Naveen discusses how COVID-19 has impacted her business and the changes that she has had to make in order to continue to flourish.
Website: www.thetruckingnetwork.ca
EVENTS: www.thetruckingnetworkevents.ca
Phone: Naveen Nav is 647 818 2121.\
Email: nav@thetruckingnetwork.ca
TTN Virtual job fair for the transportation and logistics industry is on Sept 12th from 8:30am-4:00pm. Exhibitors and job seekers can sign up in advance visiting this link below.
www.thetruckingnetworkevents.ca
The Trucking Network (TTN) is launching its weekly radio program
Desi Pulse 360 at 770 AM every Saturday and Sunday. The time 11 AM to Noon. This will be a bilingual program to reach out to the trucking community.
PMTC Annual Conference: http://www.pmtc.ca/events--awards/2020-pmtc-annual-conference
Keeping it Safety Dawg Simple!
Chris Harris, Safety Dawg (2s):
It is a great pleasure today to invite Naveen Nav, Naveen of Th e Trucking Network on to Dawg On-It Trucking Pawedcast. Let me bring the bring in Naveen. Welcome to the dog on a trucking podcast. How are you
Naveen Nav, The Trucking Network (TTN) (21s):
Doing great. Thank you, Chris, for inviting me in your podcast. It's a say opportunity is it's my pleasure to be with you here today and your safety dog podcast.
Chris Harris, Safety Dawg (35s):
Yeah. Well, thanks for agreeing to come on. Now. One of the things that we are going to talk about at the end of the show is you have an exciting new thing, and we don't want to give too much of it away, but you do have something exciting to talk about at the end. That'll be our last segment. But in the meantime, before we get to that, tell us about the trucking network.
Naveen Nav, The Trucking Network (TTN) (1m 1s):
Yes, Chris trucking network is a bilingual publication. We printed every month, distribute on all truck stops locations where truck drivers, school dealerships, trucking companies, truck stops, repair places where they go for an oil change and all that. So along with the trucking network magazine, which is bilingual, English and Punjabi, we translate some content in Punjabi trucking network host before the Tilda COVID host in-person job fair events for trucking industry, where companies all the big fleets, small fleets, they do party speed.
Naveen Nav, The Trucking Network (TTN) (1m 45s):
If they are looking to hire more drivers or owner operators, mechanics, or staff, or their office and trucking network, do a few more things, which we will be keep talking about. And, but basically tracking network is a national magazine and host trucking hiring events and our truck show in Western Canada every year in the month of June, which we do. But because of COVID, we are kind of like in person events are on hold for now.
Naveen Nav, The Trucking Network (TTN) (2m 18s):
And we are reading for the COVID, the widest to be controlled. Our, the vaccine comes out and then we don't want to put anyone's life on risk. And it's not a great idea to, you know,
Chris Harris, Safety Dawg (2m 33s):
And even for you, I mean to attend events today, it is a great risk. I have a 94 year old that lives with me and, and the, you know, it's my father in law and he's got asthma. So if I was to bring home COVID it would be a very eventful. Let me just say that we all have to protect our loved ones.
Naveen Nav, The Trucking Network (TTN) (3m 2s):
Yes. It's not one for that is I guess like, yes, more years, more years will come. We will still do the events, but this time I think as much we can keep ourselves safe and stay away from large gatherings and all those things. So I think it's good for everybody. Yes.
Chris Harris, Safety Dawg (3m 26s):
Let me ask you a question. How, or why did you start the trucking network?
Naveen Nav, The Trucking Network (TTN) (3m 32s):
Yeah, great question. A long time back, 2012, we started this publication. I used to work with another publication and I work for a very short period with them. And I loved, I loved the industry and I always wanted to do something different, which other publications are not doing, or my employer was not doing. And I always had the idea. Maybe we should connect the trucking companies with drivers on a platform.
Naveen Nav, The Trucking Network (TTN) (4m 5s):
You know, we should translate if they are not understanding in English, maybe we should translate in Punjabi. So believe it or not, my family is our doctors or engineers. No one is from Turkey. But when I joined tracking, everybody was surprised. Even from the industry, a few people asking me nothing, you don't seem like free from tracking industry. I said, no, but now this is my home. So yeah, in 2012 we started trucking network magazine.
