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From the Editor’s desk...
Pro-trUcKEr MAGAZINE
VoLUME 13, ISSUE 9 PUBLISHER/EDITOR John White john.protrucker@shaw.ca PRODUCTION/CIRCULATION Tori Proudley tori.protrucker@shaw.ca ADMINISTRATION/SPECIAL EVENTS Donna White donna.protrucker@shaw.ca
John White
ADVERTISING/MARKETING John White john.protrucker@shaw.ca Tori Proudley tori.protrucker@shaw.ca CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Mel McConaghy • Gord Cooper Dave Madill • Heather Lilburn Ben Proudley • Ken Davie Ed Murdoch • Frank Cox PHOTOGRAPHY Ben Proudley • Kathy Fitzpatrick Hank Suderman 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.
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LETTERS to the EDITOR
e
n e Whit agazi John ucker M r Pro-T
John White agazine Pro-Trucker M
Letters to the editor are occasionally edited for length, language and objectionable content. John, Wow, I think Allan Jackson & George Straight’s song. “Murder on music row” said it best, when they wouldn’t let George Jones play at one of the country music awards. That is were I feel this industry is going, someone has taken the pride out of what we do. When did the lifestyle of a professional driver change? It seems the class 1 license has no meaning now a days (from my eyes). I chose this industry because I wanted to do it, not because there was a shortage of drivers. It seems as more people enter this industry without the heart & pride it takes to do the job, the more the image of a trucker is tarnished. I often wonder if this is an industry of freight movers or a giant homeless shelter, I say that because I’ve seen panhandlers cleaner and better dressed than
some drivers. Is our self-esteem that low that our image doesn’t matter? What gives us the right to think we can just urinate anywhere we want or throw garbage on the ground even when a trash bin is only steps away.We cry the blues because there is no truck parking in some towns, all you have to do is look at the edge of the rest stops, pull outs and brake checks to see why. Why is it we will pack spare oil, washer fluid & lights for miles then if we need them the old parts and containers gets thrown in the bush, instead of disposing of it properly. I can see why the person in Hardisty was upset and his frustration level was high, once again another trucker only thinks of himself. What happens to the stain after he drives off? It will still be there and so will the smell on sunny days. But then that’s not his problem once he is gone. It happens in truck stops where everyone feels their tires will hide the mess until they’re gone and in the day the lots stink and are dirty. They feel its no big deal as once it rains the problem is solved - not so - it brings the mess back to life! Ron Stokes Dear John, I am writing in response to an editorial letter in your July 2011 issue that lamented that farmers aren’t treated the same as commercial drivers for vehicle safety regulations. I am a farmer in Alberta, I have driven commer-
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cial truck, and I have a friend that is an inspector with the DOT. My brothers farm as well and one also drove commercial truck. Our experience has been very much the opposite of Mr. Stephen Large. In southern Alberta our county constables especially zero in on farmers. Farmers when stopped at scales or DOT inspections are shut down just as fast as a commercial driver if there are equipment safety issues. It is true that farmers don’t currently need CVIP inspections but many get them done anyway because it saves time when you do run into an inspection. It is also true that farmers cannot haul commercial cargo with farm plates and if caught face hefty fines. I would suggest that Mr. Large get the name of the commercial vehicle enforcement person he spoke with and speak to that person’s boss. Farmers have to abide by the same safety rules as every other trucker out there. Most farmers would not operate dangerous equipment because it puts their families and the families of others at risk. As with any industry, you have those people who try to skirt around the rules and you have those that take pride in obeying the rules. I’m writing to say that most farmers I know obey the rules. Sincerely Trudy Niggli Milk River Alberta
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and thanked properly for his INCREDIBLE driving skills. If not for his quick reaction, and split second decision, the outcome to our story would be much different. On Monday, Sept 5th at 4:15pm we were heading West through Spences Bridge. We decided we should take a little break and stop for coffee. We knew there was a left hand turn lane ahead, and as chance would have it, a motorhome we had been following, also decided to go to the left turn lane. The Motorhome was a very large “Southwind”, greenish/beige with a design throughout. He was towing a 10-12 foot aluminum fishing boat, with motor. We were right behind in a 2004 white Chevy Silverado 4x4, with a canopy. We were towing a 10 ft tandem Continental Cargo utility trailer. My husband Geoff was driving and I was in the front passenger seat of the truck. From my view point, I knew there was a semi heading east, possibly followed by one vehicle. It was then the unthinkable happened! The person driving the motorhome decided to make a left turn onto the secondary road, right in front of the semi! I was horrified, as I knew the trucker was bearing down at highway speed. We do not think the trucker realized there was anyone behind the motorhome (us) due to the height of the motorhome. He also probably could not see the motorhome had a small boat being towed. We believe the semi driver was unable to see our
vehicle at first because the motorhome was taller than our truck. Suddenly we were looking at a dark semi trailer truck, heading STRAIGHT for us! The grill had a “WIDE” or “WIDE LOAD” sign in large print along the bottom. We believe the truck was a darkish color, perhaps maroon. I screamed and my husband said something to the effect “hang on” as there was no where for us to go (we were at a complete standstill in the left turn lane) Geoff leaned over as far as he could towards me to brace for impact! The trucker suddenly reefed on the steering wheel as hard as he could and turned it to the right! The cab of the truck bounced violently as it abruptly had to change direction. He missed the cab! AMAZING! We were still panicking and watching the terrifying event unfold. We continued to watch in horror as now, the rest of the trucking unit was headed for us. There were two flatbeds, loaded with piping of sorts. We couldn’t tell if it was cement or aluminum as we were too focused on watching the unit trying to miss us! There was absolutely nothing we could do, but freeze in terror! The sand particles were flying and it would appear the trucker came within INCHES and we mean INCHES! Of taking us out! This all happened in a matter of unbelievable seconds! HE MISSED US! WOW! Incredible! I cried. We were shaking uncontrollably. What was the motorhome driver thinking?? He obviously was NOT!
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We were furious/scared/upset/thankful to be alive. And, the list of emotions was endless! What about our children at home and what would become of them? We both thought THIS IS IT! We have never been so terrified EVER! We proceeded to follow the motorhome to the secondary road, and into the Acacia Grove RV Park. The driver of the motorhome was not even AWARE of what had just transpired, nor was he aware of the fact that we had followed him into the campground. As you can imagine, we got out of our vehicle, still shaking and confronted him. We did not leave ANY words unsaid! We immediately called the RCMP. We told them the trucker with the incredible driving skills was heading east and perhaps they could locate him. We really wanted to thank him for his excellent driving ability. Also, thought perhaps he could file a complaint with this absolute unthinkable driving violation that had just occurred! The RCMP officer arrived shortly and was very kind, as were the owners of the campground, offering us the phone, water and anything else we may need. They could see we were still visibly shaken. The RCMP officer, a Mike Phillips, from the Lytton Detachment gave the motorhome driver a “Driving without Consideration of Others” ticket, which carries a 6 point fine. However, having said that, it is in no way any consolation as to what had just transpired!
