Pro-Trucker Driver's Choice - Mar Apr 2021 (Find your Trucking Job) by Creative Minds

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FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK BY JOHN WHITE Yeah, but… What a difference a year makes. At the end of February last year, I hopped on a plane to surprise my daughter in Regina for her birthday. She lives near White City, and during the week, I stopped at the truck stop for a coffee and to talk to some drivers. I met a couple of good guys, Ken and Peter (sorry guys, but your last names escape me), who told me their concerns about the highway. They were from Saskatoon, and we spent a lot of time re-hashing the Humboldt tragedy and proper driver training. They, too, felt that the MELT programs being implemented were no more than a band-aid to appease the voting public. They also said the person who owned the trucking company should have been the one to go to jail for putting a green driver behind the wheel without proper training. After we beat the government to death on that topic, we told each other our latest jokes, then they insisted on buying my coffee, which I have never been known to refuse, and hit the road. At that time, the virus’s seriousness was just starting to come out, and everyone was still feeling comfortable out in public. Soon people were applauding the nurses, doctors, first responders and truck drivers for putting themselves at risk by continuing to do the jobs while restrictions were being put on others. Today there are as many opinions on lock-downs, masks and vaccinations as there are people. It seems to be the main topic everywhere you look, especially on social media. And, as usual, everyone is convinced they are correct. I have to admit that I fell deep into that rabbit hole myself. But I have finally realized that people make up their own minds on these matters, no matter how much someone tries to convince someone else of their own personal wisdom. There have been many studies and articles written on the subject, and the majority of writers say that the chance of changing anyone else’s mind is an uphill battle at best. The common consensus is that it is human nature for individuals to resist admitting that they may be wrong. I can relate to that, having suffered from that affliction for years. Even when someone does change their mind, it usually starts with, “Yeah, but…” Which only emphasizes the reluctance to come right out and admit defeat – which unfortunately is all too often how it is personally perceived. On a similar note, when I was a supervisor at the Freightliner manufacturing plant in Burnaby, I was introduced to a line worker named Yabut. He had an accent that I could not quite place, so I did not think anything of what sounded to me like a strange name. I found out a few months later that everyone called him that because when he was instructed on how to do anything at all, he would always start his reply with, “Yeah but…”

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RIG OF THE MONTH by John White A big thank you to David Benjatschek of Wowtrucks.com for sending us these great pictures. David - Your love of trucks, and the people behind the wheel, shines through in the pictures you take.

All too often, women get stuck in low-paying jobs with no future. Our Rig of the Month driver is an excellent example of how a trucking career can ensure personal independence and open many doors.

y name is Kalyn Tibbits, and I was born in 1992 at the Grey Nuns Hospital in Edmonton. My family left Edmonton when I was a year old, and over the next few years, we moved all over Alberta and B.C. That went on until I was in grade 6 when we settled down in Comox on Vancouver Island. That is the place I call home, and I still miss it every day. Unlike a lot of you, I am a first-generation truck driver. In October 2012, I came to Edmonton for my grandparent’s 50th wedding anniversary. My Baba told me how busy everything was in Edmonton and how there were so many more opportunities here, unlike on the Island back home. I was 20 at the time and had no idea what I wanted to do. After

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I got home, I couldn’t get what my Baba said out of my head. The more I thought about it, the more I could see that, at that point, there was no future for me in Comox. I was in a toxic relationship at the time and thought I had nothing to lose. I packed up my place and put everything in storage, and then, with just two suitcases, my dog and my car, on Nov 5th, I drove to Edmonton. Halfway there, I called my Baba and asked her if she still wanted a roommate. My grandparents were ecstatic and welcomed me with open arms. Once settled in, I honestly had no idea what I wanted to do. I worked at West Edmonton Mall with my girlfriend for a little while but soon

Kalyn Tibbits realized it was not my thing. So, I went out on a limb and put an ad up on Kijiji, stating where I was from and the work experience that I had. A couple of days later, I got a call from Tom Buckler, from Buckler Transport. He told me about what they do and what they were looking for and asked if I was interested. I said I was and he said that I was more than welcome to come in and see what they do. I have always loved driving, so I figured it was worth a shot. I got hired on, and it was quite the experience. I only had my class 5 at the time, MARCH / APRIL 2021

www.driverschoice.ca so I had to go for my air brake endorsement right away. I then drove body jobs all over northern Alberta & B.C., delivering groceries, supplies and sometimes transported staff to rig camps. We had to hand-bomb all the supplies out of the trucks, and I loved it. I was always going somewhere different and meeting new people. I stayed with Buckler for 2.5 years - they were all like family, incredibly supportive. Tom always kept me going even when I got frustrated and discouraged when things did not go just right. I made mistakes but learned from them, and every day I am thankful for all the experience I got in those 2.5 years. The other drivers were always supportive and wanted to see me succeed. They were always helpful and more than willing to teach me the tricks of the trade. I loved driving on the back bush roads, switchbacks, chaining up, and going to all kinds of different camps all over the place. I met some awesome people and other truckers along the way. At this point, people were pretty accepting that I was a female in the industry. It had not been an issue yet. Toms Daughter Kim also drove truck, and she has become like family to me over the years. She is another amazing woman in the industry and an excellent driver! After Buckler Transport, I started on with a specialized trucking company in Edmonton, and this is honestly a place I did not want to write about. But it’s all part of my story. I do not regret it for one second though, the drivers MARCH / APRIL 2021

were awesome, and we worked crazy hours. We were on call all the time and expected to show up every morning and be ready to go. Even if absolutely nothing happened that day, you had to sit around the shop. I did learn a lot, from the wreckers, flagging, pilot trucks, landoll & moving all kinds of equipment. Some of the wrecks we went to were insane, and being apart of the retrieval and clean-up process was not easy. I give credit to the people that still do this job. I learned so much in the time that I was there. Even when some days seemed bloody impossible, I still pushed thru. I went for my class 1 while with them and was so proud when I passed! It may not be a big deal to some, but it meant the world to me. This place showed me what the sometimes harsh reality of being a woman in this industry involves. Any time I messed up or had a question, I got the same line from the owner. Even when no comment was warranted, I still got it. “You just aren’t built for this job; women just can’t do this kind of work.” That was hard to take at first, but eventually, when you hear negative stuff like that enough, you can do one of two things. You can let it get you down and give up or realize it’s a problem they have, and it has nothing to do with you. It just made no sense to me why some men must be like that. One of the managers asked me if I wanted to know what he thought of me. At this point, I was still a quiet and reserved person, so silly me, I said sure. He looked at me and said, “In my opinion, you should not be here.” His words made me laugh, they were not surprising, and I continued to push forward and proved them all wrong. I could do the job, and in fact, I was there for two years. I met some wonderful people in the mix of everything, even though there was a lot of bad, I appreciate all the good when I look back now. I met My daughters’ father there, which I am grateful for, but when it came time to tell my employer the exciting news that I was expecting. I was fired for unjust cause a few days later. To them, it was the straw that broke the camel’s back. I

