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HAPPY HOLIDAYS AND SAFE DRIVING THIS WINTER SEASON!
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FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK BY JOHN WHITE
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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF John White: john@ptmag.ca PUBLISHER Coast2Coast Business Pages Ltd. ADVERTISING/MARKETING Tony Arora: tony@coast2coastpages.com John White: john@ptmag.ca CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Bill Weatherstone • Colin Black • Dave Madill • Glen Mallard • Myrna Chartrand • Scott Casey • John Maywood • Dave Elniski • Frank Milne • Kalyn Marie
November is the time of year that many of us stop and reflect on those of us who have served in the military. To coin a phrase, “rain, sleet, snow and hail,” will not deter those of us paying our respects on November 11th to those who have given their all for the right for us to live in a free country. Unfortunately, many military veterans return with hidden scars our government refused to recognize and compensate them for. The wait time for government-controlled programs often comes too late for some. I, for one, have no problem with taxes and would gladly pay much more if it went towards making sure our veterans get the help they need when they need it. On another note, veteran’s military training is an excellent asset for trucking companies. They bring their skills, dedication, and a deep sense of duty and service. They are often an unsung industry segment and deserve our recognition and respect. Going from the armed forces to trucking may seem like a significant change, but the qualities instilled in military veterans perfectly fit the profession. Their attention to detail, strong sense of responsibility and get the job done, come hell or high water attitude is a big part of why they are so valuable to the industry. Their adaptability and safety-conscious approach gained during their service translate seamlessly to the trucking industry. The camaraderie and teamwork integral to military life are welcomed by non-military veteran drivers who often work together, looking out for one another on the road, offering assistance when needed, and fostering a strong sense of community within the industry. For many military veterans, trucking allows them to continue serving their country by delivering essential goods to keep the country running. It is also the time of year that many of us get together with family and friends, regardless of our religion or beliefs, to celebrate the holiday season. As I have said before, my heartfelt wish of a Merry Christmas to everyone has never been ill-received by anyone of any religion, so I say again, Merry Christmas and a Happy and prosperous New Year to all. For those of you who will be on the road sacrificing your time with family and friends to keep our country going – thank you, and please be safe.
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RIG OF THE MONTH
Kent Carson is our November/December 2023 Rig of the Month. His name was sent to me by David at Wowtrucks.com. Kent will be featured in the 2024 Wow Trucks Calendar. This is his story:
I
was the firstborn of 3 children to Irvin and Mary-Ann Carson. I was born on March 27, 1974. I have two sisters, Collette Carson and Louise Sroka. We were born and raised on a 3000-acre farm just north of Maidstone, Saskatchewan. We all attended school in Maidstone and considered that our hometown even though we grew up on the farm. My Dad’s parents, Earl and Vernie Carson, also lived on the family farm. Grandpa and Granny (we weren’t allowed to call her anything
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but Granny) played a huge role in our growing up. Most of my childhood saw me heavily involved in 4H, along with my parents and sisters. Collette and I always had an ongoing competition between us. My mother is still very active in 4H to this day. In 19911992, I and some other boys my age (17) started a rodeo project in 4H with my Dad as our leader. We tried our hand at team roping, calf roping and steer wrestling. Dad and I also
Kent Carson team roped together outside of 4H in the Midwest Assoc for 2-3 years. I rode my Dad’s old buckskin, Chance, and won a couple of belt buckles. Being raised on the farm left us no choice but to be involved in all aspects of farming, including running machinery and trucks. I started operating machinery very young, but my love was for the trucks. When I was nine, I was finally entrusted to drive from field to farm! Until then, it was always riding along with Dad or NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2023
www.driverschoice.ca Grandpa, either in the field or hauling into town for the farm and a few other farmers my grandpa custom hauled for. Everything we owned was “stick shift,” so pardon the pun when I say shifting gears was in my blood. Dad and Grandpa owned two old Ford trucks, a 2-ton from the early 50’s and a 3-ton from the early 60’s. Often, school was placed second in priority when it came to farming. If I was needed on the farm, that’s where I was. Grandpa custom hauled for some neighbours into the 70’s and always encouraged me to do the same, “get your class 1, and you can do this for a living,” he would say. After Grandpa retired from custom hauling, my Dad took over for 2 or 3 years. I’ll never forget when I was nine years old and I was given the privilege of driving from field to farm. Grandpa had been teaching me the ropes but forgot to tell me how to shut off the pump for the hoist, and I wrapped the hydraulic lines around the drive shaft. Grandpa was not too popular that day. Downtime for repairs is never high on the “happy list” for farmers at harvest!!
had three choices: swerve around him and drive head-on into an oncoming semi, swerve in the other direction, roll the outfit into the ditch, or apply the brakes and take my chances. After smoking all my tires, I ended up rearending him doing about 40 kilometres an hour. It turned out the guy was trying to commit suicide. No one was seriously hurt, and luckily, the DOT was right behind me and witnessed the whole thing. They contacted the man’s wife to come and get him, and that’s when we found out that was not the first time he had attempted this. This is one of the scariest things for us drivers. Not knowing what other drivers are going through, not knowing their mindset. It makes this a very dangerous job!
I Took my Class 1 with Air when I was 18, in 1992, and didn’t waste any time going to work for our neighbour Dennis Presly, who owned 2D Trucking. I also hauled in the oil patch for five years, driving a company truck. In the summer of 1997, I got married, and in the fall of that same year, I bought my first Rig!! She was a 1984 Freightliner 400 big cam Conventional with super B flat deck trailers for custom hauling bales. I ran that truck and trailers in central and Northern Saskatchewan and Alberta.
In the spring of 1989, I traded in my 1984 Freightliner and purchased a 1989 8900 International Triple 4 Cummins. Shortly after that, I was approached by a custom hauling company out of Wasika, Saskatchewan, owned by Jim Sutherland, asking if I would be interested in pulling bull racks for them & hauling grain when needed. During the first two years I pulled bull backs for Jim, I also continued my business of custom bale hauling. Jim was my first mentor outside of my Dad and Grandpa. He taught me a lot, and during my days of hauling for him, he always said that if I was ever interested in buying his cattle liner, I just had to make him an offer, and they would be mine. Unfortunately, after two years of working with him, in 1999, Jim passed away. I’ll never forget how he constantly encouraged me to “be my own boss.” When he passed, I bought his cattle liner and added it to my growing company, “Black Diamond Acres,” which I started in 1997. I still run under that name as a lease operator.
