Pro-Trucker Magazine February 2016 by Pro-Trucker Magazine

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Proudly February 2016

pro-truckermagazine.com Big Rig Weekend Dates Inside! Find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ProTruckerMagazine

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From the Editor’s desk... VOLuME 18, ISSuE 1 of 11 PUBLISHER/EDITOR John White john.protrucker@shaw.ca PRODUCTION/CIRCULATION Tori Proudley tori.protrucker@shaw.ca ADMIN/SPECIAL EVENTS Donna White donna.protrucker@shaw.ca ADVERTISING/MARKETING John White john.protrucker@shaw.ca Tori Proudley tori.protrucker@shaw.ca CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Dave Madill • Mel McConaghy Ben Proudley • Scott Casey Ed Murdoch • Colin Black Tamara Weston PHOTOGRAPHY David Benjatschek wowtrucks.com Ben Proudley • Brad Demelo HEAD OFFICE Ph: 604-580-2092 Fax: 604-580-2046 Toll Free: 1-800-331-8127 Published eleven times a year by Pro-Trucker Magazine Inc., The contents of this publication may not be reproduced by any means, in whole or in part, without prior written consent of the publisher. The advertiser agrees to protect the publisher against legal action based upon libelous or inaccurate statements; the unauthorized use of materials or photographs; and/or any other errors or omissions in connection with advertisements placed in Pro-Trucker Magazine. The publisher can and will refuse any advertising which in his opinion is misleading or in poor taste. The publisher does not endorse or make claim or guarantee the validity or accuracy of any advertisement herein contained. All materials submitted for publication are subject to editing at the publisher’s discretion. The act of mailing or e-mailing material shall be considered an expressed warranty by the contributor that the material is original and in no way an infringement on the rights of others.

PubLICATIONS MAIL AGrEEMENT #40033055 rETurN uNDELIVErAbLE CANADIAN ADDrESSES TO CIrCuLATION DEPT. 9693 129th Street. SurrEy, b.C. V3T 3G3 Email: tori.protrucker@shaw.ca

PrO-TruCKErMAGAZINE MAGAZINEe PrO-TruCKEr

In August of last year we booked the 2016 - 14th Annual Alberta Big Rig Weekend for the middle of August as we have for many years. In September we booked and paid our deposit for the 2016 - 16th Annual BC Big Rig Weekend, at the beginning of July, also the same for many years. As usual, in January we put a poster for BC and Alberta Big Rig Weekends on our website and Facebook page. That’s when the calls started. “Do you know that there is another truck show on the same John White weekend as yours?” one trucker asked. “Uh…no are you sure? Last year we were told that event would be held on Vancouver Island every second year.” Apparently that changed and this year the only weekend available was the same weekend as ours. Unfortunately if both shows are held at the same time, it would force drivers to choose between shows. Since there were no other dates available at this time for their show, in consideration of our supporters and our trade booths, we decided to move our event for this year. Over the last 16 years we have changed dates very few times and for all of you who will be inconvenienced by this change we sincerely apologize. The new dates for this year’s Big Rig Weekends are: Alberta – July 29-31 and BC – August 19-21. Once again we will have steak dinner for the drivers and an accompanying passenger, a beer garden, live music, independent judges, activities for the kids and in BC 70,000 square feet of indoor trade booth and truck parking space. To avoid future conflicts we have confirmed all future BC Big Rig Weekend dates up until 2020, they are: 2017 – July 7-9; 2018 – July 6-8; 2019 – July 5-7; 2020 – July 3-5. We are looking forward to seeing everyone again this year! Book Review Otto Alternatives and Diesel Diversions written by Ron Cairns from Spruce Grove Alberta was a column we ran in Pro-Trucker for a few years that was very well received by motor and mechanical enthusiasts out there. Each issue Ron would show patent diagrams of obscure engines that most of us had never heard of. Ron has finally written a 270 page book called, POWER PIONEERS The Art of the Engine – Pre 1956. In this book he shows drawings of 125 different patents of engines. Many of these have formed the basis of other engines. There are 25 carefully chosen patents for each of the 5 classes of engine configurations, axial, inline, opposed, radial and rotary engines with a very brief description of how that engine class works. He is currently working on Volume 2 .1 that will cover the years 1956 to 1999 and Volume 3.1 for years 2000 and beyond. If you are a motor head this book is for you. If you have a family member or know of someone who is interested in engines, this book would make a great gift. Books can be ordered at http://www.theartoftheengine.ca/

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MAY 13-14 PRO-TRUCKER Magazine has once again been asked to host a

Big Rig Show N Shine at TRUXPO!

35spots for Bobtails, Tow Trucks & Loggers $50 REGISTRATION • TROPHIES • DASH PLAQUES CERTIFICATES AND MORE Register by May 1st by email or phone tori.protrucker@shaw.ca • PH: 604-580-2092 PAGE 4

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LETTERS to the EDITOR

e e Whit John Magazin

r rucke Pro-T

John White gazine Pro-Trucker Ma

Subject: Road Maintenance Good afternoon John, The last I saw of you, outside of reminiscing about our connection with Rayonier’s Holberg logging camp more years ago than you may choose to remember, you asked me about my thoughts on the state of the trucking industry. I’m sure I can’t be the only one concerned about the winter road maintenance in this province - having driven commercial vehicles in British Columbia for nigh on 50 years, and knowing many who would still consider me a rookie, I can honestly say that the level of attention our winter roadways get, of late, is appalling. I know complaining about road conditions is a popular pastime, even back in the 60’s when trucking was more of an enviable profession, we liked to voice our opinions about the job that the province’s own Department of Highways performed, but in comparison to what we are subjected to today, their efforts were generally more appreciated

