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From the Editor’s desk... VOLumE 16, ISSuE 11 PUBLISHER/EDITOR John White john.protrucker@shaw.ca PRODUCTION/CIRCULATION Tori Proudley tori.protrucker@shaw.ca ADMIN/SPECIAL EVENTS Donna White donna.protrucker@shaw.ca ADVERTISING/MARKETING John White john.protrucker@shaw.ca Tori Proudley tori.protrucker@shaw.ca CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Dave Madill • Mel McConaghy Ben Proudley • Scott Casey Frank Cox • Ed Murdoch Colin Black • Dennis Ruttan PHOTOGRAPHY David Benjatschek • Ben Proudley HEAD OFFICE Ph: 604-580-2092 Fax: 604-580-2046 Toll Free: 1-800-331-8127 Published eleven times a year by Pro-Trucker Magazine Inc.,
The contents of this publication may not be reproduced by any means, in whole or in part, without prior written consent of the publisher. The advertiser agrees to protect the publisher against legal action based upon libelous or inaccurate statements; the unauthorized use of materials or photographs; and/or any other errors or omissions in connection with advertisements placed in Pro-Trucker Magazine. The publisher can and will refuse any advertising which in his opinion is misleading or in poor taste. The publisher does not endorse or make claim or guarantee the validity or accuracy of any advertisement herein contained. All materials submitted for publication are subject to editing at the publisher’s discretion. The act of mailing or e-mailing material shall be considered an expressed warranty by the contributor that the material is original and in no way an infringement on the rights of others. Pro-Trucker Magazine is written and produced in Surrey, B.C., and printed by Coastal Web Press Inc., Langley, B.C.
PubLIcATIOnS mAIL AGrEEmEnT #40033055 rETurn undELIVErAbLE cAnAdIAn AddrESSES TO cIrcuLATIOn dEPT. 9693 129th Street. SurrEy, b.c. V3T 3G3 Email: tori.protrucker@shaw.ca
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At the end of each year I can’t help but look back and think about how much things have changed over the past sixteen years that we have been publishing and of course those things that have stayed the same. Like the on-going shortage of qualified truck drivers. The problem is that the average age of truck drivers is going up each year because so few new drivers are entering the industry. The age-old system of mentoring that has brought so many young drivers up through the ranks has all but John White disappeared and the number of companies that train green drivers, eating the expense to do so, is also on the decline as those drivers leave for companies who sit back and then offer slightly higher wages. There are numerous reasons young people are not entering the industry. Long hours and time away from home are big ones but so is the lack of a certification that many young people are looking for today. In reality it is also not an easy profession for young people to get in to. I have received many calls from people who find themselves in the catch 22 situation of having taken a short Class 1 course, mainly because that was all they could afford, only to find that they cannot get a job unless they have experience. Of course they can’t get experience unless they have a job… A possible light at the end of the tunnel, which at this point admittedly is just a flicker but optimistically could lead to better things, comes from the province of Ontario which, after being embarrassed by Toronto Star articles telling how easy it is to obtain a Class 1 licence in the province, has committed to introducing mandatory higher standards of training for entry level drivers. Now if the training is high enough, and if other provinces can be convinced to follow suite, we may eventually get a nation-wide entry level standard which will allow new drivers to go straight to work. Taking this wish list a step further, if it were a certification program, it would also bring higher wages. A little over a year ago I received an email from one of our writers saying he was taking a sabbatical from writing because of medical issues. This of course upset everyone here and since he is a very private person our subsequent communication has been limited, greatly adding to our concern. Visiting him was out of the question as he lives a long way out of town– Ireland to be exact. I am very happy to say that I received an email from Frank Cox this week with an article for this issue. I am sure that his story will bring a smile to your faces as it brings back long forgotten memories of your first truck. His email has definitely brightened our Christmas. From all of us here at Pro-Trucker we wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and all the best to you and your families in the New Year.