During this time, I had my first close call with a four-wheeler. It happened at an intersection West of Bonnyville. A man pulled out in front of me and slammed on the brakes! I
I ran bull rack and flat deck Province-wide in Saskatchewan and Alberta and a bit into Manitoba from 1998 to the fall of 2002. This resulted in long days flowing into weeks and
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months. Things ran smoothly through those years. There were no accidents, close calls or amusing events other than the usual cow stomping I took while pinned behind gates. This resulted in a few cracked ribs, but that comes with the territory when hauling beef. It was always fun when Grandpa would call me up and demand a “ride along.” By this time, he and Granny were living in Lashburn, Saskatchewan. He’d meet me at the local gas station, hop in and off we’d go. I enjoyed those times with him, talking and laughing about anything and everything. I miss him a lot. He passed away in March of 2014. In the fall of 2002, My wife and I moved off the family farm to Turtleford, where we purchased 8.5 quarters of pasture land and started a cow/calf operation. I built that into a herd of about 230 cow/calf pairs. In 2004, my son was born. I wanted to name him after the nine-time World champion Bull Rider, Ty Murray, but his mother had other plans, so we compromised and named him Tyler. I guess I won that one, as I always call him Ty. In 2002, I sold the International and purchased my 3rd truck, a 1998 Freightliner Century, N14, five ¼ Select plus, and continued my trucking business and cattle ranching. Although I was born a farm boy, my first love and passion has always been truck driving! As if I didn’t have enough on my plate with the truck, cattle liner, and flat deck super B, I signed on with Master feeds, wheeling and dealing, and hauling mineral feed. It was an easy gig to get into as I purchased mineral feed for my cattle and hauled it myself with a van trailer I bought. I was having issues with some of the delivery drivers, so it seemed logical to haul it myself. I mean, why not right?? I had a little extra time to spare. Needless to say, all these long hours that worked into days, weeks, and months wore Pro-Trucker Driver’s Choice Magazine
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the marriage thin, as many truckers know.
would have been much better, but I’m pleased with my girl.
In the fall of 2017, much to my dislike, we uprooted and moved to Whitecourt, leaving behind the life I loved. We leased out some of the cattle, sold some, and rented the land to other cattle ranchers. It was a huge shift in my life and my little family. That winter of 2017, I took a small hiatus from “life as it were.”
On May 1, 2019, I contacted Gil Desharnais of Triple G Trucking out of Falher, Alberta, about signing on as a lease operator. He hired me at first, driving a company truck, then after 2 1/2 months, he also hired Black Beauty. That’s when Black Beauty and I started our journey together. I’ve been pulling Hopper Bottom for them ever since, but I’m looking forward to hooking up to a Van trailer this winter.
In the spring of 2018, I started hauling for Josh Peterson, who owned Reaper Consulting out of Lloydminster. That’s when I started pulling Hopper Bottom Super B around Lloyd and into parts of Alberta. In November of 2018, I found Black Beauty, She’s a 2010 388 Peterbilt ISX 5 ¼ Cummins. I had finally bought my dream truck!! My hot little redhead!! A long-nosed Pete Pro-Trucker Driver’s Choice Magazine
I’ve been as far east as Winnipeg and West out to Vancouver Island and everywhere in between. During this time, early in my employment, my marriage ended, and I became a full-time trucker, living out of my truck. It’s not an uncommon story for many drivers. The love and passion for driving is not easy on any relationship. It takes a special kind of
woman to tolerate it. In time, another driver offered me room and board at his place near Falher. Being on the road as much as I was, you don’t need a “home” in the traditional sense of the word, but even when it is your passion, it is nice to step away from the truck now and then. One of the runs Tripe G has us on is out to Bunge in Nipawin, Saskatchewan. In the winter of 2020, I was dispatched there, and my buddy Curtis Couturier, who also drives for Triple G, was sent on the same run. It turned out a friend of his, Jaymee Olesen, had just moved out to Aylsham, a small town near Nipawin, where she and her mom had opened a nine-room hotel with a small tavern called The Proud Gypsy Bar & Grill. He suggested we load and head out to spend the weekend and check out the new digs. That is NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2023
www.driverschoice.ca 13 how I met Yvonne, Curtis’ friend’s mom. We had a great weekend and enjoyed great food! Great company and a great atmosphere! Yvonne and I kept in touch over the next six months and then started dating in June. I wanted to tell you about how I met Yvonne because She has played a big part in my dream of building the truck of my dreams. As I said earlier, it takes a special kind of woman to support a man whose passion is trucks, everything trucks! She loves the truck and the ride-alongs – at least most of the time. Once, we were coming back out of Camrose over to Anthony Henday into Edmonton. As we merged onto the highway, I saw flashing signs warning that the right lane was ending for line painting. I pulled over into the left lane, but a gravel hauler continued in the right lane. I could see him, and so could Yvonne. This idiot was speeding up, trying to pass me in the closed right lane. He was fast approaching the paint truck, and I’m doing my best to get out of the way. Yvonne kept saying, “He’s not slowing down. He’s trying to pass,” Finally, she pulls her knees up, puts her hands over her eyes and says, “Holy &^%$! We are going to die!!!” Thank goodness there was an emergency vehicle crossing lane (in the meridian) where I could get over far enough without going into the meridian to let this idiot between us and the paint truck! Yvonne took pictures of his truck, him, and all the info on his truck. I never could get in touch with the company, but I contacted the painting crew, and the guy on the paint truck just happened to be in his office telling his boss what went down, so I confirmed his report. This is another danger of being a trucker - other truckers who just don’t give a damn. Yvonne’s a bit of a gypsy herself and loves time in the truck. In fact, she helped me put this story together on a NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2023
