Unique training bus visited Rainy River last week

Ken Johnston
Editor

Last Tuesday a bus load of training and education rolled into town to strut its stuff for local union members.
The United Transportation Union’s mobile training and education facility is on a cross-Canada tour to showcase its facilities to its members. The bus is capable of hosting 24 union members for training and education anywhere where roads allow it to travel. It is equipped with two computers, two printers, a copier, scanner and fax machine. The seats also allow for 28 lap-top computers to be hooked up.
Brian Donald, a driver and operator of the mobile unit said the bus is owned by the membership and is paid for by a royalty on a special UTU Visa card in the United States. The facility cost about $580,000 U.S.
It was built with 40% more wiring than is needed to presently operate it with the idea that it can be upgraded to meet future needs.
It can host an instructor on board or connect trainees via satellite. It also has an extensive video training library.
Donald said it was a 10 year brain-child to help alleviate the problems facing UTU members who work in isolated areas. UTU represents train company workers, bus company workers, airline pilots and a small trucking association.
Local union members came out in droves with over 100 people touring the bus and enjoying a picnic at the Farmer’s Market Pavilion across from the Railroad Museum.
To use the mobile training vehicle local union leaders contact the UTU and put in a request for training. Their requests are then scheduled in according to the tour schedule and whereabouts of the bus. It is accessed by members in both the U.S. and Canada. It usually takes about 2 months for the request to be granted. Most of the training is union oriented, but Donald said the UTU is currently in discussions with companies to provide company training on things like rules an regulations.
Following the picnic there was a draw for the local union 1179’s old computer. It was won by James Lauzon. There was a pair of draws for a UTU jacket and shirt donated by UTU Vice President and former Rainy River citizen John Armstrong. They were won by Kirk Clifford and Tom McCormick respectively.