E HIR WE’R

and far outshine present day ‘CONTRACT’ services. The snowfalls we got back then were just as heavy, just as frequent, the road configurations were in most cases more challenging and treacherous, and granted there was definitely less truck traffic, but it seems other factors are playing a bigger part in what we are seeing take place in failing to make our winter roads safer and more negotiable for not just truckers, but all motorists. Award someone a bidded contract amount each year for their anticipated services, and naturally they will attempt to do it as cheaply and infrequently as possible in order to bolster their bottom line, unfortunately, the more maintenance contractors save and profit, the more it costs our industry, and in fact, the general public. I feel this is an issue that needs to be addressed, and soon, before adequate road maintenance falls completely into oblivion. We are taxed sufficiently in this province to fund a reasonable maintenance program, provided such monies are directed proportionately and responsibly, but it seems to be too easy to simply flip a switch and have trucks don chains every time as the response to snowfalls, as if being taken by surprise, fails to keep pace with inclement weather. Of course it goes with the territory, every trucker should be proficient at installing chains, it is part of the trucking environment and always has been. A demonstration of that ability could even play a part in ensuring properly qualifying a Class 1 licence

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at arm’s length so that the blame could be shifted to the new “independent corporations” and away from the people actually pulling the strings. The BC Ferry System, the Department of Highways and BC Hydro – all gone – all complaints from the voters are now met with a shrug from the politicians and deflected to those agencies. Some people actually believed they really were arm’s length until a few years ago when the BC government put a “special” on ferry rates. Unfortunately it was leaked to the press before BC Ferries, who voters were told were responsible for setting rates and making all decisions, knew anything about the government’s generosity. Another good example is ICBC, the provincial insurance agency. The government takes millions of dollars out of their reserves every year, puts it in general revenue, then ICBC, instead of decreasing or holding the rates, is forced to raise them. Lucky for BC taxpayers the government has stuck by their promise not to raise taxes. (Yes - that was sarcasm.) The One thing I do want to emphasise is that the poor highway maintenance has absolutely nothing to do with the road maintenance crew. They are told when they can Editor’s note: Thank you John, your comments on this go out and they work long dangerous hours when they issue are especially important because unlike a lot of are allowed to go to work. The problem lies with the prodrivers today, you have seen both systems in action. vincial government and how much they are willing to pay The BC government, since the 70’s when the fast ferries a contractor to do the work. A bidding war never works fiasco was used to win the next election, have downloaded out well in instances like this as the end user is always every provincial agency they can and supposedly put them guaranteed an inferior product. holder, in fact the penalties for noncompliance should make it mandatory, but it certainly is not the answer to compensate for feeble attempts at proper road maintenance. It would be foolhardy to suggest that all things in the ‘good old days of trucking’ were ideal, but to the demise of the once considerably more stable and regulated trucking community in this province, the government has seen fit to allow every Tom, Dick and Harry who feels the inclination, to enroll in an industry now reeling from an influx of a large percentage of unqualified operators, butchered freight rates, and the ‘free for all’ mentality that exists every time the economy dips, and trucks become more prevalent than freight. This, coupled with the fact that there are weight configurations of vehicles that simply are impractical for mountain passes in winter conditions, provides an abundance of material for the TV series, ‘Highway thru Hell’. Best Regards - John Maywood Ulster Transport Inc.

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JOIN OUR TEAM OWNER/EMPLOYEE FRANCHISES AVAILABLE IN ALBERTA

From the Patch By Tamara Weston

Tamara and her husband Eric, were the Rig of the Month drivers in our October 2014 issue.

Getting Started It’s a new year, and believe it or not there is a huge amount of optimism here in the oil patch. Everyone is talking, keeping their ears to the ground for the slightest change. There are a lot of people out of work and Eric is constantly reminding me that I got lucky. Lucky to

have gotten a job right away and even luckier that I got established before the down turn in the economy. I was lucky that’s for sure. I went right from driver training school to work. Sure I started with a body job but I was busy hauling oil - as many loads as I could get in a day. This gave me the opportunity to gain valuable experience and confidence behind the wheel. Eric was 18 years old when he got his class one. The problem he had getting started was that he needed two years experience behind the wheel before anyone would even consider hiring him. That was probably the biggest difference between him and I when we got our class 1 licenses. I wasn’t some young kid (his description of himself at that time cannot be printed - lol) who just

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started driving anything he could. I was a late bloomer so to speak. The endless times he heard, “Sorry buddy you need experience,” at job interviews just made him more determined to be a driver. He would diligently show up at the gravel pit, where his dad worked, so that he could drive a gravel truck around the pit to gain experience. He would also move freight around the docks at night whenever he had the chance. All in all he did whatever he could to gain that valuable experience. There was nothing steady and nothing permanent, but he knew that every day he was getting closer to realizing his dream. He worked hard and eventually it paid off with a driving job. From listening to him tell me the stories of what he had to go through when he first started driving I’m thankful that I caught a break. Thankful I’ve had some amazing trucks to drive and quite honestly thankful to have a steady job with an amazing truck to drive in this troubled economy.