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LETTERS to the EDITOR
e e Whit John Magazin cker u r T Pro
John White gazine Pro-Trucker Ma
Hello John, I read & enjoy your magazine but this note is not about Pro-Trucker Magazine in general, just your editorial on page 3 of November’s issue. Shame on you John, to error in the date of our Remembrance Day. All good Canadians that support our troops know that Remembrance Day falls on November 11 not September 11. I’m sure it was just an oversight on your part & that you do support our troops past & present. That said, September 11 is also an important date to remember but for very different reasons. Days like “9/11” are the reason why we have to have a Remembrance Day in the first place! I don’t usually write in to the editor but I just had to jump on this one. I’m sure that you received many other comments on this mistake so I’ll let it go. Keep up the good work. Gary (Bubba) Barclay Editor’s note: I have definitely heard from a number of
people and (passing the buck) I was going to fire my proof reader but then I took into consideration the cost of a divorce and…well, let’s just leave it at that. My good friend Dave Marson from Calgary was the first of many people to bring it to our attention and I could see the smile on his face even over the phone. A few years ago Tori misspelled September (Septmember) on the cover that month and people have been teasing her about it ever since. Her comment when Dave called was, referring to herself, “Well at least I had the right month…” Yes we do support our troops past and present. We have displayed the “Support our Troops” ribbon on our cover since July of 2007 and, since March of 2010, with permission from Gerry Murdy, of Murdy Transport, after seeing it on his trucks, we have displayed the “”Proudly Canadian” Flag on our cover. Hi John I’m really enjoying reading the paper issue of ProTrucker, it’s great to be able to dip in and out at my leisure. I enjoyed Sean McGinnis in rig of the month in the November issue, but I was concerned at the reaction he was getting from other drivers because his truck has a speed limiter. Over here every truck is limited to 90kph by law, although some trucks still go faster than others because you’re at the mercy of the guy who sets
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the limiter. I’m not convinced limiting the top speed of the truck saves that much fuel, our trucks are geared to run at 100kph which is right at the sweet spot in the rev range and torque. I think a lot of the trucks over on your side are geared to run at higher speeds because of the longer distances to cover, so my concern is he might get rear-ended by some dufus not paying attention, or cut up because he held some driver back for a milli-second. It might be better to wait until, like us, speed limiters are country wide, although I hope that doesn’t happen. Take Care John tata the noo Colin Black, Scotland Editor’s note: Throughout the industry there are almost as many opinions for and against speed limiters as there are drivers and companies. Companies typically say they want them to level the playing field by having everyone travel the same speed, which in turn will reduce accidents and save fuel. A recruiter from a large company told me that the difference between the amount of fuel used by owner operators, who pay for their own fuel, and company drivers, who do not, can be as much as 25% for the same trip. Drivers of course want to retain control of their trucks saying there are many times when they need that extra power to be safe. One rig of the month driver, originally from Scotland, said speed
M T AND T ACCOUNTING Specializing in the Transportation Industry: Bookkeeping - GST - Payroll Corporate & Personal Tax Planning and Filing Visit our website at mtandtaccounting.com or give us a call at 403-398-2476 limiters added to congestion as trucks often ended up in lines miles long because the faster trucks could catch up to slower ones but did not have the extra speed to pass. Then when you add 4-wheelers, who are not familiar with the restrictions of speed limiters, things get real exciting. Hello John, First let me thank you for publishing a true Western Canadian magazine. I have been reading Pro-Trucker from the very beginning and have collected each and every one. My father was a trucker before me, although I can just barely remember him because he was killed on the
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Alaska Highway when I was only 5 years old. When you first printed, “A Trucker’s Last Letter” by Rud Kendal I gave a copy to my Mom and it brought tears to her eyes. The reason I am writing is because I foolishly let a friend borrow two issues and never got them back. (Yes I’ve learned my lesson) Is there any chance that I can buy a copy of your October 1999 issue (with the original Trucker’s Last Letter in it) and the August 2001 issue? Ed Billings, Edmonton, AB Editor’s note: We have a very limited supply of past copies Ed but we have saved them for exactly this reason. Thank you for your kind words – the magazines are in the mail – Merry Christmas.
DRIVING THROUGH MY MEMORIES
By Ed Murdoch
Ed has held a commercial drivers license for 63 years and has spent the better part of 50 years on the road. You can get Ed’s new book at www.drivingthroughmymemories.ca Winter is upon us - an obvious observation I admit but, in attending an elite gathering recently, a comment I overheard was that trucking surely slows down this time of year. The speaker inferred that since all the stores have their holiday stocks in place, what else is there for
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the trucking companies to do? As I was the guest of honour, I took advantage of the opportunity to inform the group that everything in the room where we were assembled, even the wine in the glass in their hand, was at one time or another on a truck. Also, everything in their homes or businesses likewise, was at one time or another brought to a distributor on a truck except perhaps for the air they breathe…but even that is impacted if one is in the vicinity of traffic. Having gotten their attention I went on to say that if due to some catastrophic event all trucking were to come to a screeching halt, within a day the impact would be felt everywhere in the civilized world, even in some uncivilized parts of that world. Service stations that depend on daily delivery of petroleum products would run dry very quickly. In a short period of time there would be no airplanes in the sky, all emergency services would be unavailable and health-care facilities would run short of medical supplies. No armoured vehicles, no inter-branch paper transfers equals no banking. Just-in-time delivery and all manufacturing would end throwing millions out of work and with bare grocery shelves there would be nothing to eat. No beer! And imagine the accumulation of garbage and waste where insects, microorganisms and vermin of every description would thrive and be introduced into the environment creating a toxic cesspool of hazards with lethal results.
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Watch the video to see how it works! youtube.com/watch?v=zH9QHyfEY2Q Okay…….breathe! Although possible, this chapter in the Book of Life is not likely to be written any time soon, but it is something to keep in mind when surrounded by an eager audience at an office party or other celebratory occasion during the coming festive season when you can show off a little thoughtful rhetoric. Speaking of winter, in some locations around the continent the bewhiskered Old Man has already left his footprint. If you haven’t already done so, it is that time when one ought to change one’s mental gears to be more adaptable to conditions. And there is something I would like you to carefully consider. When I left the over-the-road scene a dozen years ago to pursue compliance, safety and ultimately journalism
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and broadcasting, I did not own a headset or listening device that prevented the ambient sounds of the engine or other external noises from getting my attention. Such devices weren’t all that popular yet. An incident that was recently brought to my attention has caused me some concern regarding this new technology. A driver wearing a headset and talking to someone via Bluetooth entered an American Midwestern facility in a snowstorm looking for a slot to park his rig for the night. There were no spots available and the only possible exit was through a very narrow opening that required his dragging the trailer around an obstacle hidden under the snow. The dampening effect of both the ground cover plus the headset prevented him from hearing what must have been a fairly loud scraping and tearing noise as he negotiated his getaway. It was not until the next morning, 120 miles further down the pike, while performing his pre-trip, that the driver noticed the slider box had been ripped open and a piece of metal was damaging two tires. The broken part had to be ordered with a delay of about 4 days expected. The decision was made to transfer the very small and light cargo to a rented trailer, proceed to the destination, pick up a load for eastern Canada, reload again for a city, town, village or hamlet near where his original trailer was being repaired. At which time he would switch trailers and load again for somewhere in the west.
