service Freight Systems into the family and look forward to our future mutual growth.

JMF Transport, 50 years of experience.

In 1967, Jean Marcel Ferland could not have known that 5 decades after he founded JMF Transport it would continue to haul snowmobiles across?Canada and to the United States. From their beginning as a regional carrier with a single truck, today JMF operates a fleet of 50 trucks and over 150 trailers.?Located in Valcourt QC, with terminals in St-Bruno and St-Eustache, JMF covers North America from Vancouver to the Eastern US.

JMF is a family organisation with many of its long serving the staff having deep family roots in trucking. Some are second generation employees and one driver has enjoyed a 40 year career with the company. Since its founding, JMF has grown under the stewardship of several groups of partners including Andr? Desmarais, Nicol Jeanson and Luc Chenard (1992), Ren? Desmarais and Stephan Brizard (2005). Current General Manager ?dith Desmarais was a partner from 2007 until the company’s acquisition by the Kriska Transportation Group (KTG) in 2015. As an active member of their community, JMF trucks are seen at annual Saint-Jean-Baptiste?Day parades and hauling donated goods for charity. The company is also a regular donor to local youth sports initiatives that help build hockey arenas and recreational facilities.

The family touch is evident in the relationship that JMF has with a Montreal based renovation products company.?They manage a dedicated fleet with drivers and staff based at the client factory. JMF provides a white delivery glove service to retail locations throughout the US and Canada unloading into stores after hours. That level of trust is a testament to JMF’s reliability and attention to detail and the integrity of its drivers. More than a carrier they are an integral transport partner ensuring that franchisees are stocked daily.The winding hills of Eastern Quebec have challenged JMF drivers and dispatchers to develop?expertise in planning and moving freight of all types and sizes. They know the road limits, which permits are needed and how to prepare unique loads. JMF operates a wide range of equipment including dry vans, flatbeds and stepdecks. Despite harsh winters and tight roads their dependable and professional drivers have earned the company an excellent safety record and loyalty from a diverse group of longstanding clients.

As part of the 600 truck KTG fleet, JMF now has access to a sophisticated logistics and shipping network. The combined capacity and services of KTG brings growth opportunities to the JMF fleet. The JMF family of drivers and staff look forward to another half century and millions more miles of safe reliable transport.

ELD Info for Shippers

What is an ELD?

An Electronic Logging Device (ELD) is digital hardware that accurately monitors Professional Truck Drivers Hours of Service (HOS). Tamper resistant and integrated into the truck, they track movement, engine run time and location. Unlike paper logs that could be falsified to avoid HOS (Hours of Service) violations, ELDs cannot be edited and will record the actual times a Driver is operating.

When: December 2017

The ELD mandate will be phased in beginning December 18, 2017 for all new ELD installations and include all commercial vehicles by December 16 2019. All Canadian Carriers operating in the US must comply. Transport Canada has stated that they would like to align their compliance dates with the FCMCA schedule.

Why are Carriers using ELDs?

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) initiated the ELD mandate to address road safety and unsafe working conditions. Driver fatigue due to working outside of HOS is the cause of many commercial transport accidents. The FMCSA estimates that ELD use will prevent 1800 accidents and 26 deaths annually. Also included in the ELD Rule are Driver protections from harassment and coercion to work extended shifts which will help avoid costly HOS violations. Transpro is committed to the safety and health of its Drivers. We respect our Drivers HOS and plan our routes accordingly.

How to Prepare

Shippers can best prepare for ELDs by choosing a Carrier that is already compliant. Reviewing and modifying warehouse schedules and procedures can also reduce Driver downtime. Offering pick-up windows rather than limited scheduled pick-up times will ensure that trailers are unloaded or loaded when the driver arrives with less wait. ELDs allow Carriers to accurately monitor Driver arrival times at a Shipper. This visibility provides information to help Shippers plan loads efficiently. Transpro was an early adopter of ELD systems and has the experience and knowledge to help Shippers comply without disruption to their supply chain. At Transpro we have worked hard to maximize the benefits of ELDs. Ask us how we can offer you a reliable and efficient transportation solution.

How will ELDs affect Shippers?

The ELD mandate requires Shippers to select ELD compliant Carriers. Unfortunately some Carriers will not be prepared and there is expected to be an increase in Drivers leaving the industry. The resulting reduction in capacity could affect Shippers in increased costs and a lack of available transport. Shippers will need to honor their shipping schedules and pick-up times. No longer will drivers be able to accommodate delayed loads and work beyond their HOS. ELDs log to the minute rather than round to 15 minutes as paper logs did and when Drivers begin their workday the ELD cannot be paused. If a Driver is delayed it could result in the load not reaching its destination on time due to the Driver reaching the end of their HOS. Shippers using Less Than Truckload service will likely experience a greater impact due to the potential for added delays at multiple delivery locations.

Benefits

The operational visibility created by ELDs real time tracking will build a more efficient transportation network. Drivers will be better utilized by more driving and less time waiting at Shippers and doing paperwork. Shorter load wait times will result in less idle time, lower fuel costs and less environmental emissions. Less accidents will hopefully also help to slow the rising cost of insurance. Overall ELDs could contribute to faster on-time shipping and lower costs.

Cart-All Express Inc. joins Kriska Transportation Group

August 2017?? In keeping with?Kriska Transportation Group?s (KTG) commitment to growth through acquisition, we are pleased to announce the recent purchase of Cart-All Express Inc.?As of July, Cart-All joined a group of best in class transportation companies where commitment to safety, culture and profitability are of utmost importance.

Started in Caledon, in 1972, Cart-All is a truckload and flatbed carrier that has a long list of committed and loyal customers generating annual revenues of just under $2 Million (CAD).?Founder, George Sherson built a tightknit, family run, multi-generational company and continued to drive into his 70?s. George?s hands-on approach was an example to drivers and office staff who continue the Cart-All legacy by remaining deeply dedicated and loyal to their customers.

Cart-All Drivers and Customer Service associates now call the?Transpro Freight Systems?terminal in Milton, home.?As the newest members of the TransPro family, they will continue to provide the personal service and support that their customers rely on. KTG?s 650 trucks, 14 yards and terminals and over 1000 employees will offer Cart-All customers a significant increase in capacity, infrastructure and support.

KTG and existing customers are excited about the potential growth offered by this acquisition while the Cart-All tradition of high service levels and familiar faces continues.