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Music, Mystique, and Mayhem

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Your toes starts tapping, your hands begin air drumming, or you begin beat boxing, without consciously thinking about it the instant your favourite song comes on. Music has that irrefutable mystical draw for people. There is just something primal and instinctual when it comes to man’s connection with all things musical. A melody can bring you to tears of joy or sadness depending on the event that connects you to that tune. Music has that effectual quality that cannot be matched by anything else and although some might say a photo has that ability, if you actually study the effect on your emotion you will see that music makes your body react

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and photos have to be processed first. Pictures may elicit emotion but it’s not as immediate as the reaction created by music. To prove that, think of how many times you’ve been involved in something, for example, working on your truck and without even thinking you are humming or whistling along with the radio. Yet if you are working on your car and see a picture on the wall you actually have to change thought and process the information before you acknowledge it. Another example to the mystique of music are the moments leading up to any sporting event. How pumped up do you think a sports team would be if the coach came into the locker room and held up a photo of the championship trophy before each game? The answer is probably not very. However, if the moments leading up to stepping on the ice or field are filled with rock anthem type music, the team listening to it, creates an unparalleled energy. For that matter music is used to get the fans charged up before and during the game as well. Movie soundtracks are equally as popular as the film’s themselves for the same reason. It creates an electrical connection that remains with us for years on. Three good examples of this are the Kenny Loggins song Danger Zone from the hit movie Top Gun, the trumpets blaring as Rocky takes to the stairs in Boston or Mozart’s classical number Ride of the Valkyries from the box office smash Apocalypse Now. All three movies have heart pounding action scenes that are made even more

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exhilarating by the corresponding music which draw us in deeper with an emotional connection we would not have had by simply viewing the moving pictures. With the knowledge that music plays such an integral part in our psyche it is easier to understand how it lends to human activity. In my personal experience, labour jobs where music is commonly accepted during work time, shows the employees are generally happier and more productive than those who do not have music. Road tripping without tunes is like going to your first high school dance without music. When I was deployed overseas I listened to specific songs before going outside the wire to get myself pumped up to do the job. It’s that quality in music that allows us to love deeper or to wreak mayhem on those who fall in our sight picture. A picture may be worth a thousand words but music is eternally good for the soul. *****

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reFLecTIons ThrU My WIndshIeLd By Dave Madill Dave was Pro-Trucker Magazine’s Rig of the Month in June of 2001 Close Call We have had a bit of snow up here in the Okanagan and then it started to melt. The roads this morning were almost clear but were still wet when I had to go for a Doctor’s appointment. I hopped in my Army green Jeep Cherokee and headed for town. Now not only is my Jeep military green but without thinking I was wearing a camo military jacket so I fit right into my ride. I pulled on the highway and merged into traffic with no problems as I brought the Jeep up to highway speed and settled back. Like a good professional driver I am always scanning my mirrors, watching traffic behind as well as in front, and about three cars back, in the passing lane, is a full sized Chevy that for some reason my instincts told me to keep an eye on him. He sat behind me in the other lane for quite a while and then finally pulled up even with my truck. I was watching this guy from the corner of my eye

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and for some reason he is looking at me with looks that could kill. Something told me to be careful and I slipped my left foot over and got on my brake pedal just enough to activate my brake lights and the car behind me noticed and began to back off to give me room. Finally the guy beside me stepped on the gas a little and started to pull ahead but I was still alert and watching him and as his back wheels got even to my front bumper I seen his front wheels turn right. Immediately I was hard on the brakes and steering right just a little and the ABS braking was doing its job well. Besides pulling in, this guy also hit the brakes but he had made too sharp of a turn and had unloaded his right side and rear end so he started to slide sideways and spin as he passed in front of my Jeep. I

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stayed hard on the brakes and those 4 wheel discs did exactly what they were supposed to do as the car behind me jumped into the other lane. Mr. Sideways did a 180 into the retaining wall and there he sat with his back end pointed towards Kelowna and his vehicle had major damage. I stopped, put on my 4 ways and got as far off the road as I could, along with the second car behind me who was already dialing 911. Mr. Sideways exited his car from the passenger door and started screaming that I had hit him and caused him to lose control while also screaming about how bad he was injured – although there was not a mark on him. It took about three minutes for the first Police car to arrive with another one showing up a minute or so later. Mr. Sideways was screaming at the officer that I had hit the side, and back of his car and had caused him to lose control and now his car was wrecked and he needed to go to the hospital. The RCMP officer looked things over and then came back to where I was leaning on my hood and asked me what had happened and I told my side of the story. He then did a very extensive inspection of the Jeep and found that I had not touched him at all and as a matter of fact I still had undisturbed old road grime on my bumper and fenders. Five minutes later Mr. Sideways was loaded into the back of a police car in handcuffs charged with several offences. I was told I could go about my business and if needed they would be in touch.

I normally write about my experiences driving truck and although I was only driving my personal Jeep this time, I also know this happens to semi’s quite often so just a heads up drivers. When that little voice of experience says something is wrong with that car in the passing lane – trust it - stay alert and watch him closely. I had a close call and luckily got away scot free but - That’s Trucking.

The Bear’s View

Sgt. Mark Whitworth

Quite often I’m asked questions about rules of the road. These questions usually relate to regulations that many of us follow routinely, though seldom give much thought. Some of these questions relate to important issues such as school zone and playground speed limits; and the tolerance over the speed limit police allow for drivers in these zones. As professional drivers you already have a good grasp on traffic laws but I’m sure that now and then you ride with family members or friends who may not be as educated as you. You may

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think that sometimes they are purposely breaking the law but often they do not the law. It would be much safer for everyone if you were to pass on your knowledge whenever possible. First, school zone signs. This is one area where the general public often do not know the law. School zone signs are in effect from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. during schools days and the speed limit is 30 km/h when the school zone sign has 30 km/h under the school zone symbol. When there is only a school zone sign – without an accompanying speed limit - it is to remind drivers to slow down when children may be near the highway – if there is no limit on the sign and there are no children on the sidewalks then you are allowed to go the maximum speed posted for that area. Keep in mind that hours for school zones may start earlier and end later in some areas. Playground speed zones are in effect from dawn until dusk every day. These signs, somewhat smaller than other speed limit signs, are posted at the start of the zone and can occasionally be overlooked by drivers. Both school and playground zone signs end once you pass the sign you see on the opposite side of the roadway, facing opposing drivers as they enter the zone – playgrounds usually have an end of zone sign. Fines for speeding in these areas are high and tolerance is much lower than in other speed zones. Typically,