trip hauling malt barley to a brewery in Victoria. She also nominated me for the Wowtrucks 2023/2024 calendar, which I’m proud to be featured in with Black Beauty. Years ago, I took her to Lesco Distributors to meet the girls there and Tina Clark and she became good friends. I showed Yvonne some of the “shiny” things I wanted to get for Black Beauty, and her excitement was contagious! It was the beginning of building Black Beauty into the truck she is today! Since then, it has been a beautiful life of dreams coming true, fully loving & living my passion for trucks and the industry. We even took part in the freedom convoy in 2021. We have entered the Lesco Pro Show& Shine for the last three years, and this year, we took 3rd overall in the fleet division. Black Beauty also won best grain hauler at this year’s truck show in Yorkton, Saskatchewan, led and organized by Al & Wendy Mitchell, owners of Tapps Bar&Grill. Last summer, Black Beauty’s complete makeover at Hollywood Custom was executed by Reagan Ducherer and his crew. He now owns a shop in Lloydminster, proudly called Show Time Paint. This year, we had the interior done by Dexter Robar, also out of Lloydminster, owner of
Under Dog Mechanical. We also had a complete engine overhaul done at my buddy Marty Bedwell’s shop, Chrome Diesel, in Lloydminster. Right now, she sports about 200 lights, and she’s not finished yet.! It’s been a long haul. A lot of time, energy and money invested. I love it; it’s not work for me. My grandfather always said, “If you view it as a job or work, then find something else to do, find something you love,” and that’s what I’ve done. I’ve been driving a truck legally for 32 years. Add the ten years as a farm kid; that’s 42 years, and I wouldn’t change it for anything. Yvonne says, when I bleed, tiny little trucks come out. I tell anyone who asks me about driving that if it is a passion for them and they have always wanted to try, then do it! I’ve met a lot of people along the way. Some for just an hour or two and others who are good buddies to this day. I’ve met people who have shown me who I don’t want to be and what I do want to be. Trucking is my life. I love to do it, and I will continue doing it as long as possible.
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Letters to the Editor
cker azine Pro-Tru Choice Mag ’s r e v ri D
graduating from university, started a trucking company and began hauling logs in Merritt, BC. Not satisfied with the logging trucks available, they ordered a Tesla electric truck, but after waiting five frustrating years, they decided to build an electric truck themselves. After all, who is better qualified to know what is needed in a logging truck other than a log hauler? (Government officials could learn much from that small piece of wisdom and, hopefully, in the future, apply it to all things related to the transportation industry.) Here is Chace’s letter:
Editor’s note: I have taken the opportunity to add the following background information to a recently received letter. British Columbians have a long history of building heavy-duty logging trucks to suit the needs of extreme logging on the West Coast. From the world-famous offroad Hayes and Pacific logging trucks to the lesserknown Challenger, these units have hauled some of the most oversized loads in the world. Hayes shut down in 1975, Pacific in 1991, and Challenger only made 14 trucks from 1987 to 1994. These logging trucks were built keeping in mind simplicity, extreme ruggedness and power to get the job done. Some of these trucks still work today, while others have been retired to truck museums worldwide, like a beautiful 1930 Hayes logger in the Duncan Antique Truck Museum in Duncan, BC. I would be amiss if I did not mention one of the most beautifully restored Hayes trucks I have seen, a 1974 Hayes Clipper show truck owned by Trevor Cameron of Spruce Grove. Alberta.
John I’ve been a log truck driver for 15 years in Merritt, BC, and I was an owner-operator with a 1969 Kenworth LW 923 for four years. We grew the company and started buying some new trucks, but we were so disappointed by the quality of the new trucks over the old ones that we decided to get rid of the new trucks and start rebuilding classic trucks for ourselves. We ended up with six classic 1960-1970s trucks. I thought electric trucks made sense for logging in BC because you are going up empty and coming down loaded, which is excellent for regenerative braking for recharging batteries. We started Edison Motors 2 years ago, intending to build an electric truck for loggers. We realized that batteries alone wouldn’t be enough to run the truck, so we decided to build a diesel generator over electric, similar to how freight trains have been doing it for years. We looked at the old Letourneau log loaders used at the Aspen Planer mill in Merritt. They have three diesel over electric machines, 1967, 1971 and 1973, so we decided to make a version of that in a logging truck with the same reliability. Electric motors operate those machines. There are no hydraulics. They are incredibly fast, efficient, and reliable, so much so that they haven’t had to buy a new machine in 50 years. The new diesel/hydraulic loaders still can’t compete with these 50-year-old diesel-electric machines.
Enter Chace Barber and Eric Little, who, in 2016, after Pro-Trucker Driver’s Choice Magazine
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Our first proof of concept was a 1962 Kenworth LW 923 logging truck we built last year. Our prototype testing and data show a 50% reduction in fuel consumption, and the truck’s weight dropped from 9000kg to 8,800kg after the conversion. This also allows you to use the BC government’s 65,000kg max weight for electric trucks.
not like a clunky automatic that shifts awkwardly. It’s just pure, constant torque to the ground, and it just has to be experienced. The regen braking also holds back far better than a traditional engine brake, as you can use 80% of the output torque of the motors to slow the truck down.
This year, we built our truck. It has 670 HP & 82,000 ft. lbs. of electric torque run off a CAT C9 diesel generator. All the parts are off-the-shelf components, keeping in mind our objective of making it easy to repair and work on. We wanted our electric truck to be as close to our 1960s Kenworth in terms of simplicity as we could reasonably make it for an electric vehicle. Almost all the parts are available from the local truck or electrical supply store, reducing manufacturing and maintenance costs.
I think the best-built trucks in North America were made here in BC, and we believe we can bring back the tradition by building the best electric truck here, too.