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Outside of the added expense, the point of this tale is that distracted drivers make mistakes that might not otherwise have occurred if they had been fully conscious of everything that was going on around their vehicle. Extended hands-free conversations, or listening to loud music, that causes a reduction in the focus of the operation of an 18 wheeler ought to be avoided at all costs. Your safety and that of others on the road should be one’s paramount focus. There is no gray area when it comes to safety on the highway. Enjoy the holidays and celebrate sensibly as tradition in your family dictates and when on the move do it as safely as possible…and look forward to a Happy & Prosperous New Year!
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You can hear Ed Murdoch live on Saturday mornings at 9:00 a.m. on The Voice of the Shuswap CKVS-FM 93.7 or repeated on Tuesdays at 4:00 and Thursdays at 10:00 p.m. You can also stream the broadcast by going to www.voiceoftheshuswap.ca and clicking on Listen Live. And of course his book entitled Driving Through My Memories is available by ordering online at http:// shuswappress.wordpress.com/ed-murdoch/ . They make great stocking stuffers!
AN OUNCE OF PREVENTION... By Ken Davey Ken Davey has 30 years experience in the trucking industry. He is currently a Director at Accord Transportation Ltd., and a member of the Board for the Trucking Safety Council of BC
Merry Christmas to everyone. Joyful tidings, especially for those truckers and other professionals away from friends and family this year at the holidays because of work responsibilities. Back when my dad was teaching me how to drive he always said to respect larger vehicles and give them the right of way. It did not matter to him if it was a large truck or a farmer’s tractor with a trailer overloaded with hay bales, the big guy got the right of way. You drove
slowly around them. He explained that they were doing a job, they had different visibility than we did, and they had to drive differently than us in the car because they had to be concerned with whatever they were towing. Plus, truckers and farmers will always help you when you have trouble on the road. This was, and still is, good advice about driving around larger vehicles. Advice that I wish more car drivers could be exposed to. But I have to say, in today’s world, trucks should no longer stop to help people in trouble. We lived in Northern Alberta in the 70’s and in some areas; there was a lot more space than there was people. In many areas there were no businesses for 100 miles
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or more. Today you can call an AMA truck with your cellphone and they will deliver you 5 gallons of gas. Back then, you risked life and limb to hike to the nearest farm house or waited for the next vehicle, hopefully a trucker to stop and help you out. Common were stories of stranded motorists being saved by an angel trucker. Truckers never passed people in trouble. This arrangement was so prevalent that in the first version of the national safety code, trucks had to carry first aid kits because they were so often the first person at the scene of an accident. That section was repealed over 15 years ago. Despite the fact that that you want to stop and help, even have a need to help, don’t stop your truck for stranded motorists. The best thing to do is use your cell or CB to report the incident to 911 or the highway maintenance crew and keep going. There are lots of reasons not to stop. First it could be a trap. I know of incidents where trucks have been intentionally bumped in traffic for the purpose of faking an injury for insurance fraud. Also, breakdowns have been faked to get a trucker to stop so they can rob the trucker or hijack the load. This doesn’t just happen in big US cities. A hijack actually happened to our fleet in Vancouver. You are always better off calling the authorities to help the people in distress. Accidents often happen again and again at the same spot. Last winter, we jacknifed into the median and hit
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a truck that was there under the snow. It had jackknifed into the median the day before but hadn’t been salvaged yet. Every accident is a hazard that may, and often does, cause an accident. Last year one of our drivers was run over and lost his legs when he stopped to assist another person who had jackknifed and run off the road. Since it is winter let’s take a specific look at the hazards of stopping to help at a winter accident. Here is a list of do’s and don’ts for icy winter accidents so you don’t become part of the problem. DO: If your vehicle is still drivable, keep moving Keep going until you arrive at a safe place to pull well off the road. Not only are you at risk from additional outof-control vehicles, you may actually cause additional accidents by remaining on the road. If your accident involved other vehicles that are all still drivable, and if there are no injuries, encourage everyone to move to the nearest safe location off of the road. If your vehicle is disabled, stay in your vehicle You have a better chance of surviving another car or truck crashing into you if you are inside the unit. The vehicle will absorb vehicle impacts-your body won’t. Unless there is a fire or your vehicle is sliding over a cliff, the vehicle will protect you. If it is possible to get out , get away from the road Once you are sure that no traffic is approaching, exit
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your vehicle and immediately get as far off the road as you can. Be careful, as the icy pavement will be tricky to walk on. Climb up an embankment; get behind a guardrail or barrier - anything that will get you out of the way of additional sliding vehicles. DO NOT: Don’t get out of your truck and stand on the road. Don’t worry about inspecting the damage to your unit - worry about the other cars and tractor-trailers that are hurtling toward the same icy spot that you just wrecked on! People standing around on icy roads after surviving their own accident are often struck and hurt or killed in secondary accidents.