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Call Al 604-882-7623 even if a driver is over the limit by just a few kilometers an hour, they risk being issued a fine. Another bit of advice to pass on to others is to try not to feel rushed by an impatient driver behind you when in school or playground zones. I have been followed too closely even when I was in a marked police car. This happens even more often when I’m in an unmarked car. Drivers stopped for this have said they thought I was going too slowly, or while in an unmarked car I have been told, “I didn’t know you were a police officer” - like this should matter… It seems that poor drivers are almost always more worried about getting caught by police than the more serious consequence– injuring or killing others. Hopefully

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thorough our combined efforts for educating family and friends – we can change this mindset and reduce the Available number of tragic traffic incidents. in bay Changing gears here a bit, there is one (of many) other regulations that we certainly all share concern for and that is drivers traveling in the left lane on a four lane Foam Soap • Degreaser • Disinfectant highway. The left lane is for passing so it is frustrating Fire Hose • 24 Hour • 100 ft Bay to see drivers traveling in the left lane for great distances 60 ft Bay • Truck Parking • Driver Shower and blocking others from passing. I occasionally stop drivers for this and issue fines. Most highways have signs that direct drivers to stay right except to pass – 747 Marion Street Winnipeg , MB something that all of us think should be a no brainer. 204-233-1965 or Cell 204-228-8311 Next issue I’d like to lighten things up a bit and share some humorous stories from encounters with drivers and passengers of stopped vehicles, such as best excuses yres cross he ond for breaking the law and some of the most unusual stops Colin Black lives in Bellshill, I have made. Some of these conversations and comLanarkshire, Scotland and has ments from drivers will need to be censored a bit – I’m been driving truck for over 40 sure John may insist on this. years. His story shows us once Any questions you may have, regardless of topic, are again that the problems drivers welcome. Also, I’d enjoy hearing of your unusual stories face are universal. – sometimes I think I’ve seen and heard everything but Free Scenery you I’m sure a number of you could prove me wrong. A lot of my buddies told me that when I retired I ***** would be bored within two weeks, well, it’s been three Wise men talk because they have something to say; months now and I’m still waiting for the boredom to kick fools, because they have to say something. – Plato in. Now I’m going to places I used to go with my truck but this time I get to stop where I want and investigate corners I never could when the boss was paying for the fuel and there were deadlines to meet. With my caravan, or trailer, as you guys call them, based in Callander I’ve had a few trips up the west side of Scotland. I may be paying for the fuel now but the CLUTCHES fantastic scenery still comes free. The roads there are TRANSMISSIONS • DIFFERENTIALS almost unchanged from the time I worked for a company DRIVETRAIN REPAIR & REBUILDING called Archibald Brechin, running round all the remote distilleries collecting grain or maybe single malt whisky. I loved the way the distilleries were always kept neat New & Rebuilt Transmissions & and looked as if they’d just been freshly whitewashed Differentials whenever I called. In Stock I’m not a whisky drinker, so in the summer heat when I was loading empty barrels in a box van, the fumes inside the van could make me a little lightheaded as the dregs evaporated through the bung holes. But the trips I liked the most were what we called a milk run. In the morning I’d hook into an empty tank and the boss would hand me a list with maybe five or six pick-ups, always enough to fill the tank. Those trips were collecting blending whisky, so it didn’t matter that all those different distilleries got mixed in the same tank 604-882-0526 or 604-882-0523 because those tanks usually went for supermarket own 9755-197B Street in Langley, B.C. brand bottling. I always preferred tanks to box vans, mainly because it’s easier to watch whisky pumping into a tank than to roll barrels up a box van trailer and stand them up. To

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stand the bigger barrels on their end was a two man job, so before me and my helper started I had to ask when he was going to lift. The barrels had to be rocked and then lifted, but if I was counting 1, 2, 3, lift, and my helper was counting 1, 2, lift, tempers could get frayed or backs could be jerked out unless we were in sync. When I’d floored out the trailer I had to spread 8x4 plywood boards on top of the upturned barrels and roll the rest of the load in on top, all done while bent double, just as well I was young and fit. Even today the road through Glen Coe never fails to impress me with its beautiful, rugged landscape. Unlike the A9 on the east side of Scotland the Glen Coe road is almost unchanged, mainly because the terrain doesn’t lend itself to road widening and bypasses. To me the west of Scotland has it all, Lochs, Mountains and beaches of silver sand to rival any tropical island. But I think the road improvements on the A9 have created more problems than they’ve solved. Oh sure, the road is faster now, and I’m sure all the wee villages that were by-passed are enjoying having no trucks and tourists rumbling up the main street. Or maybe not, in fact, some locals used the trucks like a bus service. If they were only going a couple of miles down to the next village and saw a truck coming they stuck a thumb out, most of the regular guys like me usually stopped. When the old A9 ran through all the wee villages

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on its way north it provided some variety, as well as an excuse for a stop. As it was a two lane road, one lane going north, one lane coming south, you could make eye contact with the other regular drivers and wave to them, try doing that on the multi lane highway of today. So I’ll stick to the west of Bonnie Scotland and leave the speed demons to the faster, (improved?) A9, where some truck drivers are so desperate to keep the pedal to the metal one guy was caught speeding twice in the same week, by the same cop. ***** A Canadian goes into a bar in Louisiana where there is a robot bartender. The robot asked, “What will you have? The guy said, “Whiskey.” The robot brought his drink and asked, “What’s your IQ?” The guy says, “168.” The robot talked about physics, space exploration, and medical technology. The guy left then thought he would have some fun so he went back again. The robot asked, “What’s your drink?” The guy said, “Whiskey.” The robot returns and asked, “What’s your IQ?” The man said, “100.” The robot talked about Nascar, Budweiser and the NFL. The man left and went back once more. The robot asked what he drank and he said, “Whiskey.” The robot brought the drink and asked, “What’s your IQ?” The man said, “50.” The robot leaned in real close and asked, “So . . . are . . . you… people . . . still… happy . . . with …Trudeau?”

