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From the Editor’s desk... voLUmE 17, ISSUE 10 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 Ed Murdoch • Colin Black Tamara Weston PHOTOGRAPHY David Benjatschek • Ben Proudley Brad Demelo 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.
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In September of 1985 I went to work for Freightliner of Canada at their assembly plant in Burnaby. Early in 1986 I applied for a line supervisor job and no one was more surprised than I when I got the job. The following November, John Spencer, my manager, took me down to Portland for a tour of that plant. John liked his image of a crusty old guy who ran everything by the book. This didn’t make him all that popular John White among the guys and girls working the floor but looking back I can see how most of it was for show. I guess it made it easier to make those hard decisions every manager has to make now and then. I was soon to find out that few people knew the other side of John. We drove to Portland in John’s car and when we left the plant I thought he would crank some old rock and roll or maybe country music to travel with. You can imagine my surprise when classical music came softly out of the speakers. “Well,” I thought, “Maybe I’ve misjudged this guy…” At the end of the street there was a stop sign and as we sat there waiting for the traffic to clear he mentioned that I had been looking a little stressed lately. I admitted that the steep learning curve was keeping me awake at nights. He pointed to the stop sign we were sitting at and said, “When I go past that sign every night I quit thinking about the plant and I don’t start thinking about it again until I drive by it in the morning - you should try it.” Hmmm – this guy is full of surprises… As we traveled I mentioned that I had okayed Christmas holidays for 4 of my crew when another guy asked for time off as he just found out that he had family coming but had to tell him I didn’t have enough manpower so I couldn’t let him go. John simply said, “Give him the time off.” “But I don’t have enough men to do the job now,” I protested. “Family is important and these men work hard,” he said, “we always find a way – give it to him.” “Okay,” I thought, “What did this guy do with the ogre I was supposed to be traveling with…” As it turned out we were in Portland on November 11th and some of the crew asked us to go to the American Legion with them. While there a Vet came by selling flag pins for Remembrance day. I bought one and needled John to loosen the grip on his wallet and buy one too. The biggest surprise of the trip came when he looked me straight in the eye and said, “I’ll be damned if I will celebrate man’s inhumanity to man!” Taken aback I guess I lost it a bit and probably a little too forcefully told him that Remembrance Day was not a celebration of war it was recognition of and appreciation for those who died for their country. He looked at me for about 10 seconds, which seemed like 10 minutes, then he called the Vet back, put $5 on the table and the pin in his lapel.
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Lest We Forget
My name is Allan Cameron. I began Veterans Voices of Canada in 2006 after I lost the opportunity to visually document Veterans from my family who were mainly Second World War Veterans. One of the last things my D-Day and North Nova Scotia Highlander Veteran Uncle Pearley said to me before he passed away was, “The boys need to have their stories told”. Since then I’ve interviewed and documented close to 1000 Veterans, men and women from Second World War up to Afghanistan, and Veterans of all conflicts/ Peacekeeping in between. It is great for history and education, but it also allows many Veterans to put
their past behind them. As one Second World War Veteran said, “I can now forget about it, it is recorded”. If what we do helps one Veteran in that way, part of our job is done. Among other initiatives in the past like our Veteran Appreciation Day and community historical living history displays, we began a now national remembrance tribute called, Veterans Voices of Canada-Flags of Remembrance. This is a memorial and remembrance tribute to the 128,000 Canadian killed and missing in action since 1900 that will see organizations or communities partner with us to bring this across Canada. We want this visual tribute in as many communities as we can on an annual basis beginning in October and ending just after
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Remembrance Day of each year. In 2015,we had five communities, and next year promises even more participation and partnering with us to do same. The month long, annual tribute sees each of the full size Canadian flags partnered with a hero or honour plaque with a heroes information on that plaque. It remains in place at each site for all to visit, read, and “Too many remember those who are named to ensure of our veterans we will never forget. have not had a They are then taken down and presented chance to tell to the sponsor or their story”. the named hero or family. Our Veterans, past and present are so very important to our Canadian history. Its as simple as the fact that if we do not remember, we will forget. We at Veterans Voices of Canada will ensure that Canadians never forget. Its the least we can do for all that they have done for us. If you would like to be a part of this cross Canada tribute in 2016 and years after, please contact Al Cameron at ac@vetvoicecan.org Please, thank a Veteran!
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LETTERS to the EDITOR
Available in bay
e e Whit John Magazin r
rucke Pro-T
John White gazine Pro-Trucker Ma
John, I have been reading Pro-Trucker Magazine for many years now and have often thought of writing to you. I just want to thank you for the support Pro-Trucker has shown over the years for our men in uniform. I don’t know how often you have been told but the “Support our Troops” ribbon and the “Proudly Canadian Flag” on your cover means a lot to them. My husband suffers from PTSD and I want you to know that the comments you have made in the magazine about the reduction in pension for soldiers who have been disabled, both physically and mentally, during deployment does not go un-noticed. Hopefully our new federal government will make some changes. Edmonton, Alberta. Name withheld by request
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John, Can you tell me what the law is concerning trailer lift axles in Saskatchewan and Alberta? If you have a small light load on a tridem trailer that has 2 lift axels, can you lift 2 axels as long as the remaining axle weight is legal for the load you are carrying or do you have to have all axles down no matter what weight you are loaded with? I loaded 8000 lbs in New York State and the US law states that I can run with 2 axles up as long as I am not over the legal axle weight for the remaining axle. Why can’t all the states and provinces get together to make one set of rules for North Editor’s note: Thank you to all our men and women in America? uniform for what you do. Ian Sloan
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Editor’s note: In BC, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, as long as you have an automated weight sensing axle deployment system you are legal. If you do not have an automatic system all axles must be down. The thought behind this is your axles will drop automatically if you are Custom Fabrication • Servicing Available overweight. In Alberta you are also legal in most cases. Power Tailgate • Roll Doors The only time you may not be legal is if you have a permit which states that all axles must be down. Nothing too big or small. We can handle all your trailer needs! Concerning one set of rules - there is a western initia# 1 0 3 - 2 0 0 8 6 9 2 A Ave. , L a n g l ey, B C tive that will standardize some rules and regulations in the western provinces but as usual the main stumbling block is politics. You have three provincial transportation i n fo @ t i m s t r a i l e r re p a i r. c o m ministries who seek input from three provincial trucking associations as well as other stakeholders and they all good guys, the guy who called into dispatch on time, the have to agree. And you thought it was tough getting three guy who had a snapshot photo of his wife and 2 young truckers to agree where they are going to stop for coffee… boys taped to the inside of his metal clipboard log book case, the guy who everybody liked to be around. John, Roger made friends easily with his big personality, I’m writing in hopes you will help me get a story out quirky smile and amazing outlook on life. He was even about an AZ driver that worked for me for 3 years here involved in an online group with Oil Rig Truckers where in London, Ontario and was quite involved in the oil rig he made an online friend. business in Western Canada. Very early in the morning on Tuesday July 28th, on his Roger Belanger was one of those drivers that you way to work, the unthinkable happened, Roger lost control could count on every day to be on time, do a good job, of his car and was killed on his way into work. Our heads did his log and paperwork correctly and did not wreck spun, our hearts broke, we lost our friend and our coequipment, his father Maurice Belanger has been selling worker and Roger’s wife, Justine and 2 very young sons, Western Stars in Sudbury forever! Roger was one of the aged 3.5 and 2 years lost a husband and father.