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Don’t stop for accidents or stranded vehicles along an icy roadway. Your vehicle at the side of the road will create a hazard and hinder first responders. Parking on the side of an icy highway can cause passing drivers to brake and lose control, putting the lives of everyone involved in danger. Also, plowed snow can give a false reading of where the side of the road is and you may end up stuck or worse rolled over. Unless the stranded driver is in immediate danger, the best thing you can do is contact the authorities (call 911), who are equipped to safely block the road or divert traffic while a tow truck can do the job properly.
Reflections Thru My Windshield
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.
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NO BRAKES TAKING IT EASY TO GO FAST My son and I were sent up to a Log Home company in Squamish, BC with our two trucks where we met up with a couple of other trucks from a different company. We were there to load two homes that were to be delivered to Teluride, Colorado. John and I were to split one house between our trucks while the trucks from the other com-
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pany took the second one. We all helped each other load, tie down and tarp up and then we took off in a bunch. The first little run was to the border where the paperwork was all in good order, so we crossed over without any problems. Our next stop was at the Flying Hook in Coeur d’Alene, Washington and since it was getting late in the evening we parked for the night. Next morning we were up and away early and then we pulled into Butte for the night. John and I brought up the rear about an hour behind the other two as we were taking it fairly easy and trying to save fuel. The next morning we had breakfast and then took off and the two American trucks were out of sight in no time while we kept up our sedate but steady pace. We caught them again at Salt Lake where we all parked for the night. Once again they had us beat by at least an hour. John and I took it easy the next morning and we were still having breakfast when the other two drivers pulled out. We took our time and headed down the road into some very ugly weather. First we hit freezing rain which soon turned to snow and by the time we got into Montrose, Colorado we were in the middle of a full-fledged blizzard. Our bills were dated and we were supposed to be in Teluride by noon the next day but I decided that I was not about to risk my trucks and our lives over a load. I phoned ahead and I told the customer that his loads would be at least a day late and maybe two depending on the weather. There was a bit of complaining but the customer finally saw the light and agreed. He then asked about the other two units
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and I told them I had no information on them. The customer then said that if they could make it then we should also and if we didn’t make it on time, and the others did, then our pay would be docked. I told the customer to do whatever he wanted but I was not risking my trucks, lives and his loads just for the sake of speed. Well the weather clamped down into a real Northerner and we ended up sitting there for two full days until the weather cleared. We finally made down to Teluride, 50 or so hours late, only to find that we were the first two trucks to show up. John and I untarped, untied, and unloaded at our site, and then got our bills signed after I noted on the bill that we were two days late due to inclement weather. I also noted on the bill that the other two trucks had not yet arrived. I found out later that both trucks had left the road just south of Montrose in a blinding snowstorm and had been towed back to Montrose. Apparently both their loads had been dumped by the side of the road and had to be moved out of the way by a front end loader. To make matters worse, in order to clear the road as soon as possible they just dumped the load over the side of a large ravine. After we left Teluride, John and I both reloaded in Salt Lake and delivered in Vancouver and then headed right back to Squamish where we picked up a new set of timbers for the house that had not been delivered. Needless to say, when we delivered our load the customer was more than a
NEW Extended Hours Mon-Fri 8 am- Midnight • Sat 8 am- 5pm little sheepish as I explained that sometimes discretion is the better part of valor. ***** The rain was pouring and there was a big puddle in front of the entrance to the pub. A ragged old man was standing there with a rod and hanging a string into the puddle. A tipsy-looking, curious gentleman came over to him and asked what he was doing. ‘Fishing,’ the old man said simply. ‘Poor old fool,’ the gentleman thought and he invited the ragged old man into the pub for a drink. As he felt he should start some conversation while they were sipping their whisky, the gentleman asked, ‘And how many have you caught?’ ‘You’re the eighth,’ the old man answered.
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CALLING ALL
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OWNER OPERATORS!
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Rig of the Month
My name is Eric Gessner / aka Rick /aka Rikidoo. I came from a broken home and was raised by my aunt and uncle, Jeanette and Alvin Gessner. They were great people and I adored them immensely. I have 3 full sisters,
by John White
two half-sisters and who I jokingly call, my two halfassed brothers. We lived on a farm outside of Garden Prairie, Saskatchewan, which is a small farming community between Wilkie and Battleford, Saskatchewan.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank our dedicated drivers over the past year and wish them all the best for the holiday season! We also would like to invite other operators to join our team!
