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From the Editor’s desk... VOLUME 16, 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 Frank Cox • Ed Murdoch Colin Black • Dennis Ruttan PHOTOGRAPHY David Benjatschek • Ben Proudley HEAD OFFICE Ph: 604-580-2092 Fax: 604-580-2046 Toll Free: 1-800-331-8127 Published eleven times a year by Pro-Trucker Magazine Inc.,
The contents of this publication may not be reproduced by any means, in whole or in part, without prior written consent of the publisher. The advertiser agrees to protect the publisher against legal action based upon libelous or inaccurate statements; the unauthorized use of materials or photographs; and/or any other errors or omissions in connection with advertisements placed in Pro-Trucker Magazine. The publisher can and will refuse any advertising which in his opinion is misleading or in poor taste. The publisher does not endorse or make claim or guarantee the validity or accuracy of any advertisement herein contained. All materials submitted for publication are subject to editing at the publisher’s discretion. The act of mailing or e-mailing material shall be considered an expressed warranty by the contributor that the material is original and in no way an infringement on the rights of others. Pro-Trucker Magazine is written and produced in Surrey, B.C., and printed by Coastal Web Press Inc., Langley, B.C.
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Remembrance Day has been observed by the Commonwealth countries since the end of World War I, to remember the members of their armed forces who have died in the line of duty. Once again at 11am on September 11th Canadians will pause for 2 minutes to remember those who have fallen. As Canadians we also remember the soldiers who have returned home. Some have physical injuries that can be seen and treated but many have invisible wounds. These John White soldiers are still fighting battles in their minds and, if they do not get the help and support from our government that they so desperately need, even more lives will be lost. American actor/comedian George Carlin (1937–2008) was noted for his highly controversial political routines in which often criticised American society as he expounded on sensitive issues with his unique insight and powerful delivery. One of his routines focussed on the government’s dumbing down of what is now called PTSD. This message is of concern for Americans and Canadians alike, yet it seems to fall on deaf ears in our national capitols. George Carlin: “I don’t like words that hide the truth. I don’t like words that conceal reality. I don’t like euphemism’s - and the American language is filled with them because Americans have trouble dealing with reality. Americans have difficulty facing the truth so they invent a kind of soft language to protect themselves from it. And it get worse with every generation. I’ll give you an example of that; there is a condition in combat - most people know about it. It is when a fighting person’s nervous system has been stressed to its absolute peak – can’t take any more input. The nervous system has either snapped – or is about to snap. “In the 1st World War this condition was called, “Shell Shock.” It was to the point. Two syllables, Shell Shock. During the 2nd World War it was called, “Battle Fatigue.” Four syllables –takes longer to say – doesn’t seem to hurt as much. Fatigue is a nicer word than Shock. “After Korea the same condition was called, “Operational Exhaustion.” Eight syllables. The Humanity was completely squeezed out of the phrase. It’s totally sterile now. Operational Exhaustion. Sounds like something that might happen to your car. Then came Vietnam and the same condition was now called Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Still eight syllables, but we have added a hyphen, and the pain is completely buried in jargon. I’ll betcha that if we had still been calling it Shell Shock some of those Vietnam Vets might have gotten the attention they needed at the time…”
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“Lest We Forget” established
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LETTERS to the EDITOR
e e Whit John Magazin
r rucke Pro-T
John White gazine Pro-Trucker Ma
Hi John I recently read the September issue of Pro Trucker Magazine. There was an excellent letter to the editor from Trevor Cameron of Spruce Grove, Alberta. I couldn’t agree more with his comments. I have nothing but respect for professional truck drivers, the job they do, and the idiots they have to put up with. The only thing that bothers me about some truck drivers though is the use of non-designated truck routes in the city limits. These routes are generally in place for a reason but some truck drivers, not all, could care less and use these routes anyway. I live in Abbotsford and the designated truck routes are Highway 11 and McLure Road. I live on Downes Road which is not a truck route and is posted as such but a lot of truck drivers use this route as a shortcut from Highway 11 to Highway 1. There are plenty of signs advising of the designated truck routes but they use this route anyway. This is a residential neighbourhood and there is nothing
industrial on it. I realize time is money but Downes Road is not a truck route for safety reasons. The road is two lanes with bike lanes and no sidewalks for pedestrians. There are also two elementary schools on the route between Highway 11 and Mount Lehman. The route is also heavily used by police and ambulance services. This road between Gladwin and Clearbrook has two large hills and I have seen trucks going as slow as 5 mph up these hills. There is no way a police car or Ambulance could get past a truck if they needed to as you can’t see oncoming traffic. There is no place for a truck to pull off the road either. On the flip side, they drive at excessive speed going down the hills. The road is posted 50 kmh but 60-70 kmh is the norm. McLure Road on the other hand is four lanes, no bike lanes, sidewalks for pedestrians, and no elementary schools. This is why it is the designated truck route. The city of Abbotsford and the police department do not regularly patrol this route, nor should they, so the truckers seem to think it is okay to use this road. We as residents do not. I would ask all your readers to obey designated truck routes during their travels as they are in place for a reason and not just to make life difficult for drivers. Best Regards, Brian Godfroid Abbotsford, BC
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Editor’s note: Thank you for recognizing the good job the vast majority of drivers do. As I have said many times, every profession and trade, be it drivers, lawyers, police, yes, even politicians, (believe it or not) have a small percentage of people as members who make the rest look bad. The only time a truck should be off a truck route is when they are making an delivery or if there is a detour. At that time the general rule of thumb is to take the shortest route to their destination and back to the truck route again. I do not however agree with your statement that, “The city of Abbotsford and the police department do not regularly patrol this route, nor should they…” What is the use of having laws if no one believes it is their responsibility to enforce them? At one time Abbotsford had a Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division, which I believe was operated through their by-law division, but for some reason it was shut down. Just hope that the city of Abbotsford does not go the route of the Provincial Government who, instead of putting police on the highway to enforce speed limits, took the cheap route and just increased them. No laws being broken - problem solved.