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Tragic as that is, there is another tragedy here. Roger’s online friend started a ‘GoFundMe’ page for Roger the very day after the accident, telling the world about her friend and how she was raising money for his wife and sons. We all donated: me, my boss, my co-workers, Roger’s friends and family, friends from his online group, the money poured in quickly and in a short time, more than $24,000 was raised for Roger’s family. Almost as quickly… more than $24,000 was taken from Roger’s family. Apparently the person who set this up, withdrew the money - all the money. I guess I’m writing to you so that maybe you can help me get this story out. I drove long haul over North America for almost 10 years; it was a time when there
were no ‘online friends’, no facebook, no Skype… we had CB radios and a stool at the truck stop lunch counter, that’s how we made friends. Drivers helped drivers. We certainly wouldn’t pretend to be helping a friend and his grieving widow and then steal the very money raised. I am hoping we can reach out to the trucking community to let people know what happened and hopefully redirect the donations back to a trucker’s widow that is devastated. Please feel free to contact me or Roxanne, Roger’s sister (belangerchildren@gmail.com), for any questions or further details. Thanks so much, Bonnie
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Editor’s note: I contacted Roger’s sister Roxanne, who had made a donation to the fund herself, and she told me that when she spoke with VISA they said that because “Your Transportation Specialists” it’s is a fraud, she just needs a statement from the police officer and they will reimburse her donation. She is currently putting the documentation together so that other FOR OUR LONG HAUL SUPER B FLATDECK DIV. people will be able to get reimbursed also and then hopeEXTENDED BENEFITS, PENSION PLAN fully re-donate to Roger’s family. She has concerns that the people who donated may have to jump through a few TO JOIN SUTCO’S HIGHWAY HAUL TEAM TODAY hoops in order to get their money back but she is confident that they will come through. For those who have APPLY ONLINE: www.sutco.ca Fax: 250-357-2009 made donations, and those others who would like to help, Phone: 1-888-357-2612 Ext. 230 you can contact her at belangerchildren@gmail.com ***** DLE IME FORE... By Scott A foursome of men were waiting at the men’s tee Scott, ourCasey Rig of The Month for while a foursome of ladies were taking their time hitting May 2003 has written “In the Devil’s from the ladies’ tee. When the final lady was ready to hit Courthouse” a book about his years her ball, she hacked it 10 feet. Then she went over and as a gun toting truck driver while missed it completely. Then she hacked it another ten feet serving as a Canadian Peacekeeper in the former Yugoslavia and finally hacked it another five feet. Totally embarrassed she looked up at the patiently And The Guns Were Silent waiting men and said apologetically, “I guess all those The biting cold was only made worse by the wind lessons I took over the winter didn’t help.” One of the men immediately responded, “Well, there which relentlessly pounded their bodies. No one here had you have it. You should have taken golf lessons instead!” seen the sun for nearly two weeks and it was as though it He never even had a chance to duck. He was only 43... were perpetual evening. The snow was no longer falling
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18 Wheels of Christmas The Magic Begins With You
We are rolling in for the 2015 Season. This year with your help, we will fill this trailer with food. Together we will reach this goal. For more information please contact 18 Wheels of Christmas at: Calgary, AB
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as it was blowing sideways in its frantic bid to blanket the earth. The battle for Hill 171 had raged like an icy fire. To those who clung to the ground motionless, the heat from the exploding shells, may have been oddly comforting. The explosive heat, only lasting for a few seconds, must have made the cold even colder in its immediate absence. In fact the cold was so extreme that the trees even shattered differently when the shells collided with them; their pieces flying like thin frozen needles. There was no escape from the onslaught, and the men with no choice, just laid silently waiting for it to end. The days ended and the nights began without distinction. The helacious shelling continued, it’s evil symphonic rythm, unfeeling. No one moved. The hillside once covered with beautiful trees now lay desecrated in a patchwork quagmire of blackened, and bloodied snow. A few days later the sun shone brightly and water droplets could be seen forming at the end of anything which had a layer of frost on its surface. Each droplet created individually beautiful in contrast to its surroundings. The change in weather was so extreme that even the silent men, quieted by the barrage of fire, seemed to be smiling. Off in the distance shots could be heard, their reports echoing off the neighboring mountains. But for Hill 171, the scene of some of the most fierce combat, was still. Upon its once majestic slopes could be seen, the men who once stood apart, now lying together. The
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resounding din that had continued for twelve days was replaced by a defeating quiet. The birds did not sing, no, they did not even fly here. Perhaps some day they will fill the valleys with song and peace. For the men here on Hill 171 in Korea, they felt nothing, not cold, not anger, not sadness. For them, all that could be heard was silence. In our midst, walk those who came home from Korea; the forgotten ones they are called. For years they were overlooked, actually, they would have to have been recognized to be overlooked. If you have an opportunity to speak with a Korean War veteran this month, do so, or anytime during the year. They may not take to it right away, but if you are genuinely interested, you may learn
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Call Al 604-882-7623 about the war that wasn’t a war. Their story is of great importance. They went away to be involved in a police action, the first peacekeeping mission, and ended up in a full scale war. These veterans gave all for peace and were relinquished to obscurity upon their return home. It is important because, for so many who served in Korea, the guns were silent.
