CAFS First President Colin Dobell ~ 1948

Mr. Colin Dobell, director of Transportation Safety and Training for the British Columbia Electric Railway Co. Ltd., and past general chairman of the Transit Section, was an active Member of the section since 1945.

In the year 1948, Colin Dobell organized the local Association of Fleet Supervisors. This organization was named "Canadian Association of Fleet Supervisors" and it included representatives from most of Vancouver’s trucking firms.

Colin’s immediate contribution to the fleet safety was a comprehensive accident prevention program offered with his personal assistance to any trucking firm wishing to avail itself of this service.

In 1949, Mr. Colin Dobell was honored by the Vancouver Junior Chamber of Commerce for his work in organizing driver education programs for British Columbia’s high school students, for promoting the use of chemical tests for drinking drivers, and for his efforts to establish a central bureau to coordinate and increase provincial accident prevention efforts.

In 1954 he was chosen winner of the Marcus. A. Dow Memorial Award, an award made to the top fleet Safety director in the United States and Canada. It was the first time it was awarded to a Canadian.

Colin appeared a number of times as Congress program speaker and his articles on various aspects of fleet supervision have appeared in Public Safety Magazines.

For many years Dobell’s safety and Training was regarded as one of the most progressive in the industry. Under his direction 1946 to 1955, the company’s fleet of some 1,700 vehicles had a 27 percent reduction in accident frequency.

Thus an organization with a profound foundation was launched setting a stage that would carry it through for 60 year hence.