later found out that my pregnancy was the main reason they dismissed me. I have been working since I was 12 years old. My first job was in the summer at a tree plantation. So being home on maternity leave was hard for me. While I genuinely enjoyed the arrival of our beautiful daughter, I missed being at work. I picked up night shifts with a snow removal company to keep busy and to stop from going stir crazy. Whether it was in a dump truck or running equipment, I absolutely loved it. I still go back every winter and give them a hand if they are short operators. That spring, I got a job with a company that transported hydro-vac slurry. I operated a roll-off tractortrailer unit, winching & moving tanks from the yard to a dump site and back. It was extremely fast-paced and kept me on my toes. Once the season ended, I went back to snow removal for the winter months. As spring approached, I got a call from a friend about driving a readymix truck. I have always wanted to do different things in the trucking industry, so I readily agreed. I love to learn and constantly challenge myself, so I am incredibly grateful that I was given that opportunity. Until then, I didn’t know there was so much to learn about concrete, like the different colours, consistency, and batch amounts. My mentor was a girl named Caroline. She was a great teacher and a hoot to work with, so it was a lot of fun. It was fast-paced, and I got to go to a new location to pour every day, and as a bonus, everyone I worked with there was awesome. While these seasonal jobs were a lot of fun, and I learned a lot, I needed something that was year-round to help support my family. That’s when I got hired on with a company that hauled pipe and oilfield equipment. They put me in a 2013 long nose Peterbilt, and I was overly excited about that. I enjoyed that job too. One of my close friends, Evan, worked there, so it was cool to see him on the road! They kept me busy, but I was away from home more than I would have liked. It was hard on Pro-Trucker Driver’s Choice Magazine

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me not to see my daughter every day, as she was still incredibly young. But I did what I had to do and made it work. I was with them for over a year, and I learned a lot and enjoyed the job. Sometimes things happen & people change, so I set out on my own. I started over and picked myself back up because life is too short to be unhappy. So I did what I had to do and continued to work hard every day. Even though It had me considering getting out of trucking all together, thinking I could find something different and no longer be behind the wheel. I wasn’t ready to give that up, but I needed to do what was best for my daughter, so I decided I couldn’t be away from home for work anymore. Some people say that when one door closes another opens and I have to agree because that was when I was put in contact with Kirian Excavating and Transport. They are a small family company that honestly does a little bit of everything. They took me in, Pro-Trucker Driver’s Choice Magazine

and It has been an awesome adventure. They have taken the time to teach me a lot, making sure I am comfortable and capable on my own and to be the best that I can be. And of course, razzing me on the hard days to remind me that it’s still supposed to be fun! I am not perfect and have made mistakes, but learning from them is so important. Wanting to do better each day and taking in the good lessons and, yes, even the crappy and frustrating ones. I have never been one to shy away from work, whether I am in a truck, washing trucks or in the shop helping. They always keep me busy! The owners have taken me under their wings and have wanted to see me succeed from day one. They are always there to help or teach me new things about the trade. I drive a winch tractor now and run a dump truck with a quad wagon. Both things I never imagined I would do when just starting out in the trucking world. I know I am capable of anything I set my mind to. It’s just a matter of overcoming the hurdles that come with it. They have seen me struggle and get frustrated, but they are always right there to encourage me to keep going. I am also thankful for my dispatcher, who keeps my wheels turning, my coworkers who are always there to help and keep me going. This company is an awesome team, and I am grateful to be apart of it every day. Everywhere that I have worked has been an adventure for me. In the last nine years, I have met, and continue to meet, many wonderful people. Some who I am even fortunate enough now to

call family. When on the road, I always stop and help others if and when I can. Because let’s face it, what we do isn’t easy. There have been times when I thought to myself, what the heck am I doing here? And I’m sure I am not the only one. But no matter what, I never gave up and looking back on it now, I am so glad I didn’t. One thing I miss now is not being on the highway. Going off the beaten path off the road to the rig camps was definitely an adventure. Throwing chains, going up and down crazy switchbacks with beautiful views was great, but honestly, the peace and quiet of those runs were the best. I am still learning every day and still love my job. I don’t have too many crazy highway stories to tell. We have all been thru the crazy winters, dealt with the crazy roads and well…the crazy drivers! Like everyone, I have seen some horrible accidents and, unfortunately, at times, been the one that had to go to help clean them up. I have had to show other drivers how to chain up, get fuel, and even help fix the odd problem with their truck or trailer. We are all out here working hard in different parts of the trucking industry but I believe it is important that we look out for one another. Finally, this is near and dear to my heart. For all you ladies out there who are either in the industry or thinking of giving it a go, I know things have changed, and it is harder and more expensive to get your licence now. But for those of you who are on the fence about stepping into this crazy world, at the end of the day, the only person who dictates what you can or cannot do is you! This crazy whirlwind of an adventure has been far from easy, but it has been so rewarding and, most of all, fun! I have made some great friends who I now call family. Every day is a challenge and a lesson. I will always be so grateful for those who have taught me, supported me, and cheered me on in this journey so far. It’s only the beginning - who knows what this will look like for me down the road. But I absolutely love what I do, and that is so important! MARCH / APRIL 2021

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Letters to the Editor Hi John, Well, it didn’t take long for Brexit to boil over. My son came to visit yesterday, and I let him read my article in this issue and apparently, the confusion is already running rampant. A customer phoned him asking when his freight was being delivered. My son checked the documents he had in the office and found the customs declarations hadn’t been submitted, so now he’s waiting for the s&#t to hit the fan when he does submit the docs, and for when customs asks to examine the load before it’s delivered. He thinks the driver came off the ferry, and although he was told to go to the holding area at an old airfield, he bypassed it and went to the delivery point like he normally would before the new rules came into effect. Fun and games in the post-Brexit U.K. Colin Black - Scotland. Editors note: Because of the extremely short notice they gave drivers between the time the agreement was signed and implemented, I am sure there will be a lot of confusion until everyone has been brought up to speed. It takes time to educate everyone when you have changes of this magnitude. Obviously, in their haste, the politicians did not stop to consider the impact on the industry or, what is more likely, they did not care. John, I got a kick out of your last editorial about social media and it is so true. What is also true is your last line when you said, “The future is bright if we let it be.” As a trucker it is well known that it is my duty and right to bitch and complain about everything from politicians to everyday life (I’m trying my hand at using the sarcasm you like so much) but some people are going way overboard in exercising that right. For some people, all they do is complain. I have a friend that I don’t think has had a positive thing to say in months. It was getting so depressing to see all the time that I have taken a rest from social media and I am now in a better frame of mind at work and at home. I also believe that it is fine to get on a bandwagon but some people get on every one of them that comes along. Their only criteria is that it has to be against something or someone. It is time to chill out. We have a choice to be happy or to be miserable when we get up in the morning and choosing to be happy sure makes for a better day. Please do not print my name. My friend can be a pain in the ass but I still want him as my friend.