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Lest We Forget my LiFe Through A BroKen WinDshieLD By Mel McConaghy
Mel is a retired veteran driver who has spent 40 years on the road. Remembrance Day 1956 I had taken leave from trucking when I was eighteen and joined the Canadian Navy. Remembrance Day is a very special day that you are not supposed to forget, especially if you are an active Service Man. But there is one Remembrance Day I would dearly love to forget. It was November 11, 1956. By buddy Skip and I were home on leave after completing a long trip from Victoria, BC, down through the Panama Canal, up to the Caribbean, and over to Europe. We then sailed back home passing through the Panama Canal once more. It was the middle of October by the time we got back and when given leave we headed back home to Prince George. This wasn’t a problem except at the end of October and the first part of November, that year, we had an early start to a lousy winter and having just spent a lot of time in the tropics we weren’t acclimatized to the weather. Around the 8th or 9th of October, Skip and I ended up at the Royal Canadian Legion. How we got there is still a mystery to me, because mostly older people hung around PAGE 12
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there and at the time our tastes were favoring girls from sixteen to nineteen. Skip and I were the only sailors in a city of around twenty thousand people so we were quite noticeable and they thought it would be nice to have a real sailor or two decorating their cenotaph on Memorial Day. We were enjoying their hospitality and untold free glasses of rum, when they asked the inevitable question. “How would you boys like to stand guard at our cenotaph on Remembrance Day?” It only took Skip a second to answer this question, “I don’t think so. Of course I will be there for the ceremony but there is no way I’m going to stand out there in this light uniform, in this weather, freezing my privates.” Skip always had a pleasant way of putting things - so then they looked at me. Now I being a lot more patriotic than Skip, and at the same time thinking, ‘Hey this might be a good way to impress some of the local girls,’ said, “You bet.” On the appointed morning I got dressed in my sailor suit with oxfords on my feet, with my fresh haircut, wearing my only protection from the weather, my great coat, and I proudly took my place at the cenotaph. It wasn’t long before I realized the error of my decision. As I stood at attention while every minor, long winded city politician gave a speech, the wind was gleefully blowing the snow around my freshly shone shoes and right up the pant legs of my navy issue bell bottom pants.
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Phone: 403.278.1129 • Fax: 403.278.8307 Email: marilynt@diamondinsurance.ca As I stood there freezing, a remark of Skips crossed my mind. He had said he wasn’t about to stand out here in his sailor suit, freezing his private parts. This made me wonder if the Prince George Regional Hospital had ever admitted any one with frozen private parts. When the order to stand down was finally given, I was a little apprehensive to move, I imaged bits and pieces of me dropping to the ground, like icicles from a wintering Jack Pine tree, and being rushed to the hospital to defrost various private parts of my anatomy. But I survived and made a rapid retreat to the legion, with all my parts intact, where I was subjected to a massive infusion of what seemed gallons of hot rum. My recovery was successful - I think... ***** Change of Plans... Billy Bob and Luther were talking one afternoon when Billy Bob tells Luther, “Yaw know, I reckon I’m ‘bout ready for a vacation. Only this year I’m gonna do it different. The last few years, I took your advice about where to go. Three years ago you said to go to Hawaii. I went to Hawaii and Earlene got pregnant. Then two years ago, you told me to go to the Bahamas, and Earlene got pregnant again. Last year you suggested Tahiti and darned if Earlene didn’t get pregnant again.” “So, what you gonna do this year that’s different?” asked Luther. “This year I’m taking Earlene with me.”
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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.
Greenock The other day my buddy Mel McConaghy sent me a small audio clip from his days in the navy. When his ship had tied up in Greenock he spent a couple of hours in an old pub in the town having a beer and shooting the breeze with the bartender. The bartender said during the war a lot of Canadian servicemen had passed through the port and some had carved their names into the old wooden seats. As he read the names of all those young men from years gone by, the bartender and Mel had the same thought, I wonder how many made it back home. The Greenock of my young trucking days was a town I knew well. A busy port on the firth of Clyde, shipbuilding, heavy industry and transport were the life blood of this town that stretches uphill from the waterside. The thing you never did when you came into Greenock was exceed the speed limit, the local cops enforced the 30mph limit with a vengeance. A car driver who was obviously a stranger to the area was behind my truck one
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day, I could see him in my mirror sticking his nose out every so often, just itching to overtake. He saw a chance and went for it, what he didn’t see was the cop car two cars behind him. The cop had been watching him as well and when he made his move the cop was after him in a flash - a blue flash. His impatience, and not looking in his mirror, cost him a fine and an endorsement. A company in the town called Kincaid made the engines for some of the ships built in Greenock, when the big doors were left open in summer you could see from the road these massive engines taking shape. Their stores were a regular delivery and pick up for me, back then, the stores were halfway up a steep side street just before the main works. I’d never given a thought to the position of the store until one day the store man said he would need to go to the main office for some paperwork. I followed him through the back of the store and out through a door into near darkness, I was momentarily taken aback as I stepped onto what looked like a very rickety wooden platform a hundred feet up in the air in the middle of nowhere. The back door of the stores was up in the rafters of the main engine shed and the store man was now disappearing down this steep wooden stair that was bolted to the wall. Of course I had to man up and follow him, but it was a very weird feeling. I certainly didn’t go back up the stair to my truck, I went out the main door and walked round the corner past their works canteen, a welcome source of warm cheap food for passing drivers. Just about any week day in Greenock you would find the four wheeler tippers of Tate and Lyle slogging up the hill from the dock side with raw sugar on the way to the refinery. I doubt if those trucks ever got out of first or second gear, the loaded climb was up a steep hill with a set of traffic lights and a right hand turn halfway up. Of course low gear was needed to hold the trucks on the empty run back downhill to the dock for another load. No Jake brakes or retarders back then. I often wondered how our modern automatic trucks would cope with Greenock’s tight corners and steep hills, good clutch control was a necessity if you wanted to get anywhere in Greenock.
