It is a great pleasure
today to invite Naveen Nav,
Naveen of Th e Trucking
Network on to Dawg On-It
Trucking Pawedcast. Let me bring
the bring in Naveen. Welcome
to the dog on a
trucking podcast. How are you
Doing great. Thank you, Chris,
for inviting me in your
podcast. It's a say opportunity
is it's my pleasure to
be with you here today
and your safety dog podcast.
Yeah. Well, thanks for agreeing
to come on. Now. One
of the things that we
are going to talk about
at the end of the
show is you have an
exciting new thing, and we
don't want to give too
much of it away, but
you do have something exciting
to talk about at the
end. That'll be our last
segment. But in the meantime,
before we get to that,
tell us about the trucking
network.
Yes, Chris trucking network is
a bilingual publication. We printed
every month, distribute on all
truck stops locations where truck
drivers, school dealerships, trucking companies,
truck stops, repair places where
they go for an oil
change and all that. So
along with the trucking network
magazine, which is bilingual, English
and Punjabi, we translate some
content in Punjabi trucking network
host before the Tilda COVID
host in-person job fair events
for trucking industry, where companies
all the big fleets, small
fleets, they do party speed.
If they are looking to
hire more drivers or owner
operators, mechanics, or staff, or
their office and trucking network,
do a few more things,
which we will be keep
talking about. And, but basically
tracking network is a national
magazine and host trucking hiring
events and our truck show
in Western Canada every year
in the month of June,
which we do. But because
of COVID, we are kind
of like in person events
are on hold for now.
And we are reading for
the COVID, the widest to
be controlled. Our, the vaccine
comes out and then we
don't want to put anyone's
life on risk. And it's
not a great idea to,
you know,
And even for you, I
mean to attend events today,
it is a great risk.
I have a 94 year
old that lives with me
and, and the, you know,
it's my father in law
and he's got asthma. So
if I was to bring
home COVID it would be
a very eventful. Let me
just say that we all
have to protect our loved
ones.
Yes. It's not one for
that is I guess like,
yes, more years, more years
will come. We will still
do the events, but this
time I think as much
we can keep ourselves safe
and stay away from large
gatherings and all those things.
So I think it's good
for everybody. Yes.
Let me ask you a
question. How, or why did
you start the trucking network?
Yeah, great question. A long
time back, 2012, we started
this publication. I used to
work with another publication and
I work for a very
short period with them. And
I loved, I loved the
industry and I always wanted
to do something different, which
other publications are not doing,
or my employer was not
doing. And I always had
the idea. Maybe we should
connect the trucking companies with
drivers on a platform.
You know, we should translate
if they are not understanding
in English, maybe we should
translate in Punjabi. So believe
it or not, my family
is our doctors or engineers.
No one is from Turkey.
But when I joined tracking,
everybody was surprised. Even from
the industry, a few people
asking me nothing, you don't
seem like free from tracking
industry. I said, no, but
now this is my home.
So yeah, in 2012 we
started trucking network magazine.
We worked on that in
Ontario. We started from Ontario
and in 2015 we took
it to national. So that
was a great venture. I
traveled across Canada, myself by
car, by flights and build
the network. And I realized
like, maybe we should take
this publication across Canada. And
now you can ask me
any truck, stop on the
corner of the country.
Yeah.
And you do a truck
show in Calgary as well.
Yes we do. I found
there is no really any
truck show in Western Canada.
There used to be a
couple long time back, but
I don't know the reasons
why they stopped doing that.
But then I realized there
is a need to do
a truck show every year,
but now see, let's see
how the covert situation turns
out and what we can
do every year or every
other year at time will
tell. But we started, yes.
It was a great response
in Western Canada as well.
And we loved it. I
loved Western Canada and especially
the Edmonton and Calgary area.
I spent lots of time
in, in Winnipeg as well,
but I loved Calgary. I
loved category. It's beautiful. They're
great people out there, big
community in trucking. You know,
I loved it. Yes.
I was privileged when I
was with old Republic, the
insurance company that for many
years, Alberta was part of
my territory. So I got
to visit Calgary at least
four times a year. And
my sister lives in Edmonton.
So I was, it's always
been a pleasure to go
out there. And I had
had to listen to my
words carefully. I had to
attend an annual Alberta motor
carrier.