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In conclusion, if you are the HERO truck driver, we really, REALLY, want to meet with you and thank you properly. We also want your employer to be aware of your actions that day, as those quick reflexes and experienced driving, obviously were contributing factors in saving us! We realize thank you does not quite suffice. We also feel bad knowing that you as well must have gone through some extreme emotions after you managed to guide your very large truck unit through that tight space! So, please, if you are reading this, we would really like you to contact us. More charges could possibly be laid should you also report this incident to the Police. They were very appreciative of your driving skills as well! Our heartfelt thanks go out to you! Kelly & Geoff McKeown Editor’s note: Thank you so much for your email. There are many other stories out there like this about professional drivers but unfortunately they do not always get told. To our readers - if you were the driver or you know the identity of the driver and or the company he or she works for, please call us here at Pro-Trucker Magazine. The following 2 letters are in response to a letter in our September issue where driver. P. Telosky was questioning the need for a driver’s association in this day and
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age. He (or she) had mistakenly thought that the NATG letters from provincial and federal ministers as proof was a group that advocated strikes and shut downs. In that they do listen. Now imagine what several thousand voices could do!! reality it is a lobby group for truck drivers. We NEED organizations like the North American Truckers Guild to attend the meetings, gather informaTo Mr. P Telosky: I am too young to have been a part of the strikes and tion , GIVE that information to you and then inform you are right, THEY SHOULD NEVER be considered the regulators of your opinion and idea’s. This exchange again! But don’t you wish your opinion could be heard would even be better if accompanied by letters to your by the people writing and advising on new laws and MP and MLA’s. We can no longer stand back and watch regulations? I joined the North American Truckers Guild our lives radically altered by people who have never to help gather opinions and ensure those opinions are lived our jobs. YOUR opinion is needed in the North passed onto the government regulators and lawmakers. American Truckers Guild to ensure that a broad base of When the drivers DO NOT voice our opinions HOW are knowledge is given to the regulators and lawmakers!!!! the regulators supposed to know that our needs, desires A Proud member of the NATG and opinions are different than the Canadian Trucking G Decker Association’s and the large carriers? Would I be right in Airdire AB. PUSH (Pride, Unity, Strength, Honour) guessing that you believe they won’t listen to us? Because of contact with organizations such as the North American Truckers Guild, I have partaken in sev- Hi John, I read the letter from P. Telosky and was in total agreeeral Transport Canada Studies BEFORE the programs and regulations were released to the general public. The ment with your response. I have opted to be involved regulators listen with fascination on how a one-truck with The North American Truckers Guild because of the operation is so radically different than the large carriers. common sense, factual way they have of approaching They always ask how these programs could be altered to problems within the trucking industry. The information that the Guild seeks out to back up their responses to prohelp the one-truck operations. I also keep in constant contact with my MP and MLA posed changes in laws and regulations is beyond doubt. over transportation issues and have received numerous The Guild realises that education and higher levels of Phone: 604-465-0220 Toll Free: 1-855-465-0220 Fax: 604-465-0213 www.dynamicpowertrain.com
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training have replaced the days of strikes, shutdowns and blockades. By supporting these two objectives the Guild can change many things in a much more responsible manner. By attracting a better class of driver, rates and pay structures will increase. As you know John, Safety is a priority of mine, and the fact the Guild supports the education, training and improvement of safety gives me a chance to promote these issues. I would ask P.Telosky to attend one of the Meet and Greet free B.B.Q’s being put on by The North American Truckers Guild throughout B.C. Please attend the Island, B.B.Q on Oct 15 at Berks Intertruck, Nanaimo, B.C. and take the time to listen to our program. At a recent meeting of the N.A.T.G. Executive I was impressed to look around the table at an accumulation of 600 years of accumulated driving experience. I am not saying we will always be right but we will PUSH to represent the drivers and the trucking industry as a profession. If anyone doesn’t understand what PUSH stands for please meet us or read a brochure. Dennis Ruttan, Duncan, BC Hello John and company, I just love going to the truck show but, as always, I seem to collect just enough pens at the show to last me for ten and a half months. Not sure what I am going to do for my logs after that! I thank you and your “known associates” as you have
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you start to get a lot of bad comments I better clarify this by saying the driver was not working at the time.) On the more serious side I would like to pay homage to my super heroes in the construction industry and they are the road flaggers. Many of us have flagged cars now and then for whatever reason but after just minutes on the job of flagging four wheelers I have noticed that my blood pressure is negatively affected and I have to suppress the wish to pull drivers out of their side window to ring their necks. How these people can do it all day long, snow, rain, or extreme heat, and often unable to take coffee breaks, or even pee breaks when required, is beyond me. They may not be wearing a cape or spandex but none the less, day after day, they are there protecting us and the surrounding crew from traffic that is not always behaving in anything near a civilized manor. These heroes of mine are for the most part ladies and some may be very petite but that does not hold them back for stepping up to unpredictable vehicles to say, “STOP” and standing firm with unquestionable authority. Without them it would be very hard to accomplish the deliveries to job sites. So to all of you flaggers in absence of any Pinot Noir, I raise my Tim Horton’s cup of coffee and say Thank You! See you down the road. Marcel Larouche
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Visit www.truckdown.com Email: info@truckdown.com or Phone: 1-877-300-7138 for information Editor’s note: Always a pleasure Marcel. Are you sure there isn’t some special flagger out there that you are trying to impress? Hello John, this is Doug Mcilwrick. It came to me as quite a surprise to read my name in your wonderful magazine, this was sent in by my friend Larry Bolton. Larry mentioned in his letter that I have a bit of a health problem and that at his writing I was recovering in hospital so I thought I would bring you up to date seeing as how you were nice enough to print Larry’s letter and send best wishes from all of you at your Magazine. I’m doing really good. The surgery went well and the healing process has surprised everyone involved. I do have a ways yet to go but the future looks bright. You mentioned that I had said in my 2007 Rig of the Month article that my family was my greatest asset. That still holds true and was ever apparent on July 4th and the weeks that followed. July 4th was a hot week in Calgary and I had no trouble finding support staff when I needed pain medication, or a dressing changed, as they were mostly gathered around the big fan that my sibling had bought for me. That’s just one of dozens of things they did. Well enough about me. John thank you again to all of you, thanks to Larry’s letter and your magazine I heard from several people that I haven’t talked to in a long time. It amazes me how they can track down my number As always, Doug.
