FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT DRIVING POSITIONS

Transcription

1 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT DRIVING POSITIONS Who is Diversified Transportation Ltd.? Diversified Transportation Ltd. commenced operations in Fort McMurray in 1966 and has become one of Canada s largest leading People Transportation companies specializing in employee transportation. Our team consists of over 1,300 men and women. Many of our employees have relocated to Fort McMurray from throughout Canada and all over the world. Diversified Transportation is the world class leader in employee transportation Diversified Transportation has grown significantly from its early beginnings in the 1960 s. In fact, it has grown to be the leader in employee transportation, ensuring the safe delivery of employees from home to work for almost 50 years. Diversified Transportation serves major oil, gas, energy and construction employers with safe, dependable and reliable employee transportation services. Diversified Transportation moves over 5,000,000 people annually and travels over 14 million miles within the Fort McMurray region alone. Diversified Transportation Ltd. was born when construction of the Great Canadian Oil Sands (GCOS) was launched in 1964 and was at the forefront ensuring the transportation of workers throughout its development. In 1967 when GCOS commenced commercial oil sands production, Diversified introduced its daily employee transportation service for oil sands employees. The service provided employees with the opportunity to board Diversified motorcoaches at pick-up locations near their homes throughout the City of Fort McMurray to the plant site. The success of Diversified s employee transportation services also played an integral role during the construction of Syncrude s development. In 1978 Syncrude s employee transportation service

2 was launched and in 2003 we commenced transportation services for Shell Canada to its oil sands development, Albian Sands. The company has also provided employee transportation throughout the construction of new power generation facilities west of Edmonton and the building of new upgraders located at the Scotford Refinery site near Fort Saskatchewan. Track Record With 47 years of operating experience in Fort McMurray, Diversified is the only bus transportation company that has made a significant investment in the region, building major facilities of over 284,000 sq. ft. on over 20 acres of land. Diversified s large fleet and its human resources include: 350 coaches and 300 site service vehicles 700 drivers, 190 shop personnel and 130 operations personnel 5.0 million passengers transported annually Moreover, the company has honed immense expertise in the oil and gas industry. Diversified s Managers and Operations team have: The proven knowledge and understanding of operating conditions in the oil sands. The proven ability to respond to unique situations. The skill, expertise and resources to respond to our client s major emergency incidences in a safe and timely manner. Safety is at the heart of Diversified operations ensuring the well being of our passengers and employees. Successfully implementing and achieving safety targets and objectives sends a clear message to everyone that we are committed to Safety. Diversified s team of dedicated safety specialists are proven industry professionals. We

3 constantly monitor safety standards; statistics for both lost time incidents and motor vehicle accidents are exemplary by industry standards. Our insurance claims have been lower than industry standards, resulting in significant reductions in premiums from WCB and third party carriers. As a result insurance underwriters see the company as one of the safest bus transportation companies in North America. Maintenance Diversified Transportation s maintenance facilities are managed and operated by professionals whose experience and expertise is essential in meeting operational requirements in one of North America s harshest environments. Our maintenance division works closely with manufacturers and suppliers ensuring the highest level of mechanical care for our fleets. Diversified s environmental commitment includes; operating a fuelefficient fleet and meeting all legislative regulations. Training Providing training, education and opportunities for our employees is what sets Diversified apart from others. We are committed to providing superb training, enhanced safety and continuing education, which is unparalleled in our industry. Our vision is to ensure that Diversified is skillfully staffed and prepared to respond to our customer s diverse needs. In 2010, the PWT Bus & Coach Training Centre, a part of our corporate family, introduced the Mobile Training Unit (MTU). This one-of-a-kind professional driver training resource uses sophisticated simulator technology similar to that used by the aviation industry. This state-of-the-art training resource provides Diversified s professional drivers with an indepth driver-training program that has been specifically designed for driver/operators and covers all aspects of motorcoach; site services operation and safety.

4 New driver training Site specific operator requirements Professional Driver Improvement Course Professional Driver education which includes; review of winter driving, backing, left and right turns, stopping distances and customer service OUR CORE VALUES SAFETY CUSTOMER SERVICE RESOURCEFULNESS INTEGRITY POSITIVE ATTITUDE TEAMWORK LOYALTY ACCOUNTABILITY RESPECT DEDICATION What career opportunities are available with Diversified Transportation? We offer a wide range of career opportunities, which include; driving, mechanical, technical and corporate service positions. Request specific information sheets from our Recruitment Team. Or visit Do you have camp positions? No, we do not have any positions attached to camp accommodation. New drivers are expected to find themselves somewhere to live in Fort McMurray and the monthly living allowance of $1,300 ($15,600 p.a.) assists towards living expenses. New Motorcoach and Site Service driver trainees are entitled to temporary shared driver accommodations in a local hotel After completion of training on the day they graduate, they would need to have found themselves either an apartment or room to rent.