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CALLING ALL
Pro-TrUCKEr mAGAZINEe
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Unfortunately just about all the old industry has gone now, I think there’s just one shipyard left, Kincaid’s shut down years ago and the massive IBM plant that gave me and the town so much work went abroad, as so many plants do. An Amazon warehouse and supermarkets are the main employers now. How ironic in a town that once built and shipped thousands and thousands of personal computers, now has an Amazon warehouse that ships foreign built computers to people who order them online.
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 Fuel for a big rig can range from 8 to 12 thousand dollars a month making it, with the exception of a major repair or rebuild, the biggest operating expense a driver will have year after year. For that reason it is no wonder that many truckers are very watchful when it comes to fuel consumption. ECMs, engine command modules, the vehicle’s computer was designed to include that feature in its functioning but we are learning that their accuracy may be somewhat faulty. PIT, the highly respected Quebec based Performance Innovation Transport Group has just released a report that found that results varied considerably among the different engine manufacturers & that even different models from the same maker gave different readings. Back in the day it was quite simple. We would just take the number of miles traveled and divide that by the number of gallons used to arrive at a relatively accurate miles per gallon figure. We did this in our truck after every fill-up and made up a chart to maintain a record to compare our performances. We were very careful to even use the numbers following the decimal point as they do add up over time. When in the United States we converted US gallons to Imperial ones by adding an additional 20%. Fortunately miles on either side of the International Boundary are the same length. It only took a few minutes to do this and we always had a handle on how well we were performing. The very best and most efficient device you can use on any vehicle to control fuel consumption, especially in big rigs, is the person behind the wheel. No matter what regulations are put in place and no matter what gizmos and widgets are integrated into the design of the engine or aerodynamics the driving habits of the man or woman who holds the steering wheel and actuates the fuel pedals ultimately determines the eventual outcome. And the cost of taking advantage of this cost saving is nothing at all… PAGE 18
it is totally free. A driver that practices safe and fuel efficient operating procedures will ultimately achieve the best results and will likely have fewer fender benders too, which helps keep costs down and profits up. So motor with care and keep that turbo pressure down where it belongs! C’ya! ***** A woman was at her hairdresser’s getting her hair styled for a trip to Rome with her husband. She mentioned the trip to the hairdresser, who responded, “Rome? Why would anyone want to go there? It’s crowded and dirty… You’re crazy to go to Rome. So, how are you getting there?” “We’re taking Continental,” was the reply. “We got a great rate!” “Continental?” exclaimed the hairdresser,”That’s a terrible airline. Their planes are old, their flight attendants are ugly, and they’re always late. So, where are you staying in Rome?” “We’ll be at this exclusive little place over on the Tiber River called Teste.” “Don’t go any further. I know that place. Everybody thinks it’s gonna be something special and exclusive, but it’s really a dump.” “We’re also going to go to see the Vatican and maybe get to see the Pope..” “That’s rich,” laughed the hairdresser, “You and a million other people trying to see him. He’ll look the size of an ant. Boy, good luck on this lousy trip of yours. You’re going to need it.” A month later, the woman again came in for a hairdo. The hairdresser asked her about her trip to Rome. “It was wonderful,” explained the woman, “not only were we on time in one of Continental’s brand new planes, but it was overbooked, and they bumped us up to first class. The food and wine were wonderful, and I had a handsome 28-year-old steward who waited on me hand and foot. And the hotel was great! They’d just finished a $5 million remodeling job, and now it’s a jewel, the finest hotel in the city. They, too, were overbooked, so they apologized and gave us their owner’s suite at no extra charge!” “Well,” muttered the hairdresser, “that’s all well and good, but I know you didn’t get to see the Pope.” “Actually, we were quite lucky, because as we toured the Vatican, a Swiss Guard tapped me on the shoulder, and explained that the Pope likes to meet some of the visitors, and if I’d be so kind as to step into his private room and wait, the Pope would personally greet me. Sure enough, five minutes later, the Pope walked through the door and shook my hand! I knelt down and he spoke a few words to me.” “Oh, really! What’d he say ?” He said: “Who messed up your hair?”
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P r o - Tr u c k e r M a g a z i n e P r e s e n t s
The 10th Annual
BIG RIGS FOR KIDS
Bring your whole family out and join us for an unforgettable evening of entertainment amid the spectacular sights and sounds of Christmas!