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Editor’s note: Great to hear that you’re getting better Doug. Hope you’re back on the road soon. Take care. Hi John, I just wanted to write a quick note to say how much myself and staff enjoyed the recent Big Rig truck show in Red Deer. Once again the weather was great and you and all your staff certainly put together a excellent show. It was nice to see quite a lot of new trucks and faces that we hadn’t seen before but we missed some of the old regulars as well. The time your staff puts into organizing and collecting sponsors and trophys etc. is very much appreciated by all who participate. As in other years we all seem to be so busy in our day to day jobs and businesses, it is really nice to take a couple of days to enjoy the company of many like minded persons who enjoy shiny equipment. This is following some late nights of cleaning and polishing; it makes us realize there are still some “old school” people out there who know what trucking is all about. We really need more of them in an industry that has lost some appeal to a lot of people. All of our staff really enjoys your magazine as well and we all thank you and staff for it, it is very well done and informative. Once again thank you all and those also who take an interest in judging these shows and who take an interest
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By Ben Proudley Ben has been a Class 1 driver for 15 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 Lately I have noticed a change in peoples driving habits and surprisingly enough it has been for the better. Sometime ago ICBC started to run commercials reminding people to be courteous to other drivers. My first reaction was what a waste of our tax payer money again. Here ICBC is spending money on ads that are pointless and nobody will pay any attention to them. It is no wonder our insurance rates are so high as they spend money on the dumbest things. Soon, I started to notice that driving in my personal truck was getting less stressful. People seemed to be listening to those dumb ads. Huh, who would have guessed? I figured that that would be where it stopped. People would not be nicer to big rigs since the ads were generally directed at four wheelers. Being primarily a city driver I found out not long after noticing it in my personal truck that people were starting to let me in with my rig as well. Damn, wrong again. Ask my wife, it doesn’t happen that often.(wink) These dumb ads were making a difference in how people drive after all. This is great if you live here in B.C., but does not work so well if you live anywhere east of our border. Or does it? Satellite TV and even cable often broadcasts different time zones all across Canada. What if people in other Provinces besides B.C. are seeing them too? Even if ten people see it and they change how they drive, and for each one of them it reaches ten more and so on and so on. Before too long we would all be letting each other in and moving over when possible, to let traffic merge onto highways. What if this did happen? Well let’s face it, it probably will never get that good, but as drivers we can do our best to help the process along. Take the extra second to let another driver in; it will make it easier in the long run. No one would have to slam on their brakes because a driver decided to cut in at the last moment after no one would let them in. It is just easier on the blood pressure if you are nice to people around you, because the guy you let in may be the one who stops to give you room to make that hard right, or waits for you to back in off a busy road because you were nice to him. Maybe they will remember later how the big truck was nice to him and wait for a fellow trucker doing either of the aforementioned moves. Then that driver remembers the next time a four wheeler wants to merge in front of him and he lets him in, and then the pattern continues. At some point down the road the favor will be returned to you by someone at a time when you need it most. They say one person cannot change the world, but it starts somewhere. Why not be the fix to the problem instead of the cause. It will make this job better for all of us. When you really sit back and think about it, it is a no brainer. PAGE 14
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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.
Enjoyment What happened to the enjoyment there used to be in this driving lark? When you had time for a laugh and a joke with your pals . Back in the days before the digital tachograph, the tracker, and the cab phone, you got your work done and looked for a pay phone to get further instructions. I used to look forward to going work, but now, men just like me with 30 or 40 years experience are treated like rookies. I take pride in the fact that when I leave my truck at the end of a shift, anybody can jump into that cab and go and do a days work. Unfortunately, not all of my colleagues share this attitude. Even if the truck is fit for the road, the smell of stale cigarette smoke, and rubbish left in some cabs, is not my ideal start to any shift . I don’t know if the digital tacho’ is as widespread in Canada as it is on this side of the water, but you only have to move the truck a couple of yards and it registers
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1991 Dugald Road Winnipeg, MB Phone (204) 663-9037 two minutes driving time. So before you leave the yard you could have “driven” for 15 or 20 minutes, and that’s just hooking up to your trailer and getting fuel and oil. Then when you get to four hours fifteen minutes driving time it starts to flash. This is to let you know you’ve got a quarter of an hour to find a place to park, or else you’ll get an infringement. Don’t even think about letting the truck run down hill to get a run at the next uphill stretch. The machine will start to flash at you again, overspeed, and just like your wife, the electronic brain remembers all these transgressions. The next time you get pulled over by the police or VOSA ( The Vehicle and Operator Services Agency) all those memories are downloaded and come back to bite you. And don’t get me started on the ignorant, selfish attitude of my fellow road users and it’s not just car drivers. So called professional truck drivers, who know the exact length of their trailer, almost take a layer of paint off the front of your cab when they pull in after overtaking you . I know you boys have just as many rules and regulations to follow. They may not be the same as ours, although you’re probably worse off than us with the different states and provinces you have to go through. At least when I go from Scotland to England I’m still in the same time zone, and there’s no border control. There are some bits of the Roman wall left, Hadrian tried his best to keep us Celts in the north, but as you can tell by the number of Scottish names in Canada, there’s no hold-
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ing us Scots back. Gone are the days when drivers changed a tyre at the side of the road - to save weight most trucks don’t even carry spare wheels. Got a sidelight or headlight out? Call a mechanic. It’s no wonder some companies are losing money. They’re paying a £200 callout for something drivers used to do for themselves. This is on top of the overtime incurred and the waiting time for a tyre man or a mechanic to attend even the simplest breakdown is 90 minutes. This is a money spinner for some drivers to exploit, wages down last week? No problem, bust a bulb a couple of times in a week to get an extra three hours or more in your wage packet . In my company they’ve created another money spinner for some drivers. If you’re in a windy spot and you consider it dangerous to open the curtains on your trailer, phone the depot and they’ll send another driver to help you. Years ago normal practice would see all the drivers at a delivery helping each other to get on their way. When I worked for a moving company with my mate Arthur, practical jokes were the order of the day but the things he did then would get you suspended or sacked today. This health and safety obsessed world we live in today doesn’t tolerate any departure from safe working practices. There are good sides to legislation such as the breath-
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alyser. Most moving vans back then had a driver and two porters. In the afternoon the chances of the porters and driver being completely sober were slim, this was because lunch times were usually spent in the nearest pub. Arthur had a stock of tricks he liked to play on his workmates, like hiding inside a wardrobe then listening to the grunts and comments like, “This old furniture was made to last eh?” If the truck was parked next to an electricity junction box on the sidewalk, even though the porters had been walking past the junction box for a while, when Arthur threw a blanket over it and asked for a hand to lift this “sideboard” into the van they always fell for it. One time a lady customer asked the crew of Arthur’s truck to take her cat with them to her new house. The cat was in a travel basket but when the woman had gone one of the porters opened the basket to have a look and of course it jumped out and disappeared round the nearest corner. After scouring the area looking for the missing moggie
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one of the guys grabbed the first vaguely similar cat they came across and stuck it in the basket. They made sure to hand over the cat just before leaving, and after getting the woman to sign for her move . Of course she noticed her cat was different, but the guys explained that by saying it was very dirty in the back of the van. Arthur was, and still is, a bundle of fun to work with, unfortunately we work for different firms now. *****
But…
A guy was sitting alone at home watching TV when he heard a knock on the front door. He got up and was surrivinG hrouGh my emories prised to find to find two sheriff’s deputies standing there. One of the deputies asked the man if he was married. The By Ed Murdoch Ed Murdoch has held a man said he was so the deputy asked him if he could see commercial drivers license for 60 a picture of his wife. A bit confused the guy said, “sure”, and went back to years and has spent the better part the living room returning with a picture that he handed to of 50 years on the road. He is now “semi” retired. the deputy. The deputy looked carefully at the picture and then gravely said, “I’m sorry sir, but it looks like your wife’s Hormones Improve Production Efficiency Our recent glimpse of summer here in lotus land been hit by a truck.” The guy says, “Yes I know, but she has a great person- brought back a recollection of an adventure that ality, is an excellent cook, and lets me play golf whenever occurred almost three decades ago, and has earned a special place in my memory bank. I want to!”
