For Gagic Israelyan, it was about being in the right place at the right time and trusting his gut. The long-time Sunbury Owner Operator was driving down the 401 Eastbound when he noticed a Sunbury trailer paired with a tractor he didn’t recognize. He had a feeling something wasn’t right. Acting quickly, Israelyan called Kartik Rawat, the Planner for Ontario, while moving closer to the trailer to ascertain the identifying information and the name of the carrier. 

“You have to be careful, especially in big, busy cities,” said Israelyan. “It’s important to pay attention.”

Sure enough, Kartik responded that the trailer in question was not under Sunbury dispatch and was supposed to be in Dieppe, New Brunswick. The team reached out to corporate security, who in turn, alerted authorities. 

The Ontario Provincial Police located the trailer within 30 minutes on the 416 Southbound based on trailer tracking coordinates provided by Sunbury. After an investigation, it was determined the trailer had been mistakenly loaded and assigned to the driver by a third-party customer site. 

“I am so happy and so proud that the trailer was found,” Israelyan reflected. “That I was in the right place at the right time. I have been with Sunbury for 22 years. It’s my life and a great company.”

“This was a case of human error. While thankfully there was no criminal intent, we have zero tolerance for the unauthorized use of our equipment,” said Chris Bell, General Manager of Sunbury Transport. “If an asset is moved without our knowledge, there is risk of damage, lost shipments and the potential for criminal activity. Cargo theft and criminal activity in the trucking industry have become a major problem over the last five years. These risks are very real. Gagic’s quick thinking and presence of mind allowed us to reclaim the trailer safely and without incident. We are proud to have him as a member of our team.” 

Israelyan demonstrated integrity, vigilance, and excellent judgement, reported Thomas Robb a representative of the corporate security team. He encourages other Sunbury employees to follow his example: 

“Employees know their business, and they know what looks right…it’s our job to investigate, mitigate risks and keep the public safe. While we continue to deploy the latest technology and pre-emptive strategies, our employees play a critical role in protecting our assets. If something does not look right, say something.”

About Sunbury Transport

Sunbury is a premier transportation company, specializing in US and Canadian cross-border shipments and offering logistics services. Its fleet moves goods via truckload, van, flatbed, bulk wood fibre or container service. The company draws on exceptional teams – in the office and on the road – to provide diverse and innovative trucking and logistics solutions. With operations across Canada and the U.S., the company is headquartered in Saint John, NB.