5 One of the reasons why we have signed long term contracts (5 10 years) with our Oilsands plantsite clients is because we integrate out drivers into the Fort McMurray community rather than having them live in camp which in turn translates into improved driver well being and quality of life. Do you have fly in fly out? No we do not provide fly in and fly out to any of our drivers. Drivers can get 25% off Red Arrow Motorcoach (our sister company) to various Alberata locations to and from Fort McMurray however the majority of people in fly in and fly out situations are normally in highly skilled positions (e.g. Journeyman Mechanic) where extra hiring incentives are required to recruit and retain those in Oilsands specific trades. What do you mean by Split Shift? First thing in the morning from and then again in late afternoon from is an example of a split shift. The essence of our work is taking the Oilsands plantsite workers from Fort McMurray to plantsite and then home again in the evening. Weather conditions and traffic very often dictate how long a shift will be. Drivers are paid at an hourly rate if their trip time becomes longer due to traffic or construction on Fort McMurray roads. What do you mean by a Trip Rate? Drivers work either a 3 hour or 4 hour round trip and are paid a set trip rate. If they go over the expected trip rate then the hourly rate kicks in. Motorcoach hourly rate is $33.80 (includes union pension) and Site Services hourly rate is $32.47 (includes union pension). How do I get paid?

6 Your pay cheque will be direct deposited into your bank account on the bi-weekly pay day. Pay periods are established annually and consist of two-week periods. When can I expect to receive my first paycheque? Dependant on your start date you can expect your first paycheque two weeks after a pay period ends. As an example if the pay period was June 1-14 and you commenced full time employment on June 1st your pay cheque for that period would be directly deposited into your bank account on June 28th. How do the Shift patterns work? The shifts available are as follows. 12 days on and 2 off. 4 days on and 3 off, 5 days on and 2 off and 21 days on and 7 off and 10 days on and 4 off. New drivers should expect to start on either a 5 days on and 2 off or a 12 days on and 2 off shift. New drivers cannot pick the shift they would like. Operations assigns new drivers on completion of training and new drivers have to accept whatever shift they re assigned. Once a driver has moved up the seniority list they can then bid on the run of their choice which will enable them to get the shift of their choice this usually happens around the 9 month to a year mark of a driver s tenure. How does the Seniority list work? New drivers seniority is set by the date of initial interview. New drivers start at the very bottom of the seniority list. The Union package that is sent out to each new driver after successful completion of a 90 day probationary period explains in more detail how the unionized structure works.

7 Where can I find Accommodation in Fort McMurray? Recruitment has an accommodation finding guide that will assist new drivers in doing some inadvance research around acquiring accommodations in Fort McMurray. Most new Coach driver trainees that are put up in the driver shared accommodations often buddy up with one another and go out and find accommodations together. It is hard to find rental accommodation in Fort McMurray if you re not actually in Fort McMurray in person. It Is advisable to do research ahead of time to ensure you understand not only the cost of accommodations but exactly what is provided. There is no best place to rent in Fort McMurray as all our 3 depots are within half an hour of each other. What kind of front funds do I need if I m planning to move to Fort McMurray? You need front funds to see you through the first 3 4 weeks of being in Fort McMurray. Do your research ahead of time so you know what the costs are when renting accommodations. Diversified s payment structure for drivers is they get paid bi monthly on a 2 week behind structure with pay checks being direct deposited into bank accounts. Pay periods for 2013 are handed out at orientation for new drivers. A best guess rough estimate for front monies needed to cover new drivers until your first paycheck, reimbursed gas and per diem comes through is around $3,000 - $5000 to cover things like down deposits, first month s rent, food and gas. Why do I need a vehicle in Fort McMurray?

8 Yes you need a vehicle in Fort McMurray if wanting to be a driver with Diversified as to do a morning run you would need to be at the bus depot at 5:00am and there is no transit bus running that early. Does Diversified pay relocation expenses? No Diversified does not pay relocation expenses. We do however offer new Motorcoach and Site Service drivers a gas reimbursement program of up to $350 maximum provided actual gas receipts are submitted with the relevant gas reimbursement form and drivers have successfully passed their training period. What is Northern Living Allowance? Recognizing that the cost of living especially accommodation is higher in Fort McMurray than in other parts of Canada has prompted Fort McMurray employers to start offering monthly living allowances which assist with monthly living costs. Diversified offers a monthly living allowance of $1,300 a month which is $15,600 per annum on top of salary. This amount is taxed by the Alberta government and you can expect to receive approximately $800 $850 in your paycheck on the last day of each month. To qualify for the monthly living allowance you must have worked a full calendar month on the Operations Board as a full time driver. What is per diem? Per diem means a daily stipend of $30.00 is paid out to each eligible driver on successful completion of training for the days spent in training. Training is approximately days and drivers submit this daily amount on the same form as the gas reimbursement. Drivers do not

9 need to submit receipts to claim for per diem. Per diem and gas expenses can only be submitted on the day the driver graduates from training. No late submissions will be accepted. Do I need special footwear or clothing? You do not need steel toed boots however you do need good sturdy footwear that has a good solid anti slip tread on the bottom, preferably black in colour. After a year s worth of full time service drivers are eligible for uniform points and can purchase added uniform items and qualify for a boot allowance. An initial uniform is provided on graduation day to all new drivers. I have a Criminal Record does this automatically disqualify me? No having a criminal record does not automatically disqualify you from employment with Diversified Transportation. The application process for the following criminal records requires that you produce paperwork showing a full Canadian pardon has been granted. For more information and for step by step instructions on how to apply for a Pardon please contact the Parole Board of Canada at