David Minnoch has been the Director of Western Region Transportation with Northbridge Insurance since 2003.

Northbridge Insurance operates as a full-service commercial insurance provider, with products and services for various business sizes ranging from owner-operators to some of the largest fleet operators in Canada. This includes automobiles, cargo, general liability, property, cyber, and warehousing. Northbridge prides itself on providing services beyond comprehensive insurance and actively collaborates with customers to provide safety and training services and assist them while submitting a claim.

Minnoch first started with Northbridge Insurance with Markel, which was the leader in the transportation insurance segment at the time and was looking to expand further. There were other transportation insurance markets providing a transportation product, but trucking was the only product Markel provided. As his career was always related to the commercial automobile sector, the move to Markel made sense. 

“When I interviewed for the position,
I was told that Markel conducted business differently, and I found this to be true – not just the insurance was important, but rather it was the trucking company who was key to the partnership and knowing the industry was top of mind was important,” says Minnoch, “During the evolution to today’s Northbridge, that has not changed. We are a business that has a triangular relationship with broker partners and trucking carriers, and for everyone to be successful, we must all be working together. This is something that I took from that initial meeting and continues to guide me on how we conduct business in the western region to this day.”

Minnoch believes the reason Northbridge is a leader in transportation insurance in Western Canada is because they care about the people they serve. Northbridge has been involved in the trucking industry for over 70 years and has been able to be a stable and consistent carrier during that time. 

“We have seen the industry grow and change, and because we have been alongside the trucking industry through the highs and lows, we know what the pain points are, and we try to work with carriers in partnership with their brokers to provide total account service,” says Minnoch, “This way, they can keep their wheels turning safely and focus on opportunities.”

Teamwork is highly regarded as of the utmost importance to the transportation team at Northbridge. Apart from the western regional team, there is also a national transportation unit that works together to provide total account service. This includes industry-leading and in-house risk management consultants, a claims team comprised of commercial transportation claims experts, and a development team that collaborates closely with broker partners to build and maintain successful partnerships. Minnoch explains that success is not possible unless the entire group is working together. 

“Although Northbridge has grown significantly in terms of staff and premium levels, the one thing that has not changed is our core belief – teamwork,” says Minnoch, “Everyone who works at Northbridge is driven to provide the best solutions for our customers and broker partners. We foster a culture of collaboration where credit for the success we’ve seen over the years goes to the entire organization from the top down.”

Like many, Minnoch believes that the biggest challenge facing the trucking industry today is the driver shortage, which is impacting both fleets and the transportation insurance industry. He believes the path forward is to continue the development of the truck driving occupation. 

“Safety and risk management practices are taken into account to assess fleet performance, so the more qualified, experienced, and skilled drivers are the better outcome for both parties,” says Minnoch, “It’s key to continue to focus on driver recruitment and skill development to not only improve driver quality but also make truck driving an occupation that individuals want to consider a career.”

Like the growing impact of driver recruitment and safety, technology has become an ever-growing trend in the trucking industry. Minnoch knows that green freight considerations are becoming increasingly top of mind for carriers. As the first Canadian commercial insurer to become an affiliate of the SmartWay Program, a voluntary program that helps businesses move goods efficiently while keeping fuel costs and environmental impacts at a minimum, Northbridge can support customers as they continue to understand green freight benefits and adapt more sustainable operational practices. 

Since 2004, Minnoch has been a valued member of the BCTA. He believes being connected to the transportation industry from coast to coast is key to staying involved as much as possible. 

“By being a BCTA partner, we stay close to the trends impacting British Columbia, and the information we get on the status of the marketplace is invaluable in our decision-making. This can help us better support Western Canadian customers. The BCTA has been an advocate for the British Columbia trucking community for a long time, and their voice not only resonates within the borders of British Columbia, but their partnership with the other Western associations helps build some consistency within the Western Canadian trucking landscape,” says Minnoch.

For someone considering a career in the trucking industry, Minnoch believes that if you want a career in an industry where your work benefits people on many distinct levels, a career in this industry is something you should consider. 

“Trucking is the lifeblood of the North American economy. Every good we touch personally is a result of that good being delivered by a truck. Many people do not make this connection and don’t fully appreciate how important trucking is to the economy, but those within the trucking community are aware of this and are proud to be part of such a vibrant industry,” says Minnoch.

Outside of his time with the BCTA and Northbridge Insurance, Minnoch can be found spending time with his wife and three kids and is proud to have been a mentor and coach in various hockey communities for over thirty years.