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My LIFe ThroUGh A BroKen WIndshIeLd PrO-TruCKEr MAGAZINEe

By Mel McConaghy

Mel is a retired veteran driver who has spent 40 years on the road. LOST?? Over the years of my driving career I have been lost in cities, I have been lost in towns, I have been lost on bush roads and on highways. But in my defense, this has taken place over 40 years and in that time I have traveled many, many miles. Now I don’t think I’m the first driver to ever get lost in any of these situations and I’m sure I won’t be the last one. Why they even wrote a song that hits home in many of these instances called, ‘Give Me Forty Acres and I’ll Turn This Rig Around’. I like to think my getting lost stems from outdated road or street maps, poor signage and, as often as not, bad directions. It’s easy for a person who drives an area every day, to forget to tell you about a landmark or a building you should turn at when he or she does that route every day and is overly familiar with it. Of course when this happens you are usually pulling a super train or a fifty three foot trailer and you end up at a dead end or in a residential part of town. With that in mind would someone enlighten me as to

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i n fo @ t i m s t r a i l e r re p a i r. c o m why they always place the no exit street signs so you don’t see them until you have already committed yourself and are left with the deadly position of backing out onto a busy thorough-fare. I have spent many an hour, in the bush, looking at a ‘Y’ in the road where the road on the right is well traveled and the other one looks like it’s been deactivated. Your instructions clearly state you take the left fork but logically you take the one on the right and the machine you are supposed to pick up, is nowhere to be seen. After fruitless miles and hours, you return to the fork in the road and take the left one and ten minutes later, find the machine. A good radio can help you out at times like these but only if there is someone on the other end who knows what they are talking about. Just to make things more difficult - most low bedding takes place either at night or on the weekend when the loggers have gone home or are safely tucked in their bunks, back in camp. One time I drove around in circles on the back roads north of Edmonton looking for a Clark 668 line skidder. It was forty below and I had an engine that wanted to overheat every time I worked it a little hard. I finally found the very cold skidder, got it going and loaded, then I nursed my sick truck back to Prince George. I was a day late getting there after spending $800 to have a shop in Edson try to find out what was wrong with the engine but to no avail. When I got home I found out it was a common occurrence with a cross flow cooling radiator, which brings up another question. Why do these things happen in the most inclement weather, hundreds of miles from home? Drivers of to-day have it easier with computer controlled trucks and it seems more and more often, automatic transmissions. They can wiz around cities or in the bush without worry about what gear they are in and if they break down, they have their cell phone to fix it. They have their GP’S telling them were they should turn and when and exactly where their destination is. I have been told they even have tire chains now that put themselves on. (Okay I made that part up…) Anyway the more I think about it, the more I think I should go back on the road, after all I’m still young - I won’t be eighty until May!

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Rig of the Month by John White

Photos by: Nadine J Photography Shelley Francis from Red Deer Alberta is our February still a suburb of Winnipeg – it has since been swallowed 2016 Rig of the Month driver. This is her story: up into the city of Winnipeg. My parents moved us to I was born in St. Boniface, Manitoba when it was Calgary – the land of opportunity - when I was about

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three years old. I have a sister, Caron, who is 11 months older than me, and a brother Terry who is a couple of years younger. My dad was a Watchmaker which is a dying art now. He repaired watches and fixed the bracelets or replaced the front crystals that had been broken. He has stories of people bringing him watches that had been magnetized or cooked in a stew pot, swam in toilets or dug up in gardens. They were all worth repairing at that time because there was no such thing as a two dollar disposable watch back then. I totally blame him for making me the person I am today. We would set out 2 to 3 times a week doing deliveries to the various jewellery stores in Calgary to drop off the repaired units and pick up new victims for him to practice his talents on. Most of the time it was me and him, but on some occasions mom would be at the helm of the old ‘64 Malibu wagon. She didn’t have power steering,

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but at least it was an automatic. When Caron and I finally got our drivers licences at 16, we were turned loose on the jewellery run. By that time my dad had offered up space in the tiny one room shop of our home to a Jeweller, who had just graduated from Alberta College of Art. She made custom rings and

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jewellery. This helped her get on her feet as Dad let her use his cleaning and polishing machines, so she didn’t have to invest in a bunch of equipment at the start of her career. Delivering her jewelry also became our part time job. My sister and I would run all over town, sometimes with thousands of dollars of goods to drop off at the various stores that were traditionally my dad’s clients. So started my driving career! At one point I tried to get into an office job, but time after time I found it difficult to tolerate the same people every day. I like people, but most of them in small doses! There are so many drama queens out there...both male and female. The final straw came when I filled in for a lady who went on maternity leave. I was told my real position would be there for me when she came back. Surprise! – Not! This devastated me. Afterwards I look back and feel that it was a real life lesson in not depending on other people so much. I was searching for something different to try, because of the frustration that situation had caused me, so I thought it over and decided to be a Flight Attendant. Canadian Air was hiring so off I went to Saskatoon, for training. There was a lot to learn about policies and procedures...both on the company side and the government side. They actually have a book that has removable pages for updates...and the updates happened constantly! This was my first experience with a highly regulated occupa-