Sponsored by:
Companies and Owner Operators you can show support for The Food Bank, the Christmas Bureau and your community by decorating your truck with lights and joining the parade! Pre-register your truck by calling 604-580-2092 Lighted Trucks Will Lead the Cloverdale Parade At 5:00pm then travel west on Hwy 10, north on King George blvd, west on Old Yale Road (100Ave), North on University Boulivard arriving at City Hall Between 6:30 and 7:00pm Come and enjoy the celebration with Mr. & Mrs. Claus • Face painting Christmas music • Entertainment and more! *Hot dogs and hot chocolate by donation to the North Surrey Lions Club*
PAGE 20
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P r o - Tr u c k e r M a g a z i n e P r e s e n t s
LIGHTEDSUNDAY TRUCK PARADE DEC. 6th ALL PROCEEDS GO TO:
Hunger affects us all; it knows no age, it knows no race and it knows no season. At the Surrey Food Bank we have created specialized programs to ensure we are providing food assistance to everyone who needs a hand up in our community. What began as a temporary solution to a temporary problem has grown to a 7,000 sq. ft. warehouse in Whalley, a fleet of four vehicles, a lift truck, 100 active volunteers and a staff core of thirteen. The Surrey Food Bank Society currently distributes approximately 2,000 food hampers each week and has expanded support to many other internal programs, agencies and is affiliated with many different food security programs, such as Harvest Box and the Food Action Coalition. After 26 years we have come to the realization that people will always need our help. We like to say we give people a “hand up, not a hand out�. Food donations can be made at: Surrey Firehalls, Delta Firehalls IGA, PriceSmart Foods, Superstore, Safeway, Save-On-Foods, or by calling 604-581-5443
NovEmbEr 2015
Please Help us spread some Christmas cheer this year. The Surrey Christmas Bureau helps low-income families by providing grocery cards, toys, sports equipment, and warm clothing. It has been operating for over 40 years and is the second largest Christmasspecific charity in BC. An active team of 120 volunteers sets up toy shelves, guides applicants, picks up donations and generally keeps everything running smoothly. In 2014, 1,654 families were registered, representing 5,290 local children, infants and teens up to 18 years old. Of those families, 580 were sponsored by businesses and individuals, who directly connected and delivered Christmas right to their door, making the holiday season less stressful and brighter for those needing some help. You can donate funds on our website at www.christmasbureau.com or by calling us at (604) 581-9623 You can donate funds or unwrapped toys at any Surrey Fire Hall.
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Rig of the Month by John White
Our November Rig of the Month driver is Rob Urquhart My name is Rob Urquhart and I guess if you want to from Elk Point Alberta. Rob is a great family man who has know who I am, it can be summed up by a decal on the been bringing his family out to Alberta Big Rig Weekend back wall of my rig that says “Faith Family Flag.” This is since 2013 and it is always a pleasure to see them. what is important to me, what gives me purpose, and what
NOW
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THE BEST OWNER OPERATORS! Flat deck BC-AB, Canada and USA Family owned and family operated Leading flat deck transportation for 34 years Safety bonuses & discounted fuel Here is what some of our team members are saying... “Be selective and choose to work at MHL, you deserve it!” - Jessica, Dispatcher
“I really enjoy the people, I love working here” - Sammy, O/Op
“I love it at MHL, we have the best drivers and owners in the industry.” - Brett, Dispatcher
PLEASE CALL FOR MORE INFORMATION 604-857-8853 INFO@MHLTRANSPORT.COM PAGE 22
EXT.
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I would die for. I was born in Renfrew, Ontario, in 1972. My dad was a police officer and my mom was a nurse. The story goes that when my mom called the detachment and told them to send dad home because I was on route, they sent everyone. I’ve been fascinated by lights, especially flashing ones, ever since! From birth to about 12 years old we moved all across central and western Canada because of dad’s postings. After that, dad retired and we moved to Nova Scotia so he could study to become a minister. I will never forget him taking a French class. I learned quickly that I was not the only one in the family with a language learning disability! Being back east was pretty cool as I got the chance to become better acquainted with my relatives, which was something I had missed out on living out West. Although I am pretty sure I was born a gear head, it was a few of my uncles that introduced me to trucks and heavy equipment. At the time I was not thinking about being a trucker or equipment operator, but I sure did have fun playing with their “toys.” I learned a lot of valuable lessons back then that have
served me well today. For example - proper pre-trip inspections are important. I remember that lesson well after going down a road with an uncle in his old dump truck and having a rear rim and tire pass us. As a kid, it was a pretty impressive event, but now, as an owner op, I think I would like to pass on that excitement! Another lesson was that proper adherence to legal load weights is
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essential. It might not seem important when you are at the yard loading sandbags onto the trailer and you don’t want to make two trips, but it definitely is important when you’re trying to find somewhere to temporarily off load a few so the nice police officer will allow you back on the highway. After I clawed my way through high school I tried college, but that didn’t work out so well. It was not a total loss, though as I met this incredibly good looking girl that years later would agree to become my wife. With becoming a professional student a bust, I went hunting for work. I tried donut sales (I didn’t like the purple and tan polyester uniform), fruit sales (I didn’t look good in an apron), and garbage man (that job stunk) before finally drifting back out West in search of my fortune. By the summer of ’99 I found myself engaged to that pretty college girl and working on a hog farm in Tilley, Alberta owned by Art and Mary Folkerts. It was Art and Mary that would eventually cover the cost of me acquiring my class 1 license and I will be forever thankful to them for their generosity. In early 2000, I accepted my first driving job as a licensed trucker. It was running an early 90’s Mack body vac spreading drilling mud south of Brooks, Alberta. Glamorous it was not, but it supported my family. After about six months working the rigs, I realized that I had not gotten married to be away from home all of the time.