cker azine Pro-Tru Choice Mag s Driver’

Editor’s note: No comment - although I have to admit that you are getting a pretty good handle on the sarcasm end of things. Hello John, This is an update on an earlier letter of mine about VHF radio frequencies and the enforcement that is coming. All frequencies come with restrictions and Lad channels are no exception. Some of these radio frequencies interfere with local government in Western Canada and all are ‘prohibited’ east of the Ontario border, where the frequencies are commonly used by emergency services. Now let’s look south to America. Our Lad channels are used by police, fire, ambulance, local Government and Federal agencies throughout the USA. The U.S. government agency responsible for radio licensing the FCC is now under the guise of their parent agency, the Department of Home Land Security (DHLS) who takes interference with law enforcement by ‘foreign and domestic’, especially after the recent events in Washington DC on January 6th, as reasonable grounds to lay charges of terrorism. Great, a 100% free, all expenses paid, and possibly lengthy, holiday to Guantanamo Bay Cuba with no concerns for COVID isolation for the duration of your stay. While there you will be supplied with poor food, crappy accommodations, and the concierge will be carrying an attitude and gun. Editor’s note: This is something that everyone who crosses the border should be conscious of because the border guards definitely take their jobs seriously. They have no sense of humour and do not take ignorance of the law, or your need to be able to travel to the U.S. for your job, into consideration when applying the law. If you have a working VHF radio when you cross the border you can be charged. One thing that was acceptable at one time, but you should double check to see if this is still possible, and that is leaving the microphone at home. You should also tell the border guard that you have it for your job in Canada. They can put a sticker type seal seal over the microphone plug to ensure that it would not be used while in the States. Again this is something that should be checked before you pull up to customs. On another note things have been quite lax in Canada concerning VHF licenses. This too is coming to an end and drivers will soon have to have a license ($45) in order to have a VHF in the cab.

To our readers: Do you have a story about a trip you have made that will interest our readers? If so you can contact me at john@ptmag.ca Pro-Trucker Driver’s Choice Magazine

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All Things Shiny and New By Dennis Sova I was always interested in the big rigs, so when a chance to retire early from my lifetime career came up, I took the gold watch, got my class 1 and hit the road. For the next ten years, I hauled everything from potatoes to Zambonis in Western Canada and the U.S., acquiring many (mostly) happy memories along the way.

y last driving job was with a relatively large national company. As a part-timer, I drove whatever was available, usually while the assigned drivers were on their days off. But my favourite was old 225 - a cast-off from the head office “back East” and reputedly the oldest highway tractor in the entire fleet. An old Kenworth with a Cat engine, she was used as a spare and was not cluttered with other people’s stuff; she was reliable as long as you did not push her too hard up the hills and felt as comfortable as an old pair of slippers. So what if the fridge door occasionally fell off when you hit a pothole. I always asked for 225 and was heartbroken when the inevitable happened, and she was gone -the fleet was being replaced with shiny new tractors, all automatics. I must admit that, in the city, they made life easier and allowed one to concentrate on traffic or not getting lost and the disc brakes were great! But on a hilly highway, the beast had to be tamed with manual override, or you ended up feeling like a noddy dog ornament from the constant automatic shifting. I soon discovered that besides apparently getting better mileage, these new units had some amazing quirks! A big conference was being held at Whistler, and I was tasked to deliver a trailer filled with furniture to the ski resort, drop the trailer and bobtail back to Vancouver and do it again. My first

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trip was great - the brand new day cab had that new car smell, traffic was light, and the scenery great except for the rain that was starting to get very heavy. I dropped the trailer and headed south through the village. As I braked for the first red light, water started pouring in through the top of both doors. The same thing happened as I went down the first steep hill, of which there are many. “Son of a ...” I hollered as I pulled over, firmly convinced that someone at the factory forgot to install the door seals. But no, all looked in order. The rain continued all day, as did the soaking every time I bobtailed. I amused myself remembering the old joke: What’s the difference between a certain truck brand (which I just happened to be driving today) and a religious group of door knockers? Answer: you can always close the door on the latter. I arrived back at the terminal looking like a poster boy for adult incontinence products. My briefcase, which was on the passenger seat, did not fare any better. “That’s weird!” said the boss man and went back to his paperwork. But the real domain of the gremlins was the transmission. It was rush hour, and I was stopped at a red light on Boundary Road at Grandview Highway, one of the steepest hills on Vancouver’s truck routes. But today, it did not matter. I had an automatic! My smugness was short-lived when I glanced at the air pressure gauge, which

was acting like an airliner altimeter on a particularly scary episode of Mayday! Lightning-fast thinking is not my forte, but the impending wrath of the motoring public helped my concentration immensely. I pulled the trailer brakes, put the gear in neutral and revved her up to 2,000. Slowly the needle started moving in the right direction, and we were ready to launch by the time the light turned green. I stopped on level ground and checked for leaks but was met with total silence and the truck was on its best behaviour after that. I had a pretty good idea who the culprit was... It turns out I was lucky that time. Often, the gearbox ignored the not unreasonable request to go into gear - any gear. I came to work one very busy Friday afternoon, ready to head to Calgary. The tractor was already hooked up to the trailer, but the pre-trip quickly established that the rig would not move in any direction, apparently due to low air in the transmission. After idling forever, she finally moved forward, but nothing I did would bring the reverse back to life. “ I don’t have anything else,” snapped the overworked head dispatcher. “ You can go to Calgary, or you can go home!” Well, the rig was fortunately pointed towards the gate, so what the heck! When I got to the Husky in Sicamous, I parked on the access road for an easy getaway in the morning. Except when I awoke in the dawn’s early light, I was completely surrounded by double-parked trucks, and backing up was the only way out. Hoping that the gremlins were still asleep, I crossed my fingers and gently selected “R”... and much to my relief, it worked! Retired now, I often pass trucks that have seen better days, hauling shipping containers to Delta Port. I always look for old 225 - she just may be out there still, working her heart out. MARCH / APRIL 2021

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customer money. We offer a kingpin refurbishing service that removes the need to cut through the floor and replace the bolster plate and an axle & spindle repair service where there is no need to remove the vehicle's axle. In addition, we deal with accident damage to drive & trailer axles, and we can straighten an axle while it is still on the vehicle. As the trucking industry evolves, Mobalign is at the forefront of innovation. By listening to our customers, we continue to offer creative solutions to fit their needs. As we grow in the industry, we also want to offer people a real opportunity for mechanics to run their own business by offering full training and ongoing support. Mobalign started the first franchises in 2015 and now has franchisees covering BC, Alberta and the US. Our next area for expansion is into Ontario and we look forward to offering our customers a nationwide service.