Lines. It was made out of a 40 foot shipping container and had heat, lights and individual locking rooms with bunk beds. As I understand it was offered to various cities to house the homeless during cold weather. Do you know if it is still in use or where it is now? Tom Philips, Abbotsford, BC.
Editor’s note: Yes it was built at great expense by Shadow Group of Companies and offered to different communities. I contacted Darren Theobald, Director of Corporate John, Operations for Shadow Group of Companies, and he put A few years ago you wrote an article about a homeless me in touch with Ron Kerr, a City Councillor in Campbell shelter that I believe was built and paid for by Shadow River, BC. He sent me the following letter.
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Angels. Benjamin Proudley suggested I write you a letter, concerning my organization and our upcoming online campaign “Operation: MoveOver Bomb”. For the last 11 years, I’ve been a tow truck operator for Wilkerson’s Service Center in Springfield IL, and know all too well the dangers involved with this kind of work. Anyone who finds themselves working alongside of a busy highway knows exactly what I’m talking about. Tow operators, police, maintenance, commercial truck driver, and even the unfortunate stranded motorist, is well aware of how frightening being just inches away from speeding traffic can be. Couple that fear with the all-too-regular headlines about a cop, tow operator, or maintenance John My name is Layke Lane. Founder of Guard Rail worker being struck by an out of control vehicle, and “For the second winter Campbell River’s Extreme Weather Shelter is up and running with the support of Shadow Group of Companies. The custom designed storage container will be the temporary home for up to sixteen homeless individuals keeping them warm and dry through the coldest weather. Shadow Lines delivered and supplied the Shelter at no cost to the community which says much about their corporate sense of social responsibility.” Ron Kerr, City Councillor, Campbell River BC
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that fear of a “dangerous” situation, will very quickly be recognized for what it really is; a deadly situation. In a grassroots attempt to alleviate (in real time) recurrence of this unfortunate reality, I took it upon myself to found an organization called Guard Rail Angels. Our mission statement is very clear and concise. “When Move-Over Laws fail to protect us, it’s time we protect each other.” Our mission at GRA is to popularize the act of “running blocker” for each other out on the road. Meaning….If you’re a police officer, and see another officer on a traffic stop, take 10 minutes to pull off behind them and give him or her lights. If you’re a tow truck operator, and see a fellow operator hooking up a car along a busy highway, do the same. Etc etc. A law is just a piece of paper if it isn’t enforced, and a piece of paper isn’t going to stop an out of control motorist from slamming into us while we’re working….but another vehicle guarding us, just might. In addition to this, we’ve also started an online campaign called “Operation #MoveOver Bomb.” The goal with this is to spread awareness of the Move-Over Law via Facebook’s “Trending Stories” algorithm. To essentially “bombard” Facebook with a lifesaving message. The idea is to gather as many dedicated individuals as we can, to all simultaneously hashtag #MoveOver in our status updates on the same day, at the same time. Doing this will likely push the phrase “MOVEOVER” into literally millions of
Facebook user’s newsfeed as a “trending story.” With any luck they’ll get curious, click it, and see thousands of posts about the Move Over Law (of which they probably know nothing about.) The event date for Operation: #MoveOver Bomb is set for November 17th (US Thanksgiving Day) at 4:00PM-8:00PM CDT. The link to the event page is https://www.facebook.com/events/1491197451148196/ I urge you to join us, and invite all you know to do the same. Kind Regards, Layke Lane ***** A woman was outside pulling weeds on a hot summer day when her husband came up and asked her what they were having for dinner. Irritated by the thought of him sitting in the air conditioned house watching football while she laboured away, she snapped at him, “I can’t believe you’re asking me about supper right now! Pretend I’m out of town, go inside and make dinner !” So he went back in the house and fixed himself a big steak, baked potato with all the fixings, garlic bread, and a bottle of beer. His wife walked in just about the time he was finishing up and asked, “Where’s my plate?” “Huh? I thought you were out of town,” he replied.