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Contact Jody Hayes at safety@caneda.com or Ph: 403.538.7935 www.pro-truckermagazine.com
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My trucking career started on the farm at the ripe old age of 11. Being the oldest out of three boys on the farm I was given the job of hauling grain and silage with an old Diamond Rio truck and then an old Ford cab over. When I was 15 I decided to leave home so I moved just south of Edmonton to work on a horse ranch. I was making 100 bucks a month – Wow - I was making the bucks! But don’t laugh - I was able to buy a coat, a pair of boots and tobacco - and I still had money in my pocket. After two years of breaking green horses and muckin’ stalls I moved to Calgary where I worked for a farm implement dealer loading and unloading trucks. I lived in an apartment house in Calgary while I was there and that was where I met my driving mentor, Ross McEwen. He drove a W900 Kenworth hauling oil from Calgary to Golden. I rode with him on a few trips and wound up getting the bug for driving. Sometime later I moved to Wainwright, Alberta and went to work as the yard boss and truck driver for my stepdad at another farm implement dealership. I drove a F500 single axle pulling a 42 foot tilt trailer - now I was truckin’! After a while I got a job offer to haul bulk cement to the oil rigs for Canan Cementers in Wainright, Alberta. I jumped at the chance because it gave me the opportunity to kick it up a notch and drive a 68 Kenworth with a 318 Detroit with a 5&4 tranny. I worked with two other guys on that crew, Harold Myers, and Terry Baure. We were
Eric Gessner young and there were no log books so the three of us worked hard but we sure played hard too. After that I drove a cab over Freight-shaker hauling water on the rigs for Al Hannaha Trucking followed by a lot of different smaller trucking companies. In between trucking jobs I did some more cowboying and I worked for Dominion Bridge as an iron worker for a while. I did rod work and was on one of the very first crews on site, building the power station at Coronach, Saskatchewan. Most of that time of my life was more of a party and then in 1982 I got married and that all changed. We had
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two kids Amanda and Kirk and I settled into driving a 13 letter manure spreader, for John A. Paul, pulling convertible b-trains from Saskatoon to Vancouver. It had a 350 Cummins and man, I was living the dream. I could leave home with a 100 bucks and I’d come back with money still in my pocket. Now-a-days 100 bucks might last 2 days on the road if I’m lucky. Like many truck drivers before me, things went south with my marriage so I moved to my own place in Humboldt, Saskatchewan. After I split with my wife I started a band in Regina called Runnaway. We were what they call an A circuit band which basically plays all the larger clubs and venues as opposed to a B circuit that plays the smaller clubs and bars. We travelled all over the country for the next 15 years and were voted the number one band by the Canadian Cowboys Association for 5 years in a row. Our lead guitar player, Terry Lasco, was amazing. He was voted guitar player of the year by the Saskatchewan Music Association. We played every rodeo that we could and I still drove for Kervers Trucking. during the day. From there I moved to Regina and got a job working on a horse ranch for Jack Grad. Jack was a great guy and I looked at old Jack as an Uncle figure after my Uncle Alvin passed away. One day at a team roping competition, or Jackpot as they are called, at Jacks place, Cathy Lipsett, of Lipsett
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CANYON CABLE 1988 LTD. 930-6th Ave., Hope, bc 604-869-9036 Toll Free 1-800-588-8868 Cartage, asked if I would take a trip with the truck now and then. I agreed and it was an easy run, coiled steel to Alberta and lumber back to Manitoba. Well one trip soon became 3 trips a week from Regina to Calgary to Red Deer to Winnipeg. Before I knew it I had been doing this, “trip in the truck now and then” for 3 years. I got married a second time to a girl named Wanda and, still trucking and playing music, life was great. She had a daughter, Patricia but once again things went south and Wanda and I split. About 5 years later she wasn’t feeling well one day and went in the hospital to get checked over and she never came out. She died of cancer 2 weeks later. I drove several different trucks after that and in 04 I
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started driving for J.G. Carriers, a mom and pop company. I can honestly say that Grant and Joanne’s company was the best one I’ve ever worked for. They paid great and put me in a real nice 95 Kenworth W900 on the first day and then later they gave me a newer Freightliner with a 500 Detroit. My run was pulling Vans from Calgary to the Kootenays. One day I got a call from Grant saying I could come home any time now as I had been out on the road for close to a month. I got a load back home and when I pulled in he took me over and showed me a 2007 W900. Grant looked at me and said, “Enjoy it my friend, you’ve earned it.” The guy who had been driving it before me had decided to go farming. He had named the truck Donkey so who was I to change it? On October 4th at 4:45 pm Donkey and I were on the Salmo Creston cut off, heading east, bound for Calgary when things took a turn for the worst. I was about 5 km from the summit when a four wheeler lost control and came across four lanes of traffic before I hit him broad side on the passenger side of his SUV. The collision took out all my steering and all I could see was the down side of the mountain looking me in the face as over the side we went. I remember on the way down thinking to myself, “This is going to hurt.” I woke up in Cranbrook hospital and it was not good. I had fractured my back in two places, my neck in one, broke a leg, messed up my shoulder and took some hard
hits to the head. I spent a week in the Cranbrook hospital then they moved me to Regina for three weeks. I finally made it home but I was off work for three years, my time filled with lots of physio-therapy. When I got out of the hospital the first thing I did was go take a look at the truck and it was in pieces. I looked at what was left of Donkey and thought, wow - I was actually in there…and survived. The doctors said that I was no longer going to be able to drive a truck for a living so WCB asked me what kind of training would I like to take. I decided that being a truck driver trainer might be the thing to do as it would at least give me the chance to be in a truck. I took the course in Prince Albert Saskatchewan and became an independent teacher so I could teach for a few different companies instead of being tied to one. As time went on I realized that this teaching thing wasn’t my calling and I decided that if I was going to sit in the truck I would drive the damn thing. I went and saw J.G and they welcomed me back. By this time they had a lot more trucks and had moved to a newer and much bigger shop, so they decided to have a grand opening and hired my band for the entertainment. That was the start of the end for J.G. as they soon decided to sell out. I figured it was time to get my own truck so I bought a Freightliner Condo and went to work for KK Forwarding out of Sparwood BC. When I got there I found out that
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Manitoulin Group of Companies is one of Canada’s largest national transportation companies, providing LTL/FTL dedicated and logistics solutions throughout North America.