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For a period in the early eighties, while still living in the East, I was gainfully employed moving cheese products from the Belleville area in Ontario to major distribution points in Western Canada. The return cargo was a full load of beer. There were usually at least two drops, one on the flat land, and another over the hill, in the lower mainland of BC. Since the load was stowed on an A-train reefer combo, there were at least four and sometimes five occasions when the trailers and converter dolly had to be split for delivery and pick-up purposes - but it was all in a day’s work. On one such trip, my lovely daughter Patti, then starting her third decade of mirth on earth, decided to accompany me. Our first stop was at CP in Edmonton and after losing a bit of tonnage and reconnecting the components of our rig, we stopped at one of my favourite sources of grilled protein in the the city. Adjacent to our booth was another accommodating two couples, the males, both pretend ranch hands complete with wide-brimmed Stetsons, firmly attached to the empty containers on top of their necks. As the meal proceeded, the verbal repertoire from this location became louder and more obnoxious, in direct proportion to the amount of alcohol consumed. Finally, in exasperation, Patti, in a loud voice, demanded that the two exhibitionists should be arrested for, “impersonating cowboys”. We departed shortly thereafter.
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Later that evening we stopped at the rest area near Edson and, after the appropriate attention to details, started out the exit. In the dim light of dusk, I thought I could sneak out the eastbound ramp in order to avoid the twists and turns necessary to gain access to the highway in the normal fashion but the road was a dead-end cul-de-sac for a few private homes. To get out of there we had to split the train, point each unit in the correct direction, and then hook it all back up again, using flashlights to illuminate the activity. Apparently this boo-boo was a fairly common as a very helpful housewife at the end of the street came out with a large lamp, apologizing for the lack of signage, telling us that her husband is a long-haul driver and that they have been lobbying Highways for years to put up signs saying, “NO EXIT�. After expressing our gratitude we proceeded to Hinton for the night. My daughter awoke the next morning to a glorious sunrise and her very first view of the mighty Rocky Mountains. Later that day we encountered an Alltrans team going the same way and, with CB radio buzzing continuously, we made a couple of stops together then parted company upon reaching the lower Fraser Valley. After much repartee between Patti and the younger of the Alltrans team, our liaison concluded with a proposal of marriage which was politely, but
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firmly, declined. One of the largest grocery warehouses in Langley took the majority of our load while the rest went to CP for intercity delivery. At the facility just off 200th Street the driver would normally have to do all the work; place the pallet in trailer, stack the product on pallet, remove pallet from trailer and repeat until the trailer was empty. But once Patti’s voluptuous presence was discovered on the dock, this driver literally had nothing to do but watch the whirlwind of testosterone reducing the cargo to nothing, in no time flat. There were dockhands and pallet jacks and forklifts everywhere, all buzzing about with purpose. Reloading with beer in Vancouver was uneventful. Due to union rules, drivers and passengers were required to retire to a waiting room during the loading procedure. The return journey home included tourist stops at the Hope Slide, Hell’s Gate, Rogers Pass and the Spiral Tunnels among others along the way. Arriving at the brewery warehouse in Toronto, once again, Patti’s presence prompted a flurry of activity, which was quite out of character for this facility, and when climbing back into our COE International, miraculously there in the footwell of the passenger seat was a brand new, unopened case of 24 samples of Carling’s finest. Nice. Nothing in the driver’s footwell - go figure.
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Join one of North America’s ‘Best Fleets to Drive For’ Yanke is hiring class 1A professional transport operators for our team fleet across Canada. We also have class 1A single fleet positions available for candidates who live in AB or BC. Positions also available within the AB/WA/BC Triangle. To apply, please contact recruiting at recruiting@yanke.ca or call 1-800-667-9091 www.yanke.ca
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Rig of the Month
BY: JOHN WHITE
PHOTOS BY: DAVID BENJATSCHEK - WOWTRUCKS.COM Justin (Jay) Morton is our October 2011 Rig of the Month his maturity and his enthusiasm for trucking. I decided at driver. When I talked to Jay at Alberta Big Rig Weekend that point that he would be a good candidate for Rig of The in Red Deer I was instantly surprised and impressed by Month as he is a great example to other young people of the
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advantages and benefits that a young person can expect if they work hard and apply themselves to their career choice. Hopefully Jay’s story will encourage other like-minded young people to enter this great profession. This is his story: I was born in Lethbridge, Alberta, and was raised near Warner, Alberta, which is a farming community about 65 km south of Lethbridge. My earliest memories about trucks go back to when I was about 4 years old. My Dad bought a 1989 Pete 379 and after that he took me everywhere with him. It was like a second home to me and while growing up I spent any free time outside of school in that truck with my Dad. I don’t think I ever made a conscious decision to be a truck driver it was just something that I always knew. This probably has something to do with the fact that I have more family members and friends involved in the industry than I can name. My dad, my Grandpa Andy, my cousin Kevin, my mom, my step dad Mike, and several of my uncles and good friends are all in one way or another connected to the industry. My mom’s connection is as a dispatcher, which she has been doing for longer than I can remember. She started her career at Butte Grain, where I spent a lot of time in the shop admiring trucks and, when I was lucky, I’d even get to go for a ride. But trucking took on a whole new meaning for me when
JUSTIN MORTON Mom started working for Randa Transport. If you’ve ever been in the Randa shop, you’ll know what I’m talking about! The first time I saw it I was about 10 years old and when I walked in all I could see were long nosed Petes, old Chevy pick-ups, and shiny corvettes. It was like heaven for me. It changed my whole life and quite likely sealed my fate concerning my career choice. From that day on my favourite thing to do on a Saturday was to hang out at Randa’s shop. It wasn’t long before hanging around the shop turned into a lucrative pastime for me as on Saturdays the drivers would pay me to clean the interior of their trucks. At $20 each, there were many Saturdays, right up until I was 14, that I walked
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out of there with $100 in my pocket. As I got older I moved up to washing, polishing and working on the trucks. Sometimes when someone was going to wash their truck I’d just jump right in and go help them. I was happy doing it whether or not I was getting paid. As time went on I started helping with repairs and driving the trucks to the wash bay. To this day I can still hang around the shop and tinker on trucks all day - loving every minute of it. The first truck I drove was my dad’s ’89 long nose Pete. It was my first love and the start of my obsession with Peterbilts. I started to drive when I was quite young while spending time at my cousin Kevin’s farm. My first real driving job was at the age of 14 hauling hay for him with his ’96 Pete 379 and a 48’ step-deck. I also hauled grain, cattle and the odd piece of equipment. Kevin had a lot of trust in me so it was a really good learning experience. My dad, my cousin Kevin, Grandpa Andy, Gary Randa, and many other people I spent time with in the industry all had a hand in teaching me how to drive. They all gave me a chance to start driving at a very early age and I learned a lot from these experienced truckers. I’m very grateful to all of them for giving me a jump-start on my driving career. When I was 16 I went to work in the body shop at Dunlop Sterling – Western Star in Lethbridge taking apart and repairing semis. At 17 I went to work repairing and running hydrovac trucks for Drainmaster - which I might add was a very dirty job. Between working at the body shop, fixing H-vacs,
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and having good friends that worked in service shops, I became very familiar with the mechanical side of trucks. It was great training for me as a driver, because it taught me what you can and can’t do with a truck. It also taught me the inevitable consequences of going over that line. I currently work for Randa transport pulling super b grain trailers hauling grain, fertilizer and feed products mostly in Alberta. When I was in school there was the odd person that gave me a rough time for wanting to be a truck driver but most of them have changed their attitudes now that they see I’m far happier in my work, and I’m making a lot more money, than the majority of them are today. I think this is a great career for a young person. I’m often asked how much time I get to spend at home and I tell them that there are local jobs and there are highway jobs and that it really depends on what you want to do. You don’t have to be on the road 3 weeks at a time unless that is what you want to do but then there are lots of drivers who drive long haul because they totally enjoy that life. I’m lucky because my job is a combination of local and highway depending on the time of year. When I’m hauling out of Lloydminster I’m home every weekend. Right now I’m up early and home every night. It always surprises me when I hear truckers complain about their job as a driver. Every job has its down side but I think a lot of it has to do with what Ben Proudley said recently in one of his articles, where he talked about the habit truck drivers have of putting themselves down. I think the popular idea of truck driving being a menial career also comes strongly from outsiders that really don’t have a clue about the industry or what it entails. I’ve always looked up to my dad. It’s awesome the way he could handle the enormous amount of work that he had and still love his job. The way he can handle a long nose Pete with a super b, like it was a pick-up truck, still amazes me. I also really admire my grandpa Andy. I used to ride with him all the time too. He’s always had such a strong love for trucking even after being in the industry for over 50 years. He is retired now, although not by choice. He used to run 2 trips a week to Hiram, Utah, until the cost of health insurance to travel into the States got to be too high. He could have done local work but he was used to hitting the road at 4 am and
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Santa's Big Rigs for Kids ... Lighted Truck Convoy will once again be the guests of Surrey Santa’s Parade of Lights as it winds through the streets of Historic Cloverdale
Sunday Dec 4, at 5 pm
Upon Leaving Cloverdale the convoy will travel to Holland Park in Surrey, located at 100th Ave and King George Blvd. The party starts at 6:30 with Mr. and Mrs. Clause, Face Painting, Carollers, food by the North Surrey Lions Club (by donation), Live Entertainment and much more… The Convoy will arrive at APPROXIMATELY 7:00 and will be on display until 8:30
Spectators and Trucks Welcome Spectators: Bring your whole family out for an unforgettable evening of entertainment amid the spectacular sights and sounds of Christmas. Special Viewing Areas: Newton & Holland Park and along 64th Ave from 176th St. to King George Blvd and on the east side of King George Blvd from 64th Avenue to 100th Avenue. Admission: By donation to both the Surrey Food Bank and the Surrey Christmas Bureau. (On-site Cash donations are preferred).