This thing is incredible to drive, and I’m inviting people to drive it, so come and take it for a spin sometime. It moved 100,000 gross weight like nothing was behind it. (We hauled a 1948 Sherman tank chassis as its first load.) There was so much torque that it gently pushed you back into your seat and spun the tires. With no gears to shift, it just took off and went smoothly. It’s
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Cold Load Home D
ad and I had just delivered some high-tech equipment to the Vancouver docks and slipped it into Sea cans for shipment to somewhere on the other side of the world. We had hauled them in two 40-foot reefer vans so we would have an option of what we could haul on our return trip, and now Dad was looking for return loads while I inspected both rigs. I greased everything that needed it, tightened everything that had worked loose and then crawled into the bunk to catch up on my sleep. Later that afternoon, Dad told me that we would reload in the morning for Toronto with ten totes each of frozen salmon. Morning came, and Dad told me at breakfast to start my reefer and set it for 20 below so the inside would be cold before we loaded the fish. We finished breakfast, went down to the fish plant, and backed into two doors. We went inside, and this was when we found that the loads were multiple drops, so Dad and I had to sit down and figure out how to load. We figured it out with Dad taking the north totes and me taking the south.
Dad took two totes to Edmonton, two to Saskatoon, and 6 to Toronto, while I took two totes to Calgary, two to Regina, two more to Winnipeg and only four to Toronto. Things worked out well, and we met up again in The Peg, after which I had unloaded, and we decided to run together from there to T.O. From the Peg to T.O. was just one of those trips where nothing much happened except for one flat on Dads trailer which we changed on the side of the road somewhere around North Bay. We pulled into Toronto, parked outside the warehouse late on a Thursday night and were in the doors bright and early in the morning. Dad was assigned door four, I got five and we backed in and went inside to oversee the unloading and get things signed and all the paperwork done. They were just about to start unloading when this supervisor came out and wanted to know why the reefer in 4 was shut off and for how long. Dad explained it had only been off for a few minutes, but the super was hyped and demanded that every tote off
that truck be temp probed and inspected. My load came off without a hitch, my bills were signed, Dave Madill and I pulled away from the warehouse, shut my reefer down, closed my doors, and headed home. I had not gone too far when Dad passed me like I was up on blocks and roared away up the highway. Not much later, I pulled into the yard, took the power washer to my trailer and truck, and put everything away. Dad’s truck was still hooked up in the yard, but at least it was shut down. When I walked into the house, Mom took my bills and warned me that Dad was a little angry. Dad was fine after a couple of hours, and our loads were properly paid, but I did learn one thing. Never shut down your reefer until all your load is off.
Let the Trucker Sleep After driving for about six hours, a trucker decides to pull over and sleep for a little while. As soon as he fell asleep, someone knocked on the truck door. “Can you tell me the time, please?” asked a jogger. “Yeah, it’s 4:30,” answered the trucker. He falls asleep again but is again awakened by another jogger who wants to know the time. “It’s 4:40!” yelled the trucker. Deciding to really try to sleep a little, he wrote on a piece of paper, “I DON’T KNOW THE TIME,” and stuck the paper in his windshield. But he is awoken again. ‘It’s 5:25,” said another jogger. Pro-Trucker Driver’s Choice Magazine
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Truck Stops I
n the O.D. (old days), when looking for a place to eat, you could stop where a lot of trucks were parked because that was a sign of good food and reasonable prices. Now, the trucks stop at Walmart, Safeway or at home to fill the fridges and microwave ovens before they leave home. Looking back, I am amazed to remember some of the diners that, back then, were all over North America. One that stands out in my memory was on a barren road outside Needles, California. There was a mobile home in a parking area, and it was the only structure for miles. The mobile was the kitchen, and a canvas add-on was the dining area: no floor, just dirt and two tables. I stopped because of the large parking area, it was close to noon, and I was hungry. The handmade sign said TRUCK STOP DINER. As I walked towards the mobile, someone yelled, I’ll be right there. I went in and sat down. A man and his wife were cooking and serving. As I waited to see the menu, I noticed something moving on the floor. I looked closer and saw a gopher (prairie dog) chewing on some grass stems along the wall. The lady brought a shabby menu and said she could make sandwiches also. I said make me the special of the day sandwich. As I scanned the menu, I saw that the special for tomorrow was stew. I quickly got up and chased the gopher out. I thought there was a good chance he might become endangered! As I sat, I hollered, “Could you make that to go?” I took the sandwich, paid the lady and went out and left. I remember the sandwich was just as good as Grandmother made. The surroundings of the café needed a little work, but the sandwich was excellent and reasonably priced. Back then, there were not as many government rules as we have now. These people were NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2023
just trying to make a living. Nowadays, the health inspector would shut them down because of no flooring in the dining area. They would at least be forced to mow the grass in the lean-to. I don’t remember getting sick from eating at any restaurant. The worst I remember was myself or other drivers, maybe getting indigestion or heartburn from eating chilli or onion soup. The food was good, but there were times when the surroundings could use a facelift. You could tell if the restaurant was questionable if the waitress set down the worn menu, your utensils, and a fly swatter. Another sign is if the waiter in a fast food joint runs down the aisle toward the kitchen carrying a fire extinguisher, hollering, “Coming right up!” Sometimes, the disaster is not the staff or the restaurant itself. I stopped at the Grenfell, Saskatchewan, Esso garage and restaurant in my early years because they always had good food. It was a bright sunny day in the winter, so I parked where the truck parking was designated, and I walked across to the building on really icy footing. There wasn’t anyone in the café except the cook. I sat in the back of the room beside the kitchen. That way, the cook and I could talk to each other through the doorway while he made my meal. The meal was almost ready when there was a loud crash, debris flying, broken glass, and dust. The cook came out running and asked if I was okay. A car had come toward the café; it was icy, and he could not stop, so he drove right into the building. The cook said I didn’t need to pay for the meal I didn’t eat, and he gave me a receipt saying that I was entitled to a free meal next
By Glen Millard
Glen “The Duck” was born in Saskatchewan. He has driven trucks for 50 years, mostly long hauling. He’s now retired, that is until another adventure comes along.