What is that AMT a
event in Banff. I had
to go, it was such
suffering to go to Banff
and be in the mountains
and everything.
Yep. Beautiful. They're very different
culture from here. I realized
I spent almost half of
my year before the COVID
in Calgary, Edmonton area, baffle
area. So as I never
felt like I'm away from
home, it was great people.
They're very caring people and
yes, I found that opportunity.
So we started doing the
show and we got the
great response. We even have
few exhibitors from Ontario who
came fly there and they
participated in our show and
the category truck show.
Yeah.
That's awesome. So going back
to the trucking network, Covitz
obviously affected you. How have
you, how has the trucking
network changed a little bit
because of COVID
Yes, we definitely, we are
with the flow and everybody's
impacted. And so we are
just, the nature of the
event has changed from in-person
to watch. All right. I
think that's the best thing
we can do for now.
And watch will events has
its own importance. I would
say its own value. Everybody's
safe. We are not putting
every anyone's safety on risk.
You know, doctors, ministry of
health has advising to stay
away from the large gatherings
or public gatherings, as much
as you can and watch
all events doing webinars on
weekly basis, doing job fair,
what you will, job affairs,
monthly basis.
It's a great, I think
it was a great fry
and we found a great
response from the industry. So
even though trucking industry is
not very familiar to digital
world, but slowly and you
know, precisely they are getting
into it and yes, they
are successful. Especially the webinars,
our weekly, we do, we
invite industry experts from, and
everybody is so excited to
party speed. We always had
great attendance, even I'm surprised
people spare their time and
to, to join us every
week risk.
And that's a big thing,
you know, if I, yes,
I was going to say,
you know, or for our
listeners, I'm blessed to be
the moderator of those weekly
webinars for which I thank
you very much In Franklin.
I'm not surprised that people
show up to listen to
the webinars because you have
arranged some awesome guests in
the past. Give me an
example of some of your
past panelists.
Yeah. We're just on August
27th, we did our webinar
on the risks or disco.
What was the topic? Fleet
safety or risk solution? Something
like, yeah. Okay. So the
panelist was on August 27th.
We had a John for
Q and a, there was
Jeff lemon was the two
great panelists there.
And of course Chris had
us, you moderated the panel
and the same, that was
the session one. And then
we did session two just
yesterday on September 3rd. That
was again on a risk
solutions for fleets and working
with the insurance providers, John
Oldfield and orange ball he's
bilingual. So it was great
panel. And we also talked
on in the, in the
month of August, we also
did on truckers mental health.
You know, we, yeah, that
was a great panel. Again,
there was Angela, I'm sorry,
Ellen, Y from women and
trucking association. And then we
had Norman winger. Weininger he's
from a association again from
working with the truckers mental
health and their work for
their health benefits. So great
panel. Again, we, I was
surprised more than 90 attendees
from the industry. They joined
us and it was, it
was a great discussion.
So I think, yeah,
Not only 90 people, that's
how many joined us live,
excuse me. But these are
now recordings and they can
be viewed and listened to
through your website, correct?
Yes. So what we do,
we post the upcoming webinars
and we post the previous
webinars and the previous webinars
under we put the YouTube
link, we upload videos. What
recorded webinars on the YouTube
and the link is connected
with those previous webinars placeholders.
Yes. Yeah. I think it's
a great way to stay
connected with the industry and
keeping them informed, educated, inviting
the industry exposure. They can
share their knowledge, their expertise.
I think it's a great
way. It's a great way.
Thank you. Press far moderating
those, those webinars. Yeah. You're
really making a,
It's a privilege. Believe me
and I get to meet
some awesome people. For instance,
I'd never met Norman before,
and that was a, an
awesome interview. I'm very much
interested by the way in
truck driver, mental health, because
it has always been an
issue. I think that trucking
has ignored. And then with
COVID the added stresses for
both the truck driver and
their family. I mean, if
I was a long haul
truck driver crossing the border
right now, I know my
spouse and my kids would
be worried about what am
I bringing home?
And so it's a lot
of stress at the moment
and it's something we do
need to address, but changing
subjects a little bit. When
is your next weekly webinar?