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AMSOIL SYNTHETIC LUBRICANTS INCREASE FUEL ECONOMY 6.54 PERCENT IN DIESEL TRUCKING APPLICATIONS
Idle Time
By Scott Casey Scott, our Rig of The Month for May 2003 has written “In the Devil’s Courthouse” a book about his years as a gun toting truck driver while serving as a Canadian Peacekeeper in the former Yugoslavia
The Long Day
Using the SAE J1321 (TMC RP-1102) In-Service Fuel Economy Test Procedure
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The truck was being loaded with a mixed bag of freight when I strode up to the cab. I looked the loading crew up and down and nodded silent approval to the fellow who glanced my way. I opened the driver’s door and climbed up in the cab. I sounded the horn just shortly after twisting the key pausing to allow the gauges to cycle through their parameters. Once my quick visual was complete, I fired the diesel power plant up and watched the oil pressure build. I smiled quickly, even under the shrill peak of the low air warning, as I stepped out of the cab. I silently hoped it was going to be a good day where I could just make my deliveries and go home. The racket around the loading area was overwhelming with the crew hollering back and forth, combined with the drone of the aircraft’s engines, which were still spinning. I had never loaded at an airport before so this was quite an experience. I mean I had been to an airport and seen
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the security before but actually being here on the tarmac with my rig only 100 feet from the plane was completely different. There were RCMP officers walking about monitoring the proceedings which seemed very much normal. Above the powerful props of the plane I could hear thunder clapping in the vicinity. I paid it no mind. The guy who had been overseeing my truck’s load waved vigorously at me to get my attention, so I stooped around the tail of the aircraft and ran back to my truck to find that it was loaded. I quickly did a walk around and gave the load and truck a good visual inspection. The loader and I gave each other the thumbs up and he ran back to the plane. Climbing back in I placed my helmet and gloves on the doghouse. From my front pocket I pulled out two M-67 fragmentation grenades and rolled them on the dash. Rolling the window down I slid my automatic rifle out the window and laid the barrel in the crook of the mirror, placing the butt-stock in my lap. The passenger side door swung open and Tommy jumped up in the swampers seat. He fumbled a bit to get his medium machine gun out the window. He looked back at me as he threw his helmet on the dash and smiled the biggest grin he’d shown in the last three weeks of deliveries. “Lets go wreck some stuff,” he said. And with that our aid convoy headed out the front gates of the Sarajevo Aerodrome. We had been delivering humanitarian aid
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to the locals for three weeks now on a daily basis. The thunder seemed to be rolling in closer now as clods of dirt and trees exploded near our convoy. Thousands of rounds of artillery shells were fired into the city daily, and even though we were part of the United Nations mission we were not excluded from becoming targets. Our rounder took two hours of blazing gunfire, dodging manmade obstacles, landmines and of course snipers. This was the first of six trips we would make into the city today. The battle raged and we were soon cut off from our security detail. More or less lost in the city with no armour protection I drove like a man possessed, swerving to avoid nasty tire shredding obstacles and praying not to hit a dead end. Bullets were slamming into the side of our truck and the windshield shattered just above my head. I could see my fuel gauge was dropping and the truck was now leaning from the left steering tire being shot. With a stroke of luck we met back up with the remainder of our convoy which had all scattered. We limped into our drop point and quickly unloaded. Tommy and I checked out the damage and looked at each other and shrugged. We had to make it home yet - it’s not like we could call a service truck out to help us. Within half an hour the four aid trucks were empty and we drove back towards the airfield for our second trip. It would prove to be the longest day. ***** If you’re wrong and you shut up – you’re wise. If you’re right and you shut up – you’re married.
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Mickey Mattu • Dec. 7 1952 – Sept. 29 2014 We are saddened to report that Mickey Mattu, very well respected owner of Jete’s Trucking and MTB Freightways, passed away unexpectedly in his sleep on September 29th 2014. Mickey’s father, the late Amar Mattu, bought his first truck in 1931 under Amar Fuels, which in 1961 became Jete’s Trucking Ltd. Mickey started driving truck for his Dad when he was sixteen years old and took over the day to day operations of the trucking company in 1979 by which time they had grown to a fleet of 10 trucks. Mickey continued to drive himself until 1990 and in 2005 he incorporated his 2nd company, MTB Freightways. Keeping with tradition, Mickey’s sons Terry, now 36, and Billy, now 29, both started driving for the company when they turned 19 years of age. Even though Mickey was semi-retired, his son Terry says that his father couldn’t stay away and would drop by the office seven days a week to check on their fleet which has now expanded to 37 trucks. Mickey was also very well known for his generous community service. He supported everything from softball teams to the Food Bank and Children’s Hospital. The legacy and company that Mickey and his father built will be carried on by Terry and Billy but he will be greatly missed by his family, friends and colleagues.
Mickey standing beside the last truck he drove, a 1982 Peterbilt.
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Reflections Thru My Windshield
Dave Madill
Dave Madill was Pro-Trucker Magazine’s Rig of the Month in June of 2001 and he has been entertaining us with his poetry ever since. Dave has published three books of poems that are available by special order through Chapters Book Stores.