Naveen Nav, The Trucking Network (TTN) (4m 39s):
We worked on that in Ontario. We started from Ontario and in 2015 we took it to national. So that was a great venture. I traveled across Canada, myself by car, by flights and build the network. And I realized like, maybe we should take this publication across Canada. And now you can ask me any truck, stop on the corner of the country.
Naveen Nav, The Trucking Network (TTN) (5m 10s):
Yeah.
Chris Harris, Safety Dawg (5m 11s):
And you do a truck show in Calgary as well.
Naveen Nav, The Trucking Network (TTN) (5m 15s):
Yes we do. I found there is no really any truck show in Western Canada. There used to be a couple long time back, but I don't know the reasons why they stopped doing that. But then I realized there is a need to do a truck show every year, but now see, let's see how the covert situation turns out and what we can do every year or every other year at time will tell. But we started, yes. It was a great response in Western Canada as well.
Naveen Nav, The Trucking Network (TTN) (5m 46s):
And we loved it. I loved Western Canada and especially the Edmonton and Calgary area. I spent lots of time in, in Winnipeg as well, but I loved Calgary. I loved category. It's beautiful. They're great people out there, big community in trucking. You know, I loved it. Yes.
Chris Harris, Safety Dawg (6m 10s):
I was privileged when I was with old Republic, the insurance company that for many years, Alberta was part of my territory. So I got to visit Calgary at least four times a year. And my sister lives in Edmonton. So I was, it's always been a pleasure to go out there. And I had had to listen to my words carefully. I had to attend an annual Alberta motor carrier.
Chris Harris, Safety Dawg (6m 42s):
What is that AMT a event in Banff. I had to go, it was such suffering to go to Banff and be in the mountains and everything.
Naveen Nav, The Trucking Network (TTN) (6m 53s):
Yep. Beautiful. They're very different culture from here. I realized I spent almost half of my year before the COVID in Calgary, Edmonton area, baffle area. So as I never felt like I'm away from home, it was great people. They're very caring people and yes, I found that opportunity. So we started doing the show and we got the great response. We even have few exhibitors from Ontario who came fly there and they participated in our show and the category truck show.
Naveen Nav, The Trucking Network (TTN) (7m 32s):
Yeah.
Chris Harris, Safety Dawg (7m 33s):
That's awesome. So going back to the trucking network, Covitz obviously affected you. How have you, how has the trucking network changed a little bit because of COVID
Naveen Nav, The Trucking Network (TTN) (7m 46s):
Yes, we definitely, we are with the flow and everybody's impacted. And so we are just, the nature of the event has changed from in-person to watch. All right. I think that's the best thing we can do for now. And watch will events has its own importance. I would say its own value. Everybody's safe. We are not putting every anyone's safety on risk. You know, doctors, ministry of health has advising to stay away from the large gatherings or public gatherings, as much as you can and watch all events doing webinars on weekly basis, doing job fair, what you will, job affairs, monthly basis.
Naveen Nav, The Trucking Network (TTN) (8m 33s):
It's a great, I think it was a great fry and we found a great response from the industry. So even though trucking industry is not very familiar to digital world, but slowly and you know, precisely they are getting into it and yes, they are successful. Especially the webinars, our weekly, we do, we invite industry experts from, and everybody is so excited to party speed. We always had great attendance, even I'm surprised people spare their time and to, to join us every week risk.
Naveen Nav, The Trucking Network (TTN) (9m 11s):
And that's a big thing, you know, if I, yes,
Chris Harris, Safety Dawg (9m 16s):
I was going to say, you know, or for our listeners, I'm blessed to be the moderator of those weekly webinars for which I thank you very much In Franklin. I'm not surprised that people show up to listen to the webinars because you have arranged some awesome guests in the past. Give me an example of some of your past panelists.
Naveen Nav, The Trucking Network (TTN) (9m 44s):
Yeah. We're just on August 27th, we did our webinar on the risks or disco. What was the topic? Fleet safety or risk solution? Something like, yeah. Okay. So the panelist was on August 27th. We had a John for Q and a, there was Jeff lemon was the two great panelists there.