Okay. So as discussed previously,
September, September 10, that'd be
no, which was supposed to
handle a splinter from tracking
HR and Craig faucet. They're
supposed to do on trucking
job market. And because now
PMTC are doing their conference,
what's your conference on the
same day. So we decided
to, you know, keep it
move over webinars to another
date. So the following one
will be on September. The
17th ministry of transportation is
joining us.
They will discuss on the
door to safety and or
site inspections, how we can
while the impaired driving, that's
their main topic of discussion.
And they will also be
talking about if somebody is
looking to join the forces,
how somebody can be eligible
to join the MTU forces
for, to become a roadside
inspector.
Okay. So just to recap,
the September the 10th has
been postponed to a later
date because, and we'll do
a short plug here for
the private motor truck. Council's
annual webinar that they've moved
to a virtual and I'll
put a link to that
in the show notes below,
but the next trucking network
webinar is September the 17th.
Correct. And it's going to
be the MTO officer discussing
MTO stuff.
And I'll be moderating that
one as well.
I think that could be
a great lesson because MTO
is for sure going to
talk about what they are
looking from the fleets or
from the drivers or from
the safety perspective. Yes,
I am. I'm excited about
that one. Cause I want
to hear from MTO.
Yes. Yeah. There, we are
always talking about MTO stop
that this drug, they did
this inspection, but what they
are looking for in those
inspection. I think so that's
the deal. And if we
can spare some time to
join them, I think that
will save you lots of
dollars for your fleet and,
you know, save you a
CV or like, you know,
I think it could be
a webinar. Yeah.
I think it's going to
be awesome. Now, switching from
webinars, the other thing that
has happened that you talk
briefly about are your hiring
events. And of course you've
said, you're not doing your
hiring events in person at
the moment. So how are
you conducting your hiring event?
Yeah. So Chris, we are
using a digital platform where
companies can upload their resume,
their job postings. They can
upload their banners. So basically
a same thing, like a
virtual job here. You know,
they, everybody has their own
platform. They are banner their
job posting their recruiters, which
cannot be online. They can
talk to drivers directly by
phone or by video call
or via chat, right. So
they can schedule the call
with a driver, same way.
Drivers can send a message
to the recruiters on those
on those day of the
event, which is September the
12th this month. And so
they can schedule a call.
Okay. So, and so I
I'm available this time and
I would like to speak
to you. I would like
to discuss this job opportunity
you have open. So it
says there's a wonderful day.
You hiding event from eight
30 to 4:00 PM. And
I think it should, we
should not miss it.
Even. It's a free entry
for job seekers and we
are already promoting the, the
job fair. We are reaching
out to, to the drivers,
to the newsletters, through the
social media, to our own
context of our own channels
and the same way we
are reaching out to the
fleets. And we would highly
request them, encourage them to
join us that day. There
is a minimal fee for
the, for the fleets, for
sure. And, but compared to
sitting in your own office,
you're not traveling, you're not
staying in the hotels.
You are not leaving your
office. You know, you're sitting
in your home even, and
you can still meet, talk
to the so many drivers
who party speed and data.
You can find out, figure
it out the same time
if it's worth, if this
person fits in your criteria,
not. And you know, I
think what your offers are
more effective, I guess it's
very effective. Yeah.
This episode is coming out
on September. The fourth is
the day it's going to
be released. W so when
is your next virtual job
fair?
September the 12th, this month,
September the 12th, your contact
info is going to be
in the show notes below.
So if a potential employer
wishes to get more information,
they can reach out to
you. What, by email or
by phone, what's the best
way.
What is going to be
in it for them? My
email is nav@thetrackingnetwork.ca or my
direct phone number is (647)
818-2121. Anytime, drop me a
message or drop me an
email. If you'd like to
talk to me, please feel
free to talk to me
and call me. And I
would love to help you
to walk through the digital
platform if you are willing
to resist her. Yeah.
And the truck drivers, of
course, we'll put a link
in the show notes below
where they can go.
For sure. Yeah. Otherwise the
trucking network events.ca that's a
very simple link. Everybody knows
the tracking network event.ca. So
that's it very simple. Just
go on there, click on
that. It will take you
direct to the link and
fill your brief information. What
really it's very brief and
you will be signed up
for the job fair. And
the beauty is this platform
is great. They get reminders.
It's not like the signed
up and they forget about
it.
