Driver to Driver Dave MacKenzie Director of Client Services Canadian Trucking Magazine
Dave brings over 32 years of transport experience to Canadian Trucking Magazine. From company driver to owner operator, from recruiting and retention officer to executive. I am pleased to be able to write to you from a magazine I am proud to be a part of. For years, as I travelled down that long ribbon of blacktop, I, like you, would pick up the Trucker Magazines on those free racks. I would read in the shower room, or pass time in the restaurant, but I found very few that I would actually bring back to the truck with me. As I was diving home from the Abbotsford Truck Show, I was discussing this with Carl Sveinson, a friend, and respected person in our industry. We talked for a bit, then he asked, “Why not start a trucking magazine?”. The idea was to create one that wasn’t filled with just advertisements, but geared to the driver and transportation industry. It would include stories, articles, as well as driver resources. It should be a magazine that drivers enjoy read Canadian Trucking Magazine
ing, and feel has value to them. This is when the Canadian Trucking Magazine began to come to life. What a great concept! I continued heading home from the truck show, travelling through truck stops, and shouting to my friends from the CB in my van. I have been hooked on trucking since I was 17, when I was green sheeted by the Canadian Armed Forces for trucks. Now was my chance to give back to this industry. So here in your hands is the very first issue of CTM, and my hopes are that this is a magazine you will take to your truck, to your home, as well as tell your friends about. Nothing would be sweeter than travelling across Western Canada delivering CTM in person, and hearing drivers passing time on the CB talking about December 2008
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Canadian Trucking Magazine. And there is a lot to talk about. You will notice that there are very few actual advertisements in this magazine, and that is by design. Over the years you will see more, as that is how we pay our bills, but it will never overcome the resources and entertainment material. Your input is especially important to us. Emails sent to us will be picked at random for prizes. Watch for our January issue with our CTM store, and ways to earn valuable gifts. If you have ideas, or suggestions for the CTM Girl of the Month, contact us at ctmgirl@canadiantruckingmagazine.ca. Each month will feature a CTM Girl of the Month, and at the end of the year a CTM Girl of the Year will be selected by you, the drivers. Also, we are looking for pictures of your favorite traveling companion. If you have a trucking related picture of your favorite ride along pet, send it to travelcompanion@canadiantruckingmagazine.ca. Each month we will print these pictures. Prizes will be awarded for the best pictures, and will be voted on by you.
theroad@canadiantruckingmagazine.ca. There might be unusual signs or events, take a picture and send it to us. The authors of the stories printed, as well as photographers of weird or unusual pictures will receive a Down the Road with Canadian Trucking Magazine shirt or hat. At CTM we deliver the magazines across Western Canada ourselves to ensure they are there, where you can find them. During these deliveries different promotions will be running. Give aways and contests will be announced. As well, don’t be surprised to find the CTM Girl of the Month handing out copies, and signing autographs. When you see the CTM Van on the road or at your favorite stop, shout at us on the CB, or come over and say hello. You never know if we have some CTM gear to hand out. Happy trails to all my fellow drivers out there, and I look forward to seeing you, and yakking at you down the road. Contact me at dave@canadiantruckingmagazine.ca
Another interest to the industry is stories from the road. As transport specialists, you see and hear a lot of different things that occur out there. CTM would like to print some of these stories, so send them to down6
December 2008
Canadian Trucking Magazine