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NEW Extended Hours Mon-Fri 8 am- Midnight • Sat 8 am- 5pm In short, rig life was not for me, so I began looking for work that would let me go home every night. At the same time we found out we were expecting our first child which made my desire to be home each night even stronger. In August of 2000, I accepted a job as a body vac operator with E-Can Oilfield Services and we moved to Elk Point, Alberta where we still live today. E-Can was a great fit and I ended up working for them for 13 years. While there, I was introduced to the Kenworth T-800 and the Western Star 4900, both of which I enjoyed driving. I really enjoyed the visibility afforded by the sloped nose of the T-800 and the 4900 has great cab room. I gradually climbed from tandam body vac to tridam body vac, then tandam tri vac and eventually tri-tri vac, including a stint
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fluid hauling with a tri-axle tanker. This was great experience as I got to become comfortable and proficient at safely operating large equipment in far from ideal situations. E-Can also gave me the chance to experience one of those “memories for a lifetime” events. In the winter of 2001/2002 they sent me to Tuktoyaktuk, NWT to build winter roads. I ran a Terra-Gator and was the first guy onto a portage between lakes to spray the first layers of water. What incredibly beautiful country. Someday I want to go back and see it in the summer time. My only regret is I never got to see a polar bear. I did get to experience waiting for a Cariboo herd to cross the road and I was stalked by a wolf pack. I even got to see muskrats playing and penguins standing in the middle of the road. A nice gentleman from Tuk assured me that only crazy white boys could see the penguins as there are none in the Arctic. I made sure to get proper rest thereafter and never saw the penguins again. I was stuck with the nickname Penguin for the rest of my time up there, though. In 2006, E-Can offered me the opportunity to become an owner operator fluid hauler. I jumped at the chance and with the help of a government start up loan, we bought a 2000 Western Star 4900 from friends of ours. Boy was I proud of that rig. It had a C-12 engine and a high rise sleeper and I felt like I had won the trucker lottery when our name got put on it! Unfortunately, it was a highway spec’d truck and I am more of a severe duty spec’d driver,
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Canyon Cable 1988 Ltd. 930-6th Ave., Hope, BC 604-869-9036 Toll Free 1-800-588-8868 so a year and a half later, we sold it and ordered the rig you see on the cover this month. It is a 2008 Kenworth T-800 that has come to be known as BOB, short for Big Orange Baby. BOB has a custom 7” exhaust, an ever growing number of lights, and a work-in-progress camo themed interior. BOB is powered by a Cummins ISX 525 that has been boosted to 600 hp and has a PDI Big Boss turbo and manifold added. He has a 14.6 front end and 46 Meritor rears with full lockups all bolted to a severe duty frame. In short, BOB is spec’d just perfect for this driver right down to his special ordered paint. Actually, colour choice is a story unto itself. My Western Star had been white, all E-Can trucks were blue, and everyone else seemed to buy black or red trucks, so I did not want those four colors. I wanted to stand out and be unique. I put a lot of thought into it, more than I likely put into spec’ing the truck to be honest, and had settled on bright yellow. That is until we met a Superior Propane truck on the highway. Good grief, I did not want people thinking I was just another propane truck, so yellow was out and orange was in. When I told our salesman, he dropped an inch thick DuPont paint sample book on his desk, flipped to the orange section and grinned while asking me which shade. Oh, brother!! Eventually I settled on Harvest Gold Metallic figuring who else would have that. Have you ever heard the saying that you never see such and such a color car until you buy one? You guessed it, the day we picked up our new rig, I made it a whole two blocks up the road before I met a fellow in his brand new Harvest Gold metallic Western Star!! I’ve since gotten the chance to meet him in person. He is a nice guy with a wonderful wife who laughingly assured me his reaction matched mine that day. I use BOB to haul a tri-axle tanker moving heavy crude and produced water from oil well locations to plants and disposals. As much as I like my rig now and would not easily part with him, our time together has not been all sunshine and roses. Unfortunately 2008 was the introduction of the DPF system. Need I say more? In my opinion never has a more useless hunk of government mandated metal ever been bolted to a big rig. How technology that decreases fuel mileage, engine life expectancy, and equip-
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secure your future Siemens Transportation Group Inc.
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ment reliability, is good for the environment is beyond my simple logic. In 2013 we entered our first Alberta Big Rig Weekend after having attended as spectators in 2008 and 2012. I was hooked the first time we went, but with all our DPF related issues, just keeping our heads above water was my focus those first few years. I’ll have to give credit to my buddy Ernie Erikson Jr for finally convincing me to bring our truck to the show. He continually bugged me on Facebook during the winter of 2012/2013 until I finally agreed. In August 2013 we met up with him and his family and convoyed down to Red Deer where our truck won second place in the day cab category just behind Kevin Lennie’s awesome R model Mack, Dawg Daze. We have been convoying together every year since and for me that is really what has become the best part of attending the shows. Don’t get me wrong, it is awesome to be recognized with a trophy, but for me it has really become more about the people who have become friends. Every year I get to reconnect in person with friends I mostly just talk to on Facebook, yet I am certain each and every one of those people would step up to help in any way they could if me and my family needed it. That is why I am excited to go back year after year. As a matter of fact we had so much fun that this year we decided one show wasn’t enough so we went to our first Lesco Pro Show and Shine in Nisku. Sometime I would also like to attend the BC Big Rig
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EMAIL: truckwest@shaw.ca WEBSITE: truckwestcollision.com Weekend, but so far all I’ve managed is a “We’ll see dear” from the Queen, so that is still in the planning stage. In August 2013 I decided to leave E-Can and move to the company I am with now; Shamrock Valley Enterprises. They had started a new fluid division a year or so earlier which was headed by a former E-Can boss of mine, Garth Letesque. Garth is one of those ex-trucker, explosive temper, plain speaking types who you either like from the start or never do. Personally, I think he is the best boss I have ever worked for. Shamrock is a great place to work, big enough to be able to get steady work for their people while still small enough to have a family atmosphere free of the internal politics many larger companies often suffer from. I enjoy working where the boss is approachable, the field supervisors need not be feared and its ok to be on a first name friendly basis with the dispatchers and mechanics. Trucking has been a good fit and provided a good life for me and mine. It is not always an easy life, but I cannot imagine being stuck inside an office where your every move is micro managed or in a factory doing the same thing over and over. I like problem solving and being outside and doing things my own way too much for that. I imagine I will keep trucking for as long as the good Lord allows me to. Trucking has allowed me to provide well enough for my family that my wife has been able to be a stay at home mom for our 5 kids. It doesn’t get much better than that.