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The Gift

Dave Madill

MARCH / APRIL 2021

Have you ever held a kitten and listened to it purr? Have you ever held a puppy, gently stroked its fur? Ever held a baby and rocked it while it slept? Ever stopped to help a child, held them while they wept? Ever held your lover as they slept safe in your arms? Ever helped a stranger and kept them safe from harm? Ever save a fledgling that tumbled from the sky? Ever held a loved one’s hand as they prepared to die? Is there any greater gift than that we can give? Perhaps this is the very way that man is meant to live? Pro-Trucker Driver’s Choice Magazine

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B-Trains T

his story took place in approximately 1976 when I worked for a company that hauled all around Canada and U.S. There was an oil boom going on, and a lot of drilling mud and drilling chemicals were hauled from Malta, Montana and Greybull Wyoming up into Canada. We drove new International’s with Silver 92 Detroit engines, empty from Calgary to Malta pulling 45’ flat deck trailers. Then we would load up as heavy as the U.S. would allow and add extra bags in Calgary to take it North. The company asked Fruehauf Trailer in Calgary if they could build a “B” train so they could haul twice as much and not have to stop in Calgary. Fruehauf, of course, were more than happy to oblige. In order to spec the trailers our company got a copy of the regulations from the states they were hauling through, and all the states said was to run a test trip once the trailers were built. The company now needed a volunteer, so they used the old tried and true army volunteer system and said to me, “Hey you, we have a special trip for you.” They gave me directions, the most important one being, “Stop at the Havre Montana scale house and ask them how many bags we could haul.” I left Calgary with the new trailers and soon found that a B-train was a lot different to handle than any other trailer I had pulled, and I hadn’t even tried to back up yet. When I got to Havre, I asked the very nice scale lady how many bags could we haul and was there anything that we should know about B-train licenses? She dug through a pile of books and finally said we could carry 900 bags for the axles we had. She said she had known I was coming, but the state didn’t have licensing figured out yet, so they would permit it this trip and hopefully have it figured out in time for the next trip. I pulled up to the loading area and

Pro-Trucker Driver’s Choice Magazine

told the people that we By Glen Millard could haul 900 bags Glen was born in Saskatchewan. with these trailers. He has driven trucks for 50 The pallets were only years, mostly long hauling. He’s stacked six bags high, now retired, that is until another so I had to wait while adventure comes along. they put extra bags on each pallet. The bags had to be glued to the scale lady said we were getting the existing bags because shrink wrap closer, but I was still too heavy. We both had not been invented yet. When it was laughed, and she said, “I don’t know all on, I tarped the trailers and headed who is going to guess this time. First, North. That Silver 92 Detroit had about I was wrong, and the second time, my 450 horsepower, but it felt like the boss was wrong. You can go to Coutts horses were underfed Shetland Ponies again, and we will do this all over with that load. As I travelled, I watched again.” So I thanked her, and I left for the mirrors, and it looked like there were Coutts. When I got there, the trucks were ruts on the road behind me but none in not at the border, so they unloaded me the front. I swung the wheel from side and put it all in the warehouse. to side, and yup, the ruts did the same. The blacktop back then was made like When I pulled into Havre the next Japanese cold mix blacktop. day, the scale lady was all smiles. She said, “Today is the day. We have run out I made it to Havre scales and pulled of bosses to guess, so we all got together up to the scale, and the lady told me to and decided 640 bags would be about park and come in to talk to her. When I right.” When I got to Malta, smiling, the got into the building, she said, “I think shipping boss said, “What you again? you have too much on – I can’t scale the How many this time? The warranty must load.” Finally, she told me to go to the be almost up on these new trailers.” I Coutts Border Crossing, where she said told him I wanted 640 bags, and he said there would be two trucks that would that sounded a lot better. take my load from there and when I came back, she could tell me how many This time when I left the plant, the bags I could carry. truck handled much better. There were no ruts behind me, and the scale lady When I got to Coutts, two trucks with in Havre could finally scale the load. 45-foot trailers were waiting. We got On this trip, when I got to Coutts, I was the load off, and the next day, when I sent straight through to Calgary. From stopped at Havre, the scale lady said her then on, 640 bags was the count that was boss said that I could only haul 720 bags. hauled on the B-trains. I thanked her and headed for Malta. When I got there, we loaded 720 bags, Fruehauf built six or eight of those and the boss said he thought it was still B-train trailers for us, and I hauled them too much. for about four months until the company found another adventure for me. That is I left and found that someone had fed why I loved driving a truck. It was never those Shetland Ponies as they pulled boring, and it was all about your attitude much easier, and I wasn’t leaving ruts towards your job. as bad. When I got to the Havre scale, It seems like life is also like that. MARCH / APRIL 2021

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The Good Ol’ Days I

n speaking and writing, I try hard not to use clichés. One, however, is never far from my lips; “the good old days.” We were just having a conversation the other day about these “good” old days, and after my friend and I were done talking, I hung up and thought about it in trucking terms and pondered, was it really that good? Depending on your age, ‘the good old days’ can really be an entirely different decade, but for me, the time I refer to was the mid-’90s to the early 2K’s. In my late teens to early twenties, when I got my start in trucking, yeah, that’s my glory days. The early electronic motors, no emissions BS, logbook rules and enforcement we could live with and a ton of firsts for me in the industry. When I wax poetic about my best times in trucking, that’s where my mind goes. I know many other drivers who would agree wholeheartedly that this was the golden age of trucking. It is hard to argue with them on that too. Just recently, as I was looking to add another truck to my operation, I was looking over the line-up at a Kenworth dealer and thinking how interesting it was that in 2021 I could still order the W900L with flat glass and a 42” Flattop bunk. The truck has been around in that basic configuration for almost 40 years. Hmmmmm, who says you can’t go back in time? It was time to go retro. I made a plan and a spec that was going to look just like the dream trucks I had on my wall as a kid. Yes, I am, in fact, enough of a truck nerd to have a trucking poster on my wall. I poured over the specs and built a badass hot-rod K-dub. Well, at least I built the spec for one. But before handing over a down payment and a handshake, I had a weekend to wait.