Naveen Nav, The Trucking Network (TTN) (10m 17s):
And of course Chris had us, you moderated the panel and the same, that was the session one. And then we did session two just yesterday on September 3rd. That was again on a risk solutions for fleets and working with the insurance providers, John Oldfield and orange ball he's bilingual. So it was great panel. And we also talked on in the, in the month of August, we also did on truckers mental health.
Naveen Nav, The Trucking Network (TTN) (10m 53s):
You know, we, yeah, that was a great panel. Again, there was Angela, I'm sorry, Ellen, Y from women and trucking association. And then we had Norman winger. Weininger he's from a association again from working with the truckers mental health and their work for their health benefits. So great panel. Again, we, I was surprised more than 90 attendees from the industry. They joined us and it was, it was a great discussion.
Naveen Nav, The Trucking Network (TTN) (11m 25s):
So I think, yeah,
Chris Harris, Safety Dawg (11m 27s):
Not only 90 people, that's how many joined us live, excuse me. But these are now recordings and they can be viewed and listened to through your website, correct?
Naveen Nav, The Trucking Network (TTN) (11m 42s):
Yes. So what we do, we post the upcoming webinars and we post the previous webinars and the previous webinars under we put the YouTube link, we upload videos. What recorded webinars on the YouTube and the link is connected with those previous webinars placeholders. Yes. Yeah. I think it's a great way to stay connected with the industry and keeping them informed, educated, inviting the industry exposure. They can share their knowledge, their expertise.
Naveen Nav, The Trucking Network (TTN) (12m 13s):
I think it's a great way. It's a great way. Thank you. Press far moderating those, those webinars. Yeah. You're really making a,
Chris Harris, Safety Dawg (12m 24s):
It's a privilege. Believe me and I get to meet some awesome people. For instance, I'd never met Norman before, and that was a, an awesome interview. I'm very much interested by the way in truck driver, mental health, because it has always been an issue. I think that trucking has ignored. And then with COVID the added stresses for both the truck driver and their family. I mean, if I was a long haul truck driver crossing the border right now, I know my spouse and my kids would be worried about what am I bringing home?
Chris Harris, Safety Dawg (13m 2s):
And so it's a lot of stress at the moment and it's something we do need to address, but changing subjects a little bit. When is your next weekly webinar?
Naveen Nav, The Trucking Network (TTN) (13m 14s):
Okay. So as discussed previously, September, September 10, that'd be no, which was supposed to handle a splinter from tracking HR and Craig faucet. They're supposed to do on trucking job market. And because now PMTC are doing their conference, what's your conference on the same day. So we decided to, you know, keep it move over webinars to another date. So the following one will be on September. The 17th ministry of transportation is joining us.
Naveen Nav, The Trucking Network (TTN) (13m 48s):
They will discuss on the door to safety and or site inspections, how we can while the impaired driving, that's their main topic of discussion. And they will also be talking about if somebody is looking to join the forces, how somebody can be eligible to join the MTU forces for, to become a roadside inspector.
Chris Harris, Safety Dawg (14m 18s):
Okay. So just to recap, the September the 10th has been postponed to a later date because, and we'll do a short plug here for the private motor truck. Council's annual webinar that they've moved to a virtual and I'll put a link to that in the show notes below, but the next trucking network webinar is September the 17th. Correct. And it's going to be the MTO officer discussing MTO stuff.
Chris Harris, Safety Dawg (14m 50s):
And I'll be moderating that one as well.
Naveen Nav, The Trucking Network (TTN) (14m 53s):
I think that could be a great lesson because MTO is for sure going to talk about what they are looking from the fleets or from the drivers or from the safety perspective. Yes,
Chris Harris, Safety Dawg (15m 7s):
I am. I'm excited about that one. Cause I want to hear from MTO.
Naveen Nav, The Trucking Network (TTN) (15m 11s):
Yes. Yeah. There, we are always talking about MTO stop that this drug, they did this inspection, but what they are looking for in those inspection. I think so that's the deal. And if we can spare some time to join them, I think that will save you lots of dollars for your fleet and, you know, save you a CV or like, you know, I think it could be a webinar. Yeah.
Chris Harris, Safety Dawg (15m 36s):
I think it's going to be awesome. Now, switching from webinars, the other thing that has happened that you talk briefly about are your hiring events. And of course you've said, you're not doing your hiring events in person at the moment. So how are you conducting your hiring event?