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the dispatcher was the same guy that had worked for J.G. which was good because we got along great. After a while I moved over to another company pulling decks and RGN trailers. I did that for two years then decided to trade my Freightliner off on a beautiful red 07 W900L with a 565 Cummins and an 18 speed tranny with 355 gears. Okay now I had my dream truck. I was still playing music, trucking, and living the dream. In 2010 my good friend Motor Rosenau talked me into taking my truck to Alberta Big Rig Weekend in Red Deer. It was the first time I had entered a show and shine and I ended up winning the Best Lights trophy for truck and trailer and my good friend Kim Wylee took 2nd place that year. Motor and Kim had been coming to the Big Rig Weekend shows for many years and I could soon see why - I had a great time. I met the Pro-Trucker family and got to spend time with a lot of old friends I knew from on the road. It was such a good experience that I have gone back every year since. I can’t wait until I get the opportunity to go to the BC Big Rig Weekend. In 2011 I decided that I’d go back to Humboldt Saskatchewan where I ended up parking my truck and driving mixer for my ex-brother-in-law, Kevin Brockman. My KW, Old Red, sat in the shop looking pretty for almost a year and I really enjoyed the work but it came to an end when I messed up my shoulder and couldn’t do the job anymore. So me and Old Red went
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MOORE’S LOGGING LTD.
NOW HIRING
LOG TRUCK DRIVERS IN EDSON, AB Duties and responsibilities: Inspection reports • Running in radius Incident reports • Hours of service, etc. The ideal candidate will have: The physical ability to lift 50lbs Experience as a log truck driver A valid class 1 license & clean abstract A positive attitude & willingness to learn Strong verbal and written communication skills Own transportation to drive to/from work Wages: Super-B & Quad Axle Drivers = 30% commission Potential annual earnings of $115,000 Please contact Duane Martel 1-780-817-6732 hauling gravel for Kevin up until winter came on. At that point we ran out of work so I asked Kevin what now? Well my question was soon answered as that winter the snow just kept on falling. We found ourselves hauling snow all day and then at midnight we would go back to work clearing snow until 8am the next morning for the city of Humboldt. In the spring I went to work for Tim Rosenau hauling farm chemicals all over Saskatchewan and when that slowed down I went back to hauling gravel for Kevin in Humbolt. Kevin currently rebuilds wrecked Peterbilts. He knows them upside down and does a fantastic job of putting them back on the road. I’ve always kept in touch with my second wife’s daughter Patricia who I have always considered my own. She and Greg have two great kids Karson who is 11 and Paige who is 7. Paige is definitely Grandpa’s girl. They are my whole world and I see them every chance I get. In October of 2013 I sold my dream truck to Tyson Graw from North Battleford. He is the son of my best friend Norman Graw. Norman and his brother Randy along with their sons all farm together south west of Battleford so I get to see Old Red now and then. I’m very proud of Tyson and the way that he takes great care of my old truck. Currently I’m driving a 2004 Kenworth, 900L midroof, for Barry Wilson out of Saskatoon. Barry called
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me up shortly after I had sold my truck said he had a truck that, if I would drive it, he would find a place for it to work. Today the truck is leased to Q-Line Trucking out of Saskatoon. I work on the Canadian deck side and also pull RGN trailers, mostly running out west in BC and Alberta. I can’t believe how much trucking has changed over the years. Some of it good and some bad but all in all I think it is mostly good. I still play music with my new band, Recycled Teenagers, which is a pretty good name for a band that plays anything from ZZ Top to Willie Nelson. In February of this year my daughter Amanda got married in Cancun Mexico and it was a great week in the sun. I enjoyed it so much that now I’ve got the travel bug and have planned another holiday. By the time this magazine goes to press I will be sitting on the sand in Mazatlan watching the world go by. Right now, as I am writing this, I am sitting in the bunk of my truck and I can’t help but to think back of all the people who have helped me through the years. I can’t thank my Uncle Alvin for all he did for me not the least of which was inspiring me to drive truck. And then there are all my trucker friends out there who have always been there for me when things have gone south. Special thanks to Motor - you are a true friend and big bro. P.S. Saturday night in Red Deer was great!
We Specialize in: - New & Rebuilt Transmissions & Differentials - PTO Repairs & Clutches We are a Designated Inspection Facility that also does: - General Truck & Trailer Repairs - Suspensions, Brakes & Welding - Drivelines & Air Conditioning Mon - Fri 8am-5:30pm Saturdays 8am- 4:30pm
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VIEW FROM AN IRISH VOLVO
Frank Cox is a truck driver, turned freelance writer from Armagh City, near Belfast. He has written numerous articles on his trucking experiences and a wide variety of other subjects that can be found at: www.xinxii.com/mydocs.php?pid=3703f
Hi, you guys. If I may echo those immortal words of the former, body-building, celluloid action hero and Governor of the State of Californ-eye-aah..........I’M BACK!! Maybe not on a regular basis, but every now and then. Wait! Listen. Are those gasps of delight, or sighs of despair I hear?? Whichever they are, I hope you’ll forgive me, if I indulge in a little nostalgia for a few moments, considering the season that’s in it. I reckon every trucker has fond memories of his first ever rig. I am no exception. My first up close and personal contact with a truck was on Christmas morning, 1958. I know, many of you were not even born then. Indeed some of your parents probably weren’t either. I was 4 years old. The night before, myself and my older brother were ushered to bed to await the arrival of Santa Claus. Both of us had decided we would resist any attempt to fall asleep and we were determined to stay awake and get our first glimpse of the big guy. We had tried this the year before, and failed miserably. But we were older now.
