Transport Committee on March 5th, 2009

[Stephanie Mitchell]

I made a comment earlier today that I felt that the easiest market for us to enter was the U.S. because the studies had been done in the U.S., because governments were looking at mandating these kinds of technologies, and they have made those mandates. That's not to mention the fact noted in my brief about the amount of money that is lost annually--$5 million throughout the pharmaceuticals was lost in one stolen vehicle.

[Sukh Dhaliwal, Liberal, Newton—North Delta, BC]

You said you have the ability to track all HAZMAT trucks at all times. Are you convinced that you have 100% coverage in Canada, even in remote areas, with technology like this?

[Stephanie Mitchell]

There's GPS tracking that's provided through cell and satellite. Satellite obviously is more expensive, but that would take care of covering the remote area.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

Monsieur Gaudet.

[Roger Gaudet, Bloc, Montcalm, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

I have a few questions for Ms. Mitchell. The table I have before me reads: “From High Speech to No Speed”, that is to say from high speed to zero speed.

Could the government provide assistance to truck drivers or businesses? Your system seems good, but it must be quite costly.

[Stephanie Mitchell]

Actually, we feel that our system has quite a low cost compared to those that are out there at the moment. I'm not sure which part of it you're referring to. Are you referring to the call centre? Are you referring to the product itself, or to the monthly fees?

[Roger Gaudet, Bloc, Montcalm, QC]

Is it costly for the whole thing, for installation and communications within the system?

[Stephanie Mitchell]

Yes, it's costly. It would be a large cost to a fleet, especially a large fleet, because they would have to outfit all of their vehicles.

[Roger Gaudet, Bloc, Montcalm, QC]

Have you contacted the government to ask it to assist truck drivers or businesses that need this system to transport dangerous goods?

[Stephanie Mitchell]

For support in developing this in the trucking industry?

[Roger Gaudet, Bloc, Montcalm, QC]

Yes.

[Stephanie Mitchell]

We have not.

With GM coming into the market with a slowdown product, they will be developing a greater understanding and recognition of that kind of product into the market.

[Roger Gaudet, Bloc, Montcalm, QC]

Have you made contact with the persons responsible in the United States?

[Stephanie Mitchell]

Yes.

[Roger Gaudet, Bloc, Montcalm, QC]

Are they in favour of your system?

[Stephanie Mitchell]

Yes.

[Roger Gaudet, Bloc, Montcalm, QC]

Are they prepared to subsidize you?

[Stephanie Mitchell]

They are ready to provide the trucking companies themselves with grants and contributions to in turn pay us to put this into practice.

[Roger Gaudet, Bloc, Montcalm, QC]

Thank you.

Mr. Spencer, earlier you said that, in 5% to 10% of cases, truck drivers could not transport dangerous goods. Is that calculated on the basis of three million truck drivers or 800,000?

[Dick Spencer]

Out of the 800,000 applicants to haul hazardous materials.

[Roger Gaudet, Bloc, Montcalm, QC]

Thank you.

[The Chair, Conservative, Merv Tweed]

To wrap up, Mr. Mayes.

[Colin Mayes, Conservative, Okanagan—Shuswap, BC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you to the witnesses for being here today.

I'd like to direct my first question to Madam Mitchell, if I could. I want to follow up on what Mr. Godin said. With regard to incentives by the U.S. government to help implement security measures with the GPS systems, reported here it says $8 million. I don't know if that's the accurate figure, but if it is, and we just finished hearing that there are three million truckers, and I would assume there are at least 1.5 million trucks, that's a lot of money.

The first question I'd like to ask is what is one of these systems installed in a truck worth, roughly? And Is that incentive really a large amount?

[Stephanie Mitchell]

Our product can be installed for $500 to $1,200, depending on options. That is obviously only one of the grants that has been awarded and one of the ways of funding the installation that the U.S. government has provided.

[Colin Mayes, Conservative, Okanagan—Shuswap, BC]

Thank you.

My second question is to Mr. Brousseau. You mentioned that many countries do not have an actual definition in their acts with regard to security clearance protocol. Would you say that it isn't because of what they neglected to do but rather because they put those protocols in ministry policies rather than in an act because of the challenges that you might see with regard to the Charter of Rights?