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As the kids get older they have become more involved in our little trucking business. I always get envious looks from fellow truckers at shows when they see 5 kids happily helping polish and clean BOB alongside mommy and daddy. They each have their preferred jobs and take proud ownership of their “specialties.” At home the whole crew helps lots with regular maintenance, cleaning, and giving advice on where the next lights should be added. It’s become tradition for them to wave in the bay window when I get home at night and for me to flash my beacons and blast the train horns in return. Our neighbours enjoy the horns. On top of all that, my wife handles the books, running for parts, and coming to my rescue by bringing my work boots to me when I leave them home -that in itself is almost a full time job. I can’t imagine doing this job without them. Nothing is better than coming home to a family who are excited to see you and proud of what you do to support them. I’m a blessed man. It is kind of funny; when I was asked if I’d like to do this article, I figured my trucking career would be all about the trucks I drove and jobs I did, but it isn’t. It’s really about the people I have gotten to know along the way, so maybe I will close by thanking a handful of them. Lynn, I would not be the man, trucker, dad, or husband I am today without you and our crew and I love you all. Dad and Mom; you didn’t teach me anything about trucking, but you taught me the important stuff – faith, commit-
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ment, and sacrifice. By the way, Happy Birthday Dad! Your present this year is the bragging rights this edition gives you with the boys at the hotel. And finally to Garth and the crew at Shamrock fluid, you guys and gals are the oddest group of personalities ever, but that’s good, because there’s no way I would fit in anywhere normal! *****
Post Tortoise Politician While stitching a cut on the hand of a 75-year-old farmer, the doctor struck up a conversation with the old man. Eventually the topic got around to politicians and their role as our leaders. The old farmer said, “Well, as I see it, most politicians are ‘Post Tortoises’.” Not being familiar with the term, the doctor asked him what a ‘post tortoise’ was. The old farmer said, “When you’re driving down a country road and you come across a fence post where someone has taken a tortoise and balanced it on its belly on top of the post, that’s a post tortoise.” The old farmer saw the puzzled look on the doctor’s face so he continued to explain, “You know he didn’t get up there by himself, he doesn’t belong up there, he doesn’t know what to do because he’s elevated beyond his ability to function. And then you just have to wonder what kind of idiot put him up there to begin with.”
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From
Drivers seAT
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The
By Ben Proudley Ben has been a Class 1 driver for 17 years. He started out driving wreckers and currently heavy hauls for Hertz Equipment Rentals. Ben was our Rig of the Month in March of 2008
What New Drivers Should Know Like most drivers one of the most common questions I get asked by people wanting to get into trucking is, “What is a good company to work for?” My normal response is, “It depends”. Of course that is followed by, “What do you mean by that?”. “Well it is not an easy answer,” I reply. “it depends on what type of trucking you want to do.” This is usually followed by, “Huh?” and the long conversation from there goes something like this: “First you need to figure out what you want to do, city or highway. If you are looking for local work, do you want pin to pin, where you pin a trailer, spot it or live unload and return to the yard and repeat, or do you want to do pickup and delivery at multiple places in the city and then return to the main yard? What do you expect for a wage and how many hours a day are you looking to work as well as how many days week. What shift do you hope to find? Are you okay if it is a union shop? Do you need a higher rate of pay or would you take a lesser wage if the job had extended medical and dental. How far will you travel to get
to work? Do you want to haul a flat deck or a van or reefer? What about a specialized job like hauling equipment?” “As you can already see it is not a short answer to the question. Now let’s complicate it even more. Highway work, regional short haul, long hall, switch driver? Do you want to be paid by the hour, by the mile, by the drop, or percentage? Do you want a certain amount of home time? Do you want to be gone for long extended periods of time? 21 days out 7 home, gone again? Home every weekend, home every night, every other night or weekends only? In all cases you need to know what you are willing to move on and what things you must have no matter what. Give and take is the name of the game. Negotiate what you want and what will work for you. If it is a union shop, ask to see the contract, or look it up online to see how it works and if it will suit your needs. “Once you have a good idea of what you really want, then you can start to shop around to different companies to find the basics of what you want. There are a lot of choices out there, so do not rush to pick one. You need to make sure that the one you choose will fit your needs best. Other factors to consider are do you wish to be an owner operator or lease driver? Maybe not when you first start but when you feel like you are ready does the company have a program for that? As well two things that never occurred to me when I started to drive were rider policies and pet polices. Will they let your girlfriend or spouse ride with you? If yes, are
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reFLeCTions Thru my WinDshieLD
Pro-TrUCKEr mAGAZINEe
By Dave Madill Dave was Pro-Trucker Magazine’s Rig of the Month in June of 2001 Bush Road Towing A few years ago my son John and I were headed up a small mountain road to do some hunting. When we hit the snow line I stopped and shifted the Jeep into full time 4X4 and then proceeded on slowly. Just around the next corner we came upon an empty logging truck with his right rears hanging over the edge and his axle high centered on a stump. We stopped behind him and got out to see if we could help and it turned out he was a friend of mine. He was okay but his truck was in jeopardy as every time he tried to do something he slipped back a little further towards the edge and if he went much further he would be headed down the mountain - and not on the road. John suggested that my little Cherokee might be able to pull him out but if not, and he slips farther, then we would both be going for a ride. I could have turned around and taken him back down the mountain to where we could get cell reception and called a tow truck or someone with a cat but I decided to give it a try with
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they covered by the company insurance if you are involved in a mishap? If it is a company truck, is there a charge if you quit or is there a cleaning charge if you have had a pet with you. “One really important consideration is dispatchers. What are they like? How many trucks are they responsible for? How do they dispatch to you? Via satellite, radio or by text maybe even old school with a phone call! Once you have covered all of these steps there is one last thing left to do. Talk to the employees of the company. They will give you the best idea of what that particular place is like to work at. They will be able to confirm or deny what you have been told. At the end of the day the employees are your best resource for info on any company. If they have a lot of long time employees chances are they have told you the truth about them. If the crew seems a bit off or a lot of short term guys or gals, you need to ask yourself if it is really going to be a good fit for you. When you listen to answers from them be sure to be objective. Are they complaining just to complain? Or are the complaints valid; better still are the complaints ones that would affect your decision on working there. Remember we all have bad days. So take everything with a grain of salt. Just because the company is not a good fit for them does not mean it cannot work for you. At the end of the day the most important part is that you are happy with your choice. Reality is, any one of the advertisers here are all good people to work for. The question is, which one is right for you?”