ALL TRUCKS MUST PRE-REGISTER TO ENTER THE TRUCK CONVOY (Space is limited)
TO PRE-REGISTER YOUR TRUCK CALL PRO-TRUCKER MAGAZINE 604-580-2092 octobEr 2011
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the idea of getting started later did not appeal to him. He is 76 years old now and still more than capable. I know that if he could go back to his old job he would be back in the truck in a minute. I’ve always looked up to and admired my boss; Gary Randa, for his attitude and contribution to the industry… Not to mention his badass mullet! He has always been very encouraging and helpful with me getting into the industry. I got my licence as soon as I turned 18. I had always made that a priority but there were also a lot of people like my Dad, Mom, Grandpa, Gary and a few others that were right there pushing me to get it. I’ve done most of my trucking in Alberta where, in the winter, I spend most of my time hauling feed from Lloydminster to what they call feedlot alley in the Lethbridge area. In the spring I haul fertilizer from Medicine Hat and Redwater Alberta to agriculture retailers in the Lethbridge area. It’s a big job keeping them constantly supplied during seeding season. During harvest season in late summer, I spend the majority of my time hauling grain from the farms in Southern Alberta to local elevators. I think one of the benefits of being a truck driver is having the chance to see and experience so many different places and meet so many people, although as a young trucker, I haven’t had the opportunity yet to cover a lot of ground with my job. While riding with my dad and Grandpa, I had the chance to see most of the Western States and Western Canada. I hope
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Unit 208 - 31020 Wheel Ave. Abbotsford, BC 604-852-0805 that one day I will get the chance to see all of these places all over again while sitting in the driver’s seat. I haven’t driven a wide variety of trucks like most of the old boys but I have definitely driven good and bad ones! Some of the old tandems that I drove on the farm definitely weren’t up to snuff. Old Internationals and a couple of GMC Brigadier’s were some of the more interesting and also the scarier ones to drive. One thing that I always loved about driving the old trucks was the Detroit engines, mostly because they were all so loud! My favourite truck, that I have driven so far, is one of Randa’s that I first drove in the yard when I was about fourteen years old. It’s a 1992 pearl white long hood Pete. The combination of the straight pipes and the 425 B block Cat engine, cranked right up, got my attention
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real quick! It was also the first truck I drove with a low base seat. In my opinion there is nothing cooler than sitting on the floor of a long nose Pete. I haven’t had too many close calls driving on bad roads although I have driven on some pretty nasty ones. One of my first winter trips was pretty interesting. The day started bad and continued to get worse from that point on. The first indication that it was going to be a bad day was when I got on the road and the thermostats stuck open. It was about 30 below at the time so I had little or no heat. To improvise I stopped at the seven-eleven in Claresholm and got some cardboard to stick in front of the radiator. With the truck somewhat warm I finally made it to Exshaw where I picked up a load of limestone. Once loaded I didn’t make it very far before I found myself stuck about a hundred yards before the scale. After waiting for and then paying the sand truck to come spread some sand, I finally got scaled out and was on my way. But this wasn’t the last of my problems. I missed my turn and ended up on a non-ploughed goat trail of a highway with 45 tons of limestone on a set of super b’s – which, by the way, I had not yet figured out how to back up. By this time I had almost had enough but I finally found a place to turn around and got back on track. As soon as I was back on the highway all was forgotten and I instantly loved what I was doing again. Funny how that works… I have been fairly lucky with law enforcement; at least so far - knock on wood. There have been a couple encounters
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Welcomes Marilyn Taylor, a Truck Transport insurance specialist to our team. Marilyn brings with her over 25 years of experience in providing insurance for Owner Operators and fleet transport companies operating in Canada and the U.S.A.
Phone 403-278-1129 Fax 403-278-8307
Email marilynt@diamondinsurance.ca though, like the time I got pulled over on a gravel road that everyone told me they were sure didn’t have restrictions on. I found out they were wrong when the county mountie pulled out the portable scales and found that I had full weights on. The three thousand dollar ticket was a bit hard to swallow but it was a good lesson. Now I know not to blindly trust people when they tell me how much you can and can’t haul. Randa Transport does some work hauling feed from Montana back to Canada. One day the dispatcher, who, as I mentioned is my mother, decided to send me for a load of ddg’s (Dried Distilled Grain), which is a coarse powder, left over from making ethanol from corn or wheat. They mix it with silage and feed it to cattle. At the time I was only twenty years old and very nervous about my first border crossing in a commercial vehicle. Surprisingly it went very well and it continued to go well for the next three weeks until the day that I ran into a new officer. He happened to be a truck driver before he started at customs and he was very familiar with the laws pertaining to driving truck in Montana. He looked at my licence a couple times and then asked me how old I was, so I told him. Then he asked me how old I should be to be going into Montana. By this time I was nervous and told him I wasn’t sure. He informed me that you have to be 21. So instead of getting the green sheet to proceed to the x ray machine I got a bright red one that said “MUST RETURN TO CANADA” needless to say I didn’t make very much money driving home empty. I have an interesting relationship with my current dis-
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us on B g al nin eferr s g i e S & R entiv Inc Paid
Now Hiring - Owner Operators for International Reefer Fleet (long haul) and British Columbia/Alberta Runs NEW RATE PACKAGE NOW IN PLACE
Fastrax Transportation, a member of The Day & Ross Transportation Group, is currently expanding. We require Owner Operators and Company Drivers to join our fleet and grow with us. If you are looking to add your talents and skills to a responsible, growing company, please consider this opportunity.