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tion...rules for conduct, government policies, dangerous goods procedures for aircraft, security clearances and even dress codes for what kind of jewellery and makeup you are allowed to wear! This was quite an eye opening experience. I passed all of the training in time for Canadian Air to be bought out by Air Canada...drat... I didn’t get hired on as the more senior women from Canadian Air transferred over, so us new hires remained unemployed, oh well. I lived in Airdrie, Alberta at the time and found a job as a parts driver for Action Parts. My boss Brent hired me to replace a girl named Shelley who was going off to college. It was a fun job where I met a lot of people. I learned how to deal with customers, both good and bad. On a good day the job was very rewarding, but boy, when there was a bad day, it really sucked. People’s emotions could really dictate how your day was, so I started to develop a happy personality to try to cheer people up when they were having a bad day. Patience, compassion, understanding were all traits I didn’t have a lot of but I found that I needed to develop them to survive. Of course...a real sense of humour helped also! When I worked for Action Auto Parts, I had the opportunity to make a TV commercial for the store. It was filmed at the north store in Calgary off of 16th Avenue and aired on Hockey Night in Canada, because they were a big sponsor of the event. What a blast that was, we got paid the whole day to play around making the commercial - pretty easy money! I can appreciated now how many takes and how much work it is involved in doing these things. Some of the process is quite boring, but a person still has to put on their, ‘I’m having a great time face,’ every time the camera looks at you...after a couple of hours that is not easy! As fun as it was, it is definitely not a career for me. I eventually left the parts driver job to go to Money’s mushrooms in Airdrie to drive a body truck. The job entailed me loading the truck and delivering to various stores, Safeway, Sobeys (IGA back then), Co-op, and a few smaller independents. When the big run doing the country stores came available, I thought what the heck, try it, you might like it!...Yup I did like being out and

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about. This is where I found my wheels. On the country store run the days were longer than average, but only 3 days per week. I liked to be up early and then relax the second day, only to start all over the 3rd day and so on. I ran out to Saskatoon, Medicine Hat and Lethbridge. I worked at Money’s for 4 or 5 years and the people were great to work with. Nothing gives you a better sense of humour than hauling Mushrooms...I’ve heard all the jokes you can imagine! The boxes were often soggy, so they would tip easy because they had no strength. One time I pulled up at one of the grocery stores, opened the door on the side of the truck and the little guys all rolled out the door...the produce clerk was standing there...I was so embarrassed. All I could come up with was, “I guess they didn’t like my driving so they bailed”. It’s pretty hard not to beat yourself up over some circumstances - but stuff happens! I moved from Airdrie to Calgary and once again went to work driving a parts truck for Action Parts. I was a spare driver that floated from store to store for drivers who were on holidays but I soon found that I missed being on the highway. The city bustle just wasn’t in the cards for me anymore. That’s when I decided to get my class 1. Yeah, a girl that had never backed up a trailer in her entire life was going to drive a big rig? Right! I could drive a standard and I knew how to use the mirrors from my body truck days, but back up a trailer? So I enlisted A1 Driving Academy to teach me how. The instructor thought it was funny when he took me out on my first day. We were going along just fine with me behind the wheel when he asked me why I was taking driving lessons? I told him that handling the truck and trailer going forward was not the issue – “But I don’t know how to back up”. I booked the truck for 10 hours and the old motor vehicles testing site in Bowness became my school ground. I would love to say that it came naturally but in reality it took a few hours of frustration before I got to the point where I had enough confidence to try the test. We booked a driving test, and I met the examiner at my stomping grounds. He got in the truck and started explaining to me what was expected. He said, “...hill park, stops and starts, shifting” - all things I could do, but then he shattered me when he said, “During the backup part of the test you are not allowed to stop during the backwards motion.” I was devastated! Without even trying I told him, “It’s not gonna happen. I have to be able to stop to regain my orientation sometimes.” He said. “No, that’s not allowed.” Being the realist I am I said, “Okay, then I fail right now, but since I have paid for the truck and test, let’s go for a cruise for an hour.” So we did. Boy was my driving instructor mad when we got back and I told him about this no stopping thing and that I had failed. That’s when the poop really hit the fan. There is no such rule, and fEbruAry 2016

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ies which I didn’t mind because they were night shift. I really hated day shifts - city traffic frustrated me. Then the guys started asking me why I didn’t do the highway runs. Basically back then no one sent you out on the highway until you did city work to ‘prove’ yourself. There was none of this, “Here’s your licence....good luck” stuff. You earned your position. Eventually I broke down and tried a few Edmonton runs. Wasn’t too bad. But to run for Gene I had to pull turnpikes. Yup, let’s go pull 2 trailers now. I took a training run and fell into it easily. You never had to back them up but as the years passed I finally did back them up into parking spots at the dairy where we ended our runs every night. While I was learning the yard guy just laughed at me, asking if it wasn’t easier and quicker to just unhook and park them separately? “Yeah” I said, “it is, but damn it – I’m going to learn.” I figured if my co-workers Richard, Daryl, Keith, Allen and Ken could do it, I would learn too. Persistence paid off, I did learn, but not as well as I would have liked. We had good times on that run to Edmonton. We all ran together and enjoyed working with each other to make the job easier. We had quite the routine, the first one to do their run would spot the convertors for the others. Sometimes we’d stop to grab a coffee and then run back to Calgary together. It didn’t matter if you drove for Hiway 9, H&R, UPS, Landtran or Hiway 13, if someone