time. Times have changed. There was a time in the O.D. – old days – the truck stops had all-you-can-eat buffets. Now, they have sandwiches and soups that you can heat in microwave ovens, and there is no place to sit, so you have to take it to the truck. This meal in a bag now costs three times as much as the entire meal with soup and dessert (usually Jello) and a dining room to sit in, used to cost. I don’t blame the truck drivers or the truck stops. The government can pick up the blame for this one. They regulate the hours of work per day, so if the truck isn’t moving, the driver isn’t making money. The truck stops cannot afford to operate full-service restaurants if no one stops to eat. In the early days, fifty years ago, the average truck driver weighed about 165 pounds and was physically fit. Nowadays, most long-haul drivers eat snacks and junk food. I was at Jubits Family Restaurant in Portland, Oregon, when I first saw a handicapped parking sign for semi-trucks, and it was right beside the Buffet doors. I saw a truck pull up and park, and I watched as the driver had to lift the steering wheel to get his stomach off it. He crawled out, and he was about 400 pounds. He should have realized he had a problem when the steering axle was always overweight. In the ’60s and ’70s, a company In Moose Jaw, Sask. hauled fuel. They would only accept your job application if you weighed under 150 pounds. I was rejected because I weighed 165 pounds. Pro-Trucker Driver’s Choice Magazine
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Make it a Holiday I
’m a paid tourist. That’s what I tell people when they ask what I do for a living. I travel around North America and get paid to do it. The scenery is never the same, and neither is the weather. Invariably they say, “Okay, but what do you really do? While I guess it’s not always tourism, I have been trying to make it more like that. About six months ago, I woke up thinking, wow, I’ve “seen” a lot of these two countries without really seeing them. This wasn’t a come to Jesus moment or a freakin’ aha Oprah moment. It was a quiet realization that, as truckers, we see so much of this great land but don’t get to stop and appreciate it. I wanted to change that for myself. It started as a small project, a little like a self-help thing. I just looked to get out for a walk once a day in a place with cultural, architectural, or geographic significance. It left me wanting, so I started doing a walk every second day and then every day. It wasn’t a stretch for me as I already walked every day. The problem is coming up with somewhere significant to walk in my travels.
Okay, so this was challenging. Some stretches of highway across the plains are pretty much devoid of geographic features. In addition, there are several areas of cities, usually where the truck stops are, that have little in the way of architecture or culture! My plan started to fall apart. Thinking back to other articles I’d written on the lack of facilities for truckers, I was tempted to abort the plan and write it off as some other reason to be hard done by. Then I thought about other people in their day-to-day 9 to 5 jobs. These guys and gals don’t get the opportunity to check out something new every day. They might not see new scenery for weeks or months - even years. Here I am worried about seeing and visiting something new every day while the average North American never gets that opportunity. As I said, I am already a paid tourist, so I decided to research the places I’ll be in, and since there are often multiple interesting things to see, I have to decide which ones to see on each trip. I also want to engage with locals when possible. With this plan,
By Greg Evasiuk Greg is a 3rd generation trucker with over 1 million miles and 22 years in trucking.
I may even be excited for an extra day layover in a good area. So, how does this look in practice? Well, it’s a little too early to tell. I’m a couple of months in and have walked/ hiked some great trails in Idaho, Washington, BC and Montana. As well I have met some interesting local folks. On the flip side, I’ve had nights confined to walking laps of the truck stop. I’m heading off to Texas next month and have a layover planned with a rental car and a tour of the Space Center in Houston, possibly a trip to Hill County. The research is done, and the planning, well, you know how planning is in trucking! As they say, “…the best-laid plan of mice and men…” So I’ll let this be a two-part story - stay tuned!!
Trucker stops at a diner to get some coffee... A trucker stopped at a diner to get some coffee. Looking around, he saw the only open seat was at the counter’s far end. He went over, sat down, and started a conversation with a farmhand sitting there. After a while, the farmhand gets up to leave, saying, “Ya know what, yer something else. I’m gonna go up to the register and tell them that I am paying yer ticket. When I get the waitress to look over, give a thumbs up.” “Mighty kind of ya, stranger,” the trucker replied and returned to his coffee. Farmhand went to the register and told the waitress, “Ya see that guy at the end giving a thumbs up? He’s paying for my meal.”
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Comfy and Cozy D
o you ever stop, sit back, and think, “Wow! I’m really stressing over first-world problems!” When I returned from my July vacation, I was already planning three more vacations. Then suddenly, in August, it seemed like the movement of freight really slowed down. It seemed like it was happening with many companies. I started to panic a bit because I was used to making a certain amount, and now I’m at the point where I have to determine the difference between wants and needs. I realize I’ve been so blessed and fortunate to have such great opportunities, and many others have definitely not been given those same opportunities. I just had to stop and think for a minute about what the future would look like. So, I had to pump the brakes on all this vacation planning. It’s not the end of the world! There are so many people right now just struggling to buy groceries, pay a mortgage, etc. I feel guilty about my worries. It’s interesting how you become accustomed to a way of life, and then it can change quickly. With my 42nd birthday came thoughts of maybe going back to school. I figured if I took a college course, I could be done by 45, hopefully, get a job with a pension and put in 20 years, then retire. This all seems great until I scroll through some college websites and realize I have no other interests than trucking! I couldn’t find one thing that piqued my interest, and when I did, I didn’t think it would pay enough or offer enough future security. It’s crazy to think I don’t have one hobby or interest outside of trucking. Sure, I love to dance, but I don’t see myself becoming a backup dancer in the future! I love to travel, but that’s more or less what I get paid to do now. A lot of people think I’m so lucky
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that I get to travel, and I know that I am, but at the end of the day, that’s all I feel that I have. I basically have no net worth because I don’t own any property or have many assets. My life is driving and going on vacations, which, by the way, isn’t awful! When I think about possibly switching careers, I think about all the camaraderie I’ve gained along the way in this 15-year journey. In September, I was lucky enough to attend the two truck shows that have been the ones I always try to make an effort to go to. One was in Iowa, and the other in Minnesota. It was so great to reconnect with old friends, make new ones, dust off my dancing shoes, and just be able to sit in the same place for two days in a row! Not to say that I wouldn’t have the same work camaraderie somewhere else, but this one is hard to explain to others who don’t live it. Back to scrolling through college websites. It’s interesting how I could make an excuse for not trying any of them. There’s the culinary arts, well, I don’t really enjoy cooking. There’s hairstyling, but I can’t see myself touching other people’s heads all day. There’s plumbing, well, I think I wear my pants too high for that! All of this leads me back to trucking! Like Norma Jean sang, “So I was raised on truck drivin’ stories I know every legend of the road From Phantom 309 in all its glory to the widow maker’s truck drivin’ cold And I’m a truck drivin’ woman” One of the advantages that I thought trucking would bring to a different career is the willingness to work shift work. Trucking is 24/7
By Myrna Chartrand Myrna was born and raised in Oak Point, Manitoba and was our April 2019 Rig of the Month driver.