No Brakes I pulled into Yakima, Washington about dark and noticed that I had a message on the Qualicom that said, “There will be a company truck there to load tomorrow morning. It is a new guy to flatbeds so could you take him under your wing and show him how to tarp and tie? Both your loads are going to the same place so you can keep an eye on him and show him the ropes.” “So much for an easy trip” I thought. But then someone took the time many years ago to help me out so it is only fair that I pass on my knowledge to the new guy. In the morning I pulled into the molding plant and while I was still in the truck another one of our company units pulled in behind me so I climbed out to meet Alex. This is not his real name as he is still driving and I don’t want to embarrass him. During a brief conversation I found out that he had many years of experience, none of which was in Canada. As they put my load on I explained how we had to tie down and I had him throw a strap or two so he had an
idea of how it all worked. I finished tying down as he was loading and then went over and helped him all the time explaining why things were done the way they were. Once we were all tied down I got the lift truck to put our tarps up on top and by noon we were both out of there and on the road heading for Alexandria, Ontario. We stopped twice to tighten the loads that day and added a couple tarp straps to keep the tarps tight and then pulled into Coeur d’Alene and fueled up at the Flying Hook. After we had our showers I met him in the restaurant and gave him the ‘Logbook 101’ course over dinner. After that I was off to my sleeper while he decided to adjust the trailer brakes on his rig. I asked if he needed any help but he said that he could manage and I crawled in the bunk and got a well-deserved rest. The next morning he got up before me and knocked on my door just as I was climbing into my boots. I grabbed a jacket and away we went for breakfast where I continued with more log book instruction. I took the lead when we left the J and we went through the first set of scales with no problems. We climbed up and crested the top of Fourth of July and went down the other side with no problems. At this point Alex mentioned that his brakes were not the greatest but would be okay until we stopped for the night. We went through Lookout Pass and I started down in the proper gear with my Jake humming and a nice dry sunny road ahead of me. We were about
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half way down when Alex hollered on the CB that he had very little brakes and a lot of smoke coming from the tractor wheels. I watched him get bigger and bigger in my mirrors and realized he had a serious problem. I told him that since he had Moose bars on his truck to just put it into the back of my trailer and I would bring us both down. Just before he hit I floored my big kitty to soften the blow as much as I could but I still got a pretty good bump. I then got on the brakes and brought us both to a halt with very little problems but I was sweating for a while. Alex by that time was just about ready to change his drawers. I had heard from a west bounder that the scale at the bottom was closed so we slowly went down the pass and slipped into their big lot where we got out to survey the situation. First thing I did was check the trailer brakes on Alex’s rig and guess what - he had made the rookie mistake of backing them all off instead of tightening them. Thankfully no brake had over cammed and I was able to properly adjust everything. I slipped under the truck and made sure his tractor brakes were good and then went and reset mine just to be sure. I had just finished when the scale operator pulled in and stopped by to make sure everything was kosher. After I assured him we were fine he mentioned that before I left I might as well change my broken tail light lenses and suggested it might be a good idea to wipe the paint off my friends Moose bars and
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Terry 604-882-7623 wait a little longer until things were a little less smelly. The rest of the trip went as smooth as silk. We unloaded in Alexandria and split up as I went on to Montreal and Alex loaded in Ottawa. I never did say anything to the office about our little tandem ride down the mountain, and Alex turned out to be a great driver, but I still josh him about not knowing which way is up and which way is down. *****
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Traffic Cop pulls over a driver and asks, “Any drugs or alcohol?” Driver replies, “No thanks - I’ve got everything.”
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Bruce was born and raised in Richmond BC with his Mom, Dad and older brother Russell. When Bruce was 18 years old he went to work for Dave Boyce from Boyce Towing. Dave had a tow truck that no one could get used to, so he put Bruce on it and he says there was no looking back. Dave said that Bruce was a hard dependable worker who brought in a lot of business for him. Bruce worked with Boyce for almost five years before, like most tow drivers, moving on and working for just about every other tow company around. Bruce moved to Hope BC in the early 80’s and worked for West Coast Amusements for 28 years during the summer season and tow companies in the winter. Six of them with Jamie Davis Towing where he was a fan favourite on the tv series, “Highway Thru Hell.” Bruce’s brother Russell, says that Bruce had one of the best work he has ever seen. Whether it was crawling into a water filled Bruce “Crazy Horse” Hardy ethics ditch in Richmond to pull out a car when he was just a kid or going Aug 8, 1947 - Oct. 10, 2014 down over the bank on the Coquihalla with Jamie Davis and his crew – he never quit. He was always ready to work day or night and he worked right up to the end. When the end was near he had to be carried out of his west coast amusements truck. He passed away two days later. Russell says that Bruce never worked for the money. The only things that ever really meant anything to him was his job, his family and his friends. Russell went on to say that there were two people that bruce especially loved and respected, and would have done anything for, they are Dave Boyce, who he first started towing for, and Jamie Davis, who he ended his towing career with.
BIG RIGS FOR KIDS
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Spectators Bring your family for an unforgettable evening of entertainment with the spectacular sights and sounds of Christmas!