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had a breakdown, we all looked after each other. You had to as cellphones weren’t as common then as they are now. They were all my brothers on the highway and I think they enjoyed having me along. I also like to think they appreciated my humour in circumstances where I found myself helpless because I don’t have the body strength to do things the same way a guy does. That being said I always managed to MacGyver a girl way of doing things. I tried to use my head to get things done that I didn’t have the physical strength to do. Sometimes they would laugh at my methods, but hey, they worked! Gene Orlick was involved with AMTA, and they have a truck Rodeo every year so I attended one thinking it could be fun. The next year I entered the competition and did ok placing in the top 2/3rds. I was happy with my placing considering my experience and the fact that I was competing against all those seasoned pros. A few years later I entered again and out of 60 drivers I drew 1st to go. Yikes! - no pressure. I could feel my heartbeat in my toes, I was nervous but when I got in the truck I calmed down and just did my run and had fun with it. That year I placed 13th out 60, not bad. My little brother, Terry (he hates me when I call him my little brother) is a driver too and he competed one year and won. He then represented Alberta at the nationals. He jokes that we should compete against each other sometime. I think it is to get back at me for that little brother thing…but I may surprise him. I spent a few years running as a team with a guy who is now my Ex. We had good times travelling down across the border and back up through Ontario to Edmonton. During this time, the exchange rate was still pretty competitive so there was a lot of freight coming to Canada. Things are not so good now. Every time the dollar drops, we naturally import less and less from the U.S., one would think that we would export more, but that doesn’t seem to happen as much. We made a lot of interesting trips down there, and to say the least, the American interstate system is wonderful. It is very much geared towards the transport industry. Canada has a lot to learn - although I am impressed that a few more rest areas are turning up in Alberta. I know they were working on twinning the Trans Canada

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in Ontario, but I haven’t been out that way recently, so I cannot comment on it other than it’s about time. One summer the ex and I hauled for the MBA Hoop it Up 3 on 3 Tour as they travelled across Canada. It was quite fun. We spent every weekend in the major cities across Canada, and travelled during the week to the next event. Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg, London and finally Halifax where we were stranded for 3 days! So we parked right on the main Pier in Halifax and every day we ate as much seafood as we possibly could. We rented a car and between meals checked out the Titanic Gravesite, the Citadel and of course Peggy’s cove and the Bluenose. We were an awesome team together, but times have changed and we have both moved on. Currently I drive a 2014 Freightliner Cascadia, with a 13 speed transmission, for Nossack Transport out of Red Deer, where I live. There are three drivers in the company and the owner, Axel, is our dispatcher. We try to have fun with our job and we move a lot of freight for the size of the operation we are! I used to have people ask me how many trucks we had and at that time it was only 1. They couldn’t believe how much we did and the places we were seen every week with only 1 truck! We now have two trucks which has allowed us to do more work, mostly in Edmonton and Calgary. That’s just fine with me, I now enjoy being home at night and not living

out of a truck! Looking back at my career I have held other jobs driving that expanded my horizons. I spent a summer hauling gravel with an end dump, as well as doing clam work gravelling county roads. I did a small stint of deck work, and also helped when a friend needed a driver to haul rig mats. Those are more physical jobs and the chore of chaining or strapping loads are too much for this old girl! I now prefer to stay with my van work, it’s much easier! Weather in Alberta is always a challenge. It doesn’t really matter if it is summer or winter the ‘special’ people are always out there. I once spent 9 hours stranded on the hill on Highway 2 at the Carstairs exit because a lady in a pickup truck was scared and almost stopped at the bottom of that hill....yeah… I didn’t have enough momentum to get up that one, but I wasn’t the only one. It was one of the worst winter storms I have ever seen, and along with the snow, it was very cold. It took the tow trucks all night to get us mobile. There were other weather related incidents that we all experience and a couple that were really extreme like when I was caught in the massive hailstorm in Edmonton. That was the year that the underpasses were full of water and hail. I did manage to narrowly miss the famous Edmonton tornado but like most drivers I have seen some extremely crazy wrecks.

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Cummins ISX Manifold Substitute for your Holset HE551 & HE561 Turbo

Benefits of Installing BD Manifold and Borg Warner S410SX Turbo

Reduces operating costs and costly HE 500 series repairs Provides excellent pulling power in combination with a S410 Turbocharger

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www.knwdiesel.com KNW Diesel Inc 19325 94 Avenue Unit C-1 Surrey, BC V4N 4E6

& SINGLE OWNER OPERATORS FOR S HIRING TEAM BC/WA/CA to ON & BC to IN & BC to TX

The beginning of the summer holiday season, when all the campers make their maiden voyages, always throws a scare into me. I once had a camping trailer separate from its tow vehicle right in front of me on the Blackfalds hill on the QE2. It got caught up in the bridge railing, flipped over and broke into a cloud of white dust and splinters. But the worst accident I have seen was the 100 car pileup on QE2 that we had a couple of years ago. I was the last truck to be allowed through before the emergency services closed the highway - what a mess it was. The QE2 used to be fairly empty at night, but it seems she never sleeps anymore. I have driven many types and combinations of trucks and trailers, and have come to the conclusion that there really aren’t any bad ones out there. They are what you make them out to be. Technology has given us the comfort, visibility and maneuverability to make most of these vehicles easy to handle. A far cry from how I felt when I was first learning, but that’s what life is all about. I believe that if we start feeling like we’ve done it all and been everywhere and there is no more learning left to be had, then it is all over! Honestly, my life has been a ride and good or bad, I don’t think I’d change anything even if I could. I hope the people I have worked with, spent time with, or have known me or taught me anything in this life are pleased with how I turned out! If not...well, it’s too late to change now!