We Offer: New Rate package for US/CDA LH Brokers Referral Program and Sign on Bonus Fuel Cards/Paid Tolls Fleet Insurance/Fuel Subsidy All miles paid Optional medical & dental
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If you are interested in this opportunity then please contact us:
If you are interested in this opportunity then please contact us: 1-877-FASTRAX (327-8729) or recruitment@fastrax.ca 1.877.FASTRAX (327.8729) or recruitment@fastrax.ca BC/AB-Tim Ashley 1-877-840-3493 - tim.ashley@fastrax.ca BC/AB-TimR. Ashley 1-877-840-3493 - tim.ashley@fastrax.ca MB/SK-David MacKENZIE 1-800-690-9995 - dave.mackenzie@fastrax.ca MB/SK-Bill Friesen 1-800-690-9995 - bill.friesen@fastrax.ca For all opportunities available please visit www.fastrax.ca For all opportunities available pleaseOpportunity visit www.fastrax.ca Fastrax Transportaion is an Equal Employer Fastrax Transportation is an Equal Opportunity Employer october 2011
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patcher, who, as I mentioned, is my mother. Needless to say we have our run-ins from time to time. There sometimes is too much work at home and too much home at work. But for the most part it’s pretty cool having your mom for a boss. And for those of you who may think I’m shown any favouritism I definitely am not, as a matter of fact some days it feels like the exact opposite. I think the people you work with also make a difference in how much you enjoy what you are doing. Whether it’s a coffee in the shop or dinner on the road, you become somewhat of an extended family, where all of you have each other’s backs. Trucking can sometimes be a thankless job and that is why it takes certain people to do it day in and day out. I know I am one of these people because I love what I do and I’m very proud to do it. I like the fact that I’m not stuck in one place all the time. There is always a different load and a different place to haul to or from. I am currently driving a 2002 black and orange long hood Peterbilt. It has a 6nz 550 Cat with an 18-speed transmission. It has lots of extras such as aftermarket fenders, pipes, lights and much more. It actually used to belong to a company that allegedly hauled more than just freight across the border. So it definitely has a lot of history behind it. I still get weird looks from some of the border guys who have a long memory. The truck that I drive belongs to Alan Kielstra. I had
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always hoped that when I got my license I would be able to go to work for Randa Transport but as it turned out when I got my license Gary did not have one available. I was very lucky that Alan was looking for a driver at that time and that he had it on with Randa. I can’t thank him enough for having enough confidence in me to give me the chance to prove myself. I take a lot of pride in my equipment. Whether it’s washing, polishing or fixing and tinkering on my truck I am just very proud of how it looks and performs. My best days being a truck driver are the ones where I get lots of positive comments on my rig. That’s why I love getting the trucks ready for Big Rig Weekends. There is nothing better than showing off your truck and checking out everyone else’s equipment.
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Question: “Who is Load on the Go?” LOTG: Loadonthego.com is a Canadian Company born in Chilliwack. Question: “How are you different from a broker?” LOTG: “We do not take any percentage of the fees exchanged. Load on the Go is designed to connect people and assist in building a network of Reliable Relationships to make freight transportation efficient.” Question: “How do truckers get paid?” LOTG: “The arrangement for payment is between the shipper and the trucker. We do not handle any monetary transactions. While due diligence must still be exercised by those involved, we have an integrated five star rating system that you can view and which we monitor.”
Question: “What makes it unique?” LOTG: “Loadonthego.com is a cutting edge online freight board website, with a built in communication system and database to ease communication between shipping and transportation companies. Our clients are able to post loads and receive automatic notifications of posted loads along with the Google Route Mapping to help you find the loads you want, where you need them along your personalized route. Question: “What makes LOTG a valuable service? LOTG: “Loadonthego.com provides a service to our customers that will enable them to: • Implement efficiency to daily operations 24/7 • Only work with drivers and load posters with integrity to ensure our clients receive the quality service they deserve.” ~Advertorial
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When you dance, your purpose is not to get to a certain place on the floor. It’s to enjoy each step along the way. ~ Wayne Dyer I just returned from another trip to Edmonton, where I first started trucking. It was good to connect with my family and my roots in trucking. Some days my job seems rather mundane and it is nice to have a break in routine and remember the things I love about this industry. The truck show season is over, the kids are back in school and sometimes the job only seems to be about low pay and long hours. Taking a moment to look at the beauty of trucking might inspire us both a little. I grew up near McDonalds Consolidated in Edmonton. I was a big kid for my age and we used to play around a swamp just behind the property. Rigs from the states would bring produce or pails of strawberries up to the Ice Cream plant there. Those rigs were really something. They glowed like chrome playboy centrefolds next to the plain
Unit 14, 19926 - 96 Ave., Langley BC Mon.- Fri. 8 am - 6 pm Tel: 604-882-3877 Fax: 604-513-8004 Jane company trucks we saw around town. My brother was a little older than me and through him I got to do a little swamping on those loads. At 15 I was unloading and palletizing floor loads for $40 each. Usually we got paid in American – at that time a 10% bonus. I would have had to delivered newspapers for a month to make 40 bucks. I could not believe my good fortune. As a 15 year old I marvelled at exotic cargo like watermelon and bananas and the stories those guys told At seventeen I started with Reimer working weekends. On the very first day I was sent with the “meat manager” (a senior driver who catered to the needs of the packing plants) to be his Swamper to load a couple reefers full of boxed beef. I was proud that I had joined the ranks of the working
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men and because the packing house also supplied a loader, I got to chat all day about the packing house. I slung those heavy boxes of beef with real gusto - for about the first hour that is. Then reality set in and it was a real grind to last the day. I gotta tell you I was really beat after that first day. But I learned about everything that happened in the meat plant. On breaks, my loading buddy even showed me around the coolers and the killing floor. I will never forget the smell of ancient fat and antiseptic or the impression that the entire plant was a cave and the lack of windows and low lighting. Trucking is a great way to see the insides of other industries. My next day was the beginning of my 6-year education as a dockhand. The physical labour was brutal. We worked in minus 20 and in plus 30-degree temperature. On busy nights we would have 16 men and a single forklift. In those days’ people with very simple tools moved freight. Very little freight was palletized. Heck, pallet wrap hadn’t even been invented yet. Yet, crazy as it seems what impressed me most, and still does, was the beauty of the cross-dock operation. I loved how we would report for work at 5 pm and start unloading the trucks that had been picking up all over the city. I felt somehow that I had inside knowledge of all the businesses we served. Others saw the signs or visited the retail spaces. We in the trucking industry actually saw the inner working of all the businesses. From 5 pm to 7 pm the freight would be unloaded from
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www.freightlineredge.com all over the city and placed on the dock. Then from 7 to 9 the dock would be emptied as we loaded the freight into trailers bound for different spots across Canada. Then from 9 pm to 11 pm we would fill the dock again with the freight inbound from all parts of Canada and the USA. Then at 11 pm until we were done we loaded all the freight on the dock into the trucks that would deliver it all over the city the next morning. To me it was like a square dance with the dock as a stage as we partnered freight with trailers. It became a familiar, but gruelling, dance. The lead hand was like the caller and if he did a good job the night seemed so much easier. When he did a bad job we had to work twice as hard with no space for the freight being unloaded. Then you really had to dig for the freight you were
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trying to load. It was like a bunch of spastic square dancers bumping into each other in the middle of the floor... I remember week after week while unloading toilet seats, rat traps and roasted nuts being astounded at how many mundane articles we take for granted that are in the store when we go there. The world really does move by truck. This dance is repeated all across the country. Manufactured goods move from central Canada west, foodstuffs and raw materials from the west moving east. We Canadians can cost effectively move a load from Toronto to Vancouver in a little over 50 hours. The Japanese might be the world leaders in miniaturization, the Chinese in cheap mass production but in Canada we ‘kick ass’ in trucking. We’ve got worldclass roads, trucks, telecommunications, and drivers. For thousands of years, men of adventure left home by foot, horse, camel or ship to experience a life better than what they had at home. They sought knowledge; fame and fortune. We, in trucking, are tied to those who went before us to travel the Silk Road or ride the trade winds to the Spice Islands. I know our trade winds are mostly paved and mapped but the motivation to push a truck down the highway is the same motivation that drove those adventurers, to seek a better life and escape the limits of our current confining life. Sure I get a little frustrated when I try to explain the personal use box on a log book for the millionth time as I am sure that you do when you have just busted your hump to get
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a load to the customer – on time - and all they can do is say they won’t have a door for you for another hour or so. That is the time you have to remember that you are an important part of a world-class industry; with ancient traditions. Be a little patient and remember; even Captain Cook was killed by natives when he tried to deliver some beads and pick up a little fresh water.