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Rig of the Month
My name is Sean McGinnis. I was born and raised in Brampton Ontario and now live on the east corridor, just off the 401 in Brighton, between Kingston and Port Hope. Living on the corridor has been great for me as a trucker as
by John White
many times through the years I have had the run that took me up and down the 401 between Toronto and Montreal. Brighton is about half way between the two cities so it was always easy for me to stop in for a quick meal or a shower
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and it also gave me the opportunity to spend some extra time with my family. I have always been fascinated by trucks and by the time I was 5 years old I could tell the difference between a Pete, Freightliner, Kenworth, Mack or International. That fascination with trucks carried over into my teenage years and I always said I would get my class 1 just as soon as I was old enough. But as everyone knows things don’t always work out as planned and my hopes and dreams of being a truck driver were almost completely erased when I was 18 years old . Being a workaholic seems to run in my family and at the time I was holding down three different jobs at Tim Horton’s, Pizza Hut and Bi-way Way. On the day that changed my life, and almost ended it, I was crossing the road on my way to cash my cheques, when I was struck by a van. It was bad - I was in critical condition and the Doctors told my parents that I had a 1% chance of surviving. I spent the next 6 months in the hospital and then 2 years of home care. Six years and 13 surgeries later, I finally went to driving school, got my Class 1 and have been driving ever since. My Pops has been a driver for over 40 years – the last 36 of those with the same company. When I was a kid I would go with my Dad every chance I got which was mostly during my summer holidays from school. At that time he did a run for Domtar between Toronto and Montreal hauling
Brittany, Sean, Ryan paper rolls. I have a lot of other relatives who are also truck drivers and they too had a big influence on my career choice. I can still remember being 6 years old and going out at 3 am with my Uncle Ken. I would sit on the seat between his legs and steer while he operated the pedals. I thought I was king of the road back then. Both my Dad who is 65 and my uncle Howard who is 70 are still driving. It’s all about that old workaholic thing I mentioned earlier. They both say they’ll never quit and I believe them. It would not surprise me if they both die of old age in their trucks.
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Dad is definitely old school. He can’t figure out why I have changed companies as much as I have but things in the industry have changed a lot through the years. I have done other things different too. He has always been a great Dad but, because of the job and the times, he wasn’t always able to be home as much as he would have liked. I am lucky I have been able to take jobs that have enabled me to be home more often so that I can see my kids grow up. My wife Tammy is a manager at Walmart and we have 2 children, Brittney who is 17 and Ryan who is 10. I got my first driving job back in 1997 working for Bestway Cartage running the USA in a brand new 98 Sterling with 42 inch bunk. It was an awesome company and awesome people but after about 14 months of running the highway I decided to find local work. I hated being away from home and our 1st child, Brittney, was on the way. My 2nd job which was with Arnold Bros., where I was hired to do a Rochester, NY run hauling huge rolls of Kodak film. Before starting the job they flew me to Winnipeg for a one week orientation seminar on hauling camera film. There were a number of very strict rules that we had to be aware of, like not opening the doors and not being able to go through the x-ray lane at the border. Both of which would immediately expose and ruin the film. We were given an exemption letter that we had to carry with us saying that we could not open the doors or go through the x-ray machines. As luck would have it the week that I spent in Winnipeg for the orientation just happened to be the coldest week of the whole year - it was -40 for the full week. When I got back to Mississauga I was handed keys to a 99 Pete. I hooked up to a trailer that was packed with 5 huge rolls of film and then headed for Rochester. Things went real good, and I enjoyed doing the run, until one day I arrived at the border and I was told by a young kid to pull into the x-ray lane. I tried to tell him that I had an exemption letter but he wouldn’t listen. He just said, “Who is in charge here?” and told me once again to pull into the x-ray lane. Having no choice I did what I was instructed and sure enough all 5 rolls in the trailer were ruined. There were sky-high claims that day and hopefully a young inspector learned a valuable lesson about abusing his power. I was also working for Arnold Bros and on my way to the border when the twin towers were struck. I sat there totally stunned with my ears glued to the radio for 18 hours with well over 100 other trucks in that massive line up. After that I went to work for XTL Transport running Quebec and local doing lots of Canadian Tire and Costco work. The best part about that job was being able to see the main man in my life – my Dad, who has worked there for 36 years. It is a great company with excellent people in the office, most of who I have known since I was 5 years old. When I left XTL I bought a 2003 Columbia midrise PAGE 22
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and finally went to work as an owner operator for RJK Trucking running Quebec. Things went good for the first 3 or 4 months until one night when I was going through Ganonauque and I approached a cube van. He was only doing about 80km/hr. so I pulled into the left lane to pass him. Just as I started to pass he veered over in front of me and I clipped the left rear corner of his van. The collision caused me to swerve down into the median, then back up across the highway again, finally coming to a stop on the right shoulder. The cube van meanwhile had veered off in the other direction finally coming to a stop on its side down in a field. No one was seriously hurt or charged even though it was determined that he had fallen asleep at the wheel. $16,000 in repairs later – paid through insurance - and I was back on the road again. After that I took job at Beacon Refrigerated where I ran Quebec and north but after a few years things slowed down and so did the money. I was having troubles making the last few payments on my truck so my Dad offered to buy it and keep me on as the driver. This went on for a tough year of mixed contracts and short pays. This arrangement put a lot of stress on both of us and really started to affect our relationship. I am very close to my Dad and have always depended on him for help and advice so not talking to him at least once a day was pretty painful. We finally decided that our relationship was more important so he decided to sell the truck and be
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done with it. I went back to being a company driver with Graphic Transportation Services doing a local nightly run from Belleville to Woodbridge. After 2 ½ years Graphic decided to move the trucks to Kingston which meant I had to start my shift there and end there. The commute was crazy! It was a 223km round trip but at the time jobs were scarce and I had to do it to keep the job. After 6 months, 17000km, and $600 a month for gas for my car, I got a call from Choice Reefer Systems CRS out of Belleville. I am now a local driver there driving excellent equipment. The people here are all like family. I drive a 2012 Volvo 670 D13 I shift. I look after this truck like it’s my own. I’m involved with, ‘Trucking for a Cure’, which is a foundation that raises money for breast cancer research. They sponsor truck shows and convoys and I attend a lot of the shows on behalf of CRS. When there is a show that I want to go to they try to get me loads nearby so that I can attend. One of the most unusual loads that I have hauled was shortly after I started working for CRS. It was a load of loose grain loaded from floor to ceiling in a refrigerated trailer which in itself isn’t all that unusual but they unloaded by hand! I had never seen anything like it. The customer used shovels and a winch with an old board. This whole production took almost 4 hours.