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BOOKMARK
Bigger and tougher, we thought. We chatted incessantly for as long as we could, in the room we shared, but eventually the sleep overtook us. I woke early that Christmas morning, but Santa had already been and gone. There, at the foot of my bed, was a wondrous thing. A big canary yellow truck with wheels of hell-fire red. It was made entirely from wood, except for the steel pins that formed it’s axles. On the flatbed trailer were six big logs, secured in place by two elastic straps. I decided at once that they would be telegraph poles. I hopped out of bed and sat, cross-legged on the floor just looking at this beautiful creation, trying to absorb the fact that it was mine! After a few moments I dared to reach out and touch it. Caress it. Then I carefully lifted it in both hands and hugged it. Yes, it was love at first sight!! For the next few hours I delivered telegraph poles to every room in the house. Then I went round the very same rooms and collected telegraph poles. My little truck climbed up and down mountainous stairs, crossed carpeted prairies, skidded and jack-knifed on a treacherous bathroom floor and rumbled all the way through our home. She went when I wanted her to, she stopped when I asked and she never as much as coughed once. We were always on time with our drops and pick-ups and chatted freely and friendly with all our customers. Well, except for my big sister, who objected to boys in her room, even when they were delivering badly needed
telegraph poles!! My mother finally called a halt to my unending work schedule, and started getting me washed and dressed for Mass. I kept a death’s grip on my truck, in case my brother would get to play with it while behind my ears were being scrubbed. I wanted to take it with me to the chapel, but both my parents were adamant. No! It was the longest church service I think I ever suffered through. We eventually made it home again and I began clearing the backlog of deliveries. As we sat down to our Christmas dinner, my truck was parked proudly beside my plate. Fully dieseled up and ready, at a moment’s notice, to deliver extra sprouts, carrots, spuds or turkey to anywhere on the table, if required. But no orders came in. Christmas day, it seems, was always quiet in the haulage business. Over the next twelve months, me and my rig were inseparable. Oh, she suffered the ravages of time, as do we all. By the time Christmas Eve came around again, she was a sorry looking sight. She had been walked on, tripped over, kicked out of the way by irritated adults, who had long since lost the magic of being 4 years old. Some of the bodywork was chipped, the paintwork scratched and there was a frightening wobble in the front wheels. The elastic straps were either lost, or stolen to mend something else and most of the telegraph poles had gone AWOL. But she still started first time and fearlessly
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Call Jack or Darren | 1-800-663-1421 www.shadowlinecareers.com PAGE 30
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PRO-TRUCKER MAGAZINEe
went where I wanted her to go. And I still loved her. That night, my brother and I climbed the stairs to bed, determined yet again, to cheat sleep and be awake when Santa came. Again, we failed and seemed to fall asleep even quicker that year. I often suspected our mother may have spiked our supper with a mild ‘Mickey Finn’. Years later I put this to her. She acted outraged, claiming she would never do such a thing to her adorable children. However, I was sure I detected a twinkle in her denying eyes.
Idle Time
By Scott Casey Scott, our Rig of The Month for May 2003 has written “In the Devil’s Courthouse” a book about his years as a gun toting truck driver while serving as a Canadian Peacekeeper in the former Yugoslavia
The Walk
“Lest We Forget”
It was two o’clock in the morning when I rose from my required sleeper berth time. Folding the curtain of my sleeper open I looked out over the hood of my rig. A fresh blanket of snow had covered the earth and made it look brand new. The northern lights were directly overhead, dancing in all their green glory. I ran my fingers through my beard in an attempt to square away the pillow face. I
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couldn’t help but chuckle when I said to myself, “It’s not grey, it’s chrome.” Sliding out of the covers and into my pants I busied myself with making my bed and tidying up. A quick turn and I went from home to office, with me now sitting in the pilot’s seat. I clicked my pen and got to doing the usual morning paperwork. Time for a walk around and pretrip. Slipping on my black boots I exited and made my way around my vehicle. Walking around I inspected the tarp job that had been done at the office by the yard guys. They were the best crew on the planet, with a selfless dedication to their work. They had packed the cargo area chock full of freight and still managed to get it completely covered and most importantly, legal. Everything looked the same as I had left it at bedtime. A visual scan of the motors and physical check of all the lines and of course the brake shoes and it was back into the cockpit and fire those “ponies” up. I always received strange looks when I referred to them as “ponies.” Nevertheless they always provided me with the power to get this rig on the move and more so. With a quick flick of my right wrist my lead sled broke free under the powerful tug of the power plants and in seconds there was snow swirling and we were on our way. So many deliveries and so little time. It’s a good thing we had done this run for so many years and had every detail down to the second. I could tell
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Terry 604-882-7623 you where every pothole and crack in the road was for thousands of miles. But the reward of those hard earned memories would be there tomorrow morning after I parked the ol’ girl in her spot till next delivery. “Don’t forget to stop in at the White’s house this year,” the melodic voice of my dispatcher’s voice crackled over the radio. “Little Johnny has been a good lad and cleaned up his language, so he’s on the ‘Good List’ this year.” “10-4, We always stop there, Donna is a sweetheart, Johnny.....well ok if you say he’s on the list I’ll make sure he gets something,” I said with a belly laugh. “Weathers good for the most part, I’ve got the red fog lights turned on out front so we might even be done early, puddins” I assured my office.