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A Senator Gets Called Out The people in the letter below are fictitious. The original article has been plagiarized with the names and U.S. references changed to reflect those in Canada. The original piece was based on a statement by former U.S. Republican Senator Alan L. Simpson in an 2010 email to Ashley B. Carson, Executive Director of OWL (Older Women’s League). In the email he stated: “We’ve reached a point now where it’s like a milk cow with 310 million teats!” And a response letter by Montana senior Patty Myers was posted to a number of newspapers and blogs in the following months. This is the Canadian version: Senator Jeff Smith, from Québec called senior citizens the Greediest Generation as he compared “Social Security “ to a Milk Cow with over a million teats. Here is a response in a letter from Ontario senior Patty Johnstone: “Hey Jeff, let’s get a few things straight!!!!! 1. As a career politician, you have been on the public dole (teat) for fifty years. 2. I have been paying CPP & OHIP for 48 years (since I was 15 years old. I am now 63). 3. My Canada Pension payments, and those of millions of other Canadians, were safely tucked away in an interest bearing account for decades until you political

The

pukes decided to raid the account and give OUR money to a bunch of zero losers in return for votes, thus bankrupting the system and turning Social Security into a Ponzi scheme that would make Bernie Madoff proud. 4. Recently, just like Lucy & Charlie Brown, you and “your ilk” pulled the proverbial football away from millions of Canadian seniors nearing retirement and moved the goalposts for full retirement from age 65 to age, 67. Now, you and your “shill commission” are proposing to move the goalposts yet again. 5. I, and millions of other Canadians, have been paying into OHIP & CPP from day one, and now “you morons” propose to change the rules of the game. Why? Because “you idiots” mismanaged other parts of the economy to such an extent that you need to steal our money from OHIP & CCP to pay the bills. 6. I, and millions of other Canadians, have been paying income taxes our entire lives, and now you propose to increase our taxes yet again. Why? Because you “incompetent $#%^’s” spent our money so profligately that you just kept on spending even after you ran out of money. Now, you come to the Canadian taxpayers and say you need more to pay off YOUR debt. To add insult to injury, you label us “greedy” for calling “B.S.” to your incompetence. Well, Captain B.S., I have a few questions for YOU:

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1. How much money have you earned from the Canadian taxpayers during your pathetic 50-year political career? 2. At what age did you retire from your pathetic political career, and how much are you receiving in annual retirement benefits from the Canadian taxpayers? 3. How much do you pay for YOUR government provided health insurance? 4. What cuts in YOUR retirement and healthcare benefits are you proposing in your disgusting deficit reduction proposal, or as usual, have you exempted yourself and your political cronies? It is you, Captain B.S., and your political co-conspirators called Parliament who are the “greedy” ones. It is you and your fellow nutcase thieves who have bankrupted the Canadian Pension, OHIP and stolen the Canadian dream from millions of loyal, patriotic taxpayers. And for what? Votes and YOUR job and retirement security at our expense, you lunk-headed leech. That’s right, sir. You and yours have bankrupted our benefits for the sole purpose of advancing your pathetic, political careers. You know it, we know it, and now you know that we know it. And you can take that to the bank, you miserable s.o.b. P.S. And stop calling CPP & OHIP “entitlements”. What an insult!!! I have been paying in to the CPP system for 45 years

NEW Extended Hours Mon-Fri 8 am- Midnight • Sat 8 am- 5pm “It’s my money”-give it back to me the way the system was designed and stop patting yourself on the back like you are being generous by personally doling out these monthly checks. *****

Research Volunteers Needed....

A research project was done in BC on the type of human that is most likely to be the recipient of a Grizzly Bear attack. Many theories were put forth from people wearing perfume or aftershave to the colour of clothing they were wearing. After an extensive study it was concluded that the type of human that is most susceptible to Grizzly Bear attacks are, “The slow ones.”

Experienced Owner Operators Required ...For Long Haul or Short Haul Flat deck freight and container chassis work available.

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Thank You!

PrO-TruCKEr MAGAZINEe

These are just some of the trucks that came out to Big Rigs for Kids this year. As usual the truck convoy led the Surrey Santa Parade of Lights and then they travelled across Surrey to city hall where the trucks were put on display. The parade raises money for the Christmas Bureau and the Food Bank. Many thanks to the drivers who participated especially to the drivers from Vancouver Island who go in the IEOA Truck Light Convoy the night before and then get up bright and early to travel over for our parade. Every year more and more people come out all along the route to watch the convoy pass. (More photo’s on next page)

Christin Schroeder and Chad Richmond

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Open 6:00 am to 7:30 pm Mon to fri 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Saturdays

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Glen Morrow as The Grinch!

Clover Towing PAGE 34

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february 2016

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COLLISION SPECIALISTS ESTAbLISHED 1968 ICbC & PrIVATE CLAIMS frAMES & ALIGNMENT #4, 19155 - 96th Avenue Surrey, bC V4N 3P8

See you agian for this year’s parade December 4th 2016!

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By Truck The highway winds and wanders, back and forth across the land, Across the fertile inland plains to the seashores shifting sands. The big rigs ever wander all across this concrete sea, Yet it seems that trouble waits behind every hill or tree. They ride through winters ice and snow, through summers winds and rain, East and west, north and south, then turn and go again. Their drivers dodge the traffic, yet some are bound to fail. Some will pay the final price and a few end up in jail. They carry everything you use, from steel to hockey pucks, Remember, if you have it, it came to you by truck.

R E A D E R S A R T PAGE 38

Dave Madill

Dave Madill was Pro-Trucker Magazineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;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

Sent in by: Teagan Tutt, Age 8. E-magazine available at www.pro-truckermagazine.com

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Pro-Trucker Magazine Online! Past Issues and Rig of the Month Archives Read the magazine right from your smart phone!

www.facebook.com/groups/7374383222/ and www.facebook.com/ProTruckerMagazine

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