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LOG TRUCK DRIVERS IN EDSON, AB Duties and responsibilities: Inspection reports • Running in radius Incident reports • Hours of service, etc. The ideal candidate will have: The physical ability to lift 50lbs Experience as a log truck driver A valid class 1 license & clean abstract A positive attitude & willingness to learn Strong verbal and written communication skills Own transportation to drive to/from work Wages: Super-B & Quad Axle Drivers = 30% commission Potential annual earnings of $115,000 Please contact Duane Martel 1-780-817-6732 I have been really lucky in that most of the people I have worked with and for have been pretty fair and straightforward. Do your job to the best of your ability and everyone is happy. I know that some drivers have not always had it so good. A dispatcher I knew from another company was constantly working at a high stress level and it showed in that he took all his frustrations out on his drivers. I witnessed him yelling at just about every driver that worked there and nothing they could say or do would make this guy happy. I don’t know why they took it but they did. I like lots of lights and my own truck had lots of red L.E.D’s. One night I was travelling west into the city and approaching the scale when I saw an O.P.P car sitting in there. I was not speeding so I was a bit surprised when I looked in my mirror and saw him pull out to follow me. He came up on my left side, laid back, and then came up again and laid back again. Finally he ducked in behind me and flipped on his lights for me to pull over. He came up and asked if the red lights on my dash could be turned off, saying that red lights are not allowed on the dash as this represents a police car. I told him that my understanding was that they were fine as long as they do not flash. I then said that yes I can turn them off but the side red lights are all hard wired in to my running lights. He went back to his car with all my paperwork and was gone for 20 to 30 minutes! He finally came back and gave me a $300 fine for improper use of headlights! Weird….but at least then I
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knew why he was gone so long - there was no code for dash lights so to save face he decided he had to give me something. To top it all off he then told me that he did not have a ticket to give me and I had to follow him to the police station. He even held on to my license to make sure that I followed him there. Needless to say I fought the ticket in court and the judge threw it out, dressing down the officer at the same time by commenting that he thought the charge itself was crazy! I’m still at CRS and I’m very happy here. The pay is very good, they keep their fleet in top notch condition, and they are all great people. The owner is the nicest gentleman you will ever meet and the dispatcher always works with you when he can. If you need to be home or need some time off he does his very best to make it happen. There are many great drivers there as well although I haven’t met them all yet as some run out west and only come home once a week. In September, my truck, the one you see on the cover, was sold along with all the rest of the 2012”s. CRS is currently working on changing their whole fleet over to Cascadias and Kenworths something they hope to have completed by June 2015. I’m currently driving a rental until my new truck comes in which should be in December or January. It was sad to see my old truck go as I put a lot of my own time into it making sure it was always polished and in truck show condition. I don’t like change but it is what it is. I guess I’m kind of old school like my dad. I
The
NEW Extended Hours Mon-Fri 8 am- Midnight • Sat 8 am- 5pm like the same truck, the same routine, the same run and working my butt off. That’s what my pops taught me to do. That’s how you make money. To save fuel CRS has speed limiters on all their trucks that stop us from going over 100kph. I don’t mind but what does bother me is that the other vehicles on the road do not know we are governed. A lot of four wheelers and Quebec trucks whip by me with weird looks on their faces or hands waving in the air as if I am doing something wrong. It would make life easier for me, and possibly lower the blood pressure of the other drivers, if we had signs on the our trailers explaining that the trucks are governed. As it is life is good. I’ve got a great family and a great company to work for so I just raise my hand, smile and wave…r
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Tucker The Trucker
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In Memory of Rud Kendall August 1943 - January 2010
The Big Little Things In Life
Just recently I attended a seminar and heard something really profound. At least I thought it was profound, but then again I still think Wayne and Shuster are funny and that Harold Ballard was a nice guy. The speaker said there’s a certain type of person who can handle the big things he faces, but then trips over the little cracks in the sidewalk of life. His exact words were; “Put this person in a room with an enraged rhinoceros and he or she will be calm and serene. What will bring them to their knees are the ants crawling on the floor.” Boy, do I ever relate to that. It seems that life is constantly tripping me up and it’s usually over something truly trivial. You know what I mean, I’m sure. For example, I’ve always dreamed of winning the Indy 500, but I have a tough time navigating a grocery cart through the frozen foods to the limp lettuce display. I can drive the Rockies with my eyes shut, (I think, never