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As I looked over pictures and reminisced about trucks, I had driven way back when I remembered a few things, or should I say my body reminded me. I started on Saturday to have this pain in my hip, a pain I hadn’t felt in years. It was something I started getting when I drove a regular day cab KW… you see, my six foot two plus frame does not fit well into that cab. It is the same small cab that comes on the W900L I was ordering. My body was reminding me that it didn’t want to go back in time. So I approached the idea of a bigger opening by having my new truck genetically altered. There are companies that do it, and if you want the “old school” look, this is the only way to go. I then thought back to my friend Marlin and his tales of trying to live out of the 42” bunk while he drove coast to coast. It turns out that in the past 20 years, I have become quite comfortable with larger storage and breathing room in a truck, so I decided to scrap the idea of the flat glass truck. Now I considered any of the three long hoods, from Western Star, KW or Peterbilt but with a bigger bunk. Classic style bigger room, this would work perfectly, I chatted with salesmen and got numbers to run with and now just had to make up my mind. It was while I was trying to determine which truck was right for me that I stumbled on some numbers. Fuel numbers from back in the day – non-aero truck numbers. So apparently, I have also become accustomed to the fuel economy of a slippery truck. As much as I love to look cool, I really don’t want to give up any extra on the bottom line to do so. Again this is a personal choice, but I just want to keep my bottom line as healthy as it can be.

By Greg Evasiuk

Greg is a third generation trucker with over a million miles and 20 plus years in trucking. He now sells trucks for Nortrux.

One avenue to add would be just buying an old truck, and I looked at that too. Then I did a 6-month stint in an old pre-emission 379. It had the cool factor, and it made the right noises but often some of the wrong ones. It often had wiring gremlins and all the other little things that pop up in 30-year-old equipment. My hat is off to all of you dedicated to running an old truck every day. That is a labour of love, but I just don’t have the time and patience for it anymore. Back to the matter at hand, I also could not bring myself to buy another Aero truck. While I love the fuel economy and the room, I do not love the resale value. At this point, the ‘good old days’ were looking better and better because I can look back at them and don’t have to do anything but remember the good. In the present, I had a feeling I was going to have to make a decision that was gonna compromise my needs in some way - so I didn’t buy anything. The perfect out for me came in a lease. An eighteen months walk-away full-service lease. In a year and a half, I can decide what to do. I have to say, as of right now, the numbers work out well, the comfort level is high, the fuel economy is great, and I don’t have to lift a finger just drive. I work on my business, not my truck which makes me feel the present and the future will be, ‘good old days’ just give it time. MARCH / APRIL 2021

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Cold Trip I

t was January, and I loaded up with wood moulding in Yakima, Washington and headed for Alexandria, Ontario. I crossed the border up by Bonner and prepared to take the load across Canada. The border crossing went well, and I had no problems other than poor winter conditions, which caused me to slow down a bit and be a little more careful. The load was cinched down, tarped up, and considering the time of year; things were going quite well. I spent the night just on the Northside of Thunder Bay at the fuel stop and then headed out intending to make North Bay and deliver the next day. From listening to the CB, I found out that the highway around the lake was in horrible conditions, so I decided to take the north route through Longlac and Hearst as that road was said to be in fair condition. I made it up to Longlac, and whoever said the road was OK didn’t know what he was talking about as I was running slow due to drifting snow and poor visibility, not to mention that it was cold enough for Polar Bears. After a quick coffee break, I was back on the road, and things were humming right along, but man, was it getting colder. I figured I was about 20 miles out of Hearst when I noted that my engine was overheating, so I shut it down and pulled over to the side to check things out. Belts all looked good, the rad was right up, and everything else looked great. I hopped back in and fired the big kitty back up, and then I noticed I had no heat coming from the heater- Oh

Crap - that meant I just blew a water pump, and there was nothing around there to help me out but trees. I knew it would get cold inside, so I put on all my cold-weather gear and tried to figure out what to do. I figured I could let the engine cool, then fire it up and make a mile or so before having to shut it off, and if I repeated this a few times, I could make Hearst, where there was a repair shop right on the west side of town. Two hours later, and still, no sign of Hearst, and I knew I was in trouble when an OPP cruiser pulled up to check and make sure I was OK. I had already started shivering badly, and I was sure glad to hop in his warm patrol car. He told me I was only a couple miles from town, and after warming up a bit, I told him I was going to try and limp the truck into town. He said he would try and get back to me when he got a chance, so I hopped back in the truck and tried again. Three or four stop and goes, and I finally made it into the town and pulled off into the large parking lot at the repair shop, but by now, I was in trouble. Shut the truck down, locked it up and staggered across the parking lot to where I could see a Motel sign but after banging on the door and pushing the buzzer for a while, I realized it was closed, and I stumbled down the road and literally fell into the Timmie’s shop that was just about to close for the night. I only made it through the

By Dave Madill Dave Madill was Pro-Trucker Magazine’s Rig of the Month in June of 2001 and he has been entertaining us with his poetry ever since. Dave has published three books of poems that are available by special order through Chapters Book Stores.

first set of doors when I collapsed, and the manager who was heading over to lock up had to drag me inside. The next thing I knew my coat and mitts had been removed, and I was inside a nice warm “kitchen” where they fed me about four cups of hot chocolate and phoned the ambulance. I convinced the paramedics that I was not in too bad a condition, and they took me over to the local hotel, which was open and still had a few rooms left. Into the room, and after a HOT bath, I wasn’t shaking anymore and realized just how lucky I was to have made it. The truck had blown a water pump, and aside from having to wait for a new one to be sent by Greyhound from Toronto, everything was fine. I got my 36 hours reset on my log, got a couple of good nights rest, and my load was only a couple of days late, but that didn’t much matter as they had lots of product in stock. One thing I did realize after that was that you don’t fool around with -40 degree weather if you want to live and keep trucking. I had been lucky - another 15 minutes or so outside in those temps, and I would have died, but I had pushed the limit and managed to make it.

A Veterinarian Goes to the Doctor A Veterinarian was feeling ill and went to see her doctor. The doctor asked her all the usual questions, about symptoms, how long had they been occurring, etc., when she interrupted him: “Hey look, I’m a vet - I don’t need to ask my patients these kind of questions: I can tell what’s wrong just by looking.” She smugly added, “Why can’t you?” The doctor nodded, stood back, looked her up and down, quickly wrote out a prescription, handed it to her and said, “There you are. Of course, if that doesn’t work, we’ll have to have you put to sleep.” Pro-Trucker Driver’s Choice Magazine

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Brexit A

t last, we’re finally out. The UK has left the European Union, it only took our Trump look-alike Prime Minister Boris Johnston four years, but we’ve cut all ties with the EU. Well, maybe not all ties, but a lot, it’s all plain sailing from here on in. No, really, I’m sure we’ll all be heaps better off just as soon as all the snags are ironed out. Little things like the fact nobody seems to know what to do about custom clearing trucks that want to take our exports to the continent. Or bring imports in from the continent. I hope they get it sorted out before the transport companies who depend on the export of fish and other seafood go to the wall. A trucker on TV told the interviewer he’d been waiting to get on a ferry at Dover for forty hours! That’s a week of five regular eight-hour shifts for most people, but the difference is, they get to go home in between shifts. He’d submitted his documents several times, only to have them refused, no explanations. It’s lucky they kept that airfield free where they stored all those trucks waiting to cross the channel when the French closed their border. It’s coming in handy again for drivers like him, and of course, it stops them clogging the ferry port up as they wait to see if their paperwork has cleared customs.