Naveen Nav, The Trucking Network (TTN) (15m 55s):
Yeah. So Chris, we are using a digital platform where companies can upload their resume, their job postings. They can upload their banners. So basically a same thing, like a virtual job here. You know, they, everybody has their own platform. They are banner their job posting their recruiters, which cannot be online. They can talk to drivers directly by phone or by video call or via chat, right. So they can schedule the call with a driver, same way.
Naveen Nav, The Trucking Network (TTN) (16m 28s):
Drivers can send a message to the recruiters on those on those day of the event, which is September the 12th this month. And so they can schedule a call. Okay. So, and so I I'm available this time and I would like to speak to you. I would like to discuss this job opportunity you have open. So it says there's a wonderful day. You hiding event from eight 30 to 4:00 PM. And I think it should, we should not miss it.
Naveen Nav, The Trucking Network (TTN) (16m 58s):
Even. It's a free entry for job seekers and we are already promoting the, the job fair. We are reaching out to, to the drivers, to the newsletters, through the social media, to our own context of our own channels and the same way we are reaching out to the fleets. And we would highly request them, encourage them to join us that day. There is a minimal fee for the, for the fleets, for sure. And, but compared to sitting in your own office, you're not traveling, you're not staying in the hotels.
Naveen Nav, The Trucking Network (TTN) (17m 32s):
You are not leaving your office. You know, you're sitting in your home even, and you can still meet, talk to the so many drivers who party speed and data. You can find out, figure it out the same time if it's worth, if this person fits in your criteria, not. And you know, I think what your offers are more effective, I guess it's very effective. Yeah.
Chris Harris, Safety Dawg (17m 58s):
This episode is coming out on September. The fourth is the day it's going to be released. W so when is your next virtual job fair?
Naveen Nav, The Trucking Network (TTN) (18m 6s):
September the 12th, this month,
Chris Harris, Safety Dawg (18m 9s):
September the 12th, your contact info is going to be in the show notes below. So if a potential employer wishes to get more information, they can reach out to you. What, by email or by phone, what's the best way.
Naveen Nav, The Trucking Network (TTN) (18m 24s):
What is going to be in it for them? My email is nav@thetrackingnetwork.ca or my direct phone number is (647) 818-2121. Anytime, drop me a message or drop me an email. If you'd like to talk to me, please feel free to talk to me and call me. And I would love to help you to walk through the digital platform if you are willing to resist her. Yeah.
Chris Harris, Safety Dawg (18m 53s):
And the truck drivers, of course, we'll put a link in the show notes below where they can go.
Naveen Nav, The Trucking Network (TTN) (18m 58s):
For sure. Yeah. Otherwise the trucking network events.ca that's a very simple link. Everybody knows the tracking network event.ca. So that's it very simple. Just go on there, click on that. It will take you direct to the link and fill your brief information. What really it's very brief and you will be signed up for the job fair. And the beauty is this platform is great. They get reminders. It's not like the signed up and they forget about it.
Naveen Nav, The Trucking Network (TTN) (19m 30s):
Like they get a reminder a week before they get a reminder a day before they get a reminder the morning of the event and they get the reminder one hour before the event. So they can't forget.
Chris Harris, Safety Dawg (19m 45s):
That's beautiful. Last thing I'd like to ask you about your new and very exciting announcement, a new venture that you would like to talk about. What is that?
Naveen Nav, The Trucking Network (TTN) (20m 1s):
Yes. Yes. I was thinking about this new venture for many years. I always wanted to do it. And that's a weekly radio program. So
Chris Harris, Safety Dawg (20m 13s):
Radio program.
Naveen Nav, The Trucking Network (TTN) (20m 15s):
Yes, it's, it's an actual radio program, not about Gusto and it's will be available on seven 70 8:00 AM, seven seven 0:00 AM. So between 11 to 12, one hour program, we are starting this with the Saturday and Sunday to start with. And once things will get rolling, it will be a seven days program. So
Chris Harris, Safety Dawg (20m 42s):
You're starting very soon. When's the first radio show coming this week.
