PTTAC Makes Donation to Evan Thomas Memorial Fund
At the Professional Truck Training Alliance of Canada’s (PTTAC) first annual conference, a Silent Auction was held to raise funds in support of the Evan Thomas Memorial Trust Fund.
Evan Thomas was a bright young man with an engaging smile and a generous heart. He was a dedicated athlete, an exceptional student, and a natural leader. Evan played both baseball and hockey and cherished the time spent with his teammates, valuing camaraderie as much as competition.
Many of Evan’s friends and family believe he played sports as much for the relationships he built as for the games themselves. Nevertheless, Evan was widely recognized as an outstanding competitor and team leader. He played baseball with the Saskatoon Blue Jays and competed at the Canadian National Finals in 2014, where he earned a Gold Glove Award at second base. Evan was also selected in the Bantam Hockey Draft by the Kootenay Ice of the WHL and signed with the team in September 2017. Later that month, he returned home to play with the Humboldt Broncos of the SJHL.
Evan was a prolific learner who excelled academically. He received the Vanier Collegiate Science Award in Grade 11 for achieving the highest mark in the school. Evan attended Vanier Collegiate in Moose Jaw while playing for the Moose Jaw Midget “AAA” Generals during the 2016 and 2017 seasons, and later attended Centennial Collegiate in Saskatoon, where he graduated in June 2017.
Tragically, Evan was killed in a devastating bus accident on April 6, 2018, while traveling with his Humboldt Broncos teammates to a playoff game. Sixteen lives were lost that day. If there is any comfort to be found, it is that Evan passed away alongside the teammates he loved so deeply.
Evan’s father, Scott Thomas, attended the PTTAC Conference as a guest speaker, joined on stage by Earl Driedger, Founding Member and Vice-Chairman of PTTAC and President of Maximum Training. As part of the conference agenda at the sold-out event, Scott and Earl engaged in a candid and heartfelt discussion about the accident, its impact, and what can be done moving forward to improve road safety—particularly as it relates to the truck training and transportation industry.
The PTTAC Executive and Conference Committee were pleased to contribute $1,660.00 to the Evan Thomas Memorial Trust Fund, raised through proceeds from the Silent Auction.
Those wishing to make a donation to the Evan Thomas Memorial Trust Fund may do so by visiting www.evanthomasmemorialtrust.ca.
The 2026 PTTAC Conference will be held on October 6, 2026, at the Sheraton Saskatoon Downtown in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. The event will once again be held in partnership with the Private Motor Truck Council of Canada (PMTC), who will host their Western Educational Seminar on October 7, 2026.
A joint networking event hosted by PTTAC and PMTC will take place on October 6 following the PTTAC Conference.