having had the bravado, or enough Coors in me to really try it) but put me in rush hour traffic and I fall apart. I know, I just know, that the clown next to me is going to do something really stupid and I’ll be doing something even stupider first, thus stealing away his initiative. I once walked ten miles in below zero weather when my truck broke down in the bush and it was easy. I whistled a lot, mind you, because I knew it was bear country and I had eaten a bowl of Honey Combs for breakfast. I’ve even been known to jog, especially when the liquor store is just about to close. No sweat. But sometimes I have difficulty walking down the sidewalk and I’m not exaggerating! Maybe you’ve experienced it. You’re walking along, minding your own business, admiring the attractive architecture of modern forms, or maybe looking at some buildings, when, WHAP, you step off the curb! I nearly broke my ankle the last time it happened and two overanxious Boy Scouts threw a little old lady into the path of an onrushing taxi in their haste to give me a helping hand. Electronic doors lie in wait for me too. I was walking into Safeway a while ago and noticed a really cute young lady about to exit with her arms full of groceries. I gave her my best Fabio smile as we passed, then smashed full-stride into the unyielding, inch-thick pane of glass that was obviously on strike. As I slid limply to
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the ground, I felt the first warm trickles spurting from my truly tender nose. I tried to clean the blood from the glass, but only succeeded in creating a slightly suggestive finger painting that would have done Pablo Picasso justice. When I noticed the security guard approaching cautiously, I decided to leave and immediately applied for a cheque cashing card at Super Value. I figure that would be the truly safe way to gain entrance to a food store in the future. I also have some small difficulties with my body from time-to-time. For example, I am unable to eat hot soup in a restaurant without being asked to leave. It seems that all eight of my sinus cavities decide to unplug the moment a bowl of soup is placed anywhere near them. These are the same sinus’ that are cemented shut every winter, usually from 6 pm Labor Day until sometime in the afternoon on July 1st. It’s hard to be discreet when you’re blowing your nose on a napkin that’s been folded to resemble a poinsettia, especially when your salad fork gets caught in it and clangs into the soup bowl sending the noodles into sub-orbital flight. Lineups are also rapidly shortening my life and the only consolation I have is an unshaken belief that there will be a lineup in front of the pearly gates on Judgement Day, and by the time I shuffle up to St. Peter, he might be tired and overlook some of my more major transgressions in his rush to get home for supper.
M T AND T ACCOUNTING Specializing in the Transportation Industry: Bookkeeping - GST - Payroll Corporate & Personal Tax Planning and Filing Visit our website at mtandtaccounting.com or give us a call at 403-398-2476 It doesn’t matter how many people are ahead of me when I hit the post office, I end up waiting for hours. By the time I’m at the front of the line, the postal clerks have all gone into the backroom (where they normally sleep, play cards, and take strike votes) and pick up their paychecks that were just delivered by Purolator. (They don’t send them by mail anymore. Seems they were always late and/or lost.) If they don’t all disappear, the customer at the only open wicket is trying to establish the second class rate for mailing live Llamas to Lillooet on a Sunday with guaranteed delivery and four receipts, which the clerk doesn’t have in stock, but will run downtown to get, thank you. Banks are real killers too. When they first introduced
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those winding rows of ropes I thought they were on their way to a solution but it hasn’t helped me much. I went into the main branch recently and got lost in the maze that snaked its way across the floor like a conga line. I finally stepped over the ropes in an attempt to get back to civilization, and sure enough, I tripped. The entire row of poles clanged onto the marble floor and I felt like a netted flounder. By the time I helped put everything back in place, my loan payment was overdue and they foreclosed on my furniture. The people who design packaging can also ruin my day. I bought a bag of cookies for dessert the other night and by the time I disposed of the cardboard that padded the insides, it was time for breakfast. Chocolate bars are the same thing. Sure, they look big, but when you finally tear through the layers of wrapping they look more like an After Eight mint that was wrapped before six in the morning. But I’ve got to quit worrying about these little things that make life a big frustration. Maybe I should be more like an old cat-skinner I once drank with. He said he only worried about the big things and let his wife worry about the little ones. “I handle the Middle East, the Federal government, nuclear disarmament and the disappearance of the dinosaurs.” He explained.” My wife worries about the little issues, like feeding the kids, paying the rent and getting a job!” r
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Idle Time
By Scott Casey Scott, our Rig of The Month for May 2003 has written “In the Devil’s Courthouse” a book about his years as a gun toting truck driver while serving as a Canadian Peacekeeper in the former Yugoslavia
The Walk
“Lest We Forget”
A tribute to those, silent ones who even through social oppression here at home, have never forgotten those who sacrificed. A small flashlight shone in the eyes of an unresponsive elderly man who was lying on a damp, cold, and deserted sidewalk. His pulse and lividity were checked, and the first responders noted that rigour had not yet set into his limbs, which led them to believe he had been dead for approximately an hour. The lead paramedic radioed dispatch and relayed the information from the scene. A siren could be heard echoing off the concrete buildings in the city centre, its volume increased and a short time later the police arrived, followed by the Coroner. Formalities were performed, and the elderly mans corpse was lifted and removed from the scene. The desolate street returned to its prior solitude, although the death seemed to leave the air a little cooler than before.