and 365, so if someone told me I may need to work days, nights, evenings, weekends, overtime or holidays, I’m ready for it! Not that I necessarily want to, but it wouldn’t be the first time. I’ve been going to deliver to a customer in Indiana lately, and my unloading appointment on my itinerary says 10 pm. The night shift doesn’t even start until 11 pm, but I get there at 9 pm just to get backed in first so that I’m first unloaded. Then you’re lucky if you’re out at 1 am! What a night! This is in addition to driving the better part of the day. So if another job says, “You may have to work evenings occasionally.” Bring it on!! I’m ready!! As the saying goes in trucking, “If the wheels ain’t turning, you ain’t earning!” Having idle wheels gives me time to think about things, ponder my life choices, and maybe try to expand my horizons. But in the end, I feel like I always return to trucking. It’s been my whole life for 15 years, which is scary in a way. It’s what I know and where I feel I’ve made my most successes. I’ve gotten opportunities I feel I may never have gotten anywhere else. I’ve met people I probably wouldn’t have met sitting behind a desk every day. I’ve travelled to places and areas many may never see. I’ve talked to strangers who have shown their gratitude for me driving a truck that brings awareness. I just can’t imagine a life different from the one I have now. I’m living in a comfort zone that’s just too cozy to get out of.
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Colours and Meanings I
n the early 1960’s I operated a service station in North Vancouver. One of my customers was an efficiency expert. He would go into a manufacturing plant and modify their production procedures to be more efficient and cost-saving. As a hobby, he studied colours and their effect on people in the work place and how they thought. He found that if a workplace was painted light green, people got along better with each other, and if the machines were green, people tended to look after them better. The colour red had the opposite effect. For example, yellow depicts weakness, and red signifies strength, danger and anger. Blue is a cold colour – black is doom and gloom and death. White is cleanliness and purity. He said that if you sell axes or hammers, paint them red for strength. If you are selling air conditioners, choose blue. If you send out brochures to sell a product, use green paper – his study showed that most people will pick up a green brochure before any other colour. One of the trucking companies I worked for had two terminals – we would meet halfway, switch trailers, and return to our original terminal. The terminal I worked for would often have a wide or over-length load. The other terminal never had oversized loads. So when we switched trailers midway, the signs went with the load and seldom returned to my terminal. One day, my manager informed me that there would be an over-length load in two days and that I was to take it to the other terminal. Of course, there were no signs, so I made two. I cut plywood to the correct size, and rather than paint them yellow with black letters, I painted them white with red letters. I put. “Long Load” on one side
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and “Wide Load” on the other side. To me, they were more visible, and also they were “my” signs. Now the new signs have a “D” in the middle – I guess it stands for dimensional – why not a “B” for bigger or an “L” for larger? Maybe stop signs should just have an “S” on them. I prefer a word, not a letter. Well I hooked up to my overlength load and was on my way with my white and red signs front and rear. I went through the first two truck scales without a problem, but on the third scale, the sign went on “Park bring papers.” I was not worried as I had my oversized permit, so I was legal. When I got into the scale house, I put my permit on the counter, but the scale man looked at me and said, “I don’t want to see your permit. It’s the signs on your truck and trailer I’m concerned with. They are the wrong colour. They are supposed to be yellow with black lettering; I could write you a ticket for them.” I said something to the effect that I thought they stood out better, being white and red. Then he asked me what colour a school bus was, and I replied yellow with black letters and black stripes on the back. Then he asked me about a sign on the side of the road before a curve with an arrow on it – what colour is it? I replied yellow with a black arrow on it. That’s when he said the reason for yellow and black was that colour-blind people can see them better than white and red. Now get in your truck, get out of here, and don’t come over my scale with those signs again! It’s a good thing I did not say that stop signs were red and white – in that case, I probably would have left with a
By Frank Milne Retired Driver, Lease operator and company owner
ticket in my hand. This brings me to traffic lights – red is for “stop,” green is for “go,” and yellow is the light that warns you the light is going to change. Now, signal lights on a lot of vehicles, both front and rear, are yellow. All clearance lights are yellow except the ones facing the rear of the vehicle – any other colour is illegal. Maybe that scale man was more intelligent than I thought with his yellow and black colours. Then there is the red and white reflective tape on the rear of all commercial trailers. Did you ever notice that some tapes’ red and white portions are the same size while others the white portions are smaller? At night, when you are behind a trailer with tape that the portions are the same, the white tape predominates, but if the white portion is smaller, the red tape is more predominate. Take notice when you get behind a trailer, which tape he has on and at night, see the difference. So, to sum it all up – colours do send a message to us. P.S. Some people say everything is a neutral colour and that in daylight, the object absorbs all the colours except one which it reflects, and that’s the colour we see. P.P.S. Then some people still claim the world is flat! NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2023
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Baby, Child and Man Rockets fell upon the city, a newborn baby cried. New life came to England, around him others died. Dave Madill
Soon a ship to Canada, a place he would call home. Raised on a working farm, room for a child to roam. A little one-room schoolhouse, a church among the trees. He grew to be a young man, running wild and free. Raised by a loving family, knowing right from wrong.