vieW From an irish voLvo Frank Cox is an Irish truck driver who has driven extensively in many European countries. He now hauls containers and reefers out of Dublin and lives in Dundalk. halfway between Belfast and Dublin.
Edmonton & Saskatoon are also accepting applications from Owner Operators with min. 3 yrs, 7 or 8 axle experience
In a time when there were only 15 States in the EU, compared with 27 members today, every country had it’s own money. Pounds, Francs, Deutschmarks, Lira, the list was endless. Crossing borders could be a real pain in the rectum for a trucker if he, maybe found himself in Germany, fancied a coffee and then realized he only had Spanish Pesetas in his pocket. Changing currencies always cost you, with the Bureau de Change and the banks all taking a cut. Back then, in the last century - I suddenly feel very old after writing that - I was hauling computers from the Dell factory in Limerick, Ireland to ASG’s warehouse in
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Professional truck drivers are sought after by many companies. At Westcan we want to attract drivers who enjoy the type of work we offer! Apply online at www.westcanbulk.ca For further details phone 1.888.928.4473
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the centre of Goteborg, Sweden’s second city. Goteborg was also the birthplace of my beloved Volvo truck. The trip up there involved four ferry crossings and driving through seven different countries and we were expected to do it in under 40 hours. It couldn’t be done in that time and stay legal. My average time for the Swedish trip was in or around 38 hours. As my fellow Celt, Colin Black, indicated in the August issue, we Irish drivers must have a gene somewhere that tells us ‘laws are made to be broken’. One of the few perks truckers could take advantage of, in the 1990s, was Duty-Free shopping on the ferries. Cigarettes and booze were available at a much cheaper rate once the ferry got out past the three-mile limit. I’m a smoker so it was good to have a dependable supply of cheap fags. I’m not a whiskey drinker, but on the run to Sweden, I would always buy three or four bottles of good Scotch on board the ship. All the lads would. Some would buy ten bottles and sometimes more. The big name perfumes were also cheap in Duty Free, but only a very few romantic truckers would venture into that department. Why all the whiskey, you ask? From the 1920s, the Swedish government has tried to curtail the consumption of alcohol among it’s citizens, in an effort to control alcohol abuse and all the social ills that follow in it’s wake. High taxes, especially on hard liquor, resulted in whiskey and other spirits being
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priced away out of the reach of most people. There were even restrictions, on young people in particular, limiting the amount of liquor they could buy over the counter. To go to a bar in Sweden was a costly affair - although Goteborg did have an ‘Irish Pub’ called The Dubliner. Pauline and I went to it one night. It was packed and seemed to be doing a roaring trade, in spite of it’s exorbitant prices. On my first trip to Goteborg I had been well schooled by a few old hands, and I bought a few bottles in the dutyfree on the ferry from Ireland to England. From there I got a ferry out of Felixstowe for Den Haag, in Holland and then 18 hours non-stop - or ‘in one hit’, as we call it - to Goteborg. I got into the ASG yard at 3:30am. Not a sinner was to be seen, as they didn’t open until eight am. All I could think of was sleep so I shut down the Volvo and pulled my curtains. I swear to God, I had only one boot off when there came a knock at my door. ‘Any Viskee?’, a voice called in the night. I opened the door and sold him my three bottles. While doing the deal with him, I noticed others knocking on the doors of other Irish and UK trucks. I made a modest profit and he still bought it at less than half the price that same bottle of Scotch would have cost him in his home town. What I and the other lads Pro was Trucker - Octillegal 2010.pdf 1 their 10-10-18 were doing no Ad doubt under law, 4:22 but itPM was not a widespread conspiracy to undermine the state
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of Sweden. A Swede had got up early and bought himself some cheap whiskey and I now had Swedish Kronas to spend, in their economy, without being fleeced by a Bank or Bureau de Change. What harm was that? Duty-Free within the EU was abolished following very strong lobbying from Sweden so drivers can no long enjoy the few wee luxuries it gave us. Still, I suppose they did give us ABBA!
the nationaL hoteL By Mel McConaghy
Mel is a retired veteran driver who has spent 40 years on the road. Sitting on First Avenue across from the CNR station in Prince George is the National Hotel. Back in the day, the National wasn’t notable because it was a posh hotel, the kind you where you would take your family out to dinner, or recommend it to an out of town friend and his family as a good place to stay. It was the beer parlour that was the attraction. On a Saturday afternoon just about every truck driver, logger or railroader that ever had a beer in Prince George in the fifties through to the seventies, drank that beer in the National hotel. At the time it was more commonly known as the Driving School.
It was said that the exhaust from the ventilation fans were chrome plated exhaust pipes. It was also said that, if you were walking by the hotel and some one opened a door, you could hear the screaming of a Detroit diesel or the throbbing of a Cummins and the rattling of Jake brakes. When some one shifted gears you could hear the swearing as he missed a gear. Everything that ever happened in a truck was verbally happening inside the hotel, including spinning out and chaining up. Some people even claimed, if you walked around to the back of the building you could see a conveyor, leading to a slab pile from all the lumber being sawn inside. If you happened to be standing at the back door as it swung open, you might hear the screaming of a head rig
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PROFESSIONAL drivers wanted
Ferus requires experienced Professional Class 1 drivers with three years or more experience to operate a variety of late model liquid carbon dioxide and liquid nitrogen equipment out of our Blackfalds & Grande Prairie bases.
we offer: • Industry competitive wages based on an hourly pay schedule • New Drivers can earn up to $82,000 in the first year • Automatic pay increases • Training Completion Bonus • Daily Meal Allowance • Recognition and incentive programs • Mechanic-maintained equipment • Mileage Assistance to travel to and from work
PlUs: • Flexible Spending Account • Group RSP Savings Plan • Comprehensive Health/Dental Plan • Growing Company with Career Advancement Opportunities
We offer a work rotation of 15 days on & 6 days off. Preference will be given to applicants with off-road experience. If you are interested in working in a positive and dynamic environment please send your resume & driver abstract to humanresources@ferus.ca or by fax to 1-888-879-6125 Please Reference: Driver #PROTRK 0811 PAGE 42
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octobEr 2011
Pro-trUcKEr MAGAZINEe
Relax, Howes Has You
Covered This Winter.