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PAGE 33
the Jeep. About 50 feet above the truck, and slightly ahead of it, was a huge fir stump. I had a come-a-long in the back and my buddy had lots of chains so we set to work. First I sent the two young guys, with a chain and the come-along, up to the stump. We then strung the chain back to the truck and hooked onto the frame just in front of the door and took up all the slack with the come-a-long. I put my snow chains on all 4 wheels and set my Jeep on the high side of the road about 10 feet in front of the truck then I took up the slack on my chain. Next I took my little chain saw out of the jeep and the truck driver, making small cuts, slowly cut the stump under his axle down about six inches. This left him hanging in midair held up by the Jeep and the come-along. Then we slowly slacked off the come-a-long until his left axles were just above the ground and then we chained up all his wheels. I figured that if everything worked as planned I should be able to move him ahead and to the left far enough that his left wheels could get some traction and then, between the two of us, lift him back on the road. At least that’s what was supposed to happen. I start pulling and he released the brakes and tried to move. Well it moved all right, only not just how we planned it. His two rear axles swung out over the edge until the frame high centered. Meanwhile my little jeep was clawing and
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#2-19349 94th Ave, Surrey • 604-888-4670 or 604-376-1189 www.xtremepolishing.net digging and I now was almost framed out myself in four nice little holes. Time for plan B. We moved the chain to a different stump and hooked up just in front of the axles and then tried again - this time while cinching on the come along. We managed to get him moved ahead a little bit and then we had to re-rig the come along. Third try and we move him almost enough to get his front tandem to where it will have traction so we re-rigged again. On the fourth try we managed to get the front tandem on solid ground. We then blocked his wheels and removed the chain and come along. I was down in 4 wheel low range which concerned me a bit as I had lots of pulling power but no speed. Sure enough when I started pulling that time the
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truck started moving, got traction and shot ahead pushing me up the hill. We finally got things stopped then sorted out the equipment and stowed it away. A quick inspection of my back end just showed a few scratches on my rear bumper and a Jeep that looked like it had been mud bogging. I pulled ahead and, finding a wide stop, let my buddy go ahead of me. Just around the next corner we met a Cat coming down the hill. Seems they had seen what happened from up on top and figured they had better get down before we wrecked both units. When it was all said and done, my buddy was a little sheepish, as he had figured he didn’t need to chain up and had slipped off the road. Oh well – no one was hurt and both trucks where safe and after all - That’s Trucking.
From the Patch By Tamara Weston
Tamara and her husband Eric, were the Rig of the Month drivers in our October 2014 issue.
This past October on the 29th my father turned 75. I’ve been driving up and down the road thinking about ways of honoring him on such a huge milestone, so I thought I would tell his story as if he was Rig of the Month.
PAGE 36
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My father was not born into trucking, quite the opposite in fact he was born in Cold Lake Alberta to Morgan and Sigrid Myhres. He was the oldest boy of seven children and they grew up in a small two room home on a little homestead. It had dirt floors and yes, an outhouse. My grandfather made whatever money he could, even competing in rodeos in order to provide for his family. Eventually they sold the homestead and made the move to Vancouver Island. My father was working on the Lower Mainland when he met the love of his life, Pearl Johansen. They married quickly and had 4 amazing (what did you expect me to call them) children, two boys and two girls. Living on the coast meant the fish were plentiful and my father was a successful commercial fisherman for many years even building two boats before the fishery finally slowed down. When that happened may father and his brother Tito, started Myhres Brothers Construction. They started out building houses and doing home renovations. The work was hard but steady which allowed them to provide for their families. In the early 80’s they landed a contract with BC Hydro that required them to haul gravel to a site close to Nile Creek between Qualicum Beach and Bowser. In order to fulfill the contract they needed 10 gravel trucks. This is where the love of my life comes in, the old 1958 Kenworth with a 5+4 transmission that was their first truck.
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The funny thing is that when they bought this truck neither my father nor my uncle Tito could drive it so they hired a young kid named Roy Nix and he taught both those stubborn Norwegians how to drive the old Kenny. Dad bought 2 or 3 more trucks and as it turned out Roy ended up being their longest and one of their most loyal employees. One great memory of mine was when one night at supper Dad asked me to give him a hand in the morning - but it had to be early he explained as there would be less traffic on the roads. At 3am my father woke me up and I hopped in the car with him and off we went. We got to a job site not too far from the house to find old Kenny hooked to a trailer with a large oversized shack on it. There were no lights on the trailer, or beacons on the truck. I can’t even remember if I had a license at the time but he told me that my job was to get in behind and follow him back home. At the time I thought it was for safety reasons but I know now it was to save some money and get it moved under the cover of darkness so that no one would see him. Regardless it was
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an adventure and I was eager to help. My father did all the work on his trucks and once again he did it all without prior experience or training. He just had the will to learn and the need to get the truck back on the road. While going over this story idea with my sister, she also told me with a giggle, that the first time she ever heard our father swear was when he was working on that old truck. I know now where I get my stubborn streak, I see a challenge and I have to jump in with both feet and get the job done, that and the ability to swear like a sailor helps. Seven years ago on his 68th birthday, my oldest daughter gave him the best present ever - a great grandson - not sure now how any of us can top that one! All I know is dad looks forward to his copy of Pro-Trucker every month to see where my adventures have taken me. This month it was down memory lane. Love you to the moon and back dad - thank you for allowing me to be me. xoxo
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Heroes From Another Time One day a year we honor them for everything they gave, Blood was shed and tears were cried, many went to an early grave. So many men from ages past fought so that we could be free, Fought to keep their families safe, on land, air and sea. One day a year we honor them, do we not owe them more? These men gave their very best on land sea and shore. Heroes from another time, to us the torch they passed, Memories must be kept alive or our freedom will not last. Now their sons and daughters are standing proud and free, They bow their heads in reverence to these sons of liberty.
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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