I think the problem is that the transport industry and everybody else only got about a week to get ready. After four years, Boris said, right that’s it, I’ve got an agreement, from January 1st, it will all change. The TV was full of adverts, bakers writing the date in flour, garages servicing cars, and of course, trucks getting loaded, all telling people to be ready for the change on January 1st, 2021. But people weren’t ready, and what’s more, customs weren’t prepared. The reason being nobody knew what the agreement was going to be until the week before the change. My eldest son, another Colin, works for a company that custom clears shipments for firms who don’t want to employ their own clearance clerks. Import/Export, air freight, road freight, and containers, or sea cans as you guys call them, my son and his colleagues know the rules inside out, or at least they used to. But not to worry, Boris and his merry men have set up helplines. Have you got a query about the new rules? Just phone this number. But when they did, they were put on hold and then told they were going through to the wrong department and told to call this

By Colin Black Colin Black lives in Bellshill, Lanarkshire, Scotland and has been driving truck for over 40 years. His story shows us once again that the problems drivers face are universal.

other department. This went on and on, getting bounced from pillar to post. Until one day, my son finally spoke to somebody who knew what he was talking about. I’ll bet his phone line will be busy when word gets around. My boy reckons it could be a smuggler’s paradise. Shipments that used to be guaranteed to get a thorough search by customs are just getting rubber-stamped and sent on their way simply because they are too busy. To ease the financial burden on some importer/ exporter firms, the government put a hold on VAT, valueadded tax, for six months. But some clearance houses are not asking their customers if they want to defer paying the tax and are automatically deferring it. So, there could be a surprise for these customers in six months when they get hit with a big bill. I wonder if people would’ve voted to leave the E U if they’d had a look into the future and saw the mess our politicians would make of it.

Diamond Ring A businessman boarded a plane to find, sitting next to him, an elegant woman wearing the largest, most stunning diamond ring he had ever seen. He asked her about it. “This is the Hoelzen diamond,” she said. “It is beautiful, but there is a terrible curse that goes with it.” “What’s the curse?” the man asked. “Mr. Hoelzen.” Pro-Trucker Driver’s Choice Magazine

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A Moment’s Distraction I

have been first on the scene for several collisions while working as a trucker. Most of these have been minor, but several have been severe. One particular incident stands out. I was waiting at a train crossing in Saskatchewan when a small car failed to stop for the signal and crossed the tracks right in front of a fast-moving freight train. The result was immediate and gruesome. I helped as best I could with the first aid supplies I had on me, and then emergency medical services quickly took over. The incident has stuck with me over the years. It has stuck with me for several reasons. One, it was sudden and shocking - the sort of thing a person does not easily forget. Second, it highlights how quickly things can go wrong when someone makes a mistake. I don’t know why the car failed to stop for the train signal, but it looks like an example of a distracted driver. Given how often I see people driving while distracted, I think it is not a stretch to make this assumption. Even if I am wrong, many collisions are caused by distracted driving, and many of these have catastrophic unintended consequences. This last thought is powerful to me: so many lives are ruined and ended due to a moment’s inattention. People out for a drive likely have plans to get to their destination and are not planning on not surviving the trip. Here’s a poem I wrote about the incident approximately a year after it happened.

By Dave Elniski

Dave Elinski lives in Lethbridge, Alberta. Like most drivers he started out driving smaller trucks and then got his Class 1 license six years ago. Since then, he has mostly done flatbed work in western Canada, and the U.S. He is also in the army reserves and has driven various military trucks over the past seven years.

Another Cross at the Crossing The crossing arm came down And the lights were aglow. Many a word for that train, But none would be slow. A moment distracted and He drove through the arm. In an instant it was over: His rival, unharmed. Toppled and flipped, Smoking, spinning, upset. About a dozen people saw And that dozen won’t forget The sounds of the crash While the train rolled on by, Past the body of a dead man. No one heard his last sigh. A quiet prairie place That sees trains all day long. CP, CN, BNSF Pound the rails, shake the town. So saddened to see, So disheartened to hear

Another wreck at the crossing, Close to home, so near. Before the still-warm but quiet Was even gone from the scene, Another train, different direction, Rumbled slow where there’d been A few moments ago Another life, cut short By a moment’s distraction A moment, now wrote In the minds of those first few, The first to tend to the wreck Who now, for a few nights, With have to contest With the vision so ugly that When they close their eyes. They see a body so mangled. They’ll cross a little more wise. Every tombstone on the highway, Every cross at the tracks: Each a story unplanned And written so fast.

Math Problem The owner of a golf course in West Virginia was confused about paying an invoice, so he decided to ask his secretary for some mathematical help. He called her into his office and said, “You graduated from the West Virginia University and I need some help. If I were to give you $20,000, minus 14%, how much would you take off?” The secretary thought a moment, then replied, “Everything but my earrings.” Pro-Trucker Driver’s Choice Magazine

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Have or Have not O

ver the past few months, I’ve noticed a line of new driver questions on various trucking social media sites. These new drivers are asking for information on “what to bring” and “how to’s,” from what they believe will be experienced truckers. And for the most part, the responses have been pretty solid. Because the trucking world has grown so quickly, there has been a noticeable loss of skills being passed down to the newer generations of drivers. Mentors are fewer and further between, and our industry has suffered what may be irreparable skill losses. So I thought it might be a good time to compile a list of points to assist in hard copy. The following information is both a combination of my personal repertoire and some of the good ideas I’ve read online. Keep in mind, every aspect of trucking has its own application, as do the tricks of the trade corresponding to those conditions. What may work for one aspect or driver may not work for the next. This also covers beyond the act of driving itself to load security, route decisions, the use of tire chains, tools, sleep patterns, meals, etc. Use that and whatever you glean from this article to help guide you through a successful career. Mindset is probably the single most important thing that keeps a trucker focused behind the wheel. That begins with doing your best to manage your diet and sleep schedules. Both are very difficult because, as you know, freight has to move, and it doesn’t go anywhere while you’re sawing logs in the sleeper. The meal part can cover a number of possible solutions. Bring food and water with you in the truck. This sounds simple, but you’d be surprised at how many drivers

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were caught away from their terminals without food, for even a single day, during the summer of 2020. Invest in an electric cooler and one of the various cooking devices that use a vehicle power source. Not only does eating right assist with alertness, but rumour has it that it keeps you from dying of starvation too. Good meals also keep your internal health in better shape - cholesterol, heart health, etc. The next point is having the tools to do your job with the least amount of effort possible. My personal toolbox in the jockey box of my trucks would be considered extreme for the average highway driver. But that was because my run took me 6 hours off-highway to a remote copper mine in one of the heaviest snowfall areas of BC. A toolbox with two pairs of vice grips, a pair of channel lock pliers, wire cutters, a roll of steel wire, a pry bar, two caging bolts, screwdrivers, assorted brass fittings, electrical tape, and spare glad-hands, to name some of the contents. I also carried a chainsaw. Now, remember, I drove 6 hours off-highway. One tree across the road meant costly downtime. I also carried a good quality come-along for stubborn items of freight that needed adjustments. Tricks of the trade are also diverse. A simple trick I picked up with bundles of lumber that weren’t packed tightly and some of the boards would rattle their way out was to shake a 2-litre bottle of pop and spray it all over the lumber and push it back into the stack. It was just enough to make the boards