Start your engines – every time – with Howes Diesel Treat. And enjoy a little extra protection for yourself with a FREE Howes deluxe travel blanket. Either way Howes has you covered. Now that’s sure to put a smile on your face. ✓ Prevents Diesel Fuel From Gelling, Guaranteed! ✓ Saves Money and Eliminates Downtime ✓ Increases Power and Fuel Economy ✓ Treats More Fuel than Competing Brands ✓ Particulate Filter Friendly and Warranty Safe
FREE! Howes Deluxe Fleece Travel Blanket!
when you purchase 6 bottles of Howes Products
Professional Grade Performance Since 1920
See stores for details or visit www.howeslube.com Offer ends: 3/31/12, available while supplies last.
1-800 GET HOWES (438-4693) • www.howeslube.com
octobEr 2011
to ADVErtISE cALL 604-580-2092
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saw, as it ripped through a log or the rattle of a power saw and some faller shouting, “Timber” as a monstrous tree came crashing down. The Rail Roaders would be busy shunting rail cars, or hog heading a string of rail cars through some mountain pass with their big diesels rumbling in their deep throated way or blowing their shrill whistles, as they approached a crossing. Situated in the front, right hand corner of the building was Wayne’s Barbershop. This was the reason most of the beer parlour’s patrons were there, or so they would tell their wives. ”I have to get a hair cut.” Was the most common excuse that husbands gave to escape on a Saturday afternoon. The list for guy’s waiting for hair cuts could be longer then the list for hip transplants to-day and many a patron of Wayne’s went home unshorn, only to return again the following week. That is unless his wife led him out, by the nose, to a more conventional barbershop with a smaller, dryer, waiting room. If you ever run into an old driver, logger or railroader who worked around Prince George in those days, ask him about the old National Hotel. He will probably tell you, “Sure I’ve been clipped by Wayne,” or “Yup, my first wife left me, because of that place,” or maybe even, “Yes I drank in the National, that’s why my nose is pointing east, when I’m traveling south.”
Frontier Sales & Salvage Ltd. PArtING oUt HEAVY DUtY trUcKS Engines • trans • Drivelines Suspensions • Diffs • Front Axles ** And Much Much More **
9136 Milwaukee Way, Prince George, b.c. 250-561-0100 douglasfstanley@gmail.com www.frontiersalessalvage.com
MY DADDY SLEEPS NAKED
“Late again!” the third-grade teacher sternly said to little Johnny. “It ain’t my fault. The reason I’m late is my Daddy sleeps naked!” said Johnny. Despite her mounting fears, she asked little Johnny what he meant by that. “Well,” he said, “We have a fox out at the farm that has been killing our hens. Last night Daddy woke up when he heard a noise, so he grabbed his double barreled shotgun and ran out to the hen house - naked as a jaybird. As he stared into the darkness our old hound dog, Rip, went and stuck his cold nose in my Daddy’s butt!” “Honest Miss Russell, we all been cleanin’ chickens since three o’clock this mornin!”
DELTA • COQUITLAM • EDMONTON • CALGARY • WINNIPEG • LONDON • KITCHENER HAMILTON • MISSISSAUGA • WEST MONTRÉAL • EAST MONTRÉAL • QUÉBEC • MONCTON • HALIFAX PAGE 44
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octobEr 2011
ServicePro:OTR_OTR 8/16/11 1:27 PM Page 1
PRO-TRUCKER MAGAZINEe
We are looking for experienced teams to run between ON, AB and BC. Our management team has over 25 years in the transportation industry. We offer: Paid, insurance, plates, licensing $1.14 per mile, and a $0.02 performance bonus paid monthly Direct deposit, 1st and the 15th Dedicated runs within Canada only $1,000 sign on bonus • Fuel subsidy program Please contact Mike Draycott for more information at
Tel 905-793-1003 • Fax 866-835-2217 Email: mike@serviceprotrucklines.com www.serviceprotrucklines.com
october 2011
TO ADVERTISE CALL 604-580-2092
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Pro-trUcKEr MAGAZINEe
Reflections Thru My Windshield
The Old Truck How very many lonely miles passed beneath her wheels, Does she dream of passing lanes, this hulk of rusted steel? Out behind a breaker’s shed, with others of her kind
Dave Madill
Does she miss the high road, the rhythm and the whine? If only she could talk, what stories she would tell The many drivers she had known and the roads she knew so well. The many loads she carried, and the places she has been, Does she dream of former days, this sad old highway queen? Gently we load her on a deck, and then I tie her down She’s going to be recycled; they are going to melt her down, Perhaps she will rise again and know her former glory, Perhaps this was but chapter one, and not the final story.
Dave Madill was P r o -Tr uc k e r 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.
THE COMPANY WITH A HEART IS LOOKING FOR OWNER OPERATORS We have consistent,single and team loads to move, regionally within Canada,and/or internationally. If you have 24 months of accident free OTR experience, an acceptable driving record and are looking for steady income, call “The SAM-X Family”
Reefers-Vans-Decks Ken in Calgary: 403-444-8355 or Garnet in Winnipeg: 204-415-0800 1-877-208-7269 SAM-X Group of Companies “The company where drivers are family” PAGE 46
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octobEr 2011
Pro-trUcKEr MAGAZINEe
Parts (Port Kells) 604-888-1883 or 1-877-266-5480 • Radiators #4 - 20085 100A Ave., Langley, BC
• Charge air coolers • AC Conditioning Parts (All Kinds)
604.852.5848
1244 Riverside Road, Abbotsford, BC
NEW 12 Volt APU • Runs for 16 hours without Fuel & Quiet
California Approved
$1000.00 REBATE
NO IDLE AC..................... $4250 AC & Bunk Heat.............. $5750 AC, Bunk & Engine Heat.. $7050
Fast Service • High Quality Products Open Monday-Saturday Abbotsford Port Kells Come see us to receive your CASTROL gift (604)850-2666
(604)888-1893
#2 1244 Riverside Road
#4 - 20085 100A Ave. octobEr 2011
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Regional positions servicing Great Lakes area for drivers who may be interested in fewer days on the road.
Waste hauler with runs within Ontario and cross border – Ont, Michigan & New York State. Steady year-round work with the comfort of being home on a daily basis.
Experienced in heavy-haul and looking for a challenge? Try our wind & energy division.
LONG�HAUL DIVISION: Drivers and owner operators welcome. Regular home time with steady mileage and competitive pay. FLATBED DIVISION: Excellent mileage and revenue. (80% of moves with roll tight trailers).
Offers truckload or less than truckload service of temperature controlled or dry freight to US and Canada.
Call us today and put your career on the path of your choice:
We go the distance.
T 1 800 334 5142 F 1 888 876 0870 E recruiting@challenger.com W www.challenger.com PAGE 48 www.pro-truckermagazine.com
october 2011