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It was a typical November 11th, the ambient temperature dipping just below zero centigrade, the last of the leaves were falling from the trees, silently drifting to the damp, newly frosted ground. Birds flitted about, as though oblivious of the ceremony below, chirping as they flew from limb to limb of the large maples that enveloped the park. In the centre of the park, near the band shell, was a stone cenotaph adorned with the names of the fallen from past wars. Surrounding the epitaph were rows of military personnel in full dress uniform, lined up smartly. The bleachers were filled to capacity with onlookers, and many more could be seen shifting side to side to stave off the chilly morning air. All were in attendance to pay their respects and remember the sacrifices made during times of war. Standing in the crowd, albeit to one side, was Walt Thompson, a professor from the local university. Professor Thompson, as he was known about town, had not missed a Remembrance Day service since his years as a young boy, with his first attendance starting in 1946. Glancing at his watch the professor noted it was time for the memorial to begin and as though he had urged them along, the ceremony began with a welcoming by the Padre. The crowd, including Walt, sang the hymn Abide with Me. With a sound that only well tuned bagpipes can produce, the Lone Piper played Amazing Grace adding to the somber mood of the hour as it sent chills through most. As every year would have it, the Master of Ceremonies asked the crowd to remove their head
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dress. Walt removed his hat and placed it over his heart close to his woolen great coat as the crowd observed the moment of silence. His grey hair, now slightly messed, dangled over the arms of his bifocal glasses. The moment of silence was broken by the ear rattling sonic discharge from five Canadian CF-18 Hornets flying in the Missing Man formation. From his vantage point, Walt could see the fighter jets as they tore off out of sight. He stood in the same spot every year, a comfort of sorts for him. The crowd was always different, but as long as he was in the same location it made him feel closer to the fallen, as if they would know he was there. It was a closeness that he created and embraced, for Walt attended the service alone. Many years earlier, inside the stone walls of the university, he had fallen victim to an excommunication by his fellow faculty members following a heated intellectual conversation while speaking his opinion. In that moment of enjoying freedom of speech, his life, was altered forever more. Aside from his time in class, Professor Thompson spent his days alone, and the time following the service today would be no different. Because he had become an introvert it was rumoured that he had gone mad, days spent mulling about in a now self induced disconnect, and unless he was in class he never uttered a word in conversation thus adding to the stigma. The truth of the matter, he was suffering, as anyone does
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from loneliness. One by one participant’s laid wreaths at the base of the stone edifice. At the end of the service Walt stepped to the cenotaph and placed his poppy on the memorial, paused for a brief moment, turned silently and departed in the direction of home. A moment later he disappeared in the crowd, only to emerge on the other side, hat on and in his usual condemned gait. The concrete sidewalk initially felt cold, but it was soon forgotten as the searing pain tore through Walt Thompson’s chest. His eyes now shocked wide open, stared at the grey sky unable to speak or cry for help, his hands clutched to his chest. The street was empty, the only movement, and the last few laboured breaths of Professor Walt Thompson, PhD. No one noticed his pain, but then again, had they ever. A few short seconds and he laid dead of a heart attack on a deserted side street, very much alone. Within moments of his passing, a gentle breeze blew in from the direction of the cenotaph, and eight unseen soldiers stood on either side of where he laid, four on each side. In perfect unison they knelt and together they raised him from the ground. The professor had spent his last years alone, but here today, these soldiers recognized his years of thanks for their service. He was no longer alone, and today upon their shoulders, they carried Walt Thompson home. r
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18 Wheels of Christmas... ... is rolling for the 20014 season!
This year again, we are challenging the transportation companies to donate a skid of food and to challenge others in the industry to do the same. CALGARY, AB All donations will be taken to the Interfaith food bank on December 17th Please Contact Dale, Colleen or Janet 1-800-640-9602 or 403-279-4204
EDMONTON, AB All donations will be taken to the Edmonton Food Bank on December 18th Please Contact Justin or Ken 1-800-371-6895 or 780-431-0594
SASKATOON, SK All donations will be taken to the Saskatoon Food Bank on December 19th Please Contact Tim or Carrie 1-800-448-4594 or 306-244-7088
If you would like a food collection box we will drop as many as you request at your business we will then collect them when they are full. Just give us a call at 1(800)640-9602 or email 18wheels.xmas@rosenau.ca
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Silent Guns Their guns have fallen silent, sit there in the rack, The shooters have gone onward, never to come back. They passed the torch to others to hold their banner high, Yet they will be watching from their range up in the sky. To their sons and daughters and others like you and me, They pass on the burden to keep our nation free. Take their guns off the rack. Feel the heritage they hold, Liberty and freedom which can not be bought or sold. Someday we too will join them as they gather around the throne, Remember them and honor them, let them not stand alone. PAGE 38
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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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