By Scott Casey

Scott, our Rig of The Month for May 2003 has written “Ghostkeepers” a book about his years as a gun toting truck driver while serving as a Canadian Peacekeeper in the former Yugoslavia.

stick together and stay in place. Simple but effective. In the winter, carry a bag of kitty litter or strips of carpet. Use these if you’re parked at an icy loading dock to get yourself rolling. Much easier than dragging a set of chains out. A much better plan is to roll in slowly, allowing your tires time to cool so they don’t create ice pockets. The same thing goes for pulling into a cafe parking lot or a layover for the night. Try and find a spot that faces a slight downhill grade in the direction you’re going to pull away from. When you’re in your spot, don’t stop immediately. Roll backwards and forwards a few times - again to cool your tires down. This prevents even the slightest cups in the ice that will prevent you from easily driving away. True Story. Make sure you check your route. You’re responsible for the lives of everyone you meet on our roads. A poor decision of routing can be extremely dangerous, costly, and at the very least embarrassing. Just ask anyone who’s momentarily “hauled” a low overpass. Other things you’re responsible for knowing - ignorance is not a defence - are federal, provincial, and municipal bylaws regarding commercial vehicles. Canada’s terrain varies considerably from one coast to the other. One variable that remains constant, regardless of season, is the grade of MARCH / APRIL 2021

www.driverschoice.ca 37 a hill. Rule number one is you can go down a hill a million times, too slow. You’ll only go down it once, too fast. Choose the appropriate gear before breaking over the top. Although the use of tire chains is prohibited in some areas, they are mandatory in many provinces. Take the time before winter hits to learn how

to throw chains on. When you roll up to the chain-up area and slap a set on in 6 minutes, you’ll be the happy one back in your cab where it’s warm and dry long before those who didn’t take the time to familiarize themselves. When it comes to making trucking easier, listening to senior drivers can definitely improve your life. The only

stupid question is the one you didn’t ask. Don’t leave home ill-prepared. An adage I brought with me from my time in the Canadian infantry and apply to almost everything I do in life is this: “It’s better to have and not need than need and not have.”

What a Deal! A 16- year-old boy came home with a late-model Porsche and his parents began to yell and scream, “Where did you get that car?” “I bought it just now,” he said. “With what money?” demanded his parents. “We know what a Porsche costs!” “Well,” said the boy, “this one cost me $15.” The parents began to yell even louder, “Who would sell a car like that for $15?” “It was the lady up the street,” said the boy. “I don’t know her name. They just moved in. She saw me ride past on my bike and asked me if I wanted to buy a Porsche for $15.” “Oh, good grief,” moaned the mother, “she must be a child abuser. Who knows what she’ll do next? John, you go right up there and see what’s going on.” So the boy’s father walked up the street to the house where the woman lived and found her out in the yard, planting petunias. He introduced himself as the father of the boy to whom she had sold a Porsche for $15 and demanded to know why she did it. “Well,” she said, “this morning I got a phone call from my husband. I thought he was on a business trip, but it seems he has run off to Hawaii with his secretary and he doesn’t intend to come back.” With the hint of a smile, she continued, “He asked me to sell his new Porsche and send him the money. I’ve done that now.”

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Music and Me F

ebruary is deemed Heart Month and for two reasons. First, it’s Valentine’s Day, and secondly, it’s for cardiovascular health awareness. For myself, February is a month of heartbreak, and it’s a time for me to think about getting my health in check. I’ve written about songs in most of my articles, and the ones I select are usually because they truly touch my heart in many ways. Some songs reflect good memories, and some are of sad times. Twelve years ago, this February, my mom passed away, and there are certain songs that I listen to this month that help bring me closer to her. I listen to the three songs that she had selected for her funeral, because yes, she did in fact, plan her own funeral and write her own obituary. She did this so that we wouldn’t have to bear doing this on our own with our hurting hearts. I do also have some old country songs that I listen to as well from when we used to take road trips when I was a kid. I heard a song by Alan Jackson the other day titled “When I Saw You Leaving.” When I first saw the title pop up on Spotify, I immediately judged a book by its cover. I immediately thought it was going to be a song about a breakup. How many of you have judged a book by its cover? I know that I’m very guilty of it on many occasions. Heck, lots of us see or hear it many days on the road when someone judges a trucker even by the brand of truck they drive.

or just take it all away. Hope you’ll wake up in the morning, was all just been a dream You never take for granted every second that you breathe. When I saw you leaving, when I saw you leaving When I saw you leaving in my mind.” I burst into tears hearing these words because I could think back to the exact moment that I could see my mom leaving us. She was strong, and she was a fighter but it was the day she went in for surgery, and they told us there was nothing they could do for her since cancer had already spread too far. The doctor told us not to tell her the news until he got a chance to speak with her. The minute we got to go in to see her, she asked us how it went, and we said we didn’t know yet. My mom could spot a liar a mile away, and trust me, I know this from many years of experience!! You could tell that my mom knew the news wasn’t good, and you could tell she felt entirely defeated. She had been brave for so many years already, and this really took the wind from her sails. My mom never did come out of the hospital at this point. It was so hard to think that the end was near, and it was extremely hard to sit back and have the world taken away from us since she was the glue that held our world together.

Anyhow, I decided to give this song by Alan Jackson a try. I heard these words,

Do any of you have songs that make your heart swell? Either in good times or sad times? As drivers, I find we have so much time to our own thoughts that we can really listen to the words of songs and relate them to our lives.

