MTA President Pauline Wiebe Peters opened the evening with a land acknowledgement and greetings to MTA members, guests, and other attendees.

Wiebe Peters outlined the current challenges faced by industry but balanced this with the value of taking risks when doing the right thing for those in the industry. This was followed by greetings from The Honourable Lisa Naylor, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure, who provided an update on work undertaken by the Province of Manitoba. Rounding out greetings was City of Winnipeg Deputy Mayor Janice Lukes, who outlined the importance of the trucking industry to Winnipeg’s economy. 

 Awards presented throughout the course of the evening included:

• MTA-Solera Fleet Solutions/Omnitracs Distinguished Member Award:
  Jade Transport
• MTA-Red Coleman Service to Industry Award: Jason Dubois, Len Dubois Trucking Inc.
• MTA-Payne Transportation Ltd. Associate
  of the Year: Rick Geller (posthumous)
• MTA-Associated Trades Division Social Responsibility Award: Steve Brandt,
  Steve’s Livestock Transport
• MTA-Bridgestone Trucking Hero Award: Henrik Hansen, TransX Group of Companies

 New inductees to the MTA-Ocean Trailer Pioneer’s Club include Dean Omoto (Searcy Trucking Ltd.), Ron Enns (Steve’s Livestock Transport), Colin Van Den Driessche (Penner International), and Craig Palz (Trappers Transport).

 Trevor Dzioba of KAG Canada received the first MTA-VMC Ken Moodie Award. This award was named for the late Ken Moodie, a long-time technician in Manitoba’s trucking industry who served as a role model, trainer, and mentor to many in the industry. Dzioba embodies those same beliefs, having worked as a Transport Truck Technician for nearly three decades. Dzioba was described
as a “stellar role model for developing apprentices” who has made vast contributions to Manitoba’s trucking industry.

 Award presentations from previous awards banquets that were shared at the MTA Fall Awards Gala include:

• MTA-Inland Group Industry Excellence Award: Herb Martin (Arnold Bros. Transport Ltd.), Don Taylor (Big Freight Systems Inc.), Donald Simonson (Payne Transportation), John Cooper (Searcy Trucking), Leonard Swedick (Penner International Inc.), Mario Bulacso (Hylife), Marshall Timmer (Arnold Bros. Transport Ltd.), Randy Bielik (Gardewine), Tatiana Kulish (Penner International), Timothy Loughrin (Penner International)
• MTA-Volvo Truck Canada Driver of the Year for Manitoba: Mario Bulacso (HyLife) 
• RPM Safety Award: Len Dubois Trucking Inc.

The MTA would like to extend its gratitude to all sponsors and attendees of the Fall Awards Gala. With over 400 guests in attendance, this year’s event was one of the biggest events hosted by the Manitoba Trucking Association.