Taught love of God and country, this helped to make him strong. Grown, now he joined the service, there he learned how to fight. Then trips to many foreign lands, he did what he thought was right. Next a return to Canada, shunned for what he had done. He started driving big rigs, found peace on the endless runs. A chance meeting with a lady, she soon became his wife. Children followed later, the start of his new life. Still he drove the big trucks, across the endless land. North and south, east and west, guided by his steady hand. Somehow he kept his family fed, taught his children wrong and right. Now in his later years, he takes the time to write. Tales of where he wandered, people he has known. The family that he cares for, this land that he calls home. Somehow he must make a mark, pass on the lesson he has learned. Freedom is not given, it’s something that you earn.
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I’m Backkkkkk! W
hen, after 12 years, people told me that Trucking was in my blood, it wasn’t something I completely understood at the time, but I knew it had become a part of me. Like anything, it obviously has its ups and downs: good days, bad days, fun days and downright frustrating ones! As a Single parent, being in this industry is not easy, but with a good work ethic and with some pretty awesome people behind me, it’s more than possible! Trucking was crazy busy, and I honestly got burnt out because I’m not one to say no to work. The extra hours and pay definitely help! Amid it all, I got offered an opportunity to work for a heavy haul company as a logistics coordinator. It’s not something I had been looking for, but it was an opportunity, and I thought I would be silly not to give it a go. I thought it would open doors to new possibilities and experiences. At first, all new jobs are exciting, whether it be dressing up for work, new faces and environment or whatever the case may be. After seeing what goes into moving overdimensional and heavy-lifting transportation, I have a new respect for that part of the industry. Not just on the trucking side but all the planning, organization and things that have to take place before anything moves! But after just shy of 2 months, I realized it just wasn’t for me. I’ve always had physical jobs, so being confined to an office and plopped in front of a computer all day was
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an adjustment that I didn’t enjoy. I’m sure all office environments are different, but if you have any personalities that clash or someone has a bad day, everyone has to sit in that all day, whereas in the truck, you are on your own and not forced to talk to anyone if you don’t want to. It’s an experience that I am more than grateful for! But it is not a good fit for myself or my life. I don’t regret taking the opportunity because it has given me a new perspective on the trucking industry, even if it was short-lived. In today’s world, finding a company that supports your growth, wants to teach you the tricks of the trade and treats you like part of the family isn’t easy to find. I’m proud and happy to say that I truly know what It means when people say Trucking is in your blood because I am now back with Kirian in the Beautiful Blue Western Star! Over the last (going on five years), you get to build friendships and relationships with the customers and the people you work with. I missed that the most, not just being behind the wheel. I’m doing something different almost every day at Kirian, which keeps it exciting. I’m constantly learning new things and seeing new places and faces. Trucking is so much more than people give it credit for. It’s family, cool iron, community, and blue-collar workers whose hearts pump because of this industry. For some of us, it’s not just a job; we aren’t just steering
By Kalyn Marie
wheel holders. We care about every trip, take care of our trucks, and take absolute pride in what we do. Yes, it’s not the most glamorous job out there. But many of my trucking family and I live for all of it. I’m so happy to be back and thankful for everyone who supported me while attempting to transition out of a truck. Even though many of you knew it wasn’t for me, you respected the fact that I had to try it! Also, an even bigger thank you to Kirian Excavating & Transportation. For having me back and never giving up on family. For not holding me back and still encouraging me to try something new. But also knowing full well and hoping I would be back. Thank you to Rick, Ian and James. I’m grateful for everything you have taught me, and looking forward to all that I still have to learn. Sincerely from a girl who’s going to continue on Trucking! Editor’s note: Kalyn Marie was our March/April 2021 Rig of the Month. When she posted on FaceBook that she was changing careers, I commented that she would be back. I don’t often get to say I told you so, but Kalyn - I told you so. Stay tuned for future stories from Kalyn.
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First Annual Metro Vancouver TransportationNight a Huge Success
S
urrey, BC – JGK Media Inc. hosted the first annual Metro Vancouver Transportation Night (MVTN) on October 19th, 2023, at Reflections Banquet and Convention Centre in Surrey, BC. More than 200 professionals, including over 50 fleet owners, from the transportation industry attended the event. The transportation industry has seen some incredible changes in the past few years, with even more happening in the coming years.
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The purpose of MVTN 2023 was to discuss key issues in the trucking industry in Western Canada. Industry leaders, CEOs of major trucking fleets and other vested partners were invited to address the mutual challenges that affect the industry today and tomorrow. MVTN 2023 had a great speaker list, including Dave Earle, President, BC Trucking Association; Ken North & Bob Lawlor from Volvo/Mack Trucks; TJ Bilkhu & Roger Berryman
from Cummins Canada; Victor Grigoletto from First Truck Centre; Douglas Zorrilla from Keystone Law Group; Michael Bennett from Insureline; and Kevin Wu & Kulan Kahadugoda from Green Freight Assessments. The Keynote Speaker for the evening, Dan Diegan, delivered a powerful message on the importance of having a positive approach, no matter which part of the industry one is involved. The audience was NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2023
www.driverschoice.ca 39 actively engaged and many expressed that Dan’s message resonated very well with them.
team for this great initiative, and for all the hard work it took to put the event on.”
Following dinner, a panel discussion took place in which TJ Bilkhu, Ken North, Bob Lawlor and Dave Earle took questions. Although some questions were difficult, all members of the panel provided indepth and positive answers about the future of trucking technology.
Dave Earle commented, “MVTN 2023 is a great platform where the industry comes together and has the chance to talk face-to-face with all those invested in the trucking industry, and we look forward to next year.”