“As time gets so more precious, every sunrise and old friend Trying to be opposed, to lean on, a part you learn is hard to play Asking God to let you take her place

As for getting my health in check, I think I’m on attempt number 572! If I was a reefer, I would be stuck on stop/ start mode. I start a regime, go full force, then I give up when I encounter

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By Myrna Chartrand Myrna was born and raised in Oak Point, Manitoba and was our April 2019 Rig of the Month driver.

obstacles, then I stop completely. People always say, “This year is going to be my year!” I really do think this is the year I get my act together and take care of myself for a change. Again, as a driver, it’s easy to let our health slide and fall prey to fast food, the lack of exercise, and the wonky sleep hours at times. I’m usually a balls to the wall type of person, so if I don’t accomplish all my goals the first month, I figure, why bother then. I belong to a couple of different health groups on Facebook, and I’ve finally accepted the method of starting with small goals and work your way up. I have been a diet coke drinker for twenty-three years. I don’t drink coffee or tea, so diet coke was my go-to. As of this new year, I dropped the pop cold turkey and decided to make water my main beverage choice. So far, I’m seven weeks in and haven’t had a sip of pop yet. Each week I’m setting new goals like tracking food and water, counting calories and adding daily exercise. Every little bit helps, and with setting small goals, I don’t feel so overwhelmed. Does anyone else ever have that feeling that starting new habits is so overwhelming that you don’t even bother to try? In 2020, I felt I let a lot of things control me because, in all honesty, there was so much we could not control. Even though we are living under some of the same conditions this year, it doesn’t mean I have to let it rule me. MARCH / APRIL 2021

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A Trucker’s View from Down Under By Randy Bye

’m not a writer. I’ve been a truck driver/equipment operator for near 30 years. I’m from Canada, and now I live here in Australia. I wrote a couple of small stories in Pro-Trucker a few years ago, and the reason I’m giving a bit of background is to let you know that I’m not a liberal or a snowflake. I grew up on guns and hotrods and knowing what gender I am from a very early age. I just want to give you some insight into what has happened here in Australia - that’s all - just a story. Last year when Covid-19 hit, we quickly responded to it, and we seemed to have things under control. Then in approximately May or June, we had a second wave come through. I live in Melbourne, in the state (province) of Victoria, and we have a population of about 5 million people. We had 700 cases and 30 deaths a day in Melbourne during the 2nd wave, so we built make-shift hospitals, and the rest of Australia shut their borders down to contain the outbreak. We could not leave the City of Melbourne without a permit. Actually, the army had to come in to shut the borders because there weren’t enough cops to

cover all the entrances and exits. I own a small business. My wife and I polish trucks and do Aluminium Fabrication, and we were allowed to work because fabrication is considered an essential service. The city of Melbourne locked down for about ten weeks, and in order to keep the economy going, the government gave checks out to everyone. It didn’t matter if you made one thousand or ten thousand a month - everyone got the same check. This program didn’t run very smoothly at first as there were line-ups at the government offices for days. Small businesses did fail, and we weren’t allowed to see our family’s because that’s how our second wave started. It was a big family gathering, and these 15 people infected a huge number of people. We also asked the richer people in our community to spend more money to keep the economy going. We have a superannuation fund here, where you actually end up getting your money, unlike Canada’s CPP. (Isn’t that a novel concept?) People were granted access to their superannuation to keep the economy going. Our country is in a bit better shape economically Drivers 70-80 CENTS PER MILE! than Canada since your PM was elected, but I’m no politician or doctor, so Super B & tridem step I won’t start 2 yrs exp & acceptable abstract waffling on Western Canada & USA things I don’t Some dedicated runs know about. The city

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was unlocked around the beginning of November, and just to set the record straight - non of us liked the lockdown. We had protests too, but out of 5 million people, only 400 showed up because, although we don’t like it, everyone is pretty much on board. All the borders finally opened in December, and we had 0 cases and 0 deaths in 60 days here in Victoria. If that does not prove that the doctors and scientists know best, then I don’t know what does. As of a week ago, Sydney, New South Wales, which is next door, started bringing in our citizens from other countries. We had shut our international borders in March and did not even let our own people in instead, they were quarantined. That is, everyone but stewardesses, pilots, cab drivers, and bus drivers were allowed to go home. So 26 cases in NSW at a beach then, and they immediately shut the borders again as of a few days ago. We now have 6 cases in Victoria, all seemingly from Sydney, New South Wales, so again every border is shut, and we are wearing masks again, but we know who has it, we know where they got it from, and we know what to do. The tracking system they have here is incredibly accurate, and between New Zealand and Australia, we have managed to pull through this. The thirty-three million total people in New Zealand, Tasmania and Australia have all pulled together as a unit. We did and are still doing the right thing. We don’t have the vaccine here, and nobody’s lining up to take it either, and that is why we are doing what we’re doing.

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INDEX AutoRoute Transport........................................................................................ 31

TRUCKING SERVICES

Berry & Smith ..................................................................................................... 43 Centurion Trucking Inc. .............................................................................. 08 DeckX ...................................................................................................................... 35 Edge Transportation .................................................................................. 33

B & W insurance ............................................................................. 02 & 06 Cool Heat Truck Parts .......................................................................... 32

Golden Express Trucking Inc. ..................................................................... 05

Cool-It Highway Services .................................................................. 21

Grant Transport Inc. ......................................................................................... 42

Diamond Insurance ............................................................................ 37

Jagged Edge ....................................................................................................... 09 Key West Express Ltd. .................................................................................... 17

Howes Lubricator ......................................................................... 24 & 25

Light Speed Logistics Inc. .................................................................. 13 & 45

Mobalign Services Inc. ......................................................................... 19

North Coast Trucking Ltd. ........................................................................... 46

Norris & Co. .............................................................................................. 31

Pro-Ex Transport Systems Ltd. ................................................................... 41 Royal City Trucking ......................................................................................... 23 Select Classic Carriers ..................................................................................... 04

Ocean Trailer ......................................................................................... 27 Top Line Truck Parts ........................................................................... 38

Shadow Group of Companies ..................................................................... 39

Trucking App .......................................................................................... 48

Shergill Transport Ltd. ................................................................................. 29

Trucker’s Pages ........................................................................................ 43

Tajveer Transport Ltd. .................................................................................... 03 Transam Carriers Inc. .................................................................................... 47 Watt & Stewart Trucking Inc. ........................................................................ 26

ALL THINGS SHINY AND NEW

Trucker’s Together Fuel Services ................................................... 15 Truck West Collision .............................................................................. 31

BREXIT

Colin Black

Dennis Sova

34 A MOMENT’S DISTRACTION

Greg Evasiuk

Scott Casey

Dave Elniski

THE GOOD OL’ DAYS

HAVE OR HAVE NOT

COLD TRIP Dave Madill

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A TRUCKER’S VIEW FROM DOWN UNDER Randy Bye

Glen Millard

B-TRAINS

MUSIC AND ME Myrna Chartrand

RIG OF THE MONTH KALYN TIBBITS

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www.lslinc.com

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Contact: Jason

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At Transam Carriers, we believe that success is not achieved without professional human attitudes. We are proud of providing some of the most ﬂexible work options in the industry for an optimum work-life balance. All of these, in conjunction with new equipment, modern technologies, in-house truck shop, and cross-dock facility, make Transam an exceptional workplace that we call here our second home.

James Taylor: 416-907-8101 x5 Toll-Free: 877-907-8101 Address: 205 Doney Crescent, Concord, ON L4K 1P6 Email: hr@transamcarriers.com

ALL JOB OPPORTUNITIES ARE transamcarriers.com/

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