Like they get a reminder
a week before they get
a reminder a day before
they get a reminder the
morning of the event and
they get the reminder one
hour before the event. So
they can't forget.
That's beautiful. Last thing I'd
like to ask you about
your new and very exciting
announcement, a new venture that
you would like to talk
about. What is that?
Yes. Yes. I was thinking
about this new venture for
many years. I always wanted
to do it. And that's
a weekly radio program. So
Radio program.
Yes, it's, it's an actual
radio program, not about Gusto
and it's will be available
on seven 70 8:00 AM,
seven seven 0:00 AM. So
between 11 to 12, one
hour program, we are starting
this with the Saturday and
Sunday to start with. And
once things will get rolling,
it will be a seven
days program. So
You're starting very soon. When's
the first radio show coming
this week.
So we are starting from
this Saturday, Sunday, Monday, actually
tomorrow. And that will be
the pilot launch, the pilot
program. And we will introduce
ourself. We will launch the
radio program. And yeah, so
again, it's a trucking industry
radio program for sure is
bilingual. And we would love
to invite the industry and
our program. So we will,
we will discuss the same
issues we discussed through the
webinars, but we realize the
Punjabi community truckers, they are
not, I saw in the
job fair.
They are big time, their
body speeding dissidents. Right. But
the webinars, some of these,
maybe we are not able
to convey our message to
them or what is the
reason I have no clue,
but that's why I decided
to let's do a radio
program for them maybe in
how then we can send
topics. We can discuss on
the radio as well.
Well, let me just do
a little sound effects. So
there that's the big announcement.
I do have other sound
effects. I could have used
that one, but I think
applause was more relevant. So
where can we find it?
And again, what time does
this come on?
Okay. So the information it
starting this weekend from seven,
seven 70 8:00 AM, and
that's a channel  like
six 80 is the channel
at the same way, seven
78 M is a channel,
right?
Seven, seven zero on your
am dial is where we're
going to be able to
tune in and what time
11:00 AM to 12:00 PM.
So it's a one hour
program starting at sharp 11:00
AM, and we'll go till
12:00 PM. So one hour,
every Saturday,
Saturday and Sunday, the show
starts for one hour on
seven 70 8:00 AM.
And we encourage the industry.
Please join us so we
can take your message, take
your safety message, take your,
you know, COVID precautions message
to the community. So, because
we all know indoor Canadian,
Punjabi, truckers are big time
and trucking, and we want
to reach out to them
to make sure they hear
about voice and you know,
so we can guide them
what, where they needed it.
Yeah, no, I think that's
awesome. Nevine and congratulations. Sincerely.
I think that's a great
step forward. The last word
or last question. Anything else
that you would like to
make known to our Watchers
and listeners?
I think so right now,
because of COVID more precautions
we will take or keep
the, keep watching the washing
your hands, you know, keep
you in place. Not just
their physical health, mental health
is also very important. I
guess, you know, sometimes people
are smiling, but internally they
are stressed out because of
many reasons, maybe finance, maybe
health, maybe the environment, you
know, if your employees are
happy, you are happy.
Your business will for sure
grow. I think so. Taking
care of you implies health
is really important because we
can only grow if our,
if we have a good
team with us, I want
to say thank you to
the whole industry. They gave
me a space in the
industry. I'm like with the
trucking, from how many years,
even before the launch of
the magazine, I was involved
in trucking as a dispatcher.
I was a small company,
business owner and all that.
I love this industry. It's
a great industry and we
need to stay connected. We
need to stay together and
we need to support each
other. I guess that's what
I believe. And I think
we all believe the same
way. Let's stay safe, let's
stay connected, let's stay helping
each other, you know,
Thanks so much. Nevine for
being on the show. I
really appreciate it.
You're very,
That was Naveen Nav, of
The Trucking Network (TTN). And
that was an awesome interview.
I got to thank Nevine
so much for taking the
time to appear and don't
forget to click like, and
if you like this type
of interview, please subscribe to
the safety dawg channel a
new interview every Friday at
10:00 AM. All right. Thanks
so much. And that's it
for this week. The safety
dog is out. I hope
you love the show as
much as I did.
Please leave us a, like
a thumbs up a review,
a comment, a rating. Thank
you so much. And I
do really appreciate your time
and join us again next
week for another exciting interview.
.
