FORMATION OF THE ATSSA

The Automotive Transportation Service Superintendents’ Association (ATSSA, or more commonly referred to as simply the 'ATS') was formed in 1938, and was incorporated on 20th of March 1940; which in turn gave birth to the Canadian Fleet Maintenance Seminar in 1963. In 1938 Ted Ashworth (pictured left), who was actively involved in the mechanical end of fleet operations, felt the need for forming some kind of organisation of fleet maintenance supervisors with similar interests and objectives. He assembled nine of his colleagues and they discussed forming a ‘Club’ or ‘Association’ dedicated to the mutual benefit of personnel directly responsible for the maintenance of truck fleets. Thus the ATSSA was formed in Toronto and by March 1940 the Toronto chapter received its charter. Membership continued to grow and in 1943 it was decided to expand the category of members to include OEM businesses and their named individual representatives contributing or associated with the fleet maintenance industry.

BRANCHING OUT

On October 30 1945, with the assistance of ATSSA members from the Toronto chapter, the first ATSSA branch was established in Hamilton; Harry Cousins became its first President. Similar expansion occurred per the following:

GOVERNANCE-ATSSA

The ATSSA is governed by by-laws which guides its members and incorporates the election criteria for the all-volunteer Executive Committee.

ATSSA OBJECTIVE

To continously explore and implement ways and means to enhance maintenance practices involving transport vehicles and garages :- constantly review and advance sound safety & environmental practices; keep up-to-date on operating and maintenance equipment and methods; promote training & apprenticeships; attract technicians to the industry; encourage ethical conduct and foster a spirit of fellowship.

CANADIAN FLEET MAINTENANCE SEMINAR

Until 1963 the ATSSA was relatively unknown outside Ontario. It was the introduction of the Canadian Fleet Maintenance Seminar that really gave the ATSSA national and indeed continent wide exposure.

The Canadian Fleet Maintenance Seminar was the ‘brainchild’ of Mike Laurie, Editor of ‘Bus and Truck’ magazine, and Peter Hunter, Fleet Superintendent at Oshawa Wholesale Ltd. Following extensive meetings between the Toronto ATS and ‘Bus & Truck’, it was agreed that the CFMS would be initially ‘sponsored’ by ‘Bus & Truck’. Thus was born the inaugural seminar in 1963 which turned out to be an outstanding, and thus encouraging, success attracting over 400 delegates. The following year it was agreed between the ATSSA and ‘Bus & Truck’ that the ATSSA would assume full responsibility for the CFMS, and would be administered by three members appointed from and by the ATSSA Executive Committees. The seminar executive threesome would in turn appoint a seminar ‘General Manager’ to oversee the CFMS. Gordon Carr (pictured left), a member of the Toronto ATSSA, became the first GM of the CFMS, and was in the post from 1964 to 1986.

In 1987 Stan Williamson accepted the position of Seminar Manager and served until 2001 (pictured right).

In 2002 Rod Henderson assumed the position of General Manager serving through 2009 (pictured left). The general manager function is to oversee a working committee comprised of at least one appointed volunteer from each Branch. From within this committee a chair person is elected and serves a yearly term. The first chair of the CFMS was George Britten.

There are some heavy duty logistics and coordination involved in putting together the CFMS. No sooner is one seminar completed, than plans for the next are underway. Monthly meetings are held with the Manufacturing sponsors to plan and organise panel sessions, events, and venue locations. They also coordinate between other interested & involved parties such as dealers, press, etc. to put on what has become one of the best maintenance seminars in North America.