The Year that Was, and the Year Ahead

Another year has come and gone, and that means that Steering Change’s second year as a podcast is coming to a close. In 2025, we covered a range of topics from wheel-end safety, to driver professionalism, to the Class 1 Learning Pathway, to safety as a journey, and much more. We’ve talked to guests from across North America and have had you listening every step of the way.In our final episode of 2025, host Kelsey Hipkin is joined by Tim Bennett, AMTA Board Chair, Real Durand, AMTA Immediate Past-Chair, and Robert Harper, AMTA President, as they take us on a look back on the year that was, and touch on a number of important topics to commercial transportation in Alberta and beyond, including tariffs, strategic direction of the Association, and what industry can look like in the new year.Wishing you and yours a safe and happy holiday season from all of us at AMTA, and all the best in 2026.View AMTA's three-part Driver Inc. series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLmicsdS-lHRq-4QW_m2sfu1rhylz87mbg View the Federal Announcement on Oct 30 regarding the clamp down on the Driver Inc scheme for Budget 2025: https://amta.ca/new-2025-federal-budget-is-fighting-against-driver-inc/ Learn more about the Alberta Carrier Excellent Safety (ACES) Program: https://amta.ca/aces-program-highlights-alberta-carrier-on-road-safety-performance/ Interested in reading Dave Elniski’s book “Pro-Tech & Pro-Active: Understanding and Leveraging the World of Safety Technology to Move Beyond Compliance-Focused Safety Management”? Read it freely here: https://amta.ca/amta-announces-book-release-pro-tech-pro-active/ AMTA seeks to represent our Members in all facets of the industry, but that only works if we hear from you on the issues plaguing your day-to-day. We encourage everyone to reach out and share their thoughts and ideas. Please don’t hesitate to contact us at [email protected]. Are you interested in getting involved with the AMTA? Please contact [email protected] for Membership opportunities and learn the value that AMTA can bring to you and your organization.Registration is open for AMTA’s 88th Annual Conference! Join us at the Grey Eagle Event Centre on April 22-23, 2026. AMTA’s Annual Conference is Alberta’s premier gathering of those who challenge, drive, and shape – as well as supply and support – the commercial transportation industry in Alberta. Register for the event now and browse our sponsorship opportunities on our website: https://www.amtaconference.ca/. AMTA’s Award Nominations are also open. Do you know someone who goes above and beyond in the fields of safety? Was a trailblazer of industry? A supplier who turned your business around? A friend to industry? Or an AMTA staff member who goes above and beyond? They deserve to be recognized, and this is your opportunity to do so! Award-winner prizes include tickets for two to our Awards Celebration, a night at the Grey Eagle, and a cash prize. Nominate someone today: https://amta.ca/amta-2025-award-nominations-now-open/. Important!! AMTA launched a new events platform directly on our website. To register for AMTA events, you must have an AMTA Portal account. Please create an account or log in before registering. We understand setting up a new account may be a small inconvenience, but this change is part of our efforts to provide a more streamlined, secure, and cohesive online experience for our members. If you have any questions, or need assistance, please reach out to us at [email protected] there a way AMTA can be more engaging with you, our Membership, and our listeners? Let us know your ideas and email [email protected] with “Steering Change” in the subject line, and share your thoughts.Do you have an idea for a future Steering Change series? Message us at [email protected]. If you have any questions or concerns about topics related to what was discussed in this episode, or commercial transportation and driver safety, please do not hesitate to contact our Member Services team at [email protected], don’t forget about the AMTA Mailbag! We want to hear from you with your industry queries. DM us with your questions, and we will answer via the AMTA Mailbag segment in future episodes or directly via our team of advisors.   Join the conversation at: Web: amta.ca Instagram: amta_ca/  Facebook: AlbertaMotorTransportAssociationLinkedIn: alberta-motor-transport-association Thank you for taking the time to listen. We encourage you to share this episode with those in your network who would receive value from our conversation. Make sure to hit that subscribe button and have a safe day!