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“Okay, fly safe and see you in the morning, Santa baby,” her words drifted off like slowly melting snowflakes in the sun. There’s just something about this time of year that makes work so much easier to enjoy. If you cannot make it home for the holidays, please be safe and know that the job you do out there is appreciated by many of us. Go inside a cafe and hunker down with some other drivers or invite a homeless person for supper too. It’s about giving and we have so much in this country. Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night *****
A RETIREE’S LAST TRIP TO COSTCO Yesterday I was at Costco buying a large bag of Purina dog chow for my loyal pet, Owen the Wonder Dog, and I was in the check-out line when a woman behind me asked if I had a dog. What, did she think, I had an elephant? So because I’m retired and have little to do, on impulse, I told her that no, I didn’t have a dog, I was starting the Purina Diet again. I added that I probably shouldn’t, because I ended up in the hospital last time, but that I’d lost 50 pounds before I awakened in an intensive care ward with tubes coming out of most of my orifices and IVs in both arms. I told her that it was essentially a Perfect Diet and the way that it works is, to load your pants pockets with Purina Nuggets and simply eat one or two every time you feel hungry. The food is
The
nutritionally complete, (it’s certified!), so it works well and I was going to try it again. (I have to mention here that practically everyone in line was now enthralled with my story.) Horrified, she asked if I ended up in intensive care, because the dog food poisoned me. I told her no, I had stopped to pee on a fire hydrant and a car hit me. I thought the guy behind her was going to have a heart attack he was laughing so hard. By the way, Costco won’t let me shop there anymore. *****
Trucking varies. Day to day. Sometimes sunny. Sometimes gray. It mirrors life. I do lament. Peaks and valleys Grass and cement. Just keep going. Is a goal. Hands on the wheel. Stay in control. ~ Trevor Thiessen, Jade Transport
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TYRES ACROSS THE POND 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.
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Christmas Trees Many years ago I worked for a company called Lep International out of their general haulage depot at East Kilbride. They eventually closed that depot so I moved to their air freight department, which was based at Glasgow Airport where I drove a 17 ton four wheeler Ford. My normal run was up to Dundee where Lep had a small office next to the very small airport alongside the river Tay. One December the office manager came out and said, “Colin, on your way to Dundee you pass Kelty forest don’t you?” “Yes” I said, “I’ve made deliveries in Kelty village.” “Well,” he said, “as it’s on your route could you call in and pick up 6 Christmas trees for the staff?” From that point on, every Christmas, it became my unofficial job to collect about 6 or 7 trees for some of the senior office staff. It only made sense for me to collect them as I was passing the forest anyway and it saved the staff messing up their cars which would happen if they
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Phone: 403.278.1129 • Fax: 403.278.8307 Email: marilynt@diamondinsurance.ca bought the trees from the garden centre. The trees were always pre-ordered and paid for so it was just a matter of pulling off the highway and throwing them in the truck. What could be easier? But one December there was a slip up. I pulled off the highway and drove down the narrow forest track to the clearing where the Forestry Commission sold the trees. The place was very busy with people picking trees and getting them put through the funnel that squeezed the branches in and covered the tree with netting. I spoke to a worker and said I was in to pick up 6 trees for Lep international, one 7 foot, one 6 foot, and four 5 foot trees. He said there was no record of an order for Lep, and all the trees that were already cut were sold. The man said if I came back later he would have some more cut and leave them beside the cabin, so off I went to do my run. Later that day it began to snow and a normal quick run round Dundee turned into a crawl. Back then Dundee was famous for Jute, Jam and Journalism and the narrow back streets in the city around the jute mills were still laid with granite cobbles. While these cobbles were hard wearing, once they got wet, or covered with snow, they were a skating rink for my long wheelbase Ford. But eventually I got round my deliveries and pick-ups and with the paperwork sorted I started back south for home. The snow was falling thick and fast when I got back to the Kelty forest. I drove down to the clearing for my trees and of course it was deserted - the forestry workers
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had long since gone home. Not to worry, the man said he would leave my trees against the cabin. I looked all round both cabins on the site but there was no sign of the trees I was supposed to pick up. He must’ve forgotten me. I stood for a minute taking in this Christmas card scene, then I noticed a pile of cut trees that were covered in snow. I dragged some trees off the pile and picked six that were near the sizes I needed. It’s not like I was stealing them, they were, or would be, paid for. (I certainly wouldn’t want to get put in Santa’s naughty boy book this near Christmas.) With the trees in the truck I got turned round and headed back for the main road. The track out the forest was uphill and in the short time I had been there the heavy snow had covered my incoming tracks making my exit doubtful. I finally made it back to base where I unloaded. It was another long day and I still had six more deliveries to do before I got home. When I delivered his tree the boss said, “Still at it Colin?” “Yes John,” I said, and then I proceeded to tell him the story of the trees that hadn’t been ordered. He said, “Thanks,” and slipped a fiver into my hand. Christmas, bah humbug.
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Friends The highways wind and wander; the seasons come and go The four lanes and the two lanes, the sun, the rain and the snow The years just seem to slip away and this highway has no end Always there is another hill or there is another bend The many places I have seen all seem to run together The many seasons I have seen, just categorized as weather Yet I have met so many people and so very many friends They are the reason that I travel this road that never ends Friends are like a beacon that helps to guide you on your way Their smiles are like a summer breeze upon a winter’s day As long as I still have friends I’ll stay out on this street There are so very many friends that I have yet to meet
G N I R I H
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 or amazon.com
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