One consistent message from audience members was how important and pertinent Metro Vancouver Transportation Night was for our industry. Said Ken North: “What great strength, resilience, and hope, our BC Trucking industry has when we can come together in settings like this to share knowledge and support for each other. I tip my hat to [JGK and their]
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JGK Media Inc. would like to thank all speakers, attendees and sponsors to Metro Vancouver Transportation Night 2023. A special thank you to Daman Grewal and Amit Bhardwaj for their assistance in helping with many elements of this event. Thank you as well to Jimmy Gill and Sandy Chatha for their assistance. And finally, thank you to the Canadian Trucking Association of BC and the Port Transportation Association for all their help and
support in this endeavour. Metro Vancouver Transportation Night 2023 was a sold-out event. Next year, JGK Media Inc. promises a bigger event with more components. It is an event by the trucking community for the trucking industry. About JGK Media Inc. JGK Media Inc. is a leading media company based in British Columbia that has helped companies meet their marketing and communication goals since 2008. Serving across North America, JGK Media Inc. prides itself in bringing various industries together through print, digital, and face-to-face platforms. For more information, visit www. jgkmedia.ca.
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Electronic Mapping I
was sorry to read about the passing of Ed Murdoch in the Sep/Oct issue of Pro-Trucker. The trucking community has lost another great old-school trucker. Drivers like Ed are getting few and far between. No doubt Ed will have gained his experience, like most of us old truckers, by listening to the advice of more experienced drivers and planning his delivery route with a map. Back in the days before GPS and cell phones that could download Google Maps to give you step-by-step instructions to the destination of your load, maps and word of mouth from another driver who had been to the area you were going to was all there was. And if things didn’t go as planned, there might be a driver on the end of the CB who could help. Sadly, the health and safety desk jockeys in most of the big transport companies over here have wiped out the CB in the cabs. Company drivers are expected to drive and nothing else. Don’t use a cell phone, even if it is hands-free - no nibbling on snacks or drinking coffee or tea. The guys sitting in the office monitoring the trucks every minute of their working shift (while drinking coffee and nibbling on snacks) don’t seem to see the many advantages of a CB in the cab. Things
like avoiding a tailback because of an accident on the highway or even having a voice to talk to at the end of a long night shift. However, when I think back to my young days, I wonder how I found some outof-the-way deliveries. I used to deliver wire rope for fishing boats, so docks were easy to find. But when I got a return load, especially from the City of Hull, it was usually from a company called Weeks that made farm trailers. Some of those farms were down country lanes where the mirrors on the truck were brushing the hedges on either side, and it’s just as well I didn’t meet any other traffic and had to back up because I couldn’t see anything but green in my mirrors. It must’ve been much the same for Canadian drivers delivering to mines miles from main highways.
When I retired and decided it would be the holiday of a lifetime to visit all the truckers in Canada that I had only known from contacting them online. It was a year of firsts: my first passport, flight, and, if you don’t count Ireland, my first time in a foreign country. When my wife and I got off the plane in Vancouver and went to collect Drivers are well Compensated! Please Inquire. our rental car, the man behind the desk asked me if I wanted a GPS. How much is it; Flatbeds, Step Decks & Double Drops I asked, I didn’t 2 yrs exp & acceptable abstract want to seem Western Canada & USA like the typical Some dedicated runs Scottish miser, but I didn’t want to pay that
Hiring Qualified O/Ops & Drivers
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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.
amount for something a map could do, so I said no thank you. I told the guy, I’m not a normal tourist, I’m a driver, I’ll get myself a map. So, when my wife and I got to our first hotel on King George Blvd, we walked up to a nearby gas station and bought a map of Vancouver and the surrounding area. It was 25 dollars, and I’ve still got it. Each night I planned the route for the next day and wrote it down. I was the driver, and my wife was the co-pilot, reading street names and numbers. On the way to Agassiz to meet an old internet trucker buddy, highway 1 came to a halt because of an accident. Sitting in the queue, I got the map out and saw how to get onto Highway 7 at the Chilliwack off slip. In my mind, the map had already paid for itself. I don’t think my wife enjoyed her navigator role because when the income tax people sent me a little windfall, I decided that, as I’d been to the Chilliwack Pro-trucker show, I’d go to the Edmonton show and meet all the truckers up there. But my good lady wife decided she’d had enough enjoyment reading my route planning notes so I could go alone. There was nothing else for it. I had to bite the bullet and pay the money for a GPS. It came in very handy when I got to Edmonton. There was a fierce storm, and I could hardly see the road, never mind street names and signs. But I still took my map as a backup, just in case.
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LETTERING
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INDEX Berry & Smith ..................................................................................................... 19
TRUCKING SERVICES
Centurion Trucking ........................................................................................ 40 B & W Insurance .................................................................................... 06
Coastal Pacific Xpress ............................................................................. 41
Behind the 8 Diesel Engine Parts .................................................. 39
Edge Transportation ...................................................................................... 21
CBS Parts ....................................................................................................33
Geyser Transport .............................................................................................. 05
Cool Heat Truck Parts .......................................................................... 08
Golden Express Trucking Inc. ..................................................................... 09
Cool-it ........................................................................................................ 22
Grant Transport Inc. ......................................................................................... 24
Howes Lubricator ......................................................................... 24 & 25
Greenway Carriers ........................................................................................... 27
Hydra Steer ............................................................................................... 15
Keywest Express .............................................................................................. 04
Mobalign .................................................................................................. 21
Moh Trucking .................................................................................................. 45
Norris & Co. .............................................................................................. 43
North Coast Trucking Ltd. ............................................................................ 47
Ocean Trailer .......................................................................................... 17 Safety Driven .......................................................................................... 29
Reliance Logistics ........................................................................................... 03
Truck West Collision .............................................................................. 19
Road Link Xpress ............................................................................................. 20
Trucker’s Together ................................................................................... 26
Transam Carriers Inc. .................................................................................... 46
Trucking App ........................................................................................... 16
TransX ................................................................................................................... 02
ZZ Chrome ........................................................................................... 34
Trican .................................................................................................................... 48
18
30
Dave Madill
Myrna Chartrand
COLD LOAD HOME
COMFY AND COZY
42
ELECTRONIC MAPPING Colin Black
23
TRUCK STOPS Glen Millard
32
COLOURS AND MEANINGS Frank Milne
28
36
Greg Evasiuk
Frank Milne
MAKE IT A HOLIDAY
10
I’M BACKKKKKK!
RIG OF THE MONTH KENT CARSON
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