In this episode, host Kelsey Hipkin chats with Matt Geib and Don MacDonald of AMTA's Professional Truck Driving Championship (PTDC) committee.

In our conversation, we look ahead to AMTA's upcoming 76th PTDC, which returns to our EIA office on May 30, 2026. We discuss the specifications of the competition and what it takes to navigate the course, the importance of having an event that celebrates commercial drivers, what the future holds for this event, and more.

Commercial drivers ensure goods and services in Alberta get to where they need to go, and this event serves to highlight the skillsets required behind the wheel. 2026 categories are Straight Truck, Day Cab Tractor, Bunk Truck Tractor, B Train, and CONFIRMED for this year’s event, we have added a new category: Tandem Steer/Tri-Drive.

Driver and Volunteer registration is open now! (registration closes May 22)
Please note registration for both Drivers and Volunteers goes quickly. Learn more about PTDC on our website: https://amta.ca/event/2026-professional-truck-driving-championship/.

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 memberservices@amta.ca.

• TODAY (April 10, 2026) IS YOUR FINAL CALL for AMTA’s 88th Annual Conference! Join us at the Grey Eagle Event Centre on April 22-23, 2026, for a jam-packed program covering industry, enforcement, communication, and the impacts of artificial intelligence. As well as our awards dinner, tradeshow, and more. Get your tickets before they are gone: https://www.amtaconference.ca/.
  
  
• AMTA has secured our dates for our 2026 Safety Summits. Register now for Medicine Hat on May 14 and Whitecourt on September 30.

Are you interested in getting involved with the AMTA? Please contact membership@amta.ca for Membership opportunities and learn the value that AMTA can bring to you and your organization.

AMTA seeks to represent our Members in all facets of the industry, but that only works if we hear from you on the issues affecting your day-to-day. We encourage everyone to reach out and share their thoughts and ideas. Please don’t hesitate to contact us at memberservices@amta.ca.

Do you have an idea for a future Steering Change series? Message us at marcom@amta.ca.

Listeners, 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: AlbertaMotorTransportAssociation
LinkedIn: 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!

In this episode, host Kelsey Hipkin wraps up with the final episode of our three-part series, The Road Beneath: Ethics, Exploitation & Accountability in Trucking.

Please note: this episode includes instances of sexual assault, human trafficking, and labour violations.

For Part 3: Beyond the Silence: Human Trafficking and Commercial Transportation, we sit down with Dylan Wecht, Director of Public Sector Engagement at TAT (formerly Truckers Against Trafficking), to discuss how commercial drivers, with their eyes and ears on the road, are the key to combatting human trafficking.

Learn more about TAT, take the free courses and resources, and become aware of how you can help end human trafficking at https://train.tatnonprofit.org/.

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 memberservices@amta.ca.

• Registration is still open for AMTA’s 88th Annual Conference! Join us at the Grey Eagle Event Centre on April 22-23, 2026.
  Join us for a jam-packed program covering industry, enforcement, communication, and the impacts of artificial intelligence. As well as our awards dinner, tradeshow, and more. Register for the event now and browse our sponsorship opportunities on our website: https://www.amtaconference.ca/.
• Annual Conference Exhibitor Booths are SOLD OUT!​ If you would still like to get in on the networking, tickets to the conference are still available at https://www.amtaconference.ca/.
• Save the Date for PTDC! AMTA’s Professional Truck Driving Championships return to our EIA office on May 30. Stay tuned for driver and volunteer registration opening soon.
• AMTA has secured our dates for our 2026 Safety Summits. Mark your calendars for May 14th in Medicine Hat and September 30th in Whitecourt. Registration will open soon.
• New to AMTA: the myAMTA Rewards program! Designed to deliver exclusive promotions, discounts, and value-added offers from participating myAMTA Rewards partners. We encourage you to learn more and email rewards@amta.ca.

Are you interested in getting involved with the AMTA? Please contact membership@amta.ca for Membership opportunities and learn the value that AMTA can bring to you and your organization.

AMTA seeks to represent our Members in all facets of the industry, but that only works if we hear from you on the issues affecting your day-to-day. We encourage everyone to reach out and share their thoughts and ideas. Please don’t hesitate to contact us at memberservices@amta.ca.

Do you have an idea for a future Steering Change series? Message us at marcom@amta.ca.

Listeners, 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: AlbertaMotorTransportAssociation
LinkedIn: 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!