Naveen Nav, The Trucking Network (TTN) (20m 48s):
So we are starting from this Saturday, Sunday, Monday, actually tomorrow. And that will be the pilot launch, the pilot program. And we will introduce ourself. We will launch the radio program. And yeah, so again, it's a trucking industry radio program for sure is bilingual. And we would love to invite the industry and our program. So we will, we will discuss the same issues we discussed through the webinars, but we realize the Punjabi community truckers, they are not, I saw in the job fair.
Naveen Nav, The Trucking Network (TTN) (21m 26s):
They are big time, their body speeding dissidents. Right. But the webinars, some of these, maybe we are not able to convey our message to them or what is the reason I have no clue, but that's why I decided to let's do a radio program for them maybe in how then we can send topics. We can discuss on the radio as well.
Chris Harris, Safety Dawg (21m 47s):
Well, let me just do a little sound effects. So there that's the big announcement. I do have other sound effects. I could have used that one, but I think applause was more relevant. So where can we find it? And again, what time does this come on?
Naveen Nav, The Trucking Network (TTN) (22m 11s):
Okay. So the information it starting this weekend from seven, seven 70 8:00 AM, and that's a channel like six 80 is the channel at the same way, seven 78 M is a channel, right?
Chris Harris, Safety Dawg (22m 27s):
Seven, seven zero on your am dial is where we're going to be able to tune in and what time
Naveen Nav, The Trucking Network (TTN) (22m 34s):
11:00 AM to 12:00 PM. So it's a one hour program starting at sharp 11:00 AM, and we'll go till 12:00 PM. So one hour, every Saturday,
Chris Harris, Safety Dawg (22m 46s):
Saturday and Sunday, the show starts for one hour on seven 70 8:00 AM.
Naveen Nav, The Trucking Network (TTN) (22m 54s):
And we encourage the industry. Please join us so we can take your message, take your safety message, take your, you know, COVID precautions message to the community. So, because we all know indoor Canadian, Punjabi, truckers are big time and trucking, and we want to reach out to them to make sure they hear about voice and you know, so we can guide them what, where they needed it.
Chris Harris, Safety Dawg (23m 22s):
Yeah, no, I think that's awesome. Nevine and congratulations. Sincerely. I think that's a great step forward. The last word or last question. Anything else that you would like to make known to our Watchers and listeners?
Naveen Nav, The Trucking Network (TTN) (23m 38s):
I think so right now, because of COVID more precautions we will take or keep the, keep watching the washing your hands, you know, keep you in place. Not just their physical health, mental health is also very important. I guess, you know, sometimes people are smiling, but internally they are stressed out because of many reasons, maybe finance, maybe health, maybe the environment, you know, if your employees are happy, you are happy.
Naveen Nav, The Trucking Network (TTN) (24m 10s):
Your business will for sure grow. I think so. Taking care of you implies health is really important because we can only grow if our, if we have a good team with us, I want to say thank you to the whole industry. They gave me a space in the industry. I'm like with the trucking, from how many years, even before the launch of the magazine, I was involved in trucking as a dispatcher. I was a small company, business owner and all that.
Naveen Nav, The Trucking Network (TTN) (24m 41s):
I love this industry. It's a great industry and we need to stay connected. We need to stay together and we need to support each other. I guess that's what I believe. And I think we all believe the same way. Let's stay safe, let's stay connected, let's stay helping each other, you know,
Chris Harris, Safety Dawg (25m 5s):
Thanks so much. Nevine for being on the show. I really appreciate it.
Naveen Nav, The Trucking Network (TTN) (25m 10s):
You're very,
Chris Harris, Safety Dawg (25m 13s):
That was Naveen Nav, of The Trucking Network (TTN). And that was an awesome interview. I got to thank Nevine so much for taking the time to appear and don't forget to click like, and if you like this type of interview, please subscribe to the safety dawg channel a new interview every Friday at 10:00 AM. All right. Thanks so much. And that's it for this week. The safety dog is out. I hope you love the show as much as I did.
Chris Harris, Safety Dawg (25m 44s):
Please leave us a, like a thumbs up a review, a comment, a rating. Thank you so much. And I do really appreciate your time and join us again next week for another exciting interview.
Naveen Nav, The Trucking